Seattle could be back in Arizona for Super Bowl

The Super Bowl will be played in the same stadium where the Seahawks dominated the Cardinals 35-6 on Sunday night.

"I had a freaking blast tonight," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.

Seattle won its fifth in a row with a record-breaking offensive performance and a stifling defensive effort.

"Our offensive line did a great job and it gave me time to make the throws and make the plays. Guys caught the ball extremely well tonight. They kept playing football for me," quarterback Russell Wilson said. "The effort was so high and then you think about the defense. The defense was lights out and the plays they were able to make, the short field they were able to give us, it was a complete team effort."

Wilson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Marshawn Lynch ran for two scores, one of them a tackle-breaking 79-yard run that helped turn the game into a blowout in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks amassed a franchise record 596 yards.

"We have been playing so well all year and to have that performance tonight, it's embarrassing," Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson said.

The victory moved Seattle (11-4) into a tie with Arizona (11-4) atop the NFC West, with the Seahawks holding the tiebreaker because they beat the Cardinals twice.

If Seattle wins at home against St. Louis next weekend, the Seahawks will clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and play at home throughout the playoffs — until that Super Bowl trip to Arizona.

"The attitude that we're playing with, it gives us a chance to really have high hopes going into that last game," Carroll said.

The Cardinals still have hopes for the division title, but the Seahawks would have to lose to the Rams while Arizona won at San Francisco.

"We need a little help but we're in there," Cardinals linebacker Larry Foote said.

Here are things to note in Seattle's one-sided victory in Arizona:

WILSON TO WILLSON: Both of Wilson's touchdown passes went to tight end Luke Willson. The first was a gorgeous long one into Willson's fingertips in an 80-yard play that matched the longest of Wilson's career.

"I'm a tight end, but I always take a lot of pride when I'm in the open field not getting caught," Willson said. "One of those guys kind of got to my ankles there, that would've been a little embarrassing. I was pretty happy with the way it ended up."

Wilson also had a 55-yard run that was the longest of his career.

LYNCH THE SHOWMAN: Marshawn Lynch had a remarkable 79-yard touchdown run that featured him running over a couple of would-be tacklers and breaking away from a couple of others.

"If you love football, it's got to be one of the best runs of all time," Wilson said. "He's had one before I believe, in Seahawks history, so to watch that one was pretty cool."

When he made it to the end zone, Lynch spun around in mid-air and briefly grabbed his crotch. The display didn't bother veteran Arizona linebacker Larry Foote.

"They can do whatever they want when they're winning," Foote said. "It's our job to stop them from getting in the end zone. He did a good job of getting in there."

Of course, Lynch wasn't saying much of anything.

When asked about the run, he said, "Thanks for asking."

He said the same thing to every other question.

Lynch sat out the first quarter with an upset stomach.

WHAT DEFENSE?: The Cardinals had counted on their defense to keep this a low-scoring game, but the Seahawks ripped off big play after big play. The 591 yards were the most Arizona has allowed this season.

The 29-point difference was the largest in Arians' two seasons in Arizona.

"That's humbling especially how well we played them the first time up in their place," To do that in prime time, that is not good."

LINDLEY'S STRUGGLES: With starter Carson Palmer out for the season and backup Drew Stanton sidelined with a sprained knee, the Cardinals turned to Ryan Lindley, who struggled mightily against the league's No. 1-ranked defense.

"I think there were certain things that we did that we didn't take full advantage of what we thought we could schematically do against them. That's a lot on me," Lindley said.

Lindley completed 18 of 44 passes for 216 yards with one interception.

He already held the NFL record for most passes without a touchdown. Now that number has grown to 225.

LOSING AT HOME: The Cardinals lost at home for the first time in eight games this season. They are 13-3 at home since Arians became coach. Two of those losses were to Seattle.

AP