Arizona Cardinals Fourth Quarter Pressure Gets The Job Done
By Earl Burnett
Arizona Cardinals defense started picking up the pace and getting good pressure on Alex Smith causing him to rush some throws.
The Cards offense had three and outs on there next two drives and forced the defense to stay on the field. The result of being on the field too long the Cards are missing tackles and injuries will become a factor as corner Antonio Cromartie was carted off the field with a left heal injury.
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Hopefully for the Cards his injury is not serious, Matt Shaughnessy was shaken up on a play later in the fourth making a tackle as fatigue sets in. Then the biggest play of the third quarter was the fumble by the Chiefs tight end Kelsey. Head Coach Bruce Arians threw out the challenge flag and won, which stopped a key drive as the Chiefs were moving the ball in Cards territory.
Kerwynn Williams ran the ball very affectively in the game and helped eat some clock in the last four minutes of the game. Key third and two with 3:48 on the clock and Stanton hits Robert Hughes on a screen play picking up 36 yards and a first down, which allowed the Cards to run more clock down to the two minute warning.
Then on third and seven with two minutes to go Williams on a draw play picks up five and stays in bounds running the clock down to 1:14 for the field goal try. Setting Catanzaro up for a chip shot to force the Chiefs to score a touchdown to win, but the rookie missed the 34 yard field goal off the post. Still 17-14 and a field goal could tie the game as the Cards defense is called to hold off the chiefs one more time.
A key false start to stop momentum as Smith was under duress all fourth quarter, the game came down to a fourth and 15, and the pressure was on Smith and couldn’t convert and the Cards get there tenth win on the year and stay atop the conference. The final was 17-14 and the Cards end their two game losing streak.