SEATTLE, Wash. – Amid a bizarre sequence midway through the third quarter, a late timeout called by coach Mike Macdonald negated a potential drive ending pass breakup, forcing the Seattle Seahawks to have to try to stop the Arizona Cardinals for a second time on 4th and 1.

After Kyler Murray’s first fourth down incompletion intended for Marvin Harrison Jr. didn’t count, the speedy quarterback faked the handoff and rolled out to his right, initially looking to turn the corner and run for the first down. But that plan was thwarted by Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who turned on the afterburners chasing after him in pursuit, forcing Murray to try to loft the ball over the defender’s head to receiver Michael Wilson instead.

In the perfect place at the perfect time with Witherspoon’s pressure speeding up the quarterback, safety Coby Bryant took full advantage of a gift-wrapped interception opportunity, as Murray’s throw sailed over Wilson into his hands for the pick. Off to the races, following a block by Witherspoon, he sprinted down the sideline with cheers raining down from the crowd and capped off the 69-yard touchdown return by paying homage to legend Marshawn Lynch with a not-so-subtle crotch grab.

While acknowledging that the NFL will likely fine him for that gesture, that’s a price Bryant will be more than willing to pay after the biggest play of his career thus far lifted the Seahawks to a 16-6 win over the Cardinals, vaulting them into a tie for first place in the NFC West.

“I just saw Kyler rolling out and the guy was leaking out a little bit, so I was going to attach to him,” Bryant explained. “Something in my mind, honestly. … I’m just like ‘he might just float this in the air and it might get overthrown’ because of Spoon blitzing or whatever he was doing. I’m gonna have to go back and look at that. But hey, he caused the play for me and he floated up in the air and I just caught it. I don’t think I’ve ever ran that fast.”

Winning their second straight against a division rival with dominant defense leading the way, it’s only fitting two of Seattle’s best young players on that side of the football contributed to the most impactful play of the game, immediately turning a promising Arizona drive into points in a game where neither offense could find much traction. Allowing less than 20 points in each of their previous three games, youth has been served at all three levels to fuel the defensive revitalization.

In last week’s win over the 49ers, Witherspoon got his hands on three pass breakups, including deflecting one up in the air that led to an interception for defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins and an eventual field goal for Jason Myers. Though he didn’t have any pass breakups, Bryant made two crucial tackles on San Francisco’s second-to-last possession, including a third down stop on Jauan Jennings that forced a punt and set up Geno Smith’s game-winning touchdown drive.

Away from the secondary, linebacker Tyrice Knight has ran with his shot to replace departed starter Tyrel Dodson in the starting lineup, racking up at least nine combined tackles in the past two games. But he did more than simply amass tackles on Sunday, registering his first career sack on a blitz and devouring Murray as he tried to step up in the pocket on the game’s opening drive to force a punt.

If not for a replay reversal, Knight’s afternoon could have been even more memorable. After defensive tackle Leonard Williams hit Murray’s elbow while he tried to throw in the first quarter, the ball squirted out and officials initially ruled it a fumble with the rookie scooping it up and returning it for six points. Unfortunately, the play didn’t stand with replay officials changing it to an incomplete pass.

With Knight and Ernest Jones manning the middle, as evidenced once again on Sunday against a Cardinals squad that entered the game with a top-five rushing attack, the Seahawks look to be in great hands at linebacker after receiving shaky play there earlier in the season. Proud of how the rookie has performed thus far, Macdonald tabbed his rare professionalism as the primary reason he has found early success.

“I think the middle of our defense right now is playing pretty dang good. Happy for him. He’s doing a lot during the week to prepare. He is just another example — I sound like a broken record — but it’s like just stack good moments, good days, good reps, good preparation, take care of your body, study the heck out of the game plan, over communicate, take one play at a time. That’s just how you have to do it.

“To his credit, that’s what he does. There is no extra about him. It’s just business as usual and he’s very poised, even in awesome NFL environments. You got to give him credit for that for being a rookie.”

Even in the trenches, the Seahawks have received ample contributions from young players along the defensive line in their recent surge. Making his presence felt right away, Boye Mafe ambushed Murray on the second snap of the game, bringing the quarterback down for a sack. Outplaying his two-tackle stat line, Byron Murphy II also held his own in the interior, making it difficult for James Conner to find any running room between the tackles with penetration and eating up double teams while providing a few pressures of his own collapsing the pocket.

Of course, it would be remiss not to mention the sensational play of Seattle’s seasoned veterans on Sunday, starting with Williams. The Cardinals didn’t have an answer for the versatile defensive lineman, who ate their guards alive all afternoon to the tune of six tackles, 2.5 sacks, and three tackles for loss. At the other defensive tackle spot, Jarran Reed drew praise from Macdonald after pitching in with four tackles, a partial sack, and a quarterback hit.

Elsewhere, as the elder statesman of the secondary, safety Julian Love had two pass breakups, including a near-highlight reel interception along the sideline where he showcased elite closing speed to jump the pass. Continuing to wreak havoc at linebacker next to Knight, Jones led the team with 10 tackles, and now has 47 combined tackles in four games since being acquired via trade from the Titans last month.

Those four players stand out as the leadership foundation for the Seahawks, with Williams saying several of them spoke prior to the 49ers game to talk about being in “playoff mode” from here on out, a meeting that has proven to be most beneficial. To achieve the goal of making the postseason, they will have to continue elevating their games to bring out the best in their peers, setting example with how they prepare during the week and handle their business on Sunday.

Following the lead of their veteran teammates, youngsters such as Witherspoon, Bryant, and Knight have embraced their respective roles and had a major influence on the team climbing back to the top of the NFC West standings. Playing with a heightened urgency, they have been a vital part in the defense’s rapid turnaround and with six games left to play, they have undoubtedly created a tangible excitement about what Seattle can accomplish down the stretch with the division up for grabs.

Rapid Reaction: Leonard Williams, Seahawks Feast on Cardinals in 16-6 Win

Halftime Observations: Seahawks Engaged in Defensive Slog, Lead Cardinals 7-3

Seahawks RG Anthony Bradford Doubtful to Return vs. Cardinals

Noah Fant Among Seahawks Inactives vs. Cardinals

Game Predictions: Seahawks Week 12 vs. Cardinals

A dominant defensive performance led by defensive lineman Leonard Williams, safety Coby Bryant and cornerback Devon Witherspoon ended the Arizona Cardinals’ four-game win streak in a 16-6 Seattle Seahawks victory on Sunday at Lumen Field.

Seattle (6-5, 2-2 NFC West) took over first place in the division just two weeks after sitting in last coming out of their Week 10 bye. Arizona (6-5, 2-1 NFC West) was held to a season-low six points after averaging 26.3 points per game over their last four games.

The Seahawks played arguably their most complete defensive game of the season, with standout performances across the board. Williams, Bryant and Witherspoon, however, were the catalysts.

Williams posted his best game as a Seahawk, logging six tackles, three tackles for loss, one batted pass, four quarterback hits and 2.5 sacks. Bryant had six tackles and a key pick-six that helped originally give Seattle a two-score lead in the third quarter. Witherspoon forced that errant throw via pressure on Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and finished with five total tackles.

In consecutive weeks, the Seahawks held the San Francisco 49ers and Cardinals — both divisional opponents — to under 300 total yards. Though the offense wasn’t as productive as in recent weeks, the defense picked up the slack.

Seattle’s offense struggled to generate consistent offense in the first half. The Seahawks punted on their first four drives, allowing three sacks of Smith and picking up just 72 total yards during those possessions.

But the defense kept the Cardinals in check, forcing Arizona to punt on four of their first five drives. Nothing came easy for Arizona’s ground game, which entered the contest as one of the league’s top rushing attacks.

As a result, the Cardinals leaned on Murray’s arm in the first half. That brought some chunk plays, but also inconsistency with Seattle’s pass rush looking as good as it has all season. Murray was sacked three times in the first half and completed 10 of 17 passes for 107 yards (24-of-37 passing for 285 yards and an interception in the game).

The Seahawks, trailing 3-0, finally ripped off a chunk play just before the two-minute warning on a tunnel screen to Smith-Njigba, who caught the ball just behind the line of scrimmage and ran for a 46-yard gain to Arizona’s 4-yard line.

Smith-Njigba (team-high six catches for 77 yards) finished off the drive two plays later via a 3-yard touchdown pass from Smith, giving Seattle its first lead of the game, 7-3. That was also Seattle’s lead at halftime.

The defense continued to dominate for the Seahawks in the third quarter. Arizona, on its first drive of the second half, was forced into a 4th and 1 from Seattle’s 40-yard line.

Murray faked a handoff and rolled out to his right with pressure from Witherspoon. Forced into a bad throw, Murray tossed the ball to the waiting arms of safety Bryant, who returned it 69 yards for a touchdown down the left sideline — paying homage to former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch with a groin grab as he jumped backward into the end zone.

The Seahawks continued making life hard for Murray on Arizona’s next drive. Williams kept dominating, generating two negative plays for the Cardinals which included Seattle’s fourth sack of Murray on the day. It finished with five sacks in the game.

Seattle then mounted its longest offensive drive of the day to that point via 11 plays. But Smith’s 12th interception of the season ended what could have been a possession that nearly put the game away.

Rolling out to his right, Smith had a rush lane ahead of him and, instead of staying that course, he tried to rifle a pass into wide receiver Tyler Lockett in the end zone. Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams plucked it out of the air to get the ball back for Arizona at their own 20-yard line.

Murray and the Cardinals put together their own long drive in response. Eleven plays and 76 yards later, Arizona was forced to kick a short field goal after Seattle’s defense made a goal line stand. However, on a third-down rush that fell short of the goal line, Murray was shaken up and evaluated in the medical tent.

Now leading 13-6 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb opted to keep throwing the football. That resulted in a near-second interception thrown by Smith off a pass that went off Walker’s hands. The call was overturned, however, as Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White couldn’t get his hands under the football.

Seattle converted three critical third downs on that drive alone as they drove just 49 yards in 12 plays to churn eight minutes off the clock. It was enough to get inside Jason Myers’ range, though, and the Seahawks kicker made it a two-score game, 16-6, with 1:56 left on a 50-yard field goal.

With little time left to operate and Murray back in the field, the Cardinals were forced to try a 47-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining. Even if Ryland converted, Arizona’s chance of recovering an onside kick and scoring a touchdown was slim. He missed, and Smith kneeled out the victory for Seattle, finishing the game 22-of-31 passing for 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The Cardinals entered the game averaging the fifth-most rushing yards per game (149.4). Against that threat, the Seahawks held the Cardinals to just 49 yards on the ground — a season-best for Seattle.

Arizona’s lead backs James Conner and Trey Benson rushed for just 26 yards on 11 carries. For the fourth-straight game since joining the Seahawks via trade, inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV totaled double-digit tackles (10) and rookie fourth-round pick Tyrice Knight added nine tackles in addition to his first NFL sack.

Seattle’s run defense was a liability through eight games, giving up an average of 148.4 rush yards per game. They’ve allowed an average of 82.3 yards on the ground in the last three games.

After winning their first two games at home this season, the Seahawks came into Week 12 on a four-game home skid. The win over the Cardinals was Seattle’s first win at Lumen Field since Sept. 22.

The Seahawks have just two games this season where they haven’t allowed a touchdown, and both have now been in home games (24-3 Week 3 win vs. Miami Dolphins).

The Seahawks were without power at the VMAC, their team practice facility, for 2.5 days after a major storm hit the Seattle region on Tuesday night. They were without hot water and lights in their locker room in addition to other limitations around the building.

That forced the team to adjust its preparation for the Week 12 game against Arizona. Getting out of an odd week with a victory is a win in itself for the team.

Seattle travels to face the New York Jets (3-8) at 10 a.m. PST in a Week 13 road game at MetLife Stadium. The Seahawks are riding a two-game winning streak for the first time since Week 2.

The Jets have lost seven of their last eight games and enjoyed a bye in Week 12. New York lost 31-6 to Arizona in Week 10 while the Seahawks were on their bye.

Rapid Reaction: Leonard Williams, Seahawks Feast on Cardinals in 16-6 Win

Halftime Observations: Seahawks Engaged in Defensive Slog, Lead Cardinals 7-3

Seahawks RG Anthony Bradford Doubtful to Return vs. Cardinals

Noah Fant Among Seahawks Inactives vs. Cardinals

Game Predictions: Seahawks Week 12 vs. Cardinals

The Seattle Mariners are in a very tough position as we head deeper into this offseason.

First, the M’s went 85-77 last season, missing the playoffs by just one game. They are clearly a good team, but they are good team that needs to make some improvements in order to be great.

Unfortunately, those improvements may be hard to come by. Seattle has holes at second base, third base and in the bullpen, and they apparently only have $16 million or so to spend this offseason. It’s already been reported as a “likelihood” that either Justin Turner or Carlos Santana return to the roster, so that signing will eat up a significant chunk of that money.

Thus, how do the M’s go about filling those needs with what could amount to just five or six million? They will have to do something that is very uncomfortable, in one way or the other.

In order to acquire a solid offensive player, who is also affordable, the M’s could have to part with one of their young pitchers. The team has repeatedly said they don’t want to do that, but it’s one of a small handful of ways to get affordable offense. Of course, by doing that, you’d be making the pitching staff worse.

More likely, but also uncomfortable, is that the M’s try to trade Mitch Haniger. Owed more than $15 million, Haniger is coming off a season in which he hit only .208. No team will take on that salary for that kind of production, so in order to move him, the M’s would have to attach a top prospect to the deal.

Remember what they did last year, trading Jarred Kelenic in order to shed Evan White and Marco Gonzales’s contract? You could see the exact same thing, and for a team that has worked hard to build its farm system, it’s going to hurt.

But it might be the only option to open up money so the team can get the kind of players it needs to fully compete.

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.