Cardinals WR Michael Floyd, S Tyrann Mathieu will play vs. Falcons
Nov 27, 2016, 9:44 AM
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Floyd (15) during an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
For a game they absolutely must win to maintain their playoff hopes at a realistic level, the Arizona Cardinals will have two key contributors in uniform.
Both wide receiver Michael Floyd and safety Tyrann Mathieu will play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
They each had been considered questionable: Floyd because of a hamstring issue that kept him off the practice field on Thursday and Friday, and Mathieu who had missed the past two games due to a shoulder injury suffered in Carolina.
A record eight Cardinals players were listed as questionable on the final injury report. However, only two won’t play: safety Christian Bryant (groin) and defensive tackle Ed Stinson (hip).
The Cardinals’ other inactives included wide receiver Marquis Bundy, linebacker Sio Moore and guard Cole Toner, plus defensive tackles Olsen Pierre and Robert Nkemdiche.
For the Falcons, cornerback Desmond Trufant (shoulder) and punter Matt Bosher (hamstring) are out due to injury.
The others not in uniform for Atlanta are safety Sharrod Neasman, offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer and running back Terron Ward, plus defensive linemen Ra’Shede Hageman and Cliff Matthews.
At 4-5-1, the Cardinals can ill afford another loss. As it currently stands, the Cardinals sit 10th in the NFC with the top six teams making the playoffs.
“You just keep doing what you’re doing. You got to trust what your process is. You get frustrated because we’re out here to win. We’re not out here to play .500 ball,” head coach Bruce Arians said this week, adding about the sense of urgency facing his team, “If you don’t have one right now, you don’t belong in the business and you damn sure don’t belong in this locker room.”
