THE STORY: MINNEAPOLIS – The offense regarded nothing like what was seen the earlier week in Seattle, and that would’ve been sufficient.
The protection was good, and that ought to’ve been sufficient.
However the Cardinals had been left with a painful 23-22 loss to the Vikings at U.S. Financial institution Stadium on Sunday, after carrying 19-6 lead late into the fourth quarter, sacking Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold 5 instances and outgaining their hosts by 133 yards.
“This one hurts for certain,” stated huge receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who had the landing catch to offer the Cardinals (6-6) their largest lead of the sport. “That is a very good crew. We simply could not get it completed.”
The loss created further ache within the context of the NFC West, for the reason that Seahawks (7-5) got here again from a two-touchdown deficit to beat the Jets in New York, 26-21. That moved Seattle a full recreation forward of the Playing cards, though the Seahawks go to State Farm Stadium subsequent week.
“It is powerful understanding at this level of the season, with what you are attempting to perform,” cornerback Garrett Williams stated. “It is irritating to not shut the deal.”
In addition to the protection had performed, the Vikings (10-2) had been capable of drive for 2 touchdowns and a subject purpose on their final three full possessions. The final got here with 1:13 left, when operating again Aaron Jones made a 5-yard TD catch from Darnold, with the additional level offering the successful level.
Quarterback Kyler Murray had greater than a minute and all three timeouts to generate a field-goal drive, however it by no means actually received began. Murray was stripped on second down and whereas he recovered the ball, it precipitated each yardage loss and a timeout.
A few performs later, his fourth-down downfield heave to Harrison was picked off – Murray’s second interception of the sport – and that was that.
“We did not make sufficient performs,” stated Murray, who spent nearly all of the postgame sitting at his locker mulling the result. “It got here again to chew us.”
The Cardinals had 406 yards, their second-best complete of the season and a far cry from the exhibiting in Seattle. They ran 77 performs, by far the a lot of the season. However getting a career-most 5 subject targets from kicker Chad Ryland – he missed a sixth strive – wasn’t sufficient.
Penalties shredded the alternatives, together with turning a first-and-goal on the Minnesota 5 late within the recreation to a second-and-20 on the 25. A TD there, and the Cardinals win.
“That was brutal,” coach Jonathan Gannon admitted.
The Cardinals had 10 penalties, and Gannon acknowledged the officiating crew is understood for calling fewer infractions. “We shot ourselves within the foot an excessive amount of,” he stated.
Other than penalties, there have been turnovers – specifically, Murray’s first two-interception recreation of the season. His first, he stated he was attempting to throw the ball away, however the ball sailed as an alternative over Michael Wilson’s head inbounds and into the arms of Vikings cornerback (and former Cardinal) Byron Murphy.
The stats principally favored the Cardinals. The operating recreation bounced again massive in opposition to the league’s finest run protection, denting them for 154 yards and James Conner had 68 and Murray added 48. Trey McBride was nice with 12 catches and Harrison, after a sluggish begin, had 60 yards on 5 receptions and a landing – though he was focused 12 instances.
The protection made Darnold appear like his earlier incarnation for a lot of the recreation.
However it wasn’t the entire recreation, and that may sting.
“They’re disillusioned and they’re down,” Gannon stated. “That is the NFL. They will get again to work.”