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Cardinals trail at halftime for 1st time all season, down 20-10 to Lions

© Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

With a lot of Detroit Lions fans in attendance at State Farm Stadium, the Arizona Cardinals find themselves down 20-10 to Detroit at halftime.

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Kyler Murray started the game off on fire, leading the Cardinals to a touchdown on their first offensive possession, but Arizona was unable to get another one, while Detroit racked up three touchdowns in four drives.

Murray ended the half having completed 9-of-11 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing three times for 37 yards. Marvin Harrison Jr. caught three passes for 33 yards and a touchdown. James Conner only rushed five times for eight yards.

Jared Goff was a perfect 12-for-12 on on his throws in the first half, which were good for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Detroit had 109 rushing yards to Arizona’s 51, led by David Montgomery with 10 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown and Gibbs with 11 rushes for 54 yards. Gibbs had a receiving touchdown on a hook-and-ladder on Detroit’s final possession of the half, as Amon-Ra St. Brown also had a receiving touchdown and four receptions for 37 yards.

Down to a practice squad right tackle, Arizona only let up one tackle for loss and zero sacks to a dynamic Detroit defensive line. Meanwhile, the Cardinals defense registered three tackles for loss and a sack.

Game Flow

First Quarter

Arizona won the toss and elected to differ, booting the opening kickoff for a touchback. Montgomery started off the game strong, scoring from one-yard out after picking up 39 rushing yards on a pretty easy opening scoring drive for Detroit that went for 70 yards on nine plays in 4:44.

Murray picked up right where he left off coming off his perfect passer rating in Week 2, getting the ball out quick or staying in the pocket depending on the situation, and scrambling for 34 yards on the opening drive. He found Harrison Jr. for a smooth 10-yard touchdown pass after an eight-play, 70-yard possession to answer back the Lions’ opening score. The game was tied at 7-7 with 5:08 left in the first quarter. This was the third time the Cardinals have scored on the opening drive in first three games.

The Lions were on the move at the end of the first quarter at the Arizona 27-yard line, as both quarterbacks did not throw an incompletion in the first quarter. Goff was 6-for-6 for 66 yards and St. Brown had two catches for 31 yards. Gibbs subbed in for Montgomery on the second drive, rushing five times for 13 yards.

Murray was 4-for-4 for 38 passing yards and a touchdown and also had his 34 rushing yards, as Harrison reeled in two receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown.

Second Quarter

Gibbs continued the rushing attack to open the second quarter, and the Lions suddenly found themselves at the Arizona 5-yard line. After a short tackle for loss on second-and-goal, Goff found St. Brown over the middle for a touchdown. Jake Bates missed the extra point and Detroit led 13-7 with 12:27 left in the first half.

After Murray connected with Michael Wilson just short of the first down on third-and-four on the next drive for the Cardinals, Arizona decided to punt it back to the Lions for a three-and-out.

The Cardinals then forced the Lions to punt it back after Mack Wilson Sr. sacked Goff on a third-and-three for his first sack in a Cardinals uniform.

Arizona was able to pick up a first down after a pass interference penalty, but Murray threw the first incompletion by either quarterback on third-and-two, and the Cardinals punted it back to the Lions with 4:23 to go in the quarter.

The Lions caught a huge break on a third-and-12 from the 50-yard line when they barely didn’t get the snap off after the clock hit 2:00, and Arizona got a pick-6, but it was waved off. Out of the two minute warning, Gibbs rushed 14 yards for a first down. Three plays later from the Arizona 21, the Lions ran a hook-and-ladder and St. Brown pitched it back to Gibbs for a very creative touchdown to put Detroit up 20-7 with 29 seconds to go in the second quarter.

The Cardinals quickly marched down to the Detroit 30-yard line with under 15 seconds left. Harrison Jr. was then unable to catch a ball inside the 5-yard line, so Arizona ran it for six yards to set up a 42-yard field goal that was drilled by Matt Prater as time expired to cut the Lions lead to 20-10 at halftime.

Arizona will receive the ball to start the second half.

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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

 

 

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