The Cardinals pulled off an upset over the Chargers on a walk-off Chad Ryland discipline purpose within the second of two Monday evening video games in Week 7.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from Arizona’s 17-15 win.
What occurs on ESPN+ stays on ESPN+
The NFL actually made individuals pay more money for this:
Whereas we do not have knowledge to again this up, it definitely looks like video games that air via non-traditional means are all the time as much as tomfoolery.
Monday evening’s ESPN+ unique was no totally different. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray threw an opening-drive interception to Chargers defensive lineman Teair Tart on a tipped move, just for Tart to fumble the ball, giving Arizona the ball again.
Los Angeles fumbled a second time on its first offensive possession when large receiver Jalen Reagor misplaced the soccer close to the purpose line after a 41-yard completion.
It was for one of the best that the NFL put the sport behind a paywall. The less eyes on the Cardinals’ and Chargers’ misadventures, the higher.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert wants assist
Reagor’s fumble illustrated L.A.’s obvious lack of wide-receiver expertise after the workforce parted methods with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the course of the offseason.
Herbert was wonderful in Monday’s loss, going 27-of-39 (69.2 p.c) for 349 yards (8.9 yards per try). However as ESPN’s Invoice Barnwell famous on social media, he is largely working with a group of expertise that’s each underwhelming and underperforming
As Herbert confirmed on this wonderful move to large receiver Joshua Palmer, who did an amazing job getting each toes in bounds to safe the catch, he is greater than definitely worth the funding of a top-flight large receiver.
The Chargers might make a playoff run in head coach Jim Harbaugh’s first season, however not if the entrance workplace does not add a large receiver earlier than the commerce deadline.
Cardinals offense coordinator Drew Petzing confounds questionable playcalling
Arizona’s win masked one terrible sequence from its second-year offensive coordinator.
Confronted with a third-and-one within the second half, Petzing known as consecutive quarterback sneaks with backup quarterback Clayton Tune. Each failed.
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert and ESPN’s Mina Kimes had been amongst these not sure concerning the tactic afterward.
Cardinals working again James Conner had a profitable day, ending with 19 carries for 101 yards. He would have been a greater possibility within the short-yardage scenario, as would have been two Murray move makes an attempt.
Petzing both overthought the second or did not suppose it via sufficient, and it might have value Arizona the sport.
Younger Cardinals defenders stepping up
Regardless of permitting Herbert to throw for over 300 yards, Arizona’s protection allowed its second-fewest factors of the season within the win.
Younger defenders stood up, led by rookie cornerback Max Melton. He was second on the workforce with 9 complete tackles and timed a move breakup completely to stop a third-down conversion within the second quarter.
Second-year professional Dante Stills recorded his second sack of the season on a second-and-eight within the pink zone within the third quarter, serving to pressure the Chargers to accept a discipline purpose.
Arizona ranked thirty first in scoring protection (26.8 factors per sport) a season in the past and entered “Monday Evening Soccer” ranked twenty ninth in scoring protection this 12 months regardless of permitting extra factors per sport (27.2).
The unit stays a piece in progress, as proven in blowout losses to the Commanders and Packers, however it’s a promising signal for Arizona that it is getting significant contributions from its current draft picks.
Are the Cardinals an NFC West contender?
As bizarre as which may sound, they’re just one sport again of the Seahawks (4-3) for first and maintain a tiebreaker over the 49ers (3-4) on account of their come-from-behind 24-23 Week 5 win.
Arizona has one of many league’s finest speeding offenses, which may very well be large down the stretch. The Cardinals entered Monday evening averaging 5.2 yards per try, the second-highest mark within the league, and averaged 6.2 yards per carry towards the Chargers, speeding for 181 yards on 29 makes an attempt.
Seattle ranks twenty seventh in rush protection (146.1 yards allowed per sport), whereas San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams have had brutal harm misfortune that is left them weaker than in earlier years.
It may not be the likeliest finish to the Cardinals’ season, however an NFC West title is inside their attain.
