Michael Floyd shows up, comes up big in Arizona Cardinals’ win over Detroit Lions
Nov 17, 2014, 1:54 AM | Updated: 1:55 am
GLENDALE, Ariz. — It is becoming a bit of a ritual, people wondering why the Arizona Cardinals are ignoring receiver A in favor of throwing to receivers B and C.
Early in the season, Larry Fitzgerald was the one being left out, while Michael Floyd and John Brown seemed to be soaking up targets.
Over the last few weeks it was Floyd who seemed to take on that role, as he caught just five passes for 47 yards over the last three games.
“Being a wide receiver, it is frustrating not getting the ball,” Floyd admitted after the Cardinals beat the Detroit Lions 14-6 Sunday. “I go back to the Philly game where I had chances to make a play and I fell short.
“So since then, practice is where I want to do it at and making sure I do everything right to feel good on Sundays, and I think this week I made a big emphasis on making sure Drew is comfortable with me and comfortable with all the wide receivers too.”
Whatever he did, it worked. Floyd re-emerged in the game, being targeted with five passes and catching two of them for 52 yards and two touchdowns in Arizona’s 14-6 win.
“It’s kind of different every single week,” the third-year pro said after the game. “You never know who is going to step up. You never know what play is going to make the game-ending play but it all starts in practice for me, working hard, running all my routes right and just making sure that I’m there where Drew needs me.”
He was there for him.
The first touchdown was a 42-yard reception where the quarterback identified single coverage on Floyd and gave his receiver a chance to make a play. The second came on third down, where Floyd made a good play to shield the defensive back and make the grab in the front corner of the end zone.
Stanton completed more passes to three other players, but the two Floyd caught were the difference Sunday afternoon.
“Every week it’s a different guy,” head coach Bruce Arians said. “Drew had been talking to Mike all week and actually, they blitzed on the second touchdown and Drew just stood in there and took a shot for the team and threw that touchdown pass, and we really should’ve had a sight adjustment over there and didn’t have it communicated well enough, but it was a great play by Drew and a great play by Mike.”
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