ADAM GREEN

Notes from the Nest: Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers

Oct 6, 2013, 11:11 PM | Updated: Oct 10, 2013, 5:21 pm

End of game

Cardinals win this one 22-6. Dominant defense with not-so-good offense, but it was enough. Arizona improves to 3-2 with a 2-0 mark at home. It may not have been pretty, but you’ll take it.


1:47 left in fourth quarter

One play after throwing one at the ref, Newton’s pass is tipped and intercepted by Karlos Dansby. Cards come out in the victory formation.


2:00 left in fourth quarter

Newton hits Smith for a nice gain and that gets us to the two minute warning. With the home team up 22-6, many of the fans who were here have headed for the exits. Guess they feel pretty good about this one being in the bag.


2:23 left in fourth quarter

Palmer hits Jim Dray, who barrels into the end zone from seven yards out, for the touchdown. Cardinals up 22-6 and have really run away with this one, in a manner of speaking.


2:38 left in fourth quarter

Calais Campbell gets a sack and forces a fumble, which is recovered by Antoine Cason and taken back to the Carolina seven. Cason, who is known for his speed, was tracked down by Newton. Wow.

Anyway, that probably wraps this one up pretty neatly.


3:38 left in fourth quarter

Kick is good, and it’s 15-6 Cardinals. A two-score game, which looks nearly insurmountable right now.


3:43 left in fourth quarter

Cards pick up five, so no first down. Ball at the Carolina 32, Jay Feely is on for the FG attempt. Make the 50 yarder, and the Cards are in great shape. Miss it, and we’ve still got a ball game.


4:24 left in fourth quarter

Yet, somehow the Cardinals have held onto the ball and moved into Panthers territory. Facing a third and nine, still out of field goal range.


10:01 left in fourth quarter

Another Washington sack puts an end to Carolina’s drive. Sixty-three yard punt is not returned far, and Arizona has the ball on its own 27. Cards are really one drive away from putting this one out of reach, but it’s tough to see them doing that right now.


13:11 left in fourth quarter

Cards stall and the boo birds come out as the team punts. It’s downed at the Carolina six, giving the defense another chance to make a big play. One more may put this one out of reach.


14:49 left in fourth quarter

Newton’s pass is intercepted by Daryl Washington, who steps out of bounds at the 50 on the return. Think that guy doesn’t matter to the defense?

HUGE play.


End of third quarter

What an interesting quarter that was. Right now the Panthers face a third and three from the Arizona 11.

By the way, why would you run the “Wildcat” when Cam Newton is your QB? Ohh, coaches.


1:41 left in third quarter

Carson Palmer is intercepted and the Panthers have the ball in Arizona territory. Palmer has been generally brutal today.


5:28 left in third quarter

You can dance if you want to, you can leave your friends behind…

Calais Campbell blindsides Newton in the end zone, sacking the QB and adding two points to Arizona’s total.

12-6 Cards, and they’ll get the ball back.


5:48 left in third quarter

Penalty on the kick return pins the Panthers on their own 5. Cardinals have momentum, can the defense capitalize?


5:48 left in third quarter

A couple of good gains by Ellington get the Cards to the one, which is where Rashard Mendenhall punches it in from. Cardinals take a 10-6 lead.


8:59 left in third quarter

Cardinals have it at the Carolina 47 after an eight-yard pass to Ellington gets another 15 added on due to a hit out of bounds. Following play is a swing pass to Patrick Peterson for a few yards, but a defensive holding call wipes it out and gives the Cards five yards plus a first down.

So there you go.


11:55 left in third quarter

Panthers get a first down but a Daryl Washington sack on third down forces Carolina to punt. Welcome to the season, D-Wash, and let’s see if the Cards can get the offense going as they’ll start on their own 15.


Halftime

Well, the Panthers blow a chance to score by throwing an interception, which then leads to the Cardinals blowing a chance to score by throwing an interception, which leads to the Panthers driving down the field and kicking a 41-yard field goal. Of course, there was a holding penalty on the play, so Gano had to try again from 51-yards out. Also good, and it’s 6-3 at the half.


:38 left in second quarter

Ruling on the field is confirmed, and Palmer is picked off on the very next play looking for Fitzgerald. Ugh.


:38 left in second quarter

Refs taking time to review a possible Andre Ellington catch. If it stands, Cards will have the ball at the Carolina 23. The tone of this game changed in a hurry on that pick. Instead of going into half down and looking bad, Arizona could find itself up as it heads into the intermission.


:55 left in second quarter

Panthers move and then Newton is picked off by Peterson trying to find Smith in end zone. Return is brought back to the AZ 44, and the Cardinals have some life now.


1:40 left in second quarter

Cards to go three-and-out but Zastudil boots a 55-yard punt that is fair caught at the Carolina 30. Solid field position, but not great. Can the D get a stop here? Carolina will get the ball to start the third quarter, so it would be a good idea.


2:00 left in second quarter

Cards catch a break on an ‘in the grasp’ call as Palmer’s sack/fumble is just a sack instead of a Panthers touchdown. Arizona has it on the eight, but tough to see them really trying to push the issue here.

Then again, the Panthers still have all three timeouts left so barring a first down they’ll get the ball back with real good field position.


2:12 left in second quarter

Panthers go for it on fourth and one but come up short when Brandon LaFell’s hands get in the way on a nicely thrown Newton pass. Cam has looked real good today, he’s receivers not so much.


5:00 left in second quarter

Panthers are moving the ball once again with some short throws that have turned into long gains. A couple Newton runs have helped, too, and now Carolina has it on the Arizona 24.


8:29 left in second quarter

Cardinals move a little but stall once again. Holding penalty on Daryn Colledge did not help things.

Jay Feely puts a 42-yard field goal through the uprights and we’re all tied up at 3-3.


11:07 left in second quarter

Bad break for the Cardinals as an apparent fumble by Newton doesn’t count. Ref ruled the QB’s forward progress had stopped during a sack, but the call did not come until Newton had broken the tackle and taken off running.

At any rate, credit Tyrann Mathieu with a sack and appreciate that the ensuing punt was a lousy one. Arizona has the ball at the Carolina 46.


12:25 left in second quarter

Palmer is sacked and then his third down completion to Michael Floyd comes up a yard short of the sticks, so the Cardinals punt.

Justin Bethel makes an excellent tackle and Carolina is stuck at their 21.

Videobard at the stadium is doing a side-by-side of the stats for each QB in the first quarter. Guess what? Newton’s are better.


14:14 left in second quarter

Cardinals got the stop by way of a Karlos Dansby sack, his second in three plays. Punt sails into the end zone, so the Arizona offense will start at its own 20.


End of first quarter

The first 15 minutes are in the books and they finish with the Panthers up 3-0. However, Carolina is driving once again and has the ball facing a 3rd and 6 at the Arizona 30.

Cam Newton was mighty impressive in the first quarter, throwing accurate passes into tight windows. If Steve Smith could catch this would be a much different game, but alas, he could not.

Arizona defense needs to get a stop here.


4:29 left in first quarter

Cardinals get to mid-field but then the drive stalls. Punt is fair-caught at the Carolina 12. Can the defense…ummm….stop anybody?


7:27 left in first quarter

Kickoff goes for a touchback and the Cards send the offense back on the field. First drive showed promise, but once again they failed to execute at the end.

Looks like Andre Ellington will start out in the backfield for this one, adding a bit more speed to the running back spot.


7:29 left in first quarter

Cardinals catch a break as Steve Smith drops a well-thrown pass that would have been a TD. Panthers end up kicking a field goal to take a 3-0 lead.

10-play, 76-yard drive took 5:26 off the clock. Cardinals defense needs a bit of work.


7:35 left in first quarter

Panthers face a third and three at the Arizona four as we get our first timeout of the game. The Cards had too many players on the field, so head coach Bruce Arians called a timeout. He worked real hard for it, too, as the refs originally didn’t see him.


10:00 left in first quarter

Cam Newton is carving up the Cardinals with accurate passes. Panthers have the ball at the Arizona 24.


12:53 left in first quarter

Aided by a roughing the passer penalty the Cardinals move into Panthers territory, but then a flea-flicker goes awry as Palmer’s deep ball is intercepted by Robert Lester. He underthrew Michael Floyd on the route, and now it’s Carolina ball at the 20.

Turnover bug bites the Cardinals again.


Kickoff

The Cardinals are going to get the ball first, giving the black-clad home team an early crack at a very good Panthers defense. Kick sails out of the back of the end zone, Cards to start at their own 20.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Adam Green

Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zack Greinke adjusts his cap between pitches against the Colorado Rock...

Adam Green

Concerned about Zack Greinke? Yes, I am

It's early, yes, but Zack Greinke's struggles this season are unexpected and concerning.

8 years ago

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones, who was acquired in a trade with the New England Patri...

Adam Green

Chandler Jones is the most exciting addition in Arizona Cardinals history

The Cardinals added Chandler Jones not to make them good, but to get them to the Super Bowl.

8 years ago

Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers Zack Greinke and Patrick Corbin (46) prepare to hit during a spring t...

Adam Green

Money, expectations change the game for Diamondbacks

If the Diamondbacks are concerned about big heads due to being "offseason winners," they need look no further than to a division rival as a cautionary tale.

8 years ago

Phoenix Suns' P.J. Tucker (17) and Devin Booker (1) react to a foul call during the second half of ...

Adam Green

Who knew the Suns bottoming out could feel so terrible?

While the Phoenix Suns being bad may actually be a very good thing, the way they have hit the bottom is difficult to stomach.

8 years ago

Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians watches during the second half of an NFL football game ag...

Adam Green

Trust leads to Arians’ aggressive approach with Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals had just coughed up a 14-point fourth quarter lead and had the ball at their own 16 with just 58 seconds left in a tied game.

8 years ago

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, left, greets Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palm...

Adam Green

Cardinals show road to NFC West title goes through Glendale

Prior to the game there was plenty of talk about how the Cardinals had yet to beat a winning team and were not nearly as good as their record may have indicated.

8 years ago

Notes from the Nest: Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers