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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARI at NO | ATL at TB | BAL at MIA | BUF at CLE | CHI at MIN | CIN at SF | DEN at HOU | DET at SD |
| GB at STL | IND at OAK | JAX at PIT | NYJ at NE | PHI at DAL | SEA at CAR | TEN at KC | WAS at NYG |
Week 15 Game Recap: Arizona Cardinals 24, New Orleans Saints 31
What you need to know
| Arizona Cardinals |
The Arizona offense came out hot scoring 14 first half points. However, turnovers and penalties continue to plague the team, as an interception and penalty stalled potential game tying drives in the first half, and another Kurt Warner fumble after being sacked and chop block penalty on Arizona during the fumble return early in the third period allowed New Orleans to extended their lead 28-14 early in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, Arizona gambled and called a fake punt on its own 25 yard line and snapped it to Sean Morey, who gained 13 yards for the first down. That led to Arizona cutting the New Orleans lead to seven points 31-24 on a Neil Racker's 24 yard field goal with just a little more than nine minutes to go. Arizona was only able to get the ball one more time in the game going three and out, as New Orleans played keep away for the rest of the game. For the game, Arizona was three for 12 on third down conversions and had 10 penalties for 79 yards. The loss all but ended the Cardinals playoff chances.
At times Kurt Warner found time to throw against the Saints' pass rush and had a good game statistically going 19 of 30 for 233 yards and three touchdowns. In the first half alone, he hit Larry Fitzgerald on a 18 yard touchdown strike and tight end Troy Bienemann on a one yard strike early in the game after New Orleans fumbled the ball on the game's second play. He threw one interception and had two fumbles, losing one. In the second half, he hit tight end Ben Patrick on a three yard pass., but was unable to rally the Cardinals' offense to tie the score.
Edgerrin James ran hard against the Saints' front seven, but didn't find the end zone for the third consecutive game. James finished the game with 84 yards on 16 carries. He caught one ball out of the backfield for 11 yards.
Anquan Boldin found room in the Saints' secondary. Boldin, who is playing with a dislocated toe, ran crisp routes and found most of his yardage over the middle. He finished with six catches and 83 yard, but no touchdowns.
Larry Fitzgerald, who looked much better recovering from his groin injury, caught a 27 yard pass on a post pattern early in the second quarter. But he ended the game with only two catches for 27 yards, and one score.
The Cardinals' two reserve tight ends Ben Patrick and Troy Bienemann each scored touchdowns. Patrick on a three yard score and Bienemann on a one yard pass.
| New Orleans Saints |
After spotting the Cardinals a 7-0 lead, New Orleans came right back and marched 81 yards capped off by a Drew Brees to Marques Colston touchdown pass to tie the score 7-7. In the first half, the offense scored touchdowns on three of its first six possessions, and had more than 240 yards of offense.
The Saints' controlled the tempo of the second half scoring on just a seven yard drive to extend their lead to 28-14 after recovering a Kurt Warner fumble, and then scoring again in the 31 yard field goal by newly acquired kicker Martin Gramatica. New Orleans got the ball with 5:54 left in the fourth and effectively ran out the clock to secure the victory.
Drew Brees had a great game and found receivers easily in the Cardinals' defensive secondary. At the half, he already amassed 175 yards going 16 for 20 with two scores. Brees threw touchdown passes to Marques Colston (19 yards) and David Patten (32 yards). He finished the game 26 for 30 for 315 yards and two scores.
Aaron Stecker had a great game also and found the Cardinal rush defense of little worry. He finished the game with 95 yards on 22 carries and scored twice, on a one yard run and on a six yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Marques Colston was the Saints go to receiver and found little resistance as the Cardinals defense that had no answer for him. Colston found open spots all day long and burned the Cardinal secondary often. He finished the game with 114 yards on eight catches, and one score.
David Patten contributed to the offense production, when he scored on a 32 yard pass. Late in the fourth quarter, he fumbled after catching a 26 yard pass, but the Saints' defense held. Patten finished the game with 71 yards on four catches.
What you ought to know
| QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 19 - 30 - 233 - 3 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 |
Warner's stats were decent from a fantasy perspective going 19 for 30 for 233 yards and three scores. He threw touchdown passes to Larry Fitzgerald (18 yards), tight end Ben Patrick, (three yards) and Troy Bienemann (one yard). Warner continues to be plagued by turnovers as he fumbled twice and threw one interception. In the game Warner threw passes to nine different receivers, and had his best rhythm was with Anquan Boldin.
| RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 16 - 84 - 0, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (3 targets) |
James ran hard in the game finishing with 84 yards on 16 carries. He failed to find the end zone for the third consecutive game. James has scored rushing touchdowns in only two of his last six games. However, he continues to be the bulk of the Cardinals' rushing attack.
| RB J.J. Arrington, Rush: 3 - 8 - 0, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (3 targets) |
Arrington was used mainly in four and five receiver sets and was targeted once out of the backfield for 13 yards. He ran hard and had three carries for only eight yards.
| WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 6 - 83 - 0 (8 targets) |
Boldin, playing with a dislocated toe, ran smooth routes and had good rhythm with Warner. Boldin finished the game with six catches for 83 yards, but did not score. His longest catch was for 25 yards.
| WR Steve Breaston, Rush: 1 - -2 - 0, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (2 targets) |
Breaston had only two catches for 16 yards, but was a factor in this game on his kickoff and punt returns. Breaston returned four kick offs an average 23 yards, and returned two punts for an average of 13 yards. He also ran on a reverse but lost two yards on the run.
| WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 2 - 27 - 1 (5 targets) |
Fitzgerald looked much better running routes in this game and scored on 18 yard post route in the second quarter. He finished the game, however, with below par stats of only two receptions for 27 yards although he did get a TD.
| WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 2 - 35 - 0 (3 targets) |
Johnson had only two catches for 35 yards, but one came on a crucial third down and long situation to keep a Cardinals drive alive
| WR Sean Morey, Rush: 1 - 13 - 0 (3 targets) |
Sean Morey had one rush for 13 yards when he took a snap on a punt and ran up field for a first down.
| TE Ben Patrick, Rec: 2 - 17 - 1 (3 targets) |
Patrick caught a short three yard touchdown pass on a third and goal to bring the Cardinals to within seven points in the third quarter.
| TE Troy Bienemann, Rec: 1 - 1 - 1 (2 targets) |
Bienemann caught a one yard touchdown pass in the first period on a fourth and goal. It was his only catch of the game
| PK Neil Rackers 1 - 2 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points |
Rackers missed a 55 yard attempt to end the first half, but made a 26 yarder in the second half. He converted on all three of his extra point attempts.
| ARI Rush Defense |
The Cardinals rush failed to take control of this game and allowed the Saints to run out the clock with almost six minutes left in the fourth quarter. They couldn't contain Aaron Stecker, as the runner gained 95 yards on 22 carries and one score. In all, the rush defense gave up 114 yards of rushing and one score.
| ARI Pass Defense |
The Cardinals pass defense offered little resistant to the New Orleans passing attack. They gave up scoring strikes of 18 yards to Marques Colston, and 33 yards to David Patten. They did not force a turnover and had only one sack. The Cardinal's pass defense allowed 315 yards and rarely pressured Brees. At times, the New Orleans receivers had little opposition.
| QB Drew Brees, Pass: 26 - 30 - 315 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - -2 - 0 |
Brees had a great game going 26 for 30 for 315 yards and two scores. He found Marques Colston for 18 yards and David Patten on a 33 yard strike in the first half. His passes were crisp and he completed them to seven different receivers. He led the Saints' offense on scoring drives of 81, 74, 55, 7 and 44 yards. He was not intercepted, but did fumble once but recovered it.
| RB Aaron Stecker, Rush: 22 - 95 - 2, Rec: 6 - 46 - 0 (6 targets) |
Stecker was the work horse for the Saint's offense carrying the ball for 95 yards on 22 carries. He scored on a six yard run, early in the fourth quarter and a one yard run in the first half. The running back also caught six balls out of the backfield for 46 yards. He ran hard and with great determination. He fumbled on the game's second play, but the gaff did not affect his overall game performance. .
| RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 2 - 20 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) |
Thomas came in to relieve Stecker on occasion and only carried twice for 20 yards.
| WR Marques Colston, Rec: 8 - 114 - 1 (8 targets) |
Colston had a very productive game and found the Cardinals secondary of little resistance. He caught eight balls for 114 yards and one score, an 18 yarder early in the first half. He ran routes with precision and was obviously the game's most feared receiver.
| WR David Patten, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 4 - 71 - 1 (5 targets) |
Patten caught four balls for 71 yards, including a 32 yard touchdown to give the Saints a 21-14 lead into the half. In the fourth quarter, Patten caught a ball for 26 yards, but fumbled when tackled. The turnover did not lead to a Cardinal score and the Saints' defense held.
| WR Terrance Copper, Rec: 2 - 29 - 0 (3 targets) |
Copper had two catches for 29 yards, with a long catch of 21 yards.
| TE Billy Miller, Rec: 3 - 39 - 0 (3 targets) |
Miller caught three balls for 39 yards with a long of 22 yards.
| PK Martin Gramatica 1 - 1 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 7 points |
Newly acquired Martin Gramatica made his only field goal attempt of 31 yards and hit all four of his extra point attempts.
| NO Rush Defense |
The Saints allowed a total of 103 yards rushing to the Cardinals and did not give up a touchdown. The longest run allowed was to Edgerrin James of 21 yards. They were in control of the game throughout.
| NO Pass Defense |
The Saints gave up three touchdown passes to the Cardinals offense, and played spotty during the game. They intercepted Warner on one occasion, and ended the game with two sacks.
