Notes from the Nest: Cardinals vs. Chiefs

Game over

Cards escape with the win while KC wilts under the pressure of football. Win No. 10 for Arizona, and while they may not have “deserved” it, they’ll take it.

17-14 is your final in Glendale.

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:19 left in fourth quarter

Chiefs moving the ball some but using a lot of clock to do it. False start penalty pushes them back. They’re at their own 31, by the way.

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1:14 left in fourth quarter

That’s exactly what happens, as Williams picks up five yards on the play. Cards let the clock run before calling their final timeout to set up the field goal. The kick hits the upright and bounces away, and this is still a game.

Rough day for Catanzaro, who has now missed two field goals — neither of them from any real distance.

We’ve still got a game, folks.

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2:00 left in fourth quarter

It’s 3rd and 7 for Arizona at the KC 21. A first down would essentially ice it. But do they run the ball and run some clock before kicking a field goal (unless they convert, of course). I think so.

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3:25 left in fourth quarter

Cards convert on an outstanding play design that had Stanton find Robert Hughes for the first, and then more. The play went for 36 yards, and Arizona is at the KC 24.

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3:48 left in fourth quarter

It’s the Kerwynn Williams show, ladies and gentlemen. The running back, who was activated off the practice squad Friday, is getting the bulk of the work and making it count.

Cards face a big 3rd and 2 at their 40.

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5:23 left in fourth quarter

Time added because the refs ruled in Arizona’s favor. Wow. Chiefs certainly acted with no urgency on the play, so they thought it was not a fumble. HUGE turnover, obviously, as the Chiefs were in field goal range and looking for more. Cards take over at their 16.

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4:52 left in fourth quarter

Chiefs convert on a pass to a wide open Travis Kelce, but the ball pops loose at the end of the play. Refs rule him down by contact, but Cards are challenging that assertion. It’s going to be close — the ball appeared to be coming loose but it looked like Kelce still had the ball when he hit the ground and rolled over.

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5:54 left in fourth quarter

A break in the action as an injured Matt Shaughnessy is helped off the field, and as we return it is 3rd and 4 for KC at the Arizona 41. Big play?

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6:51 left in fourth quarter

Another three-and-out for the Cardinals, with this one ending on a Stanton pass that was tipped and could have been picked off. Punt is returned to the KC 24.

Can anyone put together a scoring drive?

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7:59 left in fourth quarter

Alex Okafor comes up with a sack on third down and the Chiefs punt. Press box announcement says Cromartie has an achilles injury, and his return is questionable.

Cards have it at their own 27.

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10:22 left in fourth quarter

Smith hits Wilson for 22 yards on the first play of the drive, and the Chiefs advance to the 37. Antonio Cromartie is down and in some pain. Being helped off the field, not putting any pressure on his left leg.

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10:47 left in fourth quarter

It’s still only three points.

You don’t expect Bruce Arians to get conservative, but still, airing it out may not be the best idea. Stanton misfires to an open John Brown and then has his third-down pass knocked away, and the Cards punt. A hold on Kansas City pushes them back to the 15, where the drive will start.

Seems like the defense was just on the field…

Oh wait, it was.

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11:46 left in fourth quarter

Defense forces a punt. Helps when Alex Smith seems reticent to throw the ball down the field.

Ginn returns the punt to the Arizona 23. Was the last drive a sign that the offense has figured some things out? If so, the game would probably be put away with a score here. If not, well, it’s only three points.

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14:51 left in fourth quarter

Butler boots a 48-yard punt, and the Chiefs take over at their 16. Crowd is into this game. So there’s that.

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End of third quarter

The momentum clearly shifted as the Chiefs went three-and-out on their last possession. However, the Cardinals did nothing with the ball, and will be punting when the fourth quarter begins.

Cards D pitched a shutout in the third, which gave the offense time to find itself. Can the team finish the game off?

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3:26 left in third quarter

Stanton steps up into the pocket and throws a strike to Jaron Brown for a 26-yard touchdown. The two point conversion goes to John Carlson, and now Arizona is up 17-14. Stanton hasn’t been too good, but right there he was good enough.

Cardinals turn turnover into points, which is something they have to do. 17-14, home team.

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3:32 left in third quarter

Stanton takes a sack then throws John Brown into a big hit. The refs ruled Brown didn’t hold onto the football, which would be understandable. The rookie WR was down for a bit before walking off the field with trainers.

Arizona faces a big 3rd and 18.

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5:18 left in third quarter

Chiefs appear to blow the game open with a TD pass to Anthony Fasano, but the TE is called for pass interference on the play and it is negated. Next play Alex Okafor comes up with an interception, and after a couple strong runs from Kerwynn Williams the Cardinals have the ball at the Kansas City 18.

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6:32 left in third quarter

Cardinals forced the Chiefs into a third down, and then forced Smith out of the pocket on the play. However, he buys just enough time to find Jason Avant down the field for 41 yards, beating Patrick Peterson on the play. Yeah, Jason Avant beat Patrick Peterson.

Anyway, a couple plays later the Chiefs face a 2nd and 10 on the Arizona 19.

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9:02 left in third quarter

Stanton misses a wide open Fitzgerald on one play, then throws a perfect pass to Floyd the next. It got Arizona into the red zone, where they proceeded to do absolutely nothing. Stanton was nearly picked off on one throw, threw high on two others.

Catanzaro comes on and drills a 39-yard field goal, so at least they got points out of this drive. But still, Chiefs lead 14-9.

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10:23 left in third quarter

Frostee Rucker comes up with a big sack, the Chiefs got a completion, and then they elect to go for it on fourth and four. The Cards burn their second timeout of the half to avoid a penalty for 12 men on the field, giving them one left.

Smith’s pass is deflected by Larry Foote, so the Cardinals dodge a bullet and will take over at their own 39.

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14:54 left in third quarter

Chiefs start the drive at their 29. Game kind of has the feel of a touchdown here might be enough for Kansas City.

Big drive, right?

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:06 left in second quarter

Cardinals move down the field but drive stalls when Stanton misses on some throws and Ted Larsen is flagged for a false start. Catanzaro hits the upright from 36 yards out, and it’s been that kind of afternoon.

Chiefs go into the half up 14-6, and will get the ball to start the third.

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1:12 left in second quarter

Chiefs convert with help from an unbelievable leap by Dwayne Bowe, who hurdled two Cardinals defenders to gain extra yardage. Smith then hits Charles (he’s back, by the way) with a pass, allowing the RB to do the rest in taking it to the end zone from 18 yards out.

Congrats if you started Charles on your fantasy team this week. Chiefs up 14-6.

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2:00 left in second quarter

Chiefs move the ball down the field with some help from Alex Smith’s ability to run, but Calais Campbell gets to the QB on second down, forcing a 3rd and 19.

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7:43 left in second quarter

Stanton does a good job finding Fitz for some key first downs, but the offense tried to get too cute inside the 10 and it cost them. Some really questionable play calling, to say the least. Stanton is sacked on third down, and fumbled the ball. Bobby Massie recovered, though, which set them up for another Catanzaro field goal attempt.

It was good from 33 yards out, and it is now 7-6 Chiefs.

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End of first quarter

The quarter ends with a short run by Stepfan Taylor that netted a first down. Arizona is at the Kansas City 30 now.

Overall, a pretty mediocre first frame. Defense allowed a really big play, which was bad, but has otherwise been OK. Offense has moved the ball some, but has not been able to finish.

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:50 left in first quarter

Cardinals end up forcing a punt after the Chiefs complete passes for negative yards. That’s their offense, folks.

The punt bounces into the end zone, so Arizona takes over at the 20. The offense has shown signs of life, but has not been able to really sustain a drive.

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Still 2:38 left in first quarter

Charles ended up walking off the field, but the refs reviewed the play and ruled that Charles’ knee was down before the ball came loose. So no fumble. There was a holding penalty on the play, though, so the ball will move back to the Arizona 44.

1st and 20.

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2:38 left in first quarter

A nice pass to Travis Kelce was made even better for the Chiefs after a roughing the passer call on the play. However, this game took a big turn a couple plays later as Jamaal Charles fumbles the ball and appears to suffer a bad injury on the play. He’s still down.

Rashad Johnson forced the fumble and also got the recovery. Arizona will take over at its 34, but right now the big question is about Charles’ status.

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5:00 left in first quarter

Drive comes to an end when Robert Hughes is stuffed on 3rd-and-1. Kind of looked like the Chiefs knew what was coming, which makes sense because the Cardinals tend to hand him the ball in those situations. After failing to draw the Chiefs offsides, Drew Butler is brought in to punt. He kicked a beauty, which bounced around the three and was caught by a Cardinal at the five.

First down, Chiefs.

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8:44 left in first quarter

Drive begins with Stanton missing a wide-open Larry Fitzgerald, which is a throw the QB cannot afford to miss. However, the drive moves forward a couple plays later when Stanton is hit low, with a flag for roughing the passer being called against Tamba Hali.

Stanton went down awkwardly on the play and stayed down for a bit, but got up and is staying in the game.

Then, a couple plays after that, the QB hits Fitz for 13 yards on a nicely-thrown ball.

Cardinals moving.

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9:35 left in first quarter

Well that escalated quickly.

Chiefs move some with a short pass to Kelce, but a couple plays later Jamaal Charles bounces a run to the outside, breaks a couple tackles and heads for the end zone. Sixty-three yards later it was a touchdown, and hte Chiefs are now up 7-3. Great run, but one that didn’t need to happen.

Obviously not the start this defense wanted.

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10:55 left in first quarter

Cards look pretty good on the drive, with Stanton connecting with Michael Floyd for a first down and Stepfan Taylor finding some room to run, but things stall and Arizona settles for a 44-yard Catanzaro field goal.

While not a touchdown, it’s at least points, and a positive sign for an offense that has struggled the last couple weeks.

3-0 home team.

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14:54 left in first quarter

Ted Ginn, Jr. returns the kickoff to the Arizona 38. That’s where Drew Stanton and the offense will go to work from.

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Coin toss was one by the Cardinals, who elected to take the ball first.

Though the game is sold out it’s certainly not a capacity crowd, with plenty of empty seats to be seen. There were enough Kansas City fans around to make a very loud “CHIEFS” at the end of the national anthem.

Anyway, both teams are in desperate need of a win today. Each comes in riding a two-game losing streak. Can the Cardinals offense get on track? Will the defense respond from last week’s disaster? Let’s find out.