The Arizona Cardinals allow penalties and questionable calls get to them in 25-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Complain about the referees (I have and will do so more), however the Arizona Cardinals have no one to blame but themselves on Sunday in their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. So many plays on both offense and defense come to mind when thinking of reason’s why this game went south on the Cardinals.
Give the Steelers some credit for continuing to fight despite being dominated in the first half. Their second half plan worked a little better but statistically, the Cardinals should still have been able to walk out of Pittsburgh with a win.
Here’s a run down of the fun the Steelers got to have at the Cardinals expense on Sunday afternoon. Might want to grab the popcorn folks.
Just over two minutes into the game, offensive lineman Bobby Massie with a 15-yard unnecessary roughness call to push a punt back. It was a questionable call but still one you can’t even give an official a chance to make a decision on.
From there it was more of a disaster waiting to happen:
- Roughing the passer call on linebacker Markus Golden although it was very questionable but it was on an incomplete pass on second and 15
- Quarterback Carson Palmer rushes a pass to tight end Jermaine Gresham and cause the ball to deflect to Steelers linebacker Lawrence Timmons
- Palmer throws a deep interceptable pass to receiver John Brown on third down early in second quarter
- Chris Johnson a 15-yard chop block on what would have been a 16-yard completion to receiver Larry Fitzgerald
- Chandler Catanzaro missed a 47-yard field goal, although the wind did help push it left
- Linebacker Kevin Minter with a 15-yard unnecessary roughness after a 11-yard gain by Steelers running back Le’veon Bell. It was a retaliation play. Can’t be the second guy.
- Receiver Michael Floyd has a 10-yard touchdown pass nullified by offensive pass interference. It wasn’t near interference but it was called.
- Receiver John Brown fumbles at their own 32-yard line
- Steelers receiver Martavis Bryant with a eight-yard touchdown catch in back of end zone from third-string quarterback Landry Jones
- Halfway through third quarter after Bryant touchdown commit two huge penalties, one on guard Jonathan Cooper and illegal hands by long snapper Mike Leach, lead to a 4th and 36
- Palmer bad interception in end zone into Steelers double coverage to John Brown with just 2:20 left in the game
- With still a sliver of hope, Jones completes a 88-yard pass to Bryant to put finishing touches on the Steelers victory
I wish I could have just made all of that up. Unfortunately it all happened and it cost the Cardinals a loss for the second time this season. They won’t win many games playing the way thye did on Sunday in Pittsburgh.