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The Arizona Cardinals defense has had many excellent moments in the first five games of the season. However, like a broken record that keeps repeating and repeating, the performance at the end of games has been a consistent issue.
That was the case again Sunday as a dormant Tennessee Titans offense that had 115 yards and seven first downs through three quarters totaled 212 yards and 13 first downs in the final 15 minutes of their 22-21 come-from-behind victory.
Here are the ugly details:
That wasn’t the case in the first three quarters. The rookie quarterback was 5 of 16 at halftime for 58 yards and a 43.2 passer rating. In three third-quarter three-and-outs, he was 3-for-5 for 14 yards.
Suddenly, it all changed. Immediately after running back Emari Demercado’s gaffe that negated what would have been a 72-yard touchdown and a 28-6 Cardinals lead after the extra point, Ward came alive.
He drove the Titans 80 yards in six plays for a touchdown while completing 3 of 5 passes for 79 yards, including a 47-yard connection with wide receiver Calvin Riley on third-and-10 to the 20-yard line.
In the next possession, he was 5 of 7 for 47 yards and even an interception on third-and-2 turned into gold when safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted a pass deflected by linebacker Mack Wilsoin Sr., but fumbled when he hit the ground at the 5-yard line. Cornerback Kei’Trel Clark hit the ball twice as it bounced into the end zone and was recovered by Titans wide receiver Tyler Lockett for a touchdown.
In the winning field-goal drive that began at the 18-yard line, Ward was 5 of 6 for 67 yards including another big play to Ridley for 38 yards that got the Titans to the 15-yard line.
All told, Ward was 13-for-18 for 193 yards in the fourth quarter and finished the game with a 64.6 rating.
The Titans became the first team to overcome a deficit of at least 18 points and win the game with a rookie quarterback since the New York Giants equaled that on Sept. 22, 2019 with Daniel Jones at quarterback. The Cardinals will face Jones and the 4-1 Indianapolis Colts next Sunday.
In the first three quarters, the Titans’ longest plays were for 13 and 25 yards.
In the fourth quarter, dynamite was detonating everywhere.
There were plays of 13 yards to wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, 19 to tight end Gunnar Helm and the 47-yarder to Ridley in the first possession.
In the second, there were 12- and 16-yarders to tight end Chig Okonkwo and a 14-yard run by Tony Pollard.
In the final possession, there was a 16-yarder to Okonkwo, the 38-yarder to Ridley and an 11-yard run by Pollard.
Add it up, and that’s nine plays for 186 yards (20.7 average). In the last three games lost as time expired on field goals, big plays were the culprit.
Aside from those on Sunday that led to a chip-shot, 29-yard field goal by Joey Slye that almost went wide right, there was a 22-yard pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba that got the Seahawks into range for a 52-yard game-winning field by Jason Myers and a 20-yard screen for 20 yards to Christian McCaffrey that put the 49ers in position for the Eddy Pineiro 35-yard game-winner.
Are teams trying to avoid safety Budda Baker?
After recording 10 tackles with five solo, one for loss and a pass defensed in Week 1 against the Saints, Baker has had eight tackles (four solo) against the Panthers, six (three solo) against the 49ers and five unassisted against the Seahawks. He had only five (four solo) against the Titans. There have been no other numbers in the other columns in the last four games.
Linebacker Josh Sweat did show up again with 2.0 sacks for 16 yards, four tackles (three solo/two for loss) two quarterback hits and one pass defensed. However, all of that production was in the first half.
No one else had a sack and only linebackers Zaven Collins and Baron Browning had a QB hit.
Blake Gillikin punted seven times for a 52.4 average and 44.9 net with two inside the 20 and one touchback. He had punts of 60, 62 and 63 yards. His one touchback came at the end of the first half on a 46-yard punt when the decision was made not to have kicker Chad Ryland attempt a 64-yard field goal. Ryland had no field-goal attempts in the game.
Gillikin entered the game fifth in the NFL with a 51.4-yard average and second with a 45.7 net.
The Cardinals gave up a 65-yard kickoff return to Chimere Dike after the touchdown that gave them a 21-3 lead. The return to the Cardinals' 34-yard line directly resulted in a Joey Slye 51-yard field goal because three Titans offensive plays totaled one yard after one of Sweat’s two sacks.
Dike also hada 17-yard punt return. The best the Cardinals could offer was a 28-yard kickoff return by Bam Knight and a 10-yard punt return by Greg Dortch.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Titans 22, Cardinals 21: Takeaways from defense and special teams
Continue reading...
That was the case again Sunday as a dormant Tennessee Titans offense that had 115 yards and seven first downs through three quarters totaled 212 yards and 13 first downs in the final 15 minutes of their 22-21 come-from-behind victory.
Here are the ugly details:
Making Cam Ward look like an All-Pro
That wasn’t the case in the first three quarters. The rookie quarterback was 5 of 16 at halftime for 58 yards and a 43.2 passer rating. In three third-quarter three-and-outs, he was 3-for-5 for 14 yards.
Suddenly, it all changed. Immediately after running back Emari Demercado’s gaffe that negated what would have been a 72-yard touchdown and a 28-6 Cardinals lead after the extra point, Ward came alive.
He drove the Titans 80 yards in six plays for a touchdown while completing 3 of 5 passes for 79 yards, including a 47-yard connection with wide receiver Calvin Riley on third-and-10 to the 20-yard line.
In the next possession, he was 5 of 7 for 47 yards and even an interception on third-and-2 turned into gold when safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted a pass deflected by linebacker Mack Wilsoin Sr., but fumbled when he hit the ground at the 5-yard line. Cornerback Kei’Trel Clark hit the ball twice as it bounced into the end zone and was recovered by Titans wide receiver Tyler Lockett for a touchdown.
In the winning field-goal drive that began at the 18-yard line, Ward was 5 of 6 for 67 yards including another big play to Ridley for 38 yards that got the Titans to the 15-yard line.
All told, Ward was 13-for-18 for 193 yards in the fourth quarter and finished the game with a 64.6 rating.
The Titans became the first team to overcome a deficit of at least 18 points and win the game with a rookie quarterback since the New York Giants equaled that on Sept. 22, 2019 with Daniel Jones at quarterback. The Cardinals will face Jones and the 4-1 Indianapolis Colts next Sunday.
Too many explosives
In the first three quarters, the Titans’ longest plays were for 13 and 25 yards.
In the fourth quarter, dynamite was detonating everywhere.
There were plays of 13 yards to wide receiver Elic Ayomanor, 19 to tight end Gunnar Helm and the 47-yarder to Ridley in the first possession.
In the second, there were 12- and 16-yarders to tight end Chig Okonkwo and a 14-yard run by Tony Pollard.
In the final possession, there was a 16-yarder to Okonkwo, the 38-yarder to Ridley and an 11-yard run by Pollard.
Add it up, and that’s nine plays for 186 yards (20.7 average). In the last three games lost as time expired on field goals, big plays were the culprit.
Aside from those on Sunday that led to a chip-shot, 29-yard field goal by Joey Slye that almost went wide right, there was a 22-yard pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba that got the Seahawks into range for a 52-yard game-winning field by Jason Myers and a 20-yard screen for 20 yards to Christian McCaffrey that put the 49ers in position for the Eddy Pineiro 35-yard game-winner.
Where’s Budda?
Are teams trying to avoid safety Budda Baker?
After recording 10 tackles with five solo, one for loss and a pass defensed in Week 1 against the Saints, Baker has had eight tackles (four solo) against the Panthers, six (three solo) against the 49ers and five unassisted against the Seahawks. He had only five (four solo) against the Titans. There have been no other numbers in the other columns in the last four games.
Linebacker Josh Sweat did show up again with 2.0 sacks for 16 yards, four tackles (three solo/two for loss) two quarterback hits and one pass defensed. However, all of that production was in the first half.
No one else had a sack and only linebackers Zaven Collins and Baron Browning had a QB hit.
Gillikin special again
Blake Gillikin punted seven times for a 52.4 average and 44.9 net with two inside the 20 and one touchback. He had punts of 60, 62 and 63 yards. His one touchback came at the end of the first half on a 46-yard punt when the decision was made not to have kicker Chad Ryland attempt a 64-yard field goal. Ryland had no field-goal attempts in the game.
Gillikin entered the game fifth in the NFL with a 51.4-yard average and second with a 45.7 net.
The Cardinals gave up a 65-yard kickoff return to Chimere Dike after the touchdown that gave them a 21-3 lead. The return to the Cardinals' 34-yard line directly resulted in a Joey Slye 51-yard field goal because three Titans offensive plays totaled one yard after one of Sweat’s two sacks.
Dike also hada 17-yard punt return. The best the Cardinals could offer was a 28-yard kickoff return by Bam Knight and a 10-yard punt return by Greg Dortch.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Titans 22, Cardinals 21: Takeaways from defense and special teams
Continue reading...
