Cardinals Unable to Finish Drives
To begin the game, the Arizona Cardinals were playing complementary football. Arizona took a 3-0 lead, and on the Atlanta Falcons’ ninth play from scrimmage, rookie defensive back Denzel Burke intercepted quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Michael Wilson extended the Cardinals’ lead to ten points after making a tough, contested catch along the sidelines. The touchdown was Wilson’s fifth of the season, which is a new career high for the third-year pro. He has now found the end zone in three straight games.
The Arizona Cardinals’ offense recorded 320 total yards and 5.7 yards per play, but Wilson’s 32-yard score would be the only touchdown for the club in Week 16. Eight of nine offensive drives stalled out on Atlanta’s side of the field, forcing the Arizona Cardinals to settle for field goals. “We had some scoring drives, we moved it,” Jonathan Gannon said postgame. “But we had to settle for some field goals, and they converted some touchdowns.”
Chad Ryland was a busy man on Sunday, going 4-for-6 on field goals. Ryland was responsible for 13 of Arizona’s 19 points, but his two misses proved to be critical in a one-score game. Ryland had a strong start to the season, but since Week 11, he has produced on just 57% of his field goals. However, Jonathan Gannon continues to have “faith” in his kicker. “I got all the faith in the world in him. I’m sure he wants some back,” Gannon said. “I’ll keep putting him out there. I got faith in him.”
Falcons Perfect in the Red Zone
The Arizona Cardinals’ defense struggled to contain Bijan Robinson. The Pro Bowl running back produced 168 total yards of offense and found the end zone for the ninth time this season.
Tight end Kyle Pitts hauled in seven passes for 57 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-6 playmaker has become a consistent weapon near the goal line, scoring four red zone touchdowns over his last two games.
Although the Arizona Cardinals were outplayed in the red area, they still had a chance to even the score with two minutes remaining. However, Arizona was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, as Jacoby Brissett’s 31st pass attempt of the afternoon was intercepted by Falcons cornerback CJ Henderson. “We’re thinking to go score and tie the game, and either go for two to win the game or tie and go to overtime,” Gannon explained to Paul Calvisi on the Cardinals Locker Room Show. “It takes all 11. You know, they made a play, hats off to them. But execution down the stretch there, it takes 11 guys.”
Injury Bug
The Arizona Cardinals have been decimated by injuries this season. According to the NFL on FOX broadcast, Arizona players have missed a combined 312 games due to injury—the most in the NFL. The injuries continued to pile up for the Cardinals on Sunday.
Rookie defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (knee) and third-year defensive back Garrett Williams (Achilles) were both carted off the field. Edge rusher Josh Sweat suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter and did not return. “It’s tough, man. We had Sweaty go out of the game, Garrett go out of the game, Walt go out of the game,” Gannon said on the Cardinals Locker Room Show. “You got to reset and people got to step up and do their job.”
