Cardinals wide receiver Andre Roberts steps up with big game in 2013 opener

Sep 9, 2013, 8:02 AM | Updated: 8:02 am

He had shown flashes throughout the first three years of his NFL career, but until Sunday, Andre Roberts hadn’t exactly made a definitive case to be the Arizona Cardinals’ No. 2 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald.

Call it the product of having another year of experience or the result of having a competent quarterback behind center, but Roberts opened 2013 with a bang and a bit of a coming out party in Arizona’s 27-24 loss to St. Louis Sunday, grabbing eight passes for a team-high 97 yards.

Of his eight catches, four came during third down situations.

“I’m sure I had every single one of them,” Roberts said of his confidence on the field. “That’s what I want to do for my quarterback. Any time he throws me the ball, I want to come down with it.”

The former Citadel standout did just that, as he converted on eight of nine passes thrown his way — including several that required athletic dives to the turf.

Big game or not, Roberts still didn’t sound too impressed with himself or the team after the game.

“There were a few touch catches,” said Roberts. “But at the end of the day, all I do is look at the scoreboard. [The catches] are all for naught, we’re trying to win the game.”

For a first game, though, Roberts, who had a career-high 759 yards receiving and five touchdowns in 2012, admitted there were some positives to take away from the loss — at least in the passing game.

“It was pretty good,” said Roberts. “Obviously, we could do better. We always want to do better and left some things out there. But right now we just want to work and get better. It was just our first game.”

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, left, catches a 4-yard pass for a touchdown as St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins defends during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, left, catches a 4-yard pass for a touchdown as St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins defends during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, bottom, fumbles the ball as he is sacked for a 7-yard loss by St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn during the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. The Cardinals recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford throws during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Floyd is congratulated by teammate Larry Fitzgerald (11) after catching a 44-yard pass as St. Louis Rams safety T.J. McDonald, left, looks on during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Floyd, right, catches a 44-yard pass as St. Louis Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan defends during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu, right, knocks the ball out of the hands of St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook after Cook caught a 47-yard pass during the first quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. Cardinals' Karlos Dansby recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer throws during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook, left, dives into the end zone after catching a 16-yard pass for a touchdown as Arizona Cardinals safety Yeremiah Bell defends during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook celebrates after catching a 16-yard pass for a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game as Arizona Cardinals safeties Rashad Johnson (26) and Yeremiah Bell (37) stand on the field on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams running back Zac Stacy, left, runs with the ball for a 4-yard gain as Arizona Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu, right, defends during the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson runs with the ball after intercepting a pass by Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer and running it back 29-yards before being pushed out of bounds during the third quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Rams quarterback Sam Bradford lofts a pass near the outstretched arms of Arizona defensive tackle Dan Williams during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in St. Louis. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Robert Cohen) Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Dan Williams, center, returns an interception for a touchdown as teammates Jasper Brinkley (52) and Karlos Dansby, right, watch during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, left, catches a 24-yard pass for a touchdown as St. Louis Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan defends during the third quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald celebrates after catching a 24-yard pass for a touchdown during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, left, catches a 24-yard pass for a touchdown as St. Louis Rams cornerback Cortland Finnegan and safety Rodney McLeod (23) defend during the third quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook (89) celebrates after catching a 1-yard pass for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford celebrates after scoring a two-point conversion during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, center, fumbles as he is hit by St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn, left, and defensive end William Hayes watches during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. The Rams recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) St. Louis Rams wide receiver Brian Quick (83) carries a 16-yard pass down to the 1-yard line during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams placekicker Greg Zuerlein boots a 48-yard field goal during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

St. Louis Rams placekicker Greg Zuerlein (4) is congratulated by teammates Johnny Hekker, left, Chris Williams (65) and Matt Conrath, right, after booting a 48-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. The Rams won 27-24. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins hops onto linebacker James Laurinaitis as they celebrate as time expires during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in St. Louis. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee) Rams head coach Jeff Fisher calls to his players during a timeout during an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in St. Louis. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Robert Cohen) Arizona Cardinals players try to block St. Louis Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein's game-winning 48-yard field goal during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in St. Louis. (AP Photo/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris Lee) Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett sits on the bench following a 27-24 loss to the St. Louis Rams in an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

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