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Lions run all over Cardinals to pick up 20-13 victory

© Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

In a much-more defensive game than expected, the Arizona Cardinals dropped to 1-2 on the season with a 20-13 loss to the Detroit Lions, who improved to 2-1.

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Arizona ended up scoring the only points of the second half with a field goal in the fourth quarter after the Lions went ahead 20-10 at halftime. However, the Cardinals were unable to stop the final Lions possession with only one timeout as time expired in the fourth quarter.

Kyler Murray completed 21-of-34 passes for 207 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Murray rushed five times for 45 yards, as James Conner was limited to nine carries for 17 yards. Marvin Harrison Jr. was targeted 11 times and caught five of them for 64 yards and a touchdown. Michael Wilson also had 64 receiving yards on eight catches.

Jared Goff completed his first 14 passes of the game and ended going 18-for-23 for 198 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Lions dominated the rushing game with David Montgomery turning 23 carries into 106 yards and a touchdown and Jahmyr Gibbs rushing 16 times for 83 yards. Amon-Ra St. Brown led all receivers with 74 yards on seven catches, as he and Gibbs were on the receiving ends of Goff’s two passing touchdowns.

In total, Detroit had 373 yards of total offense compared to 277 for Arizona and 187 rushing yards, while Arizona only had 77 rushing yards.

After coming into the game leading the NFL in tackles for loss, the Cardinals were able to pick up five more by five different players and two sacks. Down to their third-string right tackle, Arizona only allowed three tackles for loss for the Lions and one sack, which was recorded the league-leader in sacks Aidan Hutchinson.

Dennis Gardeck got the first interception all season for Arizona, while Kerby Joseph picked off Murray for his first interception on the year.

Arizona also got pretty banged up with defensive lineman Justin Jones leaving the game in the first half and not returning with a triceps injury, tight end Trey McBride being evaluated for a concussion, offensive tackle Jackson Barton, who was elevated from the practice squad and started the game in place of an injured Kelvin Beachum, being ruled out with a toe injury late and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga injuring his knee.

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 or 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.

With the game still tied at seven, 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 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.

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

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 Montgomery with 10 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown and Gibbs with 11 rushes for 54 yards. Gibbs also had a receiving touchdown on a hook-and-ladder on Detroit’s final possession of the half, as St. Brown also had a receiving touchdown and four receptions for 37 yards.

Third Quarter

Arizona received the ball to start the second half, and Murray threw his first interception of the season to Joseph, while trying to find Harrison on a deep ball to the end zone in double coverage.

Goff finally threw his first incompletion on third-and-five after the interception, breaking the longest streak of his career to start a game with 14-straight completions and forcing the Lions to punt it back to Arizona. Detroit was able to pin the punt all the way to the Arizona two-yard line.

Arizona punted it right back with 8:53 left in the third after Murray was unable to pick up a first down with his legs on third-and-nine.

The Lions began the the next drive on their own 43 and lost seven yards on a reverse. The next play, Goff did not see Gardeck over the middle and threw it right to him for the first interception for the Cardinals’ defense this season.

The Cardinals could not capitalize on the turnover, as Murray was ruled just short of the first down on an outside run on fourth-and-one, giving Detroit the ball back on a turnover on downs.

The Arizona defense saw the Lions’ stuff on fourth down and decided it wanted to respond with a forced turnover on downs on a bottled-up fourth-and-short at the Arizona 35.

After tackling Conner for a three-yard loss on second down, the Lions forced an incomplete throw by Murray on third down and got the ball right back at their own 33 after the punt with 2:05 left in the quarter.

At the end of the third quarter, the score remained 20-10 Detroit and the Lions had the ball at the Arizona 49 for a second-and-three.

Murray went 1-for-6 on passes in the quarter for 13 yards and an interceptions, while Conner only had 17 yards on nine carries for the game.

Fourth Quarter

After picking up a first down to start the quarter, the Cardinals forced a Lions’ punt after Dante Stills got home on Goff for an eight-yard sack on second-and-10.

The Cardinals finally got a positive play to start the drive, as Murray connected with Harrison for 17 yards on a sideline grab. After picking up another first down after a roughing-the-passer penalty, Arizona decided to go for it on fourth-and-seven at its own 48, and the Lions broke up a Murray pass over the middle intended for McBride with 11:08 remaining in the game.

Detroit couldn’t get anything done on offense again, as Goff overshot Jameson Williams on a deep ball on third-and-eight to give the Cardinals the ball back at their own nine-yard line down 10 with 9:34 to go.

The Cardinals then had to punt it right back once again, but then forced a three-and-out on the next Detroit possession. The Cardinals started this ensuing drive at their own seven-yard line still down 20-10 with 6:48 remaining.

After a 28-yard pass to Wilson, Arizona was in Detroit territory. Ultimately, Detroit was able to force the Cardinals into a fourth-and-six at the Lions 28-yard line, so Arizona brought on Prater to drill a 45-yard field goal for the first points of any team in the half to make it 20-13 Detroit with 3:48 left.

The Cardinals looked like they would get the ball back after forcing a third-and-12 on the Detroit 29. However, Goff was able to find St. Brown for a 17-yard gain for the first down as the clock went to the two-minute warning after the play.

With the Cardinals only having one timeout remaining to stop the clock, they took it after a three-yard Montgomery rush out of the break. On the next play, Goff sealed the game with an eight-yard rush for a first down and kneeled it down from there.

Next Up

The Cardinals will stay at home for Week 4 and host the Washington Commanders (1-1) next Sunday (Sept. 29) at 1:05 p.m. MST. The Lions will look to build off this win against one of Arizona’s division rivals in the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football next week.

Controversial officiating call costs Cardinals critical pick-six

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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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