ARIZONA CARDINALS

Budda Baker shines in first full game as Cardinals starting safety

Nov 19, 2017, 12:13 PM | Updated: 4:14 pm

Things weren’t going great for the Arizona Cardinals early on Sunday.

Leave it to rookie Budda Baker to give them a much-needed boost in Arizona’s 31-21 loss to the Houston Texans.

Houston quarterback Tom Savage recorded six completions on his first six passes to go ahead 7-0 when, finally, the Cardinals used a big play to set up the tying touchdown.

Baker, in his first start since taking over for the injured Tyvon Branch, circled around the right edge of the Houston offensive line and with two hands snatched the ball out of Savage’s hands before pulling it off the turf.

“All the type of things Tyvon did I did exactly,” Baker told 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Paul Calvisi after the game, adding, “Didn’t do enough to win the game.”

He did all he could.

The Washington product that Arizona GM Steve Keim traded up to select 36th overall in the 2016 draft finished with a team-high 13 tackles to go with a sack, a tackle for loss, a pass deflection and a quarterback hit.

Tweeting from home, Branch, who is on the injured reserve list, expressed excitement for his young teammate’s big play.

Just two plays after Baker’s strip-sack-fumble-recovery, Arizona quarterback Blaine Gabbert lofted a ball toward Larry Fitzgerald’s outside shoulder for a 20-yard touchdown, tying the game.

The big play came just after Fitzgerald had been observed meeting with the Cardinals’ trainers, who were looking at the receiver’s hand.

Gabbert finished the first half completing 11-of-14 passes for 120 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which came after Arizona’s Patrick Peterson picked off Savage. After the Cardinals regained possession, Gabbert closed the drive by finding rookie right end Ricky Seals-Jones for an 11-yard touchdown.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

19 hours ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

23 hours ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

2 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

2 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

2 days ago

Budda Baker shines in first full game as Cardinals starting safety