GLENDALE, Ariz. _ Maybe a tie was what this game deserved.
In maybe the oddest game in Seahawks history _ and the first tie _ Arizona and Seattle played 75 minutes to determine nothing.
Each team missed short field goals in the final minutes, including Seattle's Steven Hauschka's off-target attempt from 28 yards with seven seconds remaining.
That left Seattle and Arizona fit to be tied, 6-6.
That at least marked something of a victory for Seattle in keeping the Seahawks somewhat comfortably ahead in the NFC West at 4-1-1. Arizona is now 3-3-1.
On a play that snapped at the two-minute warning of overtime, Russell Wilson hit Jermaine Kearse for 31 yards to the Arizona 43 and then three plays later hit Doug Baldwin who took it to the 9.
But then came Hauschka's kick that was wide left and neither team had anything to feel good about.
Seattle had a chance late only because Arizona's Chandler Catanzaro's 24-yard field goal attempt with 3:19 left to win it hit the left upright and bounced off, reviving memories of a 27-yard miss by Minnesota's Blair Walsh that allowed the Seahawks to win a wild-card playoff game last January.
Through three quarters, the Seahawks had just three first downs and 83 yards, with Arizona holding the ball for 30:52 to Seattle's 14:08.
Seattle was in the game solely due to a gutty effort by the defense, which held Arizona to only three points on four Cardinals' drives inside the Seattle 28 in the first three quarters, and special teams.
A blocked punt set up Seattle's only points in regulation and a blocked field goal and superb coverage on punt teams kept the Seahawks in it.
Arizona took a 6-3 lead on a 45-yard field goal by Catanzaro with 11:23 remaining in overtime. Arizona had moved 43 yards in nine plays to get into position.
Christine Michael gained 1-0 yards on the first play to start the drive.
Russell Wilson then hit Jimmy Graham three times to take it to the Arizona 24.
But the drive stalled there leaving Hauschka to tie it on a 36-yard field goal with 6:42 to play.
The Seahawks were simply a disaster on offense all night, punting the first nine times they had the ball and with just 130 yards and five first downs in regulation.
Seattle punted after all five drives in the first half, getting just two first downs.
Russell Wilson, continuing to play with a brace on his knee, struggled throughout the first two quarters, seeming at times unusually unnerved by Arizona's pressure _ he was 5 of 14 for 34 yards with a long of just 10 in the first half.
It was obvious from the start that Wilson is still not 100 percent. On Seattle's first series he kept the ball on a zone read and tried to get around the end but playing with a brace on his knee still did not have his usual burst and acceleration and lost two yards.
But Wilson was far from alone in struggling early. Rookie Nick Vannett saw his most extensive playing time but had a drop on a high pass on third down in the first quarter and Jimmy Graham had one drop when wide open and another time on a low pass had it glance off his hands. Doug Baldwin couldn't control one in the second half.
Seahawks had three straight three-and-outs in the first quarter, which they finished with just 17 yards on nine plays _ minus-two on two attempts rushing.
Christine Michael had little room to run and had just 15 yards on four carries in the first half.
Seattle finished regulation with just 29 yards and no carry of longer than six.
It was the fewest rushing yards for Seattle since gaining just 20 against the Chiefs on Nov. 28, 2010.
While Wilson seems obviously hampered, he also didn't get much help from his supporting cast as receivers struggled to get open and the line was overwhelmed much of the night.
Tyler Lockett, who also is playing on an injured knee, did little.
The Seahawks had five holding penalties in regulation, two on the final series after Seattle appeared to have life with a completion at the 48.
And Germain Ifedi's personal foul for pulling a player off a pile prevented a possible Seattle first down in the third quarter.
The defense couldn't have done more under what were extreme conditions all night. The Cardinals made some forays into Seattle territory, but the Seahawks came up with the key stops time and again to keep hope alive.
Bobby Wagner (13 tackles), Earl Thomas (two passes defended), Cliff Avril (2.5 sacks) were specific heroes
Frank Clark made one of the biggest plays of the game to end the first half, a sack of Palmer that forced a fumble. Arizona recovered, but the melee allowed time to run out _ the play had snapped with 17 seconds _ as Arizona did not have any time outs remaining.
However, while the defense was the only reason the Seahawks were in the game early an apparent interception by Earl Thomas in the second quarter that would have given Seattle the ball at the Arizona 31 was nullified by holding on Richard Sherman.
And Jeremy Lane was his own penalty machine on a drive in the third quarter, notably a dead ball personal foul that put the Cardinals inside field goal range
Cliff Avril, who had two sacks last week, picked up where he left off, continually pressuring Palmer and recording 2.5 sacks in regulation.
K.J. Wright made what might have been the play of the game early on breaking through to stop David Johnson for no gain on a fourth-and-one at the Seattle 18 with 4:28 left in the third quarter.
Earl Thomas appeared to be put in position to make a few plays closer to the line and he made the pay off.
Hauschka's miss hugely marred a big night for the special teams.
Neiko Thorpe, signed after the first week for his kick coverage ability, had a really nice play on Seattle's first punt, fending off a defender to make a tackle at the 21.
Seattle, though, came out on the short end of an exchange of punts late in the first quarter, with a good bounce for Arizona forcing the Seahawks to start at their 1, and after a three-and-out, the Cardinals then starting at the Seattle 33.
The Seahawks, though, then kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard with a remarkable athletic play by Wagner, who leapt over Arizona long snapper Aaron Brewer to block a field goal by Chandler Catanzaro early in the second quarter. Seahawks linemen Michael Bennett, Cassius Marsh and Jarran Reed helped collapse the middle, allowing Wagner space to make his jump.
Thorpe and DeAndre Elliott had good open-field tackles later to keep the Cardinals pinned deep.
