The Seahawks are back home in Week 12 to host the Arizona Cardinals, who after winning four straight games, have an NFC West-leading 6-4 record. To help you get ready for this week's game, we reached out to Cardinals senior writer Darren Urban with five questions about this week's opponent.

I think it's safe to say that most people were expecting the Cardinals to improve this season, but was a winning record and first place in the NFC West at midseason something folks there saw happening, or are they maybe ahead of schedule in turning things around? And what has been the biggest difference allowing this team to win four straight?

Urban: I suppose whether people saw first place would depend from person to person, and to a lesser extent the winning record. But this team did some impressive things down the stretch last season after Kyler Murray returned. If it wasn't for the usually automatic Matt Prater missing against the Seahawks in the final game, the Cards would have been 4-4 in the Kyler finish. I don't think GM Monti Ossenfort has the roster quite yet to where he wants it to be, but this offense is in good shape and Murray is playing some of the best football in his career. The defense also has become greater than the sum of its parts. They don't make a lot of mistakes either, with turnovers or penalties. That helps in this league.

We saw the Seahawks use their bye week to clean up a few things and make some changes; what are the Cardinals hoping to change/improve upon coming out of their Week 11 bye?

Urban: When you are in the middle of a four-game winning streak and two straight blowout wins, what the Cardinals mostly want to do is keep it going. They want more health; they are getting right tackle Jonah Williams back this week and the possibility remains first-round defensive lineman Darius Robinson could play at any time. They are hoping edge Baron Browning, who arrived the game before the bye, continues to get comfortable and add more to the pass rush.

Statistically this looks to be the best Kyler Murray has played in his six-year career, and team's win-loss record also backs that up; what's is he doing different/better this season to take that leap?

Urban: For starters, Murray is now almost two years into this offense, which was a fit for him from the beginning. Having that comfort, and having a run game to lean on, makes a huge difference in how defenses have to play the Cardinals and opens up a play-action game that just did not exist under Kliff Kingsbury. Murray doesn't have to be Superman for the Cardinals to win games, but he can put on his cape when needed to make the spectacular happen. That's a good combo. He most certainly has gotten more comfortable throwing from the pocket, which has accelerated the passing game.

Aside from the obvious big names, what player/players could you see being an X-factor in this game for the Cardinals?

Urban: I am curious to see how much Trey Benson is used at running back behind James Conner; Benson is a rookie who has looked *much* more comfortable the last two games than he did the first half of the season. Defensively, if Browning can make a move – or even if Darius Robinson can make his season debut – that could be helpful for the defense. The Cardinals also may have safety Rabbit Taylor-Demerson playing in place of the hurting Jalen Thompson again; Rabbit played well next to Budda Baker last game and is a guy who has a bright future.

What matchup or matchups are you most looking forward to seeing play out on Sunday?

Urban: Whomever has to cover TE Trey McBride is one, but I would be curious to see how Witherspoon matches up with Marvin Harrison Jr. MHJ has had some great moments, but he has had rookie moments; this feels like the first of many titanic meetings.