Cardinals score go-ahead TD on trick play in 4th quarter but fall to Seahawks

The Arizona Cardinals ran a fake field goal that resulted in a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s season finale against Seattle, but the Seahawks came back to win 21-20.

Kicker Matt Prater missed the game-winning field-goal attempt in the closing seconds for Arizona, which finished the season 4-13 and locked into the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.

The Cardinals in a 13-13 game looked to set up for a short field goal on fourth-and-3 from the Seattle 8-yard line, but they did not substitute the entire offense off the field.

Quarterback Kyler Murray never came off, and the Cardinals switched up their look on the Seattle defense by sending Prater and holder Blake Gillikin out wide. Murray took the snap from the shotgun and delivered a perfect throw to tight end Trey McBride in the back of the end zone over the leaping Riq Woolen.

Cardinals lined up like they were going to kick the FG.

Instead it’s a Kyler TD pass to Trey McBride for the lead 😱

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McBride threw down an emphatic spike, while Seahawks coach Pete Carroll had some words for the officials. There was 9:48 on the clock.

The Seahawks scored a touchdown just after the two-minute warning, though, and they went for the two-point conversion. Seattle quarterback Geno Smith found Tyler Lockett for the touchdown and the two-point conversion to take a 21-20 lead.

Arizona marched down the field to set up a 51-yard try for Prater, who missed wide right. It was Prater’s second missed field goal of the quarter.

The Cardinals went unconventional earlier in Sunday’s game with a flea flicker from Murray to Michael Wilson for a big 28-yard gain late in the first half. That set up a Prater field goal.

Cardinals bringing out the flea flicker 😮

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— NFL (@NFL) January 7, 2024

Late in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals ran a sweep to Rondale Moore to pick up a first down on fourth-and-short.

The Cardinals entered Sunday with an opportunity to play spoiler against the Seahawks, who needed a win and a Green Bay Packers loss to make the playoffs.

Arizona fell short after pulling out all the stops to prevent its division rival from advancing, although the Packers defeated the Chicago Bears before the game at State Farm Stadium went final.

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