MINNEAPOLIS — Despite a close contest, the Arizona Cardinals fell to the Minnesota Vikings 34-26 Sunday afternoon.
The Cardinals kept up with the Vikings for most of the afternoon but Minnesota pulled away thanks in part to crucial fourth-quarter touchdowns and 3 untimely turnovers for the Cardinals.
Murray finished the game 31-for-44 on 326 yards passing, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
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First quarter:
As usual, the game started off hot for the opposition.
Kirk Cousins led the Vikings down the field, capping off the 10-play drive with a rushing touchdown after looking downfield for open receivers and deciding to take it in the endzone himself.
Arizona then failed to score a touchdown on its first offensive drive. That extended to 13 games without one, the NFL's longest active streak.
Matt Prater in his first game back since Week x added Arizona's first three points later in the quarter with a 44-yard field goal.
END OF 1: MIN 7, ARI 3
Second quarter:
Minnesota's first drive of the second quarter pretty much went similarly to its opening drive of the game.
A 9-play drive lasting over 5 minutes ended with a short connection from Cousins to J. Mundt for the 14-3 Vikings lead.
Three drives later, Kyler Murray led the Cardinals down the field on a quick 10-play drive of their own. Murray connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 6-yard one-handed touchdown catch.
HALFTIME: MIN 14, ARI 10
Third quarter:
What a massive quarter for scoring.
In total, the Cardinals and Vikings for 27 points. Both recorded a pair of touchdowns.
- 9:01: 5-yard TD pass from Murray to Zach Ertz (ARI 17, MIN 14)
- 5:47: Alexander Mattison 7-yard TD rush (MIN 21, ARI 17)
- 4:07: Dalvin Cook 4-yard TD rush (MIN 28, ARI 17)
- 2:27: 38-yard TD pass from Murray to Rondale Murray (MIN 28, ARI 23)
END OF 3: MIN 28, ARI 23
Fourth quarter:
Matt Prater started off the quarter for the Cardinals with another field goal, this one for 34-yards, cutting the deficit to two.
However, a quick drive from Minnesota extended the lead a little more after a Cousins touchdown pass to K.J. Osborn for 5-yards.
When trying to get something going, Murray missed his intended receiver and threw his second interception of the game.
Arizona had a couple of final shots but the Vikings' defense held them flat.
Hopkins, in his second game of the season, led the team in receiving with 135 yards on 11 receptions and one touchdown.
FINAL: MIN 34, ARI 26
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