azdad1978
Championship!!!!
The Arizona Cardinals Football Club made history Sunday night in front of a record setting crowd of 103,467 fans at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The Cardinals 31-14 victory over the San Francisco 49ers gave them their first win of the season.
1st Quarter
The Cardinals received the ball and on their first possession of the game, Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown was sacked by 49ers defensive end Bryant Young for a loss of 11 yards. The fumble was then recovered by 49ers linebacker Derek Smith for a touchdown. Kicker Joe Nedney connected on the extra point to give the 49ers an early 7-0 lead.
After an exchange of possessions the Cardinals offense took back over at their 17 yard line. On his second attempt McCown hit wide receiver Anquan Boldin for a gain of 8 yards, followed up by another completion to receiver Bryant Johnson for a gain of 10 yards and the first down. On the next play McCown hit second year receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a 20 yard gain and another Cardinals first down. Three plays later faced with a third and six situation, McCown found Johnson again for a gain of 7 yards. Two plays later McCown took a left end 12 yards for the first down. Two plays later, 49ers defensive end Travis Hall hit Cardinals Marcel Shipp, forcing a fumble. San Francisco’s cornerback Derrick Johnson recovered the ball and returned in 79 yards for a touchdown. Nedney connected on the extra point to put the 49ers up 14-0 with just under eight minutes left in the first quarter.
The teams exchanged possessions again and the Cardinals offense was looking to strike back. However, McCown and the rest of the Cardinals offense struggled to get into a rhythm and punted the ball away to end the first quarter.
2nd Quarter
On their first possession of the second quarter the Cardinals offense was able to string some plays together. The Cardinals drove 66 yards down the field in 12 plays, culminating in a 40 yard field goal by kicker Neil Rackers. With that field goal Rackers tied the club record for consecutive field goals with eleven.
The Cardinals defense was able to hold of the Niners offense on their next possession. Safety Adrian Wilson brought the heat and forced an incomplete Tim Rattay pass on their second attempt. On the following play, Rattay was sacked for a loss of six yards by Cardinals defensive end Calvin Pace, forcing the 49ers to punt the ball away.
McCown and the Cardinals offense took back over at their 23 yard line. After a loss of 3 yards on the first play, McCown hit tight end Teyo Johnson for a gain of 12 yards, followed up by a 2 yard gain by fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo and the first down. On the next play McCown connected down the sideline with receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a big 41 yard gain. The Cardinals however struggled to gain another first down and had to settle for another field goal attempt. Rackers connected on a 45 yard attempt to close in on the 49ers 14-6 lead. In addition, Rackers now holds the club record for most consecutive field goals with twelve.
The Arizona defense came up big on the next series when rookie cornerback Eric Green stripped the ball away from 49ers receiver Brandon Lloyd. Green recovered the fumble and the Cardinals offense took back over at the 31 yard line. McCown connected with Bryant Johnson for a gain of 14 yards on the second play of the drive, followed by another completion to Ayanbadejo for a gain of 8 yards. On the next play, McCown found wide receiver Charles Lee in the middle of the field for a 21 yard gain and a first down. Two plays later McCown hit Fitzgerald for a 9 yard gain. Then on the very next play McCown hit Fitzgerald again, but this time in the corner of the endzone for a 17 yard touchdown reception. The Cardinals opted to go for a two point conversion but McCown’s pass attempt to Anquan Boldin was incomplete.
The Cardinals headed to the lockeroom at halftime trailing the 49ers 14-12.
3rd Quarter
The Cardinals defense continued to put pressure on the 49ers offense in the second half. On third and three defensive tackle Ross Kolodziej sacked Tim Rattay for a loss of nine yards. San Francisco was forced to punt the ball away and after a 16 yard return by Reggie Swinton, the Cardinals offense took back over at the 23 yard line.
McCown hit Anquan Boldin on the first play of the drive for a gain of 12 yards. On the next play running back Marcel Shipp caught a pass for a gain of 28 yards and another Cardinals first down. The Cardinals struggled to gain another first down and the field goal unit came back onto the field. Rackers connected on a 48 yard attempt to put Arizona up 15-14 and give the Cardinals their first lead of the game.
The Cardinals defense continued to make big plays for Arizona into the third quarter. Four plays into the Niners drive cornerback Robert Tate picked off a Rattay pass and returned it 22 yards. The Cardinals offense took back over at the San Francisco 49 yard line.
After struggling to pick up yardage on the first two attempts, McCown hit Anquan Boldin for a gain of 16 yards. On the next play Bryant Johnson caught a 19 yard pass for another Cardinals first down. However, the Cardinals failed to gain another first down and settled for a field goal attempt. Rackers connected on a 23 yard attempt to put extend the Cardinals lead to 18-14.
Once again the Cardinals defense came up big and forced a quick three and out. The Cardinals offense was looking to strike again and McCown completed a 14 yard pass to Boldin for a first down to end of the third quarter.
4th Quarter
Anquan Boldin and Josh McCown connected on the first two plays of the first quarter. The first completion was for a gain of 11 yards and the second completion for a gain of 9 yards. On the next attempt McCown was sacked by Bryant Young for a loss of 9 yards. On third down the Cardinals were hit with two penalties forcing them to settle for another field goal. Rackers connected on a 43 yard attempt, his fifth field goal of the night, to put extend the Cardinals lead 21-14.
On the first play Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry sacked Rattay and forced a fumble. Cards defensive end Calvin Pace recovered the fumble but lost the ball on the return and San Francisco’s Fred Beasley recovered the ball for the Niners. The Cardinals defense continued to shine and forced a three and out. The 49ers punted the ball away and after a 25 yard Swinton return the Cardinals offense took back over at the 49ers 35 yard line.
The Cardinals went to their run game on the next drive. Shipp carried the ball on the first two plays of the drive, and McCown captured a first down on third and inches for the Cards. On the next play McCown hit Boldin in the endzone for a 27 yard touchdown reception. The Cardinals continued to build on their 28-14 lead.
The 49ers were looking to counter but on the second play of the possession running back Frank Gore was hit by cornerback Robert Tate, which forced a fumble and Cardinals safety Quentin Harris recovered it at the 13 yard line. The Cardinals were unable to put the ball in the endzone and Neil Rackers and the field goal unit took the field. Rackers connected on a 24 yard field goal to put the Cardinals up 31-14 with six minutes remaining in the game.
The score remained 31-14 to end the game and the Cardinals walked away with the first ever NFL victory on foreign soil.
http://www.azcardinals.com/news/news_details.html?iid=3103
1st Quarter
The Cardinals received the ball and on their first possession of the game, Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown was sacked by 49ers defensive end Bryant Young for a loss of 11 yards. The fumble was then recovered by 49ers linebacker Derek Smith for a touchdown. Kicker Joe Nedney connected on the extra point to give the 49ers an early 7-0 lead.
After an exchange of possessions the Cardinals offense took back over at their 17 yard line. On his second attempt McCown hit wide receiver Anquan Boldin for a gain of 8 yards, followed up by another completion to receiver Bryant Johnson for a gain of 10 yards and the first down. On the next play McCown hit second year receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a 20 yard gain and another Cardinals first down. Three plays later faced with a third and six situation, McCown found Johnson again for a gain of 7 yards. Two plays later McCown took a left end 12 yards for the first down. Two plays later, 49ers defensive end Travis Hall hit Cardinals Marcel Shipp, forcing a fumble. San Francisco’s cornerback Derrick Johnson recovered the ball and returned in 79 yards for a touchdown. Nedney connected on the extra point to put the 49ers up 14-0 with just under eight minutes left in the first quarter.
The teams exchanged possessions again and the Cardinals offense was looking to strike back. However, McCown and the rest of the Cardinals offense struggled to get into a rhythm and punted the ball away to end the first quarter.
2nd Quarter
On their first possession of the second quarter the Cardinals offense was able to string some plays together. The Cardinals drove 66 yards down the field in 12 plays, culminating in a 40 yard field goal by kicker Neil Rackers. With that field goal Rackers tied the club record for consecutive field goals with eleven.
The Cardinals defense was able to hold of the Niners offense on their next possession. Safety Adrian Wilson brought the heat and forced an incomplete Tim Rattay pass on their second attempt. On the following play, Rattay was sacked for a loss of six yards by Cardinals defensive end Calvin Pace, forcing the 49ers to punt the ball away.
McCown and the Cardinals offense took back over at their 23 yard line. After a loss of 3 yards on the first play, McCown hit tight end Teyo Johnson for a gain of 12 yards, followed up by a 2 yard gain by fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo and the first down. On the next play McCown connected down the sideline with receiver Larry Fitzgerald for a big 41 yard gain. The Cardinals however struggled to gain another first down and had to settle for another field goal attempt. Rackers connected on a 45 yard attempt to close in on the 49ers 14-6 lead. In addition, Rackers now holds the club record for most consecutive field goals with twelve.
The Arizona defense came up big on the next series when rookie cornerback Eric Green stripped the ball away from 49ers receiver Brandon Lloyd. Green recovered the fumble and the Cardinals offense took back over at the 31 yard line. McCown connected with Bryant Johnson for a gain of 14 yards on the second play of the drive, followed by another completion to Ayanbadejo for a gain of 8 yards. On the next play, McCown found wide receiver Charles Lee in the middle of the field for a 21 yard gain and a first down. Two plays later McCown hit Fitzgerald for a 9 yard gain. Then on the very next play McCown hit Fitzgerald again, but this time in the corner of the endzone for a 17 yard touchdown reception. The Cardinals opted to go for a two point conversion but McCown’s pass attempt to Anquan Boldin was incomplete.
The Cardinals headed to the lockeroom at halftime trailing the 49ers 14-12.
3rd Quarter
The Cardinals defense continued to put pressure on the 49ers offense in the second half. On third and three defensive tackle Ross Kolodziej sacked Tim Rattay for a loss of nine yards. San Francisco was forced to punt the ball away and after a 16 yard return by Reggie Swinton, the Cardinals offense took back over at the 23 yard line.
McCown hit Anquan Boldin on the first play of the drive for a gain of 12 yards. On the next play running back Marcel Shipp caught a pass for a gain of 28 yards and another Cardinals first down. The Cardinals struggled to gain another first down and the field goal unit came back onto the field. Rackers connected on a 48 yard attempt to put Arizona up 15-14 and give the Cardinals their first lead of the game.
The Cardinals defense continued to make big plays for Arizona into the third quarter. Four plays into the Niners drive cornerback Robert Tate picked off a Rattay pass and returned it 22 yards. The Cardinals offense took back over at the San Francisco 49 yard line.
After struggling to pick up yardage on the first two attempts, McCown hit Anquan Boldin for a gain of 16 yards. On the next play Bryant Johnson caught a 19 yard pass for another Cardinals first down. However, the Cardinals failed to gain another first down and settled for a field goal attempt. Rackers connected on a 23 yard attempt to put extend the Cardinals lead to 18-14.
Once again the Cardinals defense came up big and forced a quick three and out. The Cardinals offense was looking to strike again and McCown completed a 14 yard pass to Boldin for a first down to end of the third quarter.
4th Quarter
Anquan Boldin and Josh McCown connected on the first two plays of the first quarter. The first completion was for a gain of 11 yards and the second completion for a gain of 9 yards. On the next attempt McCown was sacked by Bryant Young for a loss of 9 yards. On third down the Cardinals were hit with two penalties forcing them to settle for another field goal. Rackers connected on a 43 yard attempt, his fifth field goal of the night, to put extend the Cardinals lead 21-14.
On the first play Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry sacked Rattay and forced a fumble. Cards defensive end Calvin Pace recovered the fumble but lost the ball on the return and San Francisco’s Fred Beasley recovered the ball for the Niners. The Cardinals defense continued to shine and forced a three and out. The 49ers punted the ball away and after a 25 yard Swinton return the Cardinals offense took back over at the 49ers 35 yard line.
The Cardinals went to their run game on the next drive. Shipp carried the ball on the first two plays of the drive, and McCown captured a first down on third and inches for the Cards. On the next play McCown hit Boldin in the endzone for a 27 yard touchdown reception. The Cardinals continued to build on their 28-14 lead.
The 49ers were looking to counter but on the second play of the possession running back Frank Gore was hit by cornerback Robert Tate, which forced a fumble and Cardinals safety Quentin Harris recovered it at the 13 yard line. The Cardinals were unable to put the ball in the endzone and Neil Rackers and the field goal unit took the field. Rackers connected on a 24 yard field goal to put the Cardinals up 31-14 with six minutes remaining in the game.
The score remained 31-14 to end the game and the Cardinals walked away with the first ever NFL victory on foreign soil.
http://www.azcardinals.com/news/news_details.html?iid=3103
