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Week 4 Game Recap: Arizona Cardinals 35, New York Jets 56
What you need to know
| Arizona Cardinals |
Arizona was manhandled in the first half, as the Jets forced five turnovers (four by QB Kurt Warner) and as a result, they fell behind 34-0. Warner and the Cardinals made a game of it on a number of occasions in the second half, cutting the lead to 13 three different times, but each time the Jets answered with scores of their own. Warner finished with 472 passing yards and two touchdowns, but his six turnovers were too much to overcome.
With the club down big early, RB Edgerrin James was used sparingly running the ball. He finished with just nine attempts for 29 yards, but was able to punch in two short touchdown runs in the third quarter from four and two yards out. Rookie RB Tim Hightower also added a one yard rushing touchdown for the Cardinals.
The Arizona wideouts couldn't get much going in the first half due to turnover after turnover, but they came back strong in the second half. Anquan Boldin scored on an eight yard reception in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 13, but the Jets responded with a touchdown of their own to put the lead back to 20. Boldin finished with ten catches for 119 yards and WR's Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston each recorded 122 receiving yards on eight and nine receptions, respectively.
| New York Jets |
Brett Favre and the Jets were helped tremendously by their defense in the first half, and they capitalized on turnover after turnover for a 34-0 halftime lead. Favre connected with WR Laveranues Coles for three first half scores, but he wasn't done there. Favre matched those three first half scores with three more in the second half, two to WR Jerricho Cotchery and one to rookie TE Dustin Keller. The New York passing game was just too much for Arizona to handle.
Thomas Jones led the way rushing for the Jets with 18 carries for 46 yards, but had a long of just nine yards and couldn't get much going against his former club. RB Leon Washington had the biggest contribution in the running game for the club, taking a two point conversion attempt in for a successful two point score.
Favre's two favorite targets, Coles and Cotchery, each came through big, combining for 12 catches for 172 yards and five touchdowns. Coles accounted for eight receptions for 105 yards and three touchdowns, all of which came in the first half.
Aside from the big offensive numbers here, the Jets defense cannot be overlooked. While they ended up giving up big numbers in the second half, their efforts in the first half allowed the club to jump out to a big lead and gave them the ability to take some chances in the second half which could have contributed to some of the big numbers for Arizona. Of the five first half turnovers, the biggest play came on a 32 yard interception return for a score from DB Darrelle Revis.
What you ought to know
| QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 40 - 57 - 472 - 2 TD / 3 INT |
Kurt Warner was just abused by the Jets defense in the first half, where four of the five turnovers came on two Warner fumbles and two interceptions that they turned into a 34-0 halftime lead. Warner came out strong in the second half as he led three third quarter scoring drives to cut the lead to 34-21, but that 13 point deficit was as close as Arizona would get for the rest of the game. Warner was able to connect with WR Anquan Boldin from eight yards out and WR Jerheme Urban from 14 yards out for his two passing scores of the game, and he finished with an astonishing 57 attempts and 472 passing yards. He did lose three fumbles and threw three picks, but was still able to post good fantasy numbers.
| RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 9 - 29 - 2, Rec: 5 - 37 - 0 (6 targets) |
James did not have a particularly huge game against the Jets, largely due to Arizona falling behind so quickly, but he was able to put together a solid fantasy outing by the end of the game. He ran the ball nine times for 29 yards and scored twice in the third quarter, from four and two yards out for the Cardinals first scores of the game, and he followed the second score up with a successful two point conversion run. James also contributed in the passing game, catching five passes for 37 yards on six targets. He also showed his alertness, recovering one of Kurt Warner's four fumbles.
| RB Tim Hightower, Rush: 6 - 13 - 1, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (2 targets) |
Hightower gave way to Edgerrin James on two short yardage touchdowns, but he was able to muster up a score of his own on the ground from one yard out. The score followed a few passing attempts from the one, but Hightower was eventually able to punch it in for the score. He was targeted two times in the passing game, where he caught one pass for five yards.
| WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 10 - 119 - 1 (14 targets) |
Like the rest of the Arizona receivers, Anquan Boldin struggled in the first half numbers wise, with three receptions for 27 yards, but his play picked up in the second half and his numbers showed. He finished with a team high ten receptions for 119 yards and was able to haul in one reception for an eight yard touchdown. Four of his receptions resulted in first downs, but he lost a fumble, had an attempt thrown his way picked off, and could not convert on a two point conversion attempt. More importantly, Boldin needed to be carted off the field after being hit helmet to helmet in the end zone with under a minute to play. He was moving all of his extremities but was taken to the hospital for precaution. Hopefully things check out and Boldin is able to make it back on the field quickly. Initial reports Sunday night were that he had been knocked out but was going to be ok.
| WR Steve Breaston, Rec: 9 - 122 - 0 (11 targets) |
Breaston filled the third wide receiver spot and continued to show improvement, as he caught nine balls for 122 yards on 11 targets, and had two receptions that could have been scores had he been able to break tackles inside the two yard line. He was brought down at the two yard line and the one yard line on two plays that could have been scores. He was targeted three times on third downs and was targeted deep a number of times.
| WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 8 - 122 - 0 (15 targets) |
Larry Fitzgerald had just one reception for 16 yards at halftime, but blew up after the break to finish with eight receptions for 122 yards on a team high 15 targets. At times, he showed his physical dominance over any defensive back trying to contain him, using his size and athletic ability to punish the Jets defensive backfield. He had seven receptions that resulted in first downs, converted a fourth down pass play for a first and was targeted three times in the red zone, including two consecutive plays before the Hightower one yard score.
| WR Jerheme Urban, Rec: 5 - 50 - 1 (7 targets) |
Urban was the team's fourth passing option in their wide open attack, and he responded nicely with five receptions for 50 yards, including a 14 yard touchdown. Of his seven targets, two came on third down situations.
| TE Leonard Pope |
Pope was not targeted in the game and with Arizona down so quickly, he was relegated to the sidelines as the team went to a wide open, multiple wideout attack.
| PK Neil Rackers 0 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 3 points |
Rackers had a 37 yard field goal attempt blocked, and added just three extra points to finish with three points in the game.
| ARI Rush Defense |
The Arizona rush defense didn't have much work to do. They were too busy chasing New York receivers all over the place throughout the game, and watching them score touchdown after touchdown. They held the Jets to 89 yards on 26 attempts, for just a 3.4 average, but that doesn't matter much when you're getting lit up through the air like they did against Favre and the Jets.
LB Gerald Hayes led the front seven with five solo tackles and one assist and Karlos Dansby chipped in four solo tackles and one assist of his own for the Cardinals.
| ARI Pass Defense |
This game was a disaster for the Arizona pass defense. While they gave up just 289 yards through the air, it's the six touchdowns they allowed that put this game out of reach. At times, it seemed like the Jets were playing 15 on 11 and receivers were open all over the field. Eight different Jets caught passes, and their wide receivers combined to catch five touchdowns.
LB Chike Okeafor had the lone positive play in the pass defense for the Cardinals as he recorded their only interception and one sack and DL Darnell Dockett added a sack of his own.
| QB Brett Favre, Pass: 24 - 34 - 289 - 6 TD / 1 INT |
Brett Favre only added to his legend against the Cardinals. He threw three first half touchdowns and was helped by his defense and kicking game as the Jets took a 34-0 lead into halftime. Favre wasn't finished there and he wound up throwing three more scores in the second half to finish with six touchdowns in the game. He connected with Laveranues Coles from 12, 34 and 2 yards out, Jerricho Cotchery from 17 and 40 yards out and TE Dustin Keller from 24 yards out. For the game, he finished 24 of 34 for 289 yards and the aforementioned six touchdowns. The only negative for Favre was one interception, but I'm sure Jet fans and fantasy owners are willing to overlook that one miscue with the game he posted.
| RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 18 - 46 - 0, Rec: 2 - 23 - 0 (2 targets) |
Thomas Jones ran the ball 18 times for 46 yards on the ground and caught two passes for 23 yards on two targets in the passing game. His numbers suffered with an obvious emphasis on the passing attack, and the fact that Arizona showed some fight and made a comeback attempt in the second half, and New York kept going back to what got them the lead in the first place, their passing game.
| RB Leon Washington, Rush: 7 - 26 - 0, Rec: 4 - 17 - 0 (5 targets) |
Washington ran the ball seven times for 26 yards and added a successful two point conversion run on the ground, and he caught four passes for 17 yards in the passing game on five targets.
| WR Laveranues Coles, Rec: 8 - 105 - 3 (13 targets) |
Coles had a monster game, following somewhat of a shaky start. He was missed on a deep target on his first look of the game, and the second attempt thrown to him was picked off by Arizona. After that, it seemed like he was running routes against air, as he caught eight passes for 105 yards and three touchdowns. Those scores were from 12, 34 and two yards out, respectively. He was also targeted on another red zone play that would have been a score, but an absolute bullet from Brett Favre went through his hands in the back of the end zone. He had a team high 13 targets, including five on third downs. His chemistry with Favre definitely seems to be on the rise.
| WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rec: 4 - 67 - 2 (5 targets) |
Cotchery was targeted just five times, but made the most of them. He caught four passes for 67 yards, including scores of 17 and 40 yards. The 40 yard score came on a fourth down play.
| WR Chansi Stuckey, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) |
Stuckey was targeted just two times, but he was able to come down with both to finish with two receptions for 12 yards. Both of his receptions netted Jets first downs.
| TE Bubba Franks, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (4 targets) |
Franks was targeted four times and came down with two receptions for 32 yards. On one play he was brought down at the one yard line, and he had a touchdown nullified for a holding penalty.
| TE Dustin Keller, Rec: 1 - 24 - 1 (3 targets) |
Dustin Keller was targeted three times, and was able to make one big play for his club, catching a 24 yard touchdown on his only reception of the game.
| PK Jay Feely 2 - 3 FG, 6 - 6 XP, 12 points |
Feely missed a 44 yard attempt, but made good from 20 and 30 yards out and added six extra points to finish with 12 points in the game.
| NYJ Rush Defense |
With a big cushion, the Jets were able to drop back and defend the pass without having to worry at all about a rushing attack. For the game they allowed just 42 yards on 15 carries, but did give up three rushing scores. However, all three came inside the five yard line following big passing plays.
LB David Harris led the way with six solo tackles and two assists, but most of the tackle numbers for the Jets came downfield following pass plays.
| NYJ Pass Defense |
It was a tale of two halves for the Jets pass defense. In the first half, they held Kurt Warner to 99 yards, sacked him three times, picked off two passes and forced and recovered three fumbles. That effort helped lead the way to their 34-0 halftime lead. In the second half, the Cardinals went all out with the spread, and were able to throw the ball all over the place. Warner ended up throwing for 472 yards and two touchdowns, but the big first half deficit was too much to overcome in the end.
DB Darelle Revis returned one of his two interceptions for a 32 yard score and DB Dwight Lowery finished with nine solo tackles and one forced fumble to lead the Jets secondary. The unit sacked Kurt Warner five times and forced five fumbles, recovering four of them.
