Cardinals late-game decision lead to heartbreaking 27-23 loss to Packers

Syndication: Arizona Republic

GLENDALE – The Arizona Cardinals hold a three-point lead with under six minutes to go in the game and face a fourth-and-one. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has been magic all game, leading to head coach Jonathan Gannon electing to go for it at midfield. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing wants to use Brissett’s size to his advantage on a QB sneak. However, the Green Bay Packers were ready for it and sent Brissett packing for the turnover on downs.

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The decision gave Green Bay stellar field position, with even a limited running back Josh Jacobs, wouldn’t stop them from reaching the endzone on a seven-yard run for its first lead of the game with under two minutes to go.

Arizona would get one more shot, but a sack by Micah Parsons, his third of the game, backed the offense into a hole on 4th and 10 that it couldn’t climb out of in the 27-23 loss. The Cardinals have loss five straight by a combine 13 points, an unheard feat.

Brissett throws for 279 passing yards and two touchdowns, both to tight end Trey McBride. The Pro Bowl tight end lead the team in receiving yards with 74 and wide receiver Zay Jones was right behind him with 67 yards.

Despite holding the Packers to under 300 total yards and 3-for-10 on third down, the offense went two-for-three on fourth down to make massive plays to win the game. Love only threw for 179 passing yards, and Jacobs 55 rushing yards on 13 carries and it didn’t matter in the win.

1st Quarter: Cardinals convert, Packers cannot

Brissett picked up where he left from last week by showing off his composure in the pocket. The Cardinals started the game on a 14-play drive that took up half the clock in the first quarter. The 32-year-old converted on three straight third down on the opening drive, including an 18-yard dime to wide receiver Michael Wilson.

Despite the drive ending via a Micah Parsons third and goal sack, Arizona chewed up the clock and put points on the board to start the game in back-to-back weeks, after failing to do so all season. Green Bay’s defense is sixth in third down stops and hadn’t allowed points in the first quarter all season. In one drive, the Cardinals ended the streak and illustrated that last week wasn’t a fluke offensively.

The Packers looked to replicate their opponent success by going on a 11-play drive themselves. Quarterback Jordan Love was matching Brissett’s efficiency, converting on third and fourth downs down the field. Love’s pre-snap audibles were able to adjust to what Arizona’s defense was showing.

However, Josh Jacobs was limited due to an injury, leading to Green Bay relying more on backup running back Emanuel Wilson, who wasn’t able to get out of the gates strong. Head coach Matt LaFleur remained aggressive out of the gates, going for it on 4th-and-5 in opponent territory. Love had the time to go deep for wide receiver Romeo Doubs, but the pass was just out of reach forcing the turnover on downs.

2nd Quarter: If at first you don’t succeed…

Arizona looked primed to take a hold of this game, especially after an 11-yard Brissett scramble into Packers territory. However, the run-game remains a weak point in the offense, with back-to-back runs stuffs leading to a third-and-long. The Cardinals get a huge break as a near fumble by Marvin Harrison Jr. was reversed into a incompletion, but they still couldn’t put points on board after the turnover.

The cracks for the Cardinals started to show, starting with the anemic run game leading into costly penalties. On Green Bay’s following offensive drive, Arizona rookie cornerback Will Johnson would have two penalties to jumpstart Love and his offense to make their first redzone trip of the day.

Despite the penalties, the Cardinals defense has earned the the notion of “bend, don’t break” throughout the season. They might make mistakes and allow yards, but in the redzone, the defense steps up. The usual suspects linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither and cornerback Max Melton made stellar coverage plays to force Green Bay to settle for a field to make it 3-3.

Thanks to a hip-drop penalty by Parsons on second-down, a likely three-and-out for Arizona turns out into another long drive by the offense. Brissett finds Harrison on a 22-yard pass to put the Cardinals in field goal range, but they would be looking for more. Pro Bowler Trey McBride had a step on his man for a walk-in touchdown, but Brissett would throw a more direct pass to his tight end instead of a lob pass, forcing a jump ball into a incompletion.

Arizona would settle for a field goal, but McBride was visible upset with himself, as he believed he could’ve made a better play on the ball.

McBride wouldn’t have to wait long to get his redemption. As after a 43-yard catch by Zay Jones on third down to put the Cardinals in Packers territory, Brissett would find his Pro-Bowl tight end for the 15-yard touchdown near the end of the half.

Nine second left was too long for Love and the offense, with a 22-yard pass to Doubs put Green Bay in field goal range punch in a 61-yard field goal to make it a one possession game heading into the locker room, 13-6. Despite the late score, Arizona’s defense held Green Bay to 98 total yards, the lowest mark all season in the first half.

3rd Quarter:

Cardinals defense buckled up from the late score at the end of the second quarter, to force a second three and out against the Packers offense. However, Brissett would make his first mistake of the game in the opening drive in the second half. While evading pressure, Brissett escaped to his left and looked to dump it out to Michael Carter in the flat. He wouldn’t be able to throw the ball, as Rashan Gary came from behind to knock the ball loose for the fumble.

Green Bay would recover the ball and make quick work off the turnover, with three straight completion by Love leading to a 7-yard touchdown run by Jacobs to tie the game.

As the tides began to shift, Brissett showcased his 10-year of NFL experience with his response. On the following drive, Brissett went four-of-four passing for 59 yards, including a 35-yard pass to Harrison on 3rd-and-14 to keep the drive alive. The first time was nice, Brissett decided to do it twice to find McBride for his second touchdown of the game on a 12-yard pass to retake the lead, 20-13.

4th Quarter:

Similar to a previous Packers scoring drive, the Cardinals defense carelessness would be its downfall. Johnson would be called for illegal use of hands, gifting Green Bay a first down, while defensive lineman Dante Stills would get a roughing the passer penalty to revive the opponents offense. It didn’t take long for Love to find one of his favorite targets in tight end Tucker Kraft for the seven-yard touchdown to tie the game.

Much like the rest of game, Arizona’s response has been the saving grace. After a facemask penalty put the Cardinals in Packers territory, Running back Bam Knight would run for two first downs to get the offensive momentum back on his team side and into field goal range. Regardless of Parson getting his second sack of the day in the redzone on third down, Arizona was able to play smart and get the field goal to make it 23-20.

The Cardinals defense would do its job to force the three and out, which gave the offense a familiar position of having the opportunity to close out a game. Even with an aggressive play call by head Jonathan Gannon to go for it on 4th-and-one at midfield, Arizona again couldn’t convert late in the game, giving Green Bay another shot.

Giving Love and his offense another opportunity would prove to be a grave mistake. On a 4th and 2, the Pro Bowl quarterback would find Kraft on a 15-yard corner route to be put in the redzone with two minutes to go. Gannon would use his timeout to limit the time wasted by the Packers, who would soon find the endzone to get their first lead of the game.

Brissett and the offense would get another shot, but Parsons continued his havoc with his third sack of the game with under a minute to go. The Cardinals tried to overcome the mistake, but would fall 27 yards short of reaching the end zone and would lose 27-23.

Jacoby Brissett starting vs. Packers in Week 7 is blessing in disguise for Cardinals

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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports