Murray Magic

By: Mike Rifkin

On Sunday the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Minnesota Vikings 34-33. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph missed a potential game winning 37 yard field goal as time expired to secure the win for Arizona. Joseph earlier in the game had missed an extra point. The win sends the Cardinals to 2-0 and puts the Vikings at 0-2.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw for 400 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. Murray also added a rushing touchdown. Murray found a new weapon in this offense as Rondale Moore, the rookie out of Purdue, had seven catches for 114 yards and a 77 yard touchdown catch. AJ Green, the big time free agent acquisition, had three catches 44 yards and a touchdown, his first as a Cardinal. The Cardinals as a team ran for 103 yards a week after running for 136 yards. Cardinals kicker Matt Prater connected on a 27 yard field goal to give Arizona the lead late in the fourth quarter. Prior to halftime Prater connected on a 62 yard field goal which is now a Cardinals record, but for Prater he hit a 64 yard field goal in 2013 while kicking for the Broncos. 

Kirk Cousins threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Dalvin Cook ran for 131 yards in the loss for Minnesota. In week 1 the Cardinals defense forced three turnovers, on Sunday they didn’t force any and only sacked Cousins once. Cousins was hit four times three by Chandler Jones who was coming off that five sack performance against the Titans. 

Arizona will now hit the road for three of their next four games starting on Sunday as they play the Jaguars in Jacksonville. This could be considered a trap game for the Cardinals because the game on Sunday was tough and the following week they go to Los Angeles and play the Rams before hosting the 49ers, the other 2-0 teams in the NFC West. In 2020 the Cardinals started 2-0 before losing to the Lions, if the Cardinals want to make the playoffs they can’t look past this game.