Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders tied after trading blows in first half
Nov 18, 2018, 3:40 PM
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Things didn’t exactly get off to a great start for rookie quarterback Josh Rosen and the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
Luckily for Arizona, the game didn’t get out of hand as the Cardinals bounced back from the early miscue to head into halftime tied at 14-14 with the Oakland Raiders.
On the second play of the Cardinals’ opening drive, the Oakland defense got off to a quick start, picking off Rosen on his first pass attempt of the day.
The Raiders were quick to turn the pick into points as quarterback Derek Carr found tight end Jared Cook for the 23-yard score just three plays later.
Rosen, however, looked unfazed from the early INT as he answered right back.
After driving 46 yards on eight plays, Rosen turned to Larry Fitzgerald for the 18-yard score.
With the catch, Fitzgerald is just seven passes away from passing Jerry Rice for the most receptions with a single team in NFL history. It was also the All-Pro’s 113th touchdown catch of his career. Only six players have more.
Rosen’s first-quarter scoring wasn’t over yet though.
In the closing minute of the quarter, the quarterback found rookie wideout Christian Kirk on a short screen pass.
From there, it was all Kirk as he turned up the field, going 59 yards for the touchdown.
Kirk, who is celebrating his 22nd birthday Sunday, is the first Cardinals player with a TD on his birthday since Ernie Jones did it on his 27th birthday in 1991, according to to the team.
But just like in the first quarter, the Raiders would come down with an interception on the second play of a Cardinals drive in the second quarter. Oakland would once again turn the turnover into points as Carr found Brandon LaFell for the five-yard TD to tie the game at 14-14.
After scoring twice in the first quarter, the Cardinals were held in check in the second.
Rosen finished the half completing 6-of-13 for 114 yards, two scores and two interceptions.
