Arizona Cardinals ditch defense, lose 48-41

The Arizona Cardinals went with a defense optional game plan and gave up 48 points in loss

Well, so much for that.  With a 48-41 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday afternoon, the Arizona Cardinals have been officially eliminated from the 2016 postseason.

While the odds were long, the Cardinals were still mathematically eligible for the postseason going into Sunday’s game.  After the defensive performance the Cardinals put up on Sunday, you wouldn’t want to see this team in the postseason.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees was 37-48 for 389-yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.  It was vintage Drew Brees on Sunday.

The Cardinals gave up 488-yards total.  Everytime the Saints touched the ball, they moved it without much resistance.

On the other hand, the Cardinals were able to move the ball on offense as well but too many mistakes.  Quarterback Carson Palmer was 28-40 for 318-yards and two touchdowns.  He was not intercepted.

Palmer may have had a good day but the same couldn’t be said for his teammates.  Fumbles were lost by receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Brittan Golden.

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Linebacker Kevin Minter was called for a roughing the passer penalty in the fourth quarter on a sack of Brees.  The Cardinals tackled him at the 40-yard line and out of field goal range.  It was a killer as the Saints then scored a touchdown to put them up 48-34 at the time.

The Cardinals didn’t give up though.  They went down the field in less than two minutes to make it 48-41.  There wasn’t enough time left however and the postseason aspirations came to an end.

It was another forgettable game for kicker Chandler Catanzaro.  He missed a field goal and an extra point.  Those four points would have left the Cardinals only down three.

Cardinals running back David Johnson tied the franchise-record with his 17th touchdown of the season.  It is just too bad it will come in what is now a losing season.  The Cardinals drop to 5-8-1 with just two games remaining.

In what may have been his last home game as a Cardinal, defensive tackle Calais Campbell had a nice day.  He scored his first career NFL touchdown picking up a fumble and ran 53-yards with the ball.

The Cardinals will finish off the season on the road.  Next Saturday, Christmas Eve, they head north to face the Seattle Seahawks.  Then they finish off the season on New Years Day at the Los Angeles Rams.