Notes from the Nest: Cardinals vs. Patriots

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The day has finally come.

The Arizona Cardinals kick off their 2016 season — one ripe with high expectations — Sunday night against the New England Patriots. It’s a marquee matchup that has lost some of its luster due to players the visitors will not have available.

The Cardinals certainly won’t complain, and they should not have to apologize for facing a less-than-top-form Patriots team. What the should do, however, is win.

Cardinals won the coin toss and chose to receive the ball. Let’s get to it.

:36 left in fourth quarter

Low snap doomed the kick from the beginning, and it was pushed wide left. Patriots are going to win, Cardinals open up with a home loss no one saw coming.

:41 left in fourth quarter

Palmer hit Jaron Brown for a gain of 18, and now Catanzaro is in with a chance to be the hero. Patriots used their final timeout ahead of the kick. Looks like a 47-yard attempt.

1:10 left in fourth quarter

And then, the Cardinals went backwards.

A hold on Earl Watford (during a pass play that was ill-advised and didn’t work anyway) pushed them back some, then a screen pass to Andre Ellington lost more yards on top of that. Now it’s 3rd and 23 from the 47, which is obviously out of field goal range.

It’d be great to get all 23, but really, probably 15 or so would give Catanzaro a chance.

2:00 left in fourth quarter

It’s the Larry Fitzgerald show, everyone. Palmer keeps finding Fitz for big catches — with some looking like balls that could be picked. Is Palmer being risky or is he recognizing the windows and putting the ball in them?

Anyway, it is now 1st and 10 from the New England 34. They are now within deep Catanzaro range, but of course would prefer to get much, much closer (or somehow break one for a TD).

Few expected this to be a great game, but it turned into a wildly entertaining affair. Neat.

3:44 left in fourth quarter

The defense had every opportunity to get off the field, but failed to do so until the Patriots were well within field goal range. Gostkowski came in and gave New England the lead back with a chip shot.

Cardinals have no timeouts left but plenty of time to get into Catanzaro range.

9:46 left in fourth quarter

Cards missed an opportunity to score when Floyd was unable to hold onto a nice pass, but the drive was salvaged on third down when Floyd went right for the sticks and the throw was on the money. Following play, Palmer finds Larry Fitzgerald for a score, but it was not your normal TD reception. The receiver was basically on his back when he caught it, and wow. What a drive with some amazing plays.

PAT was good and the Cardinals are now up 21-20.

 

10:18 left in fourth quarter

Cards went with a dual RB formation a couple times, finding Ellington for a nice gain and moving effectively. A defensive hold advanced them further, then David Johnson broke all of the tackles and rumbled for 46 yards to the New England 12. What a run, and the Cardinals are in business.

12:29 left in fourth quarter

Ellington returns the kick 16 yards to the Arizona 21. For them this game, that’s pretty good field position.

The offense has looked just a bit off most of the night, and while that’s disheartening, all it takes is one drive to right the ship. Palmer and Co. are back out there with this game still hanging in the balance.

12:35 left in fourth quarter

A few more yards were gained but then there was a third down that wouldn’t end after offsetting penalties were followed by a holding penalty. That was followed by an incomplete pass, but then Gostkowski came in and drilled a 53-yard field goal.

So, that puts the Cardinals down six. Game is still very much within reach, assuming Arizona can put a real drive together.

14:57 left in fourth quarter

Cardinals got a stop with an incompletion but Kevin Minter is flagged for roughing the passer as he fell/dove/stumbled into Garoppolo’s legs after the pass. So, Pats get 15 yards and an automatic first down.

End of third quarter

Patriots got the ball back and started to move. First downs have been easy to come by when few yards have been necessary on third down. When we get back it will be another third down, with New England needing just three yards to convert. They are at the Arizona 46 and the defense could really use a stop.

4:29 left in third quarter

Palmer hit Gresham with a nice throw (didn’t force ball deep, didn’t take check down) and then found Fitzgerald to get even closer. David Johnson ran one to the one (nice run with some good cuts), then Cardinals quick-snapped the Patriots, caught them with too many guys on the field trying to substitute — and scored anyway. Johnson punched it in, and the score is now 17-14.

6:20 left in third quarter

Cards got a fumble recover and wow did they need that. Calais Campbell fell on the ball that was coughed up by Blount. Arizona takes over at the New England 33 and it goes without saying that points here are a must.

7:01 left in third quarter

Cardinals pick up a first down but immediately follow it with a fumbled snap and a pair of incomplete passes. On one of them — a deep ball to John Brown — it looked as though the receiver had a chance to make a big play. On the other one, a force to Fitzgerald on third down, they are probably lucky it wasn’t picked off.

Another short punt and the Patriots take over at their 28. This game is not going particularly well.

10:00 left in third quarter

Cards force another third down but Hogan beats Brandon Williams for a catch, which would have been bad enough except the rookie then missed a tackle and it was off to the races. With goal to go, Blount ran one right up the gut for the TD. The PAT is good, and the score is New England 17, Arizona 7.

12:18 left in third quarter

The quarter began with Jimmy Garoppolo catching his own pass (it was batted in the air by Campbell) and then a couple plays later the QB picked up a first down with his legs. Some nice runs from Blount and a short pass to Edelman have New England in Arizona territory.

End of first half

Peterson fair caught the kick and on the first play from scrimmage Palmer was sacked. So, we head into the half with New England up 10-7. Cardinals defense seemed to be figuring things out some, though you have to figure New England will come out of the break with some new tricks.

:22 left in second quarter

Cards get the stop and Patriots have 4th and 18 from their 23. Peterson back to return the kick.

:27 left in second quarter

Pats looked content to go into the half up 10-7, but a tripping penalty followed by a hold backed them up so deep that now the Cardinals are using some of their timeouts to preserve time. It’s 3rd and 22 and you have to figure New England will run.

1:24 left in second quarter

Palmer misses John Brown deep, then overthrows Michael Floyd (who stopped on the route) and then, on third down, finds Brown but then saw the WR unable to hold onto the ball. Drew Butler’s punt is not a great one, and the return puts the Patriots at their own 31.

2:00 left in second quarter

Cardinals get the stop as Tyrann Mathieu reads a screen pass and snuffs it out. Patriots will be punting from their 26, and Patrick Peterson — who hasn’t been too busy in the secondary so far — is back to return it.

4:00 left in second quarter

Kick is returned to the New England 26. Their special teams has been better than Arizona’s thus far.

Now, can Cardinals’ defense build off how it finished its last time on the field? Momentum could be turning, and not a moment too soon.

4:06 left in second quarter

There you go. Cardinals punch it in with a three-yard pass from Palmer to Fitzgerald. For Fitz, it is career touchdown reception No. 99. Chants of “Larry…Larry…Larry” broke out in the stadium. Cardinals fans love them some Fitzgerald.

PAT was good and the score is now 10-7. Cardinals turned the fumble recovery into points.

6:28 left in second quarter

Cardinals are moving down the field, and just picked up a first down with a Chris Johnson run up the middle. Guard Evan Mathis was down on the field with an injury, though, and when play resumes it will be first and 10 from the 15.

Not to overlooked up to this point is how well Arizona’s running backs have blocked. They’ve picked up a few blitzes that have saved Palmer/bought necessary time to find an open WR.

10:26 left in second quarter

FINALLY SOMETHING REALLY GOOD HAPPENED.

Cardinals forced the Patriots into a 3rd and 8, in which Markus Golden got to Garoppolo, who fumbled the ball upon being sacked. Chandler Jones recovered the fumble.

However, the Cards were assessed a 15-yard penalty for choreographing a celebration. So, they’ll take over at their own 46.

12:22 left in second quarter

Drew Butler with another short punt — doesn’t necessarily show up in the box score, but being able to pin the Patriots deep into their territory could play a big role. Instead, they are at their own 16 with breathing room. Not Butler’s best night, so far.

Now, can Arizona’s defense find its footing and start to assert itself?

12:34 left in second quarter

A good David Johnson blitz pickup allowed Palmer to find JJ Nelson down the field for a first down, but a few plays later — facing a 3rd and 2 — Palmer is sacked and that puts an end to the drive. Jared Veldheer was flagged for a facemask on the play. Penalty was declined, but it was not a good showing from the left side of the line.

Arizona’s offense, which was so good last season but struggled in the preseason, continues a bad trend.

End of first quarter

One step forward, one step back? Palmer hits David Johnson out of the backfield and then watched the RB nearly ruin a defender en route to a 26-yard gain, but on the following play the QB is sacked after great coverage. He had time, just no one to get the ball to.

When play resumes, the Cardinals will have it 2nd and 13 from their own 42. At some point they need to come away with some points, and this drive would be an opportune time to do it.

:52 left in first quarter

Cardinals could use better blocking in the return game, as Ellington’s 21-yard jaunt only got Arizona to the 19. Offense has shown signs of life tonight but has been unable to really sustain drives. Now would be a good time to start.

1:00 left in first quarter

If it seems like this game is moving quickly, it’s because the Patriots have controlled the ball so far. Their drive continued a little while longer until Tyvon Branch broke up a third down pass, which led to a 47-yard Gostkowski field goal.

Not a great drive from the defense, even though it ended a little better than the last one. Patriots are now 3-of-4 on third downs, and the Cardinals must turn that around.

Score is 10-0, visitors.

4:40 left in first quarter

Cardinals forced a third down, but what should have been third and nine was third and four after a Robert Nkmediche neutral zone infraction Patriots pick up the necessary yardage on a run, and they’re still at it.

6:12 left in first quarter

Drive started off well with a nice pass from Palmer to Floyd for 39 yards, but a short run was followed by an incomplete pass where Palmer and David Johnson were not on the same page, and then a ball to JJ Nelson that was overthrown and could have been picked.

Butler’s punt is a better one, as it is fair caught at the New England eight. Arizona’s defense, which offered little resistance its last time out, will look to do better.

7:29  left in first quarter

Ellington returns the kick 11 yards to the Arizona 11. So, not great field position as the Cardinals look to answer.

7:34 left in first quarter

Patriots are driving as Garoppolo has found success with short passes across the middle. Julian Edelman has been the recipient, and the Cardinals had to figure that would be what New England would do.

Then, as they’ve been picking Cardinals apart underneath, Garoppolo finds Chris Hogan wide open down the field for a 37-yard TD. Brandon Williams was beat on the play.

PAT is good, and it’s 7-0 Patriots. Nobody saw that coming.

11:47 left in first quarter

Butler’s punt was just 38 yards, and Amendola returned it to the New England 26. So, the Cards didn’t exactly flip the field.

Jimmy Garoppolo takes the field for the Patriots and I’d be lying if I said there was no interest in seeing how he would perform.

12:09 left in first quarter

Cardinals pick up a first down with a Palmer pass to Gresham, but an incomplete ball where there was miscommunication between the QB and Michael Floyd was followed by a David Johnson run that lost two yards, and on third down Palmer found Fitzgerald but the receiver came up a yard short of the first. Arizona lined up to punt and took a delay of game penalty.

15:00 left in the first quarter

Gostkowski’s kick sailed out of the back of the end zone and the Cardinals will begin the drive at their 25. Arizona comes out with dual tight ends in Troy Niklas and Jermaine Gresham.