Comeback Kids! Arizona Cardinals Escape Tampa With 13-10 Win
By Scott Allen
Sep 29, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) is congratulated by running back Rashard Mendenhall (28) after he caught the ball for a touchdown during the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Arizona Cardinals defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-10. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Ok, so it wasn’t pretty. At times the game had me cursing, not only at the Cards but the refs and the Fox broadcast crew. After trailing all day, the Arizona Cardinals managed to score 13 points in the fourth quarter to escape with a 13-10 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The Cards managed to look very uninterested and very poor on both sides of the ball in the first half. It appeared they were well on their way to a very embarrassing loss to an 0-3 team. Tampa had replaced its starting quarterback Josh Freeman with a rookie in Mike Glennon. Glennon for his part didn’t play all that bad. He had a touchdown and two late interceptions. Both interceptions had a direct impact on the end result.
The Cards defense, which had been soft for much of the first half, stiffened up in the second half. They held Bucs running back Doug Martin had 27 carries for just 45 yards, a 1.7 average. That’s not good at all. Glennon was 24-42 193 yards and was sacked twice, one almost cost Tampa a safety. The Cards did get a bit of bad news on the injury front during the game. Linebacker Jasper Brinkley left the game with an injured groin and did not return. Hopefully this isn’t a long term in jury. Already losing three linebackers this past week, they can ill-afford to lose more.
As for the Cards offense, well, it was pretty offensive most of the day. The two best drives of the day turned into quarterback Carson Palmer interceptions, one in the end zone on a nice catch by cornerback Johnthan Banks. In the end though the defense came up with a couple of huge turnovers and allowed Palmer to throw a touchdown to receiver Larry Fitzgerald and two Jay Feely field goals.
There is a lot to breakdown after this one but the most important fact to take away today is that the Cards won, on the road, and now come home for a tough five-game stretch, four of them at home.