Carolina Panthers Up 3-0 Over Arizona Cardinals End of First
By Scott Allen
Oct 6, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Robert Lester (38) celebrates with safety Mike Mitchell (21) after intercepting a pass from Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (not pictured) during the first half at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
It didn’t take long for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer to throw an interception. Actually, make that two. On the first drive Palmer threw an interception to Carolina Panthers safety Robert Lester. It was negated by a roughing the passer call. Palmer though didn’t want Lester to leave the drive empty-handed though. He threw him another one down in the end zone on a flea flicker play.
The Panthers should have had a touchdown but receiver Steve Smith dropped an easy pass in the end zone and had to settle for a field goal. On the Cards second drive, they stalled, again. They had a nice draw play to running back Andre Ellington but it was once to often to the well as they tried that play a second time on third and seven. The Cards need to know when to run certain plays. A draw on third and seven for a team struggling to convert third downs is no the time for a draw, especially one you already burned the opponent on.
The Panthers were driving at the end of the first quarter but the drive was thwarted by a sack of Panthers quarterback Cam Newton on third down. So yet another scoreless first quarter for the Cards. Let’s hope they put some points up in the second.