Arizona's receiver duo are too much for the Seahawks to handle

It was late in the first quarter when the advantage became strikingly unfair. Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner threw a short pass to his left, Anquan Boldin caught it and proceeded to turn Seahawks cornerback Kelly Jennings into a traffic cone.

Jennings tried to hug Boldin's leg, but the receiver stepped through the tackle easily, cut inside of safety Brian Russell and created a 45-yard gain out of a dinky throw. The play set up the Cardinals' first touchdown in a 26-20 victory at Qwest Field that choked the NFC West supremacy out of the Seahawks.

All game, Boldin and partner Larry Fitzgerald whipped the Seattle cornerbacks with their superior size and rare skill. For that reason, the Seahawks have no realistic chance to run down Arizona in the division.

It remains to be seen whether this coup d'état lasts, but after watching Boldin and Fitzgerald flick off their smaller counterparts, one thing is discernible: The Seahawks face a confounding task trying to wrest their dominance from these sure-handed receivers.

No longer are the Cardinals the bad team with two dangerous weapons. No longer can you give Boldin and Fitzgerald their yards and still expect to win. No longer can you anticipate a poor offensive line or an aloof quarterback to prevent them from maximizing their talent.

The nightmare is real now. And the Seahawks, who discount the importance of height at cornerback, aren't built to handle Boldin and Fitzgerald.

The weakness was glaring Sunday. The Cardinals simply threw the ball where Marcus Trufant wasn't, picking on Jennings and Josh Wilson, the two smallest and most inexperienced Seahawks corners. In the third quarter, Trufant left with a concussion, which basically meant Warner could throw alley-oops the rest of the game.

The damage assessment: 13 receptions for 186 yards for Boldin, 10 for 151 for Fitzgerald. As a result, Warner passed for 395 yards.

Boldin had the third-best receiving performance ever against a Seahawks team. Seattle hadn't allowed a wideout that many yards since the New York Jets' Al Toon went for 195 in a game 22 years ago.

And Boldin is considered the sidekick.

This is what the Seahawks must compete against for at least the next five years. Boldin is 26; Fitzgerald is 25. They've been together five seasons already, growing despite the losses and quarterback uncertainty and complete offensive disarray. This is their time. They intend on being a prolonged headache.

"These guys are going to get their catches against everybody," coach Mike Holmgren said. "They are that good."

They're even better against corners who need assistance reaching the top of the cupboard. The long-term prospects of a team whose three top corners are under 6 feet tall battling the 6-foot-1 Boldin and the 6-foot-3 Fitzgerald are shaky.

Asked how future meetings will play out, Jennings said: "To be honest, I have no idea. Time will tell. We'll keep working every week. When the time comes, we'll see."

Yes, you can win without big, physical cornerbacks. The Seahawks have done it for years and given the Cardinals grief while doing so. However, they've never had to compete with an Arizona squad this potent. The Cardinals are good enough now for their receivers to go from being a luxury to a mammoth mismatch. Wilson and Jennings must improve significantly over the next year, or the Seahawks will need to find a better answer.

Wilson is improving. He's beginning to make big plays on defense, such as his interception and 58-yard return in the second quarter, and he's blossomed into a dangerous kickoff returner. On the other hand, Jennings has struggled and lost his swagger.

If the Seahawks had their normal pass rush, we might barely notice the secondary deficiencies. But with defensive end Patrick Kerney injured, they've been slumping in that area, which makes the problem seem even bigger.

Can the Seahawks defensive backs rediscover their 2007 form, when Jim Mora transformed them so brilliantly? Or was this game the beginning of a series of Seattle cakewalks for Boldin and Fitzgerald?

"Guys are going to be tall, fast, strong," Wilson said. "It doesn't matter. It's how you play football. It's all about being a football player."

Wilson is an amazing competitor. That's why Tim Ruskell drafted him. That's why he's gone from limited action as a rookie to starting this season. Even Boldin complimented Wilson's willpower after the game.

But it isn't purely about desire. It's about two amazingly gifted wide receivers and the challenge to contain them.

For the Seahawks, it's quite the conundrum. Find an answer or long live the new NFC West king.

Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For more columns and the Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports