Cardinals notes: Kicker Chandler Catanzaro struggles in preseason finale
Sep 3, 2015, 10:42 PM | Updated: Sep 4, 2015, 9:40 am
Arizona Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro (7) looks down after missing a point after during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Second-year kicker Chandler Catanzaro didn’t have the best of evenings, missing two of his three extra points in the Arizona Cardinals 22-20 victory against the Denver Broncos.
In a two-point game that ended on a missed Denver field goal with 49 seconds left, it could’ve been the difference for Arizona in its preseason finale.
Catanzaro did, however, knock in a 34-yard field goal — just beyond the distance of the newly-extended extra points — on his only attempt. Apparently, the misses didn’t concern Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians.
Arians postgame, “Cat was inexcusable. He can’t give up two points and he knows it. I’ve got no worries about him.” #AZvsDEN
— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) September 4, 2015
The Arizona kicker had made all of his previous six extra points in the preseason. Mr. Irrelevant ‘probably’ out for year Seventh-round draft pick Gerald Christian suffered a knee injury in the first half, and head coach Bruce Arians didn’t sound positive about the diagnosis for the rookie tight end.
Arians postgame, “He’s probably out (for season)” re: Gerald Christian w/knee injury; MRI scheduled #AZvsDEN
— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) September 4, 2015
Christian, the 256th and last pick out of Louisville, was the only tight end to dress for the Cardinals’ preseason finale. Arizona was forced to call only plays that did not include a tight end, an odd thing for an Arians-coached team.
Shipley shines
Talk about going out with a bang.
That’s if Jaxon Shipley is going out at all. The rookie receiver from Texas will make cutting him even more difficult after recording nine catches for 58 yards on Thursday.
Shipley, who was targeted 11 times, appeared to be the favorite option for both quarterbacks, starter Phillip Sims and second-year pro Logan Thomas. Shipley, a 6’0, 190 pound wideout, showed grit running underneath routes, several times making the catch in traffic before absorbing hard hits by defenders.
Nonetheless, it could be difficult for him to make the final roster cuts behind a deep group of receivers.
Spoon gets a long burn
Veteran linebacker Sean Weatherspoon made his debut with the Cardinals, playing in the first half and even starting the second half. After being slowed by a hamstring injury throughout camp, Weatherspoon finished with three tackles on the evening.
