Saturday 8 October 2016 17:31, UK
Both quarterbacks struggled to move the chains, but big defensive and special team plays helped to lift the Arizona Cardinals to a 33-21 win over the San Francisco 49ers. An interception and a fumble recovery either side of half-time turned the game for the Cardinals while David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald scored two touchdowns each.
In 140 Characters...
After a slow start, Arizona come to life in the second half. Johnson and Fitzgerald score two each, but poor quarterback play dominates.
MVP
David Johnson produced the best rushing performance so far this year, going for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He was predicted a big night and he certainly delivered.
Game-changer
Bruce Arians' half-time team talk. The Cardinals were a different team in the second half, scoring two touchdowns on their first two drives of the third quarter.
Stat of the night
17 - The 49ers gave away 17 points from three turnovers. The two interceptions and fumble came in a crucial ten minutes around half-time and changed the complexion of the game.
The game
It was tough going through the first quarter, both Blaine Gabbert and Drew Stanton, starting in place of the injured Carson Palmer, struggling to find open receivers. The defences did a good job in the secondary, and most progress came from running backs David Johnson and Carlos Hyde.
The first points came with four minutes to go in the second quarter as Gabbert led an 87-yard drive downfield, finding wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, who finished the score, catching a nine-yard reception in space to give San Francisco a 7-0 lead.
The 49ers looked in control until the last minute of play when Gabbert's pass was tipped and intercepted by linebacker Calais Campbell. The ball was turned over and, on the first play of the drive, Stanton threw 21 yards to a wide-open Larry Fitzgerald, who jogged into the end zone to level the score.
Immediately, a catalogue of errors from San Francsico gifted the Cardinals a 14-7 lead at the beginning of the third quarter. On the kick-off return, Chris Davis fumbled the ball which was recovered by Arizona tight end Ifeanyi Momah in the red zone.
After failing to move the chains, Chandler Catanzaro kicked the field goal but was hit late by Rashard Robinson and the Cardinals were given a first down at the four-yard line. Johnson made no mistake with the chance, evading tackles to cross the line.
The Cardinals soon regained possession, and took advantage of San Francisco's slow start. In six plays, Stanton moved the offence 71 yards, finishing with a 29-yard end zone pass to Fitzgerald for his second score of the night.
The 49ers fought back, a 29-yard Gabbert run setting up Hyde for a one-yard touchdown, but Arizona put the game beyond their division rivals as Catanzaro scored a field goal before Johnson scored his second touchdown to extend the lead to 31-14.
Gabbert ran in for a late touchdown to reduce the deficit to 10 points, but the damage was done, and another disappointing throwing game was compounded when the quarterback was sacked in the end zone to give Campbell and the Cardinals a safety.
There were calls from the crowd to see Colin Kaepernick, and it's not difficult to see why. Though Gabbert scrambled for a lot of yards, his two interceptions led to Arizona scores. The 49ers are now 1-4 and up against LeSean McCoy and the Buffalo Bills next week.
As for the Cardinals, the second half showed marked improvement and Arians will look forward to having Carson Palmer back under centre. Arizona move to 2-3 and will hope to kick on from here.
