The Cardinals faced the Ravens on in Week 2 of the 2019 NFL season. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest storylines from the game:
Recap
Arizona was the underdog coming into this game, and despite the loss, they held their own. Kyler Murray is living up to the legend he is supposed to be, and he is on track to have a record rookie season. It’s clear that he could quite possibly turn this team around after a tough last season. The Cardinals fell 23-17 to the Ravens in Baltimore, but the team had some great moments.
Kyler Murray had his second consecutive 300+ yard game, becoming only the second rookie to have his first 2 starts be that good. Murray finished with 25 completions in 40 attempts and threw for 349 yards.
The rest of the Arizona offense shined as well, with Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk both racking more than 100 yards receiving. The offense continued to show little peeks of what it could be in the near future, but it still isn’t enough to win games. And for now, the Cardinals will have to settle being 0-1-1.
After drafting Kyler Murray first overall in the 2019 NFL draft, the defense was the concern heading into the season. In the first half, the defense showed us all why we could be concerned. In the second half, however, they seemed to pull it together. By the end of the game, they had limited Lamar Jackson to throwing two touchdowns and only 23 points. However, they still have a lot to work on, as Jackson was able to run for 120 yards and throw for 272.
Injuries
Cardinals running back David Johnson left the game early, but eventually returned before halftime. Cardinals guard Justin Pugh was listed on the injury report because of an illness, but he came through and played the whole game. Meanwhile, Ravens defensive back Brynden Trawick suffered an arm injury during the game.
Looking Ahead
Next week, the Ravens will take on Kansas City at 1:00 PM EST in KC. With the 2-0 Chiefs coming off a big win against Oakland, they will want to keep it going and beat the Ravens, who are also 2-0. Meanwhile, the Cardinals will be on the road facing the Panthers, who lost to the Buccaneers on Thursday night.
