een-year old debutant, picked up three wickets with her legspin to scythe through the lower order. Aliya Riyaz, the No. 10 batsm

Coach Bruce Arians is the first to admit his Arizona Cardinals did not play well during the first quarter of the season, digging an early hole during a 1/3 start in September.However, after consecutive victories by a combined score of 61-24, the defending NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals (3-3) have a chance to close to within a half-game of the division lead when the Seattle Seahawks (4-1) visit University of Phoenix Stadium for Sunday nights prime-time tilt at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.Weve been playing better. Each season is a new year, Arians said. We did not play well in September, surprising to me, but we did play very well the last two weeks, and hopefully we can continue that.Granted, beating up on the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets, who are a combined 2-10, is a different animal than facing Seattle. The Seahawks are coming off a hard-fought win over the Atlanta Falcons, their first victory over a team with a winning record this season. It is fair to say this is a strong litmus test for teams that have combined to win 10 of the past 12 NFC West titles.The Cardinals have won four of the past five meetings, but the Seahawks have a three-game winning streak at University of Phoenix Stadium, including a 36-6 victory in Week 17 last season after Arizona already clinched the division and a first-round bye in the playoffs.12s show up, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of the teams fan base. I was asked that by their press, too, theyre aware of it as well. I guess our people like to get out of the Northwest and get down there, get to Arizona. I dont know. We have had great crowds down there, and theyve been really good to us.On the field, the Cardinals boast a dynamic weapon in running back David Johnson, who enters Sunday with 568 rushing yards (third in the NFL) and eight touchdowns on the ground to go with 20 catches for 265 yards through the air. Seattle counters with the leagues third-ranked run defense and the top unit in yards allowed per game (283.6).Arizona is still looking to get its passing game untracked, with Arians acknowledging too many potential big plays failed to be executed through six weeks. The Seahawks are fifth in fewest passing yards allowed, but they did get beat for a pair of late big plays to fall behind against Atlanta last week. One miscommunication resulted in Pro Bowl cornerback Richard Sherman yelling at defensive coordinator Kris Richard and inactive strong safety Kam Chancellor on the sideline.I mean its another week, its another opponent, everything starts over, said Sherman. Were frustrated, if theyre going to score, its going to be a very difficult score. Its going to be something that was just a dog fight. We hate to give up easy ones.Sherman may not shadow a receiver with the Cardinals sporting several playmakers. Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer, with some of his receivers matched up against Seahawks cornerbacks DeShawn Shead and Jeremy Lane, will have a prime opportunity to regain his form. He enters with seven touchdowns against five interceptions and an 84.1 passer rating.Its been not as easy as in the past. Weve missed some, theyre there, we just havent hit them, Arians said of the Cardinals passing game. Well get our opportunities, and we just have to keep throwing at them.Arians knows his team will be equally challenged on the other side of the ball. Arizona sports the leagues No. 5 defense entering Sunday, but last year, it did not successfully handle the Seahawks transformation to a more wide-open attack based on the throwing of quarterback Russell Wilson.Wilson completed 19 of 28 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns in Week 17 last season, and he enters Sunday with a streak of 158 consecutive passes without an interception. In fact, he has thrown only two in 12 games dating back to Week 10 of last season.He compiled those figures despite playing on right ankle and left knee sprains that clearly limited his mobility. Arizona has 19 sacks on the season and is facing a reworked Seattle offensive line that continues to experience growing pains, but Arians said the 5-foot-11 Wilson has developed into far more than a scrambling quarterback who hurts defenses on the run and on busted plays.Years ago everybody said, Make him stay in the pocket, Arians said. Now you rush him and hope you can contain him because hes lighting everybody up from the pocket.More to the point, Wilson is steadily getting closer to full health.Were just continuing to count on him to get out there and do his thing, Carroll said. He feels better again, hes markedly improved than he has been the last couple weeks. Lets see how that goes.Were going to keep running the stuff and count on him to read the things out and do all that he knows how to do. Were not restricting him at all.Arizona travels for a rematch against struggling defending NFC champion Carolina next week before hitting its bye week, while Seattle travels to New Orleans before returning home for a Monday night tilt against resurgent Buffalo and a trip to New England before playing host to Philadelphia. So the outcome of Sundays game could have a significant impact on what will be at stake when the Cardinals pay a visit to Seattle on Christmas Eve in Week 16.While Carroll harped on the importance of his 12s, Arians had a bit of a different take on why the home-field advantage might not be as significant as many assume. In his view, the crowd noise impacts his defense just as much in trying to contain Wilson & Co.I think one of the big things is the home-team defense is really hard to communicate, Arians said. I think its one of the reasons we play so well (in Seattle, where Arizona has won two of the past three years), that the defense has a tough time communicating because the crowd noise and the fans are into it. Weve had some lack of communication at times.Tyreek Hill Youth Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. Joe Montana Youth Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. http://www.prochiefsauthentic.com/Youth-Darwin-Thompson-Elite-Jersey/ . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Tony Gonzalez Jersey . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Travis Kelce Womens Jersey . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said.New Zealand women 118 for 9 (Perry 26, Mir 2-18, Iqbal 2-30) beat Pakistan women 104 (Riaz 28*, Kerr 3-16, Tahuhu 3-17) by 14 runs Scorecard Pakistan stumbled in a chase of 119 in the one-off Twenty20 International, the first bilateral T20I between both sides, in Nelson to round off a winless tour of New Zealand.Lea Tahuhu, the medium pacer, was involved in four top-order wickets - she took three of them and then inflicted a run-out - as Pakistan slipped to 22 for 4 in the sixth over. Only two of the top six got into double digits.Amelia Kerr, the sixteen-year old debutant, picked up three wickets with her legspin to scythe through the lower order. Aliya Riyaz, the No. 10 batsman, top scored and remained unbeaten on 28, when the last wicket fell. Pakistan were bowled out for 104 off the last balll of their innings.ddddddddddddAfter being blanked 5-0 in the ODIs, Pakistan made a strong start, dismissing opener Suzie Bates and Rachel Priest by the second over. New Zealad continued to lose wickets in clumps - Amy Sattherthwaite and Sophie Devine fell off consecutive deliveries to Sana Mir in the fifth over - to be reduced to 36 for 4.That they got to three figures was courtesy cameos from Liz Perry (26), Katie Perkins (17) and Tahuhu (16). Mir, the offspinner, took 2 for 18 off four overs, while Asmavia Iqbal, the medium pacer, took 2 for 30. Left-arm spinner Sadia Yousuf was the most economical bowler, giving away just 13 in four overs while taking a wicket. ' ' '