Cardinals WR Antoine Wesley reels in 2nd touchdown vs. Cowboys
Jan 2, 2022, 4:51 PM | Updated: 8:20 pm
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Antoine Wesley (85) catches a pass for a touchdown as Dallas Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown (30) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
(AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
The Arizona Cardinals undoubtedly miss wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
With the wideout sidelined for the remainder of the year after undergoing MCL surgery, Arizona has been pressed to fill the void left behind by Hopkins.
And while it’s taken a group effort up to this point, wide receiver Antoine Wesley took matters into his own hands against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
He may not have been the most targeted, but Wesley made the most of the opportunities that came his way in the team’s 25-22 win over Dallas.
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Wesley made his first big impact on the game in the second quarter.
Following a miraculous catch from running back Jonathan Ward on a fake punt to keep the Cardinals drive alive, Wesley was there to cash in nine plays later on a one-yard hookup with quarterback Kyler Murray for the first touchdown of the afternoon.
TWEEEZY 🙌@antoine_wesley x #RedSea pic.twitter.com/oUkpNnZbl3
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) January 2, 2022
It would be a sign of things to come for Wesley.
Taking a 13-7 lead into the second half, the Cardinals had the chance to keep the pressure on the Cowboys.
Getting the ball first, Murray quickly looked to the air to move the chains, completing all six of his passes in the drive.
It was his sixth pass, though, that proved to be the biggest.
TWEEZY BACK IN TEXAS ⬆️@antoine_wesley x #RedSea pic.twitter.com/UXrvq1Bcme
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) January 2, 2022
Pulling off his best Hopkins impression, Wesley used the narrowest window of separation to leap over his man and make an impressive 19-yard grab for his second score of the day. The score pushed Arizona’s lead to 19-7 after a failed two-point conversion.
Wesley finished the evening with four catches for 30 yards and the two scores.
Talk about a homecoming for the wideout, who went to high school in Cibolo, Texas, before attending Texas Tech during head coach Kliff Kingsbury’s tenure at the college.
“Just cool to see, Kingsbury told Cardinals reporter Paul Calvisi on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station after the game. “He’s worked hard, had a great training camp, has fought for everything he’s got. To come back home and get to do that here, that’s special for him.”
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