SEATTLE — A victory at least might have allowed the Seahawks to feel a little better about a season gone wrong.

But even that was not to be Sunday as Blair Walsh’s 48-yard field-goal attempt with 32 seconds left sailed wide right.

And when it did, it allowed Arizona to escape Seattle with a 26-24 victory over the Seahawks.

A few minutes earlier, Seattle had officially been eliminated from the playoffs with Atlanta clinching a 22-10 triumph over Carolina to secure the final spot in the NFC postseason.

But a successful Walsh kick could have at least allowed Seattle to win a 10th game for a sixth consecutive season.

Instead, Seattle’s year ends shy of the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

It is a season that will be remembered for the lost opportunities of the two last-minute home defeats against Washington and Atlanta in November that ultimately made the difference of playing into January or staying home.

Now comes a long offseason that will be filled with intrigue.

While Seattle was within a game of the playoffs, the Seahawks have gradually trended downward since winning the Super Bowl following the 2013 season and with an aging and beat-up roster, significant personnel changes are likely.

Among those whose Seattle careers could be over are defensive stalwarts Cliff Avril, Kam Chancellor and possibly Michael Bennett, as well as Jimmy Graham and Sheldon Richardson, who can be free agents.

Richardson was acquired before the season as the Seahawks decided to go for broke in a year when it felt it had a chance to win it all, but also knew that its veteran roster meant there might not be a lot of years left.

Now, the Seahawks will go home for the first time before the playoffs since Russell Wilson was drafted in 2012.

Seattle’s final game was lost in a sea of untimely mistakes and another too typical slow start as Arizona took a 20-7 halftime lead.

The game was decided when a roughing-the-passer penalty on Bobby Wagner on a failed third down gave Arizona the ball at its own 32 and then few plays later Drew Stanton hit D.J. Foster out of the backfield for a 17-yard gain to convert a third-and-two and give Arizona the ball at the Seattle 32.

Phil Dawson then made a 42-yard field goal to give Arizona a 26-24 with 2:21 left.

Seattle moved into range for Walsh’s game-winning attempt.

But a kicker who struggled all season saw another one sail to the right and maybe the last image of this season was as it was meant to be.

The first half Sunday was a complete disaster for the Seahawks save for one play — a 99-yard kickoff return by Tyler Lockett following Arizona’s first touchdown.

It was the only moment in the first half worth remembering.

An Arizona running game that has been one of the worst in the NFL all season — and down to its third-team tailback in Kerwynn Williams — managed some consistent gains with 77 yards in the first half to help set up two Cardinals touchdowns.

But the biggest issue was an anemic Seattle offense that did nothing in the first half.

Seattle had zero yards in the first quarter and just 24 in the first half, punting five times on six possessions. The only reason Seattle didn’t punt on its sixth possession is that the Seahawks decided to let the clock run out following a 15-yard sack of Wilson that proved a fitting end to the half.

Seattle had just one first down in the first half and never got past its own 40.

But then everything turned, as it does so often for the Seahawks under coach Pete Carroll and Wilson.

A holding penalty on Arizona’s Patrick Peterson on the first play helped jump-start the Seattle drive to open the second half. Then a Mike Davis 13-yard run was longer than all of Seattle’s rushing yards in the first half.

But the key play was a fourth-and-six at the Arizona 35.

After taking a timeout, the Seahawks got the conversion when Wilson found Graham settled all by himself in the middle of the zone for a 20-yard gain.

Two plays later, Wilson found Doug Baldwin all alone in the back of the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown.

Phil Dawson’s 53-yard field goal put Arizona up 23-14 with 4:22 to play in the third quarter.

Seattle moved quickly into Arizona territory on its following possession.

But then came play that might live in infamy.

Seattle running back Thomas Rawls hauled in a pass for a first down to the Arizona 25. But as he got up, he stood over Arizona safety and former Washington State standout Deone Bucannon and said something that got him flagged for taunting.

Moved back to the 40, the Seahawks couldn’t move the ball any more and had to punt.

Seattle had another chance early in the fourth quarter when on a third-and-one play Luke Willson broke wide open down the left sideline. But Wilson’s pass was a little behind him and Willson dropped it as he came back to try to catch it.

That forced Seattle to settle for a 49-yard field goal by Walsh to cut Arizona’s lead to 23-17 with 13:04 to play.

Seattle quickly got the ball back and then took its only lead on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Baldwin with 10:24 to play — the TD was Wilson’s 34th of the season, tying his club record.