The 2021 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 102nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 34th in Arizona and their third under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Cardinals started 7–0 for the first time in 47 years when they were based in St. Louis. They improved from their 8–8 season from the previous year with a 23–13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11 and clinched their first winning season since 2015. Despite a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16, the Cardinals clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2015 after the Minnesota Vikings lost to the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite an impressive 7–0 start and acquiring All-Pros J. J. Watt and A. J. Green prior to the season starting, the team suffered their second consecutive late-season collapse, only winning four out of their last ten games, resulting in them losing their lead in the division and dropping to the fifth seed. In the Wild Card of the playoffs, the Cardinals fell to the rival Los Angeles Rams on their way to win Super Bowl LVI.
In the offseason, cornerback Patrick Peterson left in free agency after 10 years, and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald chose not to sign with any team after 17 years with the franchise.[1]
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Player re-signed by the Cardinals
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Player not re-signed by the Cardinals
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Notes
2021 Arizona Cardinals staff
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Front office
- Owner – Michael Bidwill
- Chairman/president – Michael Bidwill
- General manager – Steve Keim
- Vice president of player personnel – Quentin Harris
- Vice president of pro scouting – Adrian Wilson
- Vice president of football operations & facilities – Matt Caracciolo
- Director of player personnel – Dru Grigson
- Director of college scouting – Chris Culmer
- Director of football administration – Matt Harriss
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
- Assistant special teams – Devin Fitzsimmons
Strength and conditioning
- Strength and conditioning – Buddy Morris
- Assistant strength and conditioning – Mark Naylor
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The Cardinals' preseason schedule was announced on May 12.[8]
The Cardinals' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12.[8]
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week 1: at Tennessee Titans
[edit]
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First quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 34-yard field goal, 9:26. Cardinals 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 4:05.
- ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 5-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 8:18. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 3 plays, 1 yards, 0:19.
Second quarter
- ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 17-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 11:03. Cardinals 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:32.
- TEN – Ryan Tannehill 1-yard run (kick failed), 6:54. Cardinals 17–6. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:09.
- ARI – Kyler Murray 2-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 1:49. Cardinals 24–6. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 5:06.
Third quarter
- TEN – A. J. Brown 13-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill (Michael Badgley kick), 12:59. Cardinals 24–13. Drive: 2 plays, 32 yards, 0:47.
- ARI – Christian Kirk 26-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 10:45. Cardinals 31–13. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:15.
- ARI – Christian Kirk 11-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 3:11. Cardinals 38–13. Drive: 4 plays, 33 yards, 2:12.
Fourth quarter
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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Week 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings
[edit]
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- MIN – Justin Jefferson 14-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (kick failed, wide right), 8:56. Vikings 20–7. Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards, 5:18.
- ARI – Kyler Murray 12-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 3:15. Vikings 20–14. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:41.
- ARI – Rondale Moore 77-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 1:33. Cardinals 21–20. Drive: 1 play, 77 yards, 0:13.
- MIN – Greg Joseph 52-yard field goal, 0:21. Vikings 23–21. Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 1:12.
- ARI – Matt Prater 62-yard field goal, 0:00. Cardinals 24–23. Drive: 3 plays, 22 yards, 0:21.
Third quarter
- MIN – Nick Vigil 36-yard interception return (Greg Joseph kick), 14:00. Vikings 30–24.
- ARI – A. J. Green 9-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 9:11. Cardinals 31–30. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:49.
Fourth quarter
- MIN – Greg Joseph 52-yard field goal, 14:12. Vikings 33–31. Drive: 10 plays, 35 yards, 4:17.
- ARI – Matt Prater 27-yard field goal, 4:25. Cardinals 34–33. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 4:26.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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Week 3: at Jacksonville Jaguars
[edit]
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 34-yard field goal, 7:38. Jaguars 13–10. Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 4:47.
- JAX – James Robinson 4-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 3:33. Jaguars 19–10. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:05.
- ARI – James Conner 4-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 1:21. Jaguars 19–17. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:12.
- ARI – Byron Murphy 29–yard interception return (Matt Prater kick), 0:24. Cardinals 24–19.
Fourth quarter
- ARI – James Conner 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 6:49. Cardinals 31–19. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 6:52.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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The Cardinals earned their first 3–0 start since 2015.
Week 4: at Los Angeles Rams
[edit]
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- ARI – Maxx Williams 14-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 10:44. Cardinals 14–10. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 5:08.
- ARI – James Conner 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 8:44. Cardinals 21–10. Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 1:51.
- LAR – Matt Gay 22-yard field goal, 3:22. Cardinals 21–13. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 3:19.
- ARI – Matt Prater 23-yard field goal, 0:04. Cardinals 24–13. Drive: 17 plays, 70 yards, 3:18.
Third quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 55-yard field goal, 10:15. Cardinals 27–13. Drive: 10 plays, 38 yards, 4:45.
- ARI – James Conner 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 1:14. Cardinals 34–13. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 5:09.
Fourth quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 23-yard field goal, 3:38. Cardinals 37–13. Drive: 12 plays, 94 yards, 8:27.
- LAR – Robert Woods 14-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 1:14. Cardinals 37–20. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:24.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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With the win, the Cardinals not only improved to 4–0 for the first time since 2012, but earned their first victory over the Rams since Week 17 of the 2016 season. Also, with the Broncos, the Raiders, and the Panthers losing their first games of the season, the Cardinals became the last undefeated team in the NFL.
Week 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers
[edit]
Week 5: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
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First quarter
Second quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 21-yard field goal, 5:27. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 14 plays, 96 yards, 5:59.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 9-yard pass from Kyler Murray, (Matt Prater kick) 5:13. Cardinals 17–7. Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 2:36.
- SF – Joey Slye 47-yard field goal, 4:12. Cardinals 17–10. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 1:01.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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Week 6: at Cleveland Browns
[edit]
Week 6: Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
- Date: October 17
- Game time: 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. MST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 58 °F (14 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,431
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez and Laura Okmin
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 13-yard pass from Kyler Murray, (Matt Prater kick), 14:49. Cardinals 14–0. Drive: 11 plays, 78 yards, 4:41.
- ARI – Matt Prater 36-yard field goal, 13:02. Cardinals 17–0. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:51.
- ARI – Matt Prater 51-yard field goal, 9:24. Cardinals 20–0. Drive: 4 plays, -5 yards, 2:07.
- CLE – Donovan Peoples-Jones 11-yard pass from Baker Mayfield, (Chase McLaughlin kick), 5:06. Cardinals 20–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:18.
- ARI – Matt Prater 33-yard field goal, 0:43. Cardinals 23–7. Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 4:23.
- CLE – Donovan Peoples-Jones 57-yard pass from Baker Mayfield, (Chase McLaughlin kick), 0:00. Cardinals 23–14. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 0:43.
Third quarter
- ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 9-yard pass from Kyler Murray, (Matt Prater kick), 2:56. Cardinals 30–14. Drive: 8 plays, 54 yards, 3:30.
Fourth quarter
- ARI – A. J. Green 14-yard pass from Kyler Murray, (Matt Prater kick), 4:48. Cardinals 37–14. Drive: 11 plays, 93 yards, 7:18.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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The Cardinals started 6–0 for the first time since 1974.
Week 7: vs. Houston Texans
[edit]
Week 7: Houston Texans at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
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First quarter
Second quarter
- HOU – Kaʻimi Fairbairn 53-yard field goal, 14:55. Texans 5–0. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 3:03.
- ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 1-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 9:01. Cardinals 7–5. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 5:54.
- ARI – Christian Kirk 5-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 2:45. Cardinals 14–5. Drive: 6 plays, 49 yards, 2:58.
- ARI – Matt Prater 31-yard field goal, 0:05. Cardinals 17–5. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 1:32.
Third quarter
- ARI – Zach Ertz 47-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 7:58. Cardinals 24–5. Drive: 7 plays, 88 yards, 3:33.
Fourth quarter
- ARI – James Conner 18-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 10:22. Cardinals 31–5. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 3:53.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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The Arizona Cardinals played the Houston Texans at home. This was the first game where former Texans DeAndre Hopkins and JJ Watt played against their former team, as well as tight end Zach Ertz's debut with the Cardinals.
Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers
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First quarter
Second quarter
- GB – Aaron Jones 2-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), 12:54. Tied 7–7. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 8:23.
- GB – Mason Crosby 21-yard field goal, 6:24. Packers 10–7. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:19.
Third quarter
- GB – Randall Cobb 2-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 11:37. Packers 17–7. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 2:16.
- ARI – James Conner 2-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 6:22. Packers 17–14. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 5:15.
Fourth quarter
- GB – Randall Cobb 6-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 14:56. Packers 24–14. Drive: 12 plays, 91 yards, 6:26.
- ARI – James Conner 9-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 10:45. Packers 24–21. Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:11.
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Top passers
- GB – Aaron Rodgers – 22/37, 184 yards, 2 TD
- ARI – Kyler Murray – 22/33, 274 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
- GB – A. J. Dillon – 16 rushes, 78 yards
- ARI – Chase Edmonds – 7 rushes, 30 yards, TD
Top receivers
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The Packers handed the Cardinals their first loss to deny them a perfect season with a 24–21 victory on Thursday Night Football, despite entering the game without their top three wide receivers—Allen Lazard and All-Pro WR Davante Adams missed the game due to COVID protocols, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling was still recovering from a groin injury suffered in Week 3. Kyler Murray had the ball with time winding down, and the ball in field goal range, but a pass intended for wide receiver A. J. Green was picked off in the endzone by Packers cornerback Rasul Douglas, who began the season on the Cardinals practice squad.
Week 9: at San Francisco 49ers
[edit]
Week 9: Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Date: November 7
- Game time: 2:25 p.m. MST/1:25 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Scattered clouds, 62 °F (17 °C)
- Game attendance: 59,012
- Referee: Brad Allen
- TV announcers (Fox): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez and Laura Okmin
- Recap, Game Book
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First quarter
- ARI – James Conner 13-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 6:08. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 4:21.
- ARI – James Conner 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 0:39. Cardinals 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:59.
Second quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 26-yard field goal, 4:02. Cardinals 17–0. Drive: 14 plays, 85 yards, 8:23.
- SF – George Kittle 6-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 0:16. Cardinals 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:46.
Third quarter
- ARI – James Conner 45-yard pass from Colt McCoy (Matt Prater kick), 13:33. Cardinals 24–7. Drive: 3 plays, 72 yards, 1:27.
- ARI – Eno Benjamin 21-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 8:05. Cardinals 31–7. Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 3:47.
- SF – Brandon Aiyuk 11-yard pass from Jimmy Garoppolo (Robbie Gould kick), 4:56. Cardinals 31–14. Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:09.
Fourth quarter
- SF – Robbie Gould 26-yard field goal, 8:23. Cardinals 31–17. Drive: 7 plays, 28 yards, 2:34.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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Despite Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins not playing, the Cardinals dominated the game to sweep the season series for the first time since 2018. With the win, the Cardinals improved to 8–1 and tied their 8-win mark from the previous season.
Week 10: vs. Carolina Panthers
[edit]
Week 10: Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
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First quarter
- CAR – Cam Newton 2-yard run (Zane Gonzalez kick), 11:12. Panthers 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 2:22.
- CAR – Robby Anderson 2-yard pass from Cam Newton (Zane Gonzalez kick), 8:39. Panthers 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 41 yards, 1:12.
- CAR – Zane Gonzalez 44-yard field goal, 1:00. Panthers 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 40 yards, 5:25.
Second quarter
- CAR – Zane Gonzalez 48-yard field goal, 9:40. Panthers 20–0. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:09.
- CAR – Zane Gonzalez 49-yard field goal, 0:00. Panthers 23–0. Drive: 12 plays, 53 yards, 3:16.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- ARI – James Conner 11-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 9:19. Panthers 31–10. Drive: 11 plays, 71 yards, 4:33.
- CAR – Zane Gonzalez 27-yard field goal, 3:26. Panthers 34–10. Drive: 10 plays, 36 yards, 5:53.
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Top passers
- CAR – P. J. Walker – 22/29, 167 yards, INT
- ARI – Colt McCoy – 11/20, 107 yards, INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
- CAR – Christian McCaffrey – 10 receptions, 66 yards
- ARI – Christian Kirk – 7 receptions, 58 yards
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Week 11: at Seattle Seahawks
[edit]
Week 11: Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
at Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
- Date: November 21
- Game time: 2:25 p.m. MST/1:25 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 45 °F (7 °C)
- Game attendance: 68,833
- Referee: Clete Blakeman
- TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma and Sara Walsh
- Recap, Game Book
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First quarter
Second quarter
- SEA – Jason Myers 27-yard field goal, 8:23. Cardinals 7-3. Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 2:05.
- ARI – Zach Ertz 2-yard pass from Colt McCoy (kick failed, wide right), 1:52. Cardinals 13-3. Drive: 13 plays, 92 yards, 6:31
- SEA – Jason Myers 27-yard field goal, 1:05. Cardinals 13-6. Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 0:47.
Third quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 12:57. Cardinals 16-6. Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards, 2:03.
Fourth quarter
- SEA – DeeJay Dallas 2-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 7:05. Cardinals 16-13. Drive: 5 plays, 74 yards, 1:51
- ARI – James Conner 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 2:20. Cardinals 23-13. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 4:45
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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With this win the Cardinals improved to 9-2 and secured their first winning season since 2015.
Week 13: at Chicago Bears
[edit]
| Game information
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First quarter
- ARI – DeAndre Hopkins 20-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 10:55. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 28 yards, 2:40.
- ARI – Kyler Murray 9-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 1:39. Cardinals 14–0. Drive: 5 plays, 15 yards, 2:12.
Second quarter
- CHI – David Montgomery 1-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 8:50. Cardinals 14–7. Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 7:49.
- ARI – James Conner 23-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 5:40. Cardinals 21–7. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:10.
Third quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 33-yard field goal, 9:52. Cardinals 24–7. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 5:08.
- CHI – Jimmy Graham 1-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Cairo Santos kick), 2:49. Cardinals 24–14. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 7:03.
Fourth quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 25-yard field goal, 8:31. Cardinals 27–14. Drive: 6 plays, 21 yards, 3:05.
- ARI – Kyler Murray 3-yard run (pass failed), 6:23. Cardinals 33–14. Drive: 2 plays, 12 yards, 0:45.
- CHI – Jakeem Grant 8-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Andy Dalton–Jimmy Graham pass), 2:45. Cardinals 33–22. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 3:38.
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Top passers
- ARI – Kyler Murray – 11/15, 123 yards, 2 TD
- CHI – Andy Dalton – 26/41, 229 yards, 2 TD, 4 INT
Top rushers
- ARI – James Conner – 20 runs, 75 yards
- CHI – David Montgomery – 21 rushes, 90 yards, TD
Top receivers
- ARI – James Conner – 2 receptions, 36 yards, TD
- CHI – Jakeem Grant – 5 receptions, 62 yards, TD
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Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins returned to the field after the bye and connected for a 21-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Rams
[edit]
| Game information
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First quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 10:58. Cardinals 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 4:02.
Second quarter
- LAR – Odell Beckham Jr. 2-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 12:53. Rams 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 5:57.
- LAR – Matt Gay 55-yard field goal, 7:23. Rams 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 2:54.
- ARI – James Conner 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 3:18. Tied 10–10. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:05.
- LAR – Matt Gay 35-yard field goal, 0:35. Rams 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 53 yards, 2:43.
- ARI – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Tied 13–13. Drive: 6 plays, 40 yards, 0:35.
Third quarter
- LAR – Van Jefferson 52-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 13:36. Rams 20–13. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:24.
- LAR – Cooper Kupp 4-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Gay kick), 9:45. Rams 27–13. Drive: 7 plays, 19 yards, 3:19.
Fourth quarter
- ARI – James Conner 8-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 13:38. Rams 27–20. Drive: 6 plays, 73 yards, 3:07.
- LAR – Matt Gay 33-yard field goal, 7:20. Rams 30–20. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 6:18.
- ARI – Matt Prater 49-yard field goal, 0:37. Rams 30–23. Drive: 11 plays, 56 yards, 2:07.
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Top passers
Top rushers
- LAR – Sony Michel – 20 rushes, 79 yards
- ARI – Kyler Murray – 7 rushes, 61 yards
Top receivers
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Week 15: at Detroit Lions
[edit]
Week 15: Arizona Cardinals at Detroit Lions – Game summary
at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan
- Date: December 19
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/11:00 a.m. MST
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- Game attendance: 45,211
- Referee: Land Clark
- TV announcers (Fox): Gus Johnson, Aqib Talib and Megan Olivi
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information
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First quarter
- DET – Riley Patterson 37-yard field goal, 6:10. Lions 3–0. Drive: 15 plays, 63 yards, 8:50.
Second quarter
- DET – Amon-Ra St. Brown 37-yard pass from Jared Goff (Riley Patterson kick), 14:53. Lions 10–0. Drive: 8 plays, 93 yards, 3:49.
- DET – Josh Reynolds 22-yard pass from Jared Goff (Riley Patterson kick), 0:19. Lions 17–0. Drive: 9 plays, 97 yards, 1:40.
Third quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 29-yard field goal, 11:22. Lions 17–3. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 3:38.
- DET – Jason Cabinda 6-yard pass from Jared Goff (Riley Patterson kick), 8:10. Lions 24–3. Drive: 1 play, 6 yards, 0:05.
- ARI – Matt Prater 29-yard field goal, 3:54. Lions 24–6. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 4:16.
Fourth quarter
- DET – Riley Patterson 47-yard field goal, 13:15. Lions 27–6. Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 5:39.
- ARI – Christian Kirk 26-yard pass from Kyler Murray (pass failed), 4:40. Lions 27–12. Drive: 12 plays, 87 yards, 3:08.
- DET – Riley Patterson 45-yard field goal, 2:46. Lions 30–12. Drive: 6 plays, 19 yards, 1:54.
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Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
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Despite the Cardinals being the favorite to win, the 1-11-1 Detroit Lions blew them out 30-12 in an unexpected loss.
The Lions opened the scoring in the first quarter via a 37-yard field goal by Riley Patterson. The Lions scored 14 points in the second quarter via a 37-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown and a 22-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Josh Reynolds, which made the score 17–0 in favor of Detroit at half-time. The Cardinals finally got on the board in the third quarter via a 29-yard field goal by Matt Prater. The Lions extended their lead via a six-yard touchdown pass from Goff to Jason Cabinda. The Cardinals responded with a 29-yard field goal by Prater. The Lions extended their lead in the fourth quarter via a 47-yard field goal by Patterson. The Cardinals responded with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to Christian Kirk. The Lions scored the final points of the game via a 45-yard field goal by Patterson, making the final score 30–12 in favor of Detroit.
With the loss, Arizona fell to 10-4, marking their only road game loss in 2021.
Week 16: vs. Indianapolis Colts
[edit]
NFL on Christmas Day
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- IND – Penalty on Kyler Murray enforced in end zone for a Safety, 4:20. Colts 9–6.
- IND – Michael Badgley 41-yard field goal, 0:01. Colts 12–6. Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 4:19.
Third quarter
- ARI – Antoine Wesley 24-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 10:53. Cardinals 13–12. Drive: 3 plays, 42 yards, 1:22.
- IND – Michael Badgley 37-yard field goal, 0:03. Colts 15–13. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 5:18.
Fourth quarter
- IND – Dezmon Patmon 14-yard pass from Carson Wentz (Michael Badgley kick), 6:37. Colts 22–13. Drive: 7 plays, 69 yards, 4:30.
- ARI – Matt Prater 28-yard field goal, 0:42. Colts 22–16. Drive: 16 plays, 81 yards, 3:34.
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Top passers
Top rushers
- IND – Jonathan Taylor – 27 rushes, 108 yards
- ARI – Kyler Murray – 4 rushes, 74 yards
Top receivers
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Week 17: at Dallas Cowboys
[edit]
Week 17: Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys – Game summary
at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Date: January 2
- Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST/2:25 p.m. MST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 93,459
- Referee: Scott Novak
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information
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First quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 24-yard field goal, 7:46. Cardinals 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 3:12.
Second quarter
- ARI – Antoine Wesley 1-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 5:27. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 15 plays, 91 yards, 8:25.
- DAL – Michael Gallup 21-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 1:25. Cardinals 10–7. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 4:02.
- ARI – Matt Prater 53-yard field goal, 0:00. Cardinals 13–7. Drive: 10 plays, 40 yards, 1:25.
Third quarter
- ARI – Antoine Wesley 19-yard pass from Kyler Murray (pass failed), 9:39. Cardinals 19–7. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 5:21.
- ARI – Matt Prater 26-yard field goal, 4:01. Cardinals 22–7. Drive: 9 plays, 49 yards, 4:44.
Fourth quarter
- DAL – Cedrick Wilson Jr. 2-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Greg Zuerlein kick), 13:49. Cardinals 22–14. Drive: 8 plays, 31 yards, 2:52.
- ARI – Matt Prater 38-yard field goal, 8:32. Cardinals 25–14. Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 1:58.
- DAL – Amari Cooper 4-yard pass from Dak Prescott (Dak Prescott–Cedrick Wilson Jr. pass), 4:42. Cardinals 25–22. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:50.
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Top passers
Top rushers
- ARI – Chase Edmonds – 18 rushes, 53 yards
- DAL – Dak Prescott – 5 rushes, 20 yards
Top receivers
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With the win, the Cardinals finished a league-best 8–1 on the road.
Week 18: vs. Seattle Seahawks
[edit]
Week 18: Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- Date: January 9
- Game time: 2:25 p.m. MST
- Game weather: Sunny, 72 °F (22 °C) (retractable roof open)
- Game attendance: 63,858
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (Fox): Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth and Shannon Spake
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information
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First quarter
Second quarter
- ARI – Matt Prater 41-yard field goal, 11:44. Cardinals 10–7. Drive: 19 plays, 66 yards, 10:41.
- SEA – Tyler Lockett 5-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Jason Myers kick), 7:41. Seahawks 14–10. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:03.
- SEA – Jason Myers 38-yard field goal, 1:21. Seahawks 17–10 Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 2:19.
Third quarter
- ARI – James Conner 20-yard pass from Kyler Murray (Matt Prater kick), 11:02. Tied 17–17. Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 3:58.
- ARI – James Conner 1-yard run (Matt Prater kick), 9:25. Cardinals 24–17. Drive: 2 plays, 1 yard, 0:37.
- SEA – Freddie Swain 25-yard pass from Russell Wilson (Jason Myers kick), 1:57. Tied 24–24. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 2:38.
Fourth quarter
- SEA – Russell Wilson 4-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 13:15. Seahawks 31–24. Drive: 3 plays, 10 yards, 1:45.
- ARI – Matt Prater 30-yard field goal, 6:14. Seahawks 31–27. Drive: 14 plays, 67 yards, 7:01.
- SEA – Rashaad Penny 62-yard run (Jason Myers kick), 4:34. Seahawks 38–27. Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:40.
- ARI – Matt Prater 36-yard field goal, 1:13. Seahawks 38–30. Drive: 14 plays, 57 yards, 3:21.
|
Top passers
- SEA – Russell Wilson – 15/26, 238 yards, 3 TD, INT
- ARI – Kyler Murray – 28/39, 240 yards, TD
Top rushers
- SEA – Rashaad Penny – 23 rushes, 190 yards, TD
- ARI – James Conner – 15 rushes, 52 yards, TD
Top receivers
- SEA – Tyler Lockett – 5 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TD
- ARI – Zach Ertz – 7 receptions, 84 yards
|
|
With the loss, the Cardinals finished the season 11–6, earning a Wildcard spot in the 2021–22 NFL playoffs as the 5th seed.
|
|
| #
|
Team
|
Division
|
W
|
L
|
T
|
PCT
|
DIV
|
CONF
|
SOS
|
SOV
|
STK
|
| Division winners
|
| 1[b]
|
Green Bay Packers
|
North
|
13
|
4
|
0
|
.765
|
4–2
|
9–3
|
.479
|
.480
|
L1
|
| 2[b]
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
South
|
13
|
4
|
0
|
.765
|
4–2
|
8–4
|
.467
|
.443
|
W3
|
| 3[c]
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
East
|
12
|
5
|
0
|
.706
|
6–0
|
10–2
|
.488
|
.431
|
W1
|
| 4[c]
|
Los Angeles Rams
|
West
|
12
|
5
|
0
|
.706
|
3–3
|
8–4
|
.483
|
.409
|
L1
|
| Wild cards
|
| 5
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
West
|
11
|
6
|
0
|
.647
|
4–2
|
7–5
|
.490
|
.492
|
L1
|
| 6
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
West
|
10
|
7
|
0
|
.588
|
2–4
|
7–5
|
.500
|
.438
|
W2
|
| 7[d]
|
Philadelphia Eagles
|
East
|
9
|
8
|
0
|
.529
|
3–3
|
7–5
|
.469
|
.350
|
L1
|
| Did not qualify for the postseason
|
| 8[d]
|
New Orleans Saints
|
South
|
9
|
8
|
0
|
.529
|
4–2
|
7–5
|
.512
|
.516
|
W2
|
| 9
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
North
|
8
|
9
|
0
|
.471
|
4–2
|
6–6
|
.507
|
.434
|
W1
|
| 10[e]
|
Washington Football Team
|
East
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
.412
|
2–4
|
6–6
|
.529
|
.420
|
W1
|
| 11[e][f]
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
West
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
.412
|
3–3
|
4–8
|
.519
|
.424
|
W2
|
| 12[e][f]
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
South
|
7
|
10
|
0
|
.412
|
2–4
|
4–8
|
.472
|
.315
|
L2
|
| 13
|
Chicago Bears
|
North
|
6
|
11
|
0
|
.353
|
2–4
|
4–8
|
.524
|
.373
|
L1
|
| 14
|
Carolina Panthers
|
South
|
5
|
12
|
0
|
.294
|
2–4
|
3–9
|
.509
|
.412
|
L7
|
| 15
|
New York Giants
|
East
|
4
|
13
|
0
|
.235
|
1–5
|
3–9
|
.536
|
.485
|
L6
|
| 16
|
Detroit Lions
|
North
|
3
|
13
|
1
|
.206
|
2–4
|
3–9
|
.528
|
.627
|
W1
|
| Tiebreakers[g]
|
- ^ Vance Joseph and Jeff Rodgers (Interim HCs for Week 6 after Kingsbury tested positive for COVID-19)
- ^ a b Green Bay finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on conference record (9–3 vs. 8–4), claiming the No. 1 seed.
- ^ a b Dallas claimed the No. 3 seed over LA Rams based on conference record (10–2 vs. 8–4).
- ^ a b Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory, claiming the 7th and final playoff spot.
- ^ a b c Washington finished ahead of Atlanta and Seattle based on head-to-head victories.
- ^ a b Seattle finished ahead of Atlanta based on win percentage in common games (4–2 vs. 3–3 against: San Francisco, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Washington, and Detroit).
- ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
|
NFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (4) Los Angeles Rams
[edit]
| Game information
|
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- LAR – Matthew Stafford 1-yard run (Matt Gay kick), 11:58. Rams 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 5:17.
- LAR – David Long 3-yard interception return (Matt Gay kick), 7:59. Rams 21–0.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- LAR – Matt Gay 37-yard field goal, 14:55. Rams 31–8. Drive: 7 plays, 50 yards, 4:16.
- ARI – Matt Prater 55-yard field goal, 10:13. Rams 31–11. Drive: 10 plays, 38 yards, 4:42.
- LAR – Matt Gay 46-yard field goal, 4:21. Rams 34–11. Drive: 9 plays, 61 yards, 5:52.
|
Top passers
- ARI – Kyler Murray – 19/34, 137 yards, 2 INT
- LAR – Matthew Stafford – 13/17, 202 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
- ARI – Christian Kirk – 6 receptions, 51 yards
- LAR – Cooper Kupp – 5 receptions, 61 yards, TD
|
|
| Category
|
Total yards
|
Yards per game
|
NFL rank
(out of 32)
|
| Passing offense |
4,276 |
251.5 |
10th
|
| Rushing offense |
2,076 |
122.1 |
10th
|
| Total offense |
6,352 |
373.6 |
8th
|
| Passing defense |
2,771 |
163.0 |
7th
|
| Rushing defense |
1,952 |
114.8 |
20th
|
| Total defense |
5,597 |
329.2 |
11th
|
Statistics correct as of the end of the 2021 NFL season[10][11]
- ^ Peters, Craig (March 22, 2021). "Vikings Altered Plans on the Fly to Land Patrick Peterson". Vikings.com.
- ^ Urban, Darren (March 17, 2021). "Cardinals Make Trade For 3-Time Pro Bowl Center Rodney Hudson". azcardinals.com.
- ^ Smith, Eric (March 25, 2021). "Vikings Acquire OL Mason Cole in Trade with Cardinals". Vikings.com. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Transactions: Cardinals agree to trade CB TAY GOWAN and 2022 fifth-round pick to Philadelphia Eagles for TE ZACH ERTZ". October 15, 2021.
- ^ "Cardinals Make Trade For 3-Time Pro Bowl Center Rodney Hudson". azcardinals.com. March 17, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- ^ Cox, Seth (March 20, 2020). "Arizona Cardinals officially announce trade for DeAndre Hopkins". SBnation.com. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
- ^ "Giants trade Markus Golden to Cardinals for 2021 draft pick". Giants.com. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Urban, Darren (May 12, 2021). "Cardinals Release Official 2021 Schedule". Arizona Cardinals. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ "New Orleans Saints cancel preseason game vs. Arizona Cardinals as Hurricane Ida looms". ESPN.com.
- ^ "2021 NFL Team Total Statistics". ESPN. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Cardinals Stats". Arizona Cardinals. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
