Entering this game, the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals seemed pretty evenly matched. Arizona had a slight advantage, considering that the Falcons have preformed horribly against them in recent years.
Kyler Murray has seemed like such a stud, and he attempted to lead his team to their second victory of the season. Facing off against veteran Matt Ryan, Murray had a lot to prove coming into this game. Although the rookie quarterback has been the main focus for much of this Cardinals’ season, this was a game focused on the receiving. With Arizona Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald set to face off against Julio Jones of the Falcons, this was sure to be an entertaining, high-scoring game.
Summary
This game started off as low scoring. The Falcons jumped out ahead with a 7-3 lead. The game picked up as the Cardinals outscored the Falcons 17-3 in the second quarter, only to be outscored 10-7 and 13-7 in the third and fourth quarters. This adds up to a narrow 34-33 victory for the Cardinals, who improve 2-3-1.
Murray played well, completing 27 of 37 pass attempts for 340 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 11 times for a total of 32 yards. Ryan had similar stats, completing 30 of 36 passes for 356 yards.
As predicted, the receiving was top notch. Larry Fitzgerald caught the ball six times for the Cardinals and finished with 69 yards. The Cardinals were able to get some other receiver depth with David Johnson gaining 68 yards on six catches. Johnson also rushed 12 times for 34 total yards. The Cardinals were lucky he played, as Johnson didn’t participate in practice this week and was questionable for the game. Damiere Byrd was also a strong player, gaining 60 yards on only two receptions.
As for Julio Jones, he had eight receptions for 108 yards. Jones’ longest reception was for 22 yards, and he didn’t record any touchdowns. Without his usual competition in Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, who is serving a suspension, Jones was able to play fairly well. The only more productive catcher came in the form of tight end Austin Hooper. His eight receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown led the team.
This was a game of amazing offense and underperforming defense. Neither defense was able to force the opponents to make a turnover.
Down to the wire
The game was very close almost the whole way, and it was certainly a nail-biter. With just over five minutes left, the Cardinals managed to take a seven-point lead. The Falcons answered right back with their own score. Down by one, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn sent kicker Matt Bryant out to try to tie the game instead of go for a two-point conversion to win it. The minute the kick left Bryant’s foot, it was clear it would not split the uprights, and the Cardinals were able to take the victory.
Next week
Next week, the Cardinals will travel to MetLife Stadium to face the Giants. The game will kick off at 10:00 am PST on FOX. The Giants are currently 2-4, so this should be another close game for the Cardinals.
Meanwhile, the Falcons will face off against the Los Angeles Rams at home. The game will take place at Mercedes Benz Stadium and will kick off at 1:00 pm EST on FOX. The Rams are currently 3-3, so they will have a slight advantage over the Falcons, who fell to 1-5 after this loss.
