The Arizona Cardinals looked like a completely different team to start the 2024-25 season, as they lead the Buffalo Bills 17-10 on the road at halftime.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After receiving the opening kickoff, Arizona dominated the time of possession 20:06 to 9:54 for the half. Kyler Murray put together a masterclass, finishing the half completing 16-of-19 passes for 131 yards and touchdown, and rushing four times for 28 yards. His backfield mate, James Conner, had 18 yards on the ground on nine carries and was the team’s leading receiver with 33 yards on three catches. The Cardinals scored on their first three drives in the first half before kneeling it down on the last possession to close the half.
Arizona’s defense also helped out, forcing a fumble on Josh Allen on Buffalo’s first offensive possession and then holding the Bills a field goal on a goal-to-go situation on their next drive. Buffalo did end the quarter strong with a rushing touchdown by Allen, who completed all five of his passes in the half to five different receivers for 70 yards and had three carries for 20 yards.
Neither team punted in the first half.
Game Flow
Conner started the game off with the first six touches for the Cardinals going for 40 yards, including 31 receiving. Arizona capitalized on this strong start, as Murray found Michael Wilson for a five-yard touchdown pass for the Cardinals’ opening score of the season. The Cardinals led the Bills 7-0 after the extra point with 7:47 remaining.
Cardinals score on the season’s opening drive! Kyler Murray finds Michael Wilson in the end zone to go up 7-0. pic.twitter.com/T5maZNMza0
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) September 8, 2024
The Bills looked to get momentum back right away with a 53-yard kickoff return, but as soon as Buffalo got in the red zone, Allen was strip sacked by Roy Lopez and the ball was recovered by the Cardinals’ Justin Jones. This was only Lopez’s third career sack and first-ever forced fumble.
Cardinals get to Josh Allen! Roy Lopez strips him and Justin Jones falls on it for their first takeaway of the season. #AZvsBUF. pic.twitter.com/Wedh8mK8kl
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) September 8, 2024
After the turnover, Murray led a 10-play, 60-yard drive, but the Bills ended up forcing a 29-yard field goal, which was drilled by Matt Prater to give Arizona a 10-0 lead right at the start of the second quarter. At this point, the Cardinals led the time of possession 12:40 to 2:23 and Murray had completed 10-of-11 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, although Marvin Harrison Jr. had no catches.
Cardinals right tackle Jonah Williams went down with a knee injury at the end of the drive and is officially questionable to return.
Matt Prater connects on a 29-yard field goal and the Cardinals lead 10-0 over the Bills.
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) September 8, 2024
After the field goal, the Bills moved the ball down the field pretty easily. They appeared to score a touchdown after Allen rushed into the end zone on third-and-goal, but offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence was penalized for an obvious facemask. This pushed the ball all the way back to the Arizona 19-yard line, and after Allen rushed for no gain, Tyler Bass drained a 37-yard field goal to cut the Cardinals lead to 10-3 with 9:47 remaining in the second quarter.
Harrison dropped his first on-target pass during the Cardinals’ third offensive drive, but Murray went right back to him on a four-yard stop route the very next play for his first reception. Arizona continued to use short, but efficient plays to put together a 13-play, 71-yard drive wrapped up by a three-yard touchdown run by Conner to put the Cardinals up 17-3 with 2:40 left in the half.
The Cardinals have 3 long touchdown drives. Kyler Murray is seeing the field well and James Conner punctuates the drive from 4 yards out to make it 17-3. #AZvsBUF pic.twitter.com/56beQ1SMcF
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) September 8, 2024
The Bills had three early penalties on their closing possession. However, the Cardinals were then whistled for consecutive holding and roughing the passer penalties to move the Bills all the way to the Arizona 26-yard line. Allen then used his legs to rush for a seven-yard touchdown with 19 seconds remaining. Murray just took a knee on the final Arizona offensive possession.
QB keeper!
???? #AZvsBUF on: @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/PAuuZKHi3w
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) September 8, 2024
Buffalo will receive the opening kickoff of the second half.
Burn City Predictions: Can Cardinals open season with road win against Bills?
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
