Respect must be hewn in the Pacific Northwest, where the Cardinals are but a footnote in the frontier: they are the first team to beat Russell Wilson in Seattle.
How cute.
To become a legitimate rival, they need to beat the Seahawks when it really matters. By taking something of value from the reigning NFC West champions. By closing out the second half of the season with a division title, and not staggering home like they did in 2014.
Alibis and injuries don’t matter in this realm. Seahawks fans don’t care that Ryan Lindley was the Cardinals quarterback the last time these teams met, or that he is now a real estate agent with an office in the Valley.