Arizona Cardinals fast start offensively but lack defense

An opportunistic Arizona Cardinals defense and fast paced offense lead to opening drive touchdown

The Carolina Panthers have been able to move the ball in the first half but it was nice to see the Arizona Cardinals defense come up with a big stop on a sack fumble of Panthers quarterback Kyle Allen on the first Panthers drive.

Then Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray took over and took the Cardinals on a 14 play drive spanning 74-yards.  He threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

The Panthers were able to tie the game on a Allen touchdown pass to receiver Curtis Samuel.  The Cardinals could not answer immediately as their second drive stalled.

The third drive was a different story. The story was Murray getting the ball down field in a hurry.  As he did in his first drive, he helped get first downs with his legs.  We are finally getting a chance to see Murray run out in space and it is paying dividends.

The Cardinals could not convert their third drive into a touchdown.  There seemed to be a little indecisiveness on Murray’s part when they got down to the Panthers 17.

Still, the Cardinals put 3 points on the board thanks to a Zane Gonzalez field goal.  You would have thought that might be all we see in the first half but not so.  Nope and you can thank the awful Cardinals defense for that.

They allowed Allen to go right down the field in 47 seconds thanks to a 52-yard touchdown pass to receiver D.J. Moore.  The Cardinals could do no more at that point.

They went three and out on their last offensive drive of the half.  A beautifully thrown ball by Murray to receiver Christian Kirk was in Kirk’s hands but came out on the tackle to the ground.  Shame.  It would have put them in scoring position.

The Cardinals will get the ball to start the second half but there are many things to work on to right this ship and get the lead back. Say, like play some defense boys?  What ya think?