What happened: Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald announced that offensive guard Quenton Nelson will miss Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. The team opted against placing Nelson on injured reserve following a missed practice on Thursday. Seattle acquired the veteran lineman in an Oct. 27 trade to reinforce its interior offensive line.

Why it matters: Seattle enters Week 9 at 4-4 through eight games, holding the NFC's eighth seed after dropping a 34-17 decision to the Chicago Bears. Avoiding injured reserve keeps Nelson eligible to return without sitting out the mandatory four-game minimum. Arizona arrives at 3-5 after a 33-30 win over Dallas, creating immediate divisional stakes for a reshuffled Seattle front.

What to watch: Seattle plays Arizona on Sunday before evaluating Nelson's recovery timeline heading into next week.