Category: Cardinals vs. Bills

Josh Allen’s 4 total TDs over come Cardinals big start as Bills win 34-28

Allen had two touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns as the Bills came back from down 17-3 to beat the Cardinals 34-28.

The Arizona Cardinals dominated offensively early and took advantage of the Buffalo Bills’ mistakes on offense to take a 17-3 lead Sunday afternoon at Highmark Stadium. However, Bills quarterback Josh Allen was too much for the Arizona defense. He threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another pair as the Bills rallied from 14 points down to win 34-28.

Allen was 18-for-23 passing for 232 yards and two scores and ran the ball nine times for 39 yards and two touchdowns.

After 190 first-half yards on offense, Cardinals only gained 70 the rest of the way, but got a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown from DeeJay Dallas to pull within three points.

In the end, the Cardinals had one more opportunity but could not convert and they fell to 0-1 to start the season.

Here is how it went down.

Cardinals 7, Bills 0

The Cardinals opened on offense and got a touchdown to open the 2024 season. It was the James Conner show early as he either ran the ball or caught a pass for the first six plays. He had six carries for 10 yards and two receptions for 31, and the Cardinals went 70 yards in 7:13. Kyler Murray threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Michael Wilson. They were aided by a personal foul late hit penalty on Buffalo when Murray scrambled once. It was a questionable call that gave the Cardinals a first-and-goal.

Bills cornerback Taron Johnson injured his arm and was questionable to return.

STRIP SACK! Cardinals take it away

The Bills moved down the field after a big 53-yard kickoff return and got into the red zone. But Roy Lopez got the Cardinals’ first sack of the year, knocking the ball out and Justin Jones recovered at the 29.

Cardinals 10, Bills 0

Following the takeaway, the Cardinals went 60 yards in 10 plays and got a 29-yard field goal from Matt Prater. Running back Emari Demercado had a 24-yard catch in the drive.

Before the field goal, right tackle Jonah Williams was injured and had to be helped off the field. He was ruled questionable to return.

Cardinals 10, Bills 3

Tyler Bass hit a 37-yard field goal to get the Bills on the board. Again, they moved the ball effortlessly until they made a mistake in the red zone. On third-and-goal from the four, Allen ran for a touchdown, but right guard Cyrus O’Torrence was flagged for a facemask penalty, making it third-and-goal from the 19. Allen ran again and was stopped for no gain and they settled on a field goal.

James Conner TD! Cardinals 17, Bills 3

The Cardinals scored for the third straight drive, going 71 yards in 13 plays. Greg Dortch had a big third-down catch and tight end Trey McBride had a pair of receptions. Conner, who was on the sideline for most of the drive, capped the drive with a three-yard touchdown run to put them up two touchdowns.

Cardinals 17, Bills 10

The Bills might have saved their game. Aided by a questionable roughing the passer penalty on Zaven Collins that would have been a sack were it not for the flag, Josh Allen made things happen. He ran seven yards for a touchdown.

Bills 17, Cardinals 17

The Bills received the second-half kickoff and started at the 40 because of a kickoff violation, as Matt Prater’s boot did not reach the landing area.

To cap a 10-play drive, Allen threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins to tie the score.

Cardinals turn it over

After the Bills scored, the Cardinals went three-and-out but forced a Buffalo punt. But after the punt, Greg Rousseau beat replacement right tackle Kelvin Beachum and knocked the ball out of Murray’s hand as he attempted to make a throw for s strip sack, his third of the game. Dorian Williams recovered the fumble at the Arizona 21.

Bills 24, Cardinals 17

After the fumble, Khalil Shakir scored on an 11-yard touchdown catch from Allen just five plays after the takeaway. Momentum had turned in the game.

Bills 24, Cardinals 20

After Murray’s 29-yard run and Conner’s 20-yard run, the Cardinals couldn’t pick up a first down after getting to red zone and picked up three points on Prater’s 31-yard field goal.

Bills 31, Cardinals 20

Josh Allen rushed for his second touchdown of the game, this time from six yards out, after a 28-yard pass to rookie Keon Coleman.

DeeJay Dallas kickoff return for TD! Bills 31, Cardinals 28

Dallas had the first huge play in the new kickoff rule and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown. The last time the Cardinals had a kickoff return for a touchdown was David Johnson in Week 2 in 2015.

James Conner ran in the two-point conversion.

Bills 34, Cardinals 28

The Bills got a 39-yard field goal after Dallas’ touchdown return to give the Bills a six-point lead with under two minutes to go.

Could Murray put together a game-winning drive for Arizona?

Greg Dortch can’t haul in 4th-down pass

On fourth down, Murray the ball down the field to Dortch. With a lot of contact, Dortch couldn’t haul in the pass and the Cardinals’ final shot at getting a win ended as a turnover on downs.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.-3

 

WATCH: Marvin Harrison’s 1st career catch

It was only a four-yard catch. It should be the first of many.

The Arizona Cardinals led the Buffalo Bills 17-10 at the end of the first half in Week 1. One player expected to make an impact was No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr., a wide receiver.

He didn’t do much but did have his first NFL reception, a four-yard catch, the only catch he had in the half.

Check it out.

 

It came after he dropped an on-target throw.

It was only four yards but it should be the first of what are scores of catches for the Cardinals this year and in his career.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

 

Cardinals’ offense shines in 1st half of game vs. Bills

The held the ball more than 20 minutes of the half, had 190 yards of offense and scored on their first three possessions.

The Arizona Cardinals believed they would have a great offense in 2024. After one half of play, it has held true.

They continued doing against the Buffalo Bills what they did late last season when quarterback Kyler Murray was healthy.

In the first half against the Bills, leading 17-10, they amassed 190 yards of offense, went 5-for-7 on third down and scored on their first three possessions.

Murray led the team with 28 rushing yards and was 16-for-19 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.

They led time of possession 20:06 to 9:54.

Each of their scoring drives was at least 10 plays and more than five minutes. Their two touchdown drives were longer than seven minutes.

There was still another half to play, but so far the 2024 offense has been great.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Bills inactives: 2 DEs out with injuries

See who could not play for the Bills in week 1.

The Buffalo Bills released their list of inactive players 90 minutes before kickoff of their Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

As expected, there were no surprises. Two backup defensive ends were ruled out over the weekend with injuries.

The rest are healthy scratches.

Buffalo Bills Week 1 inactives

  • S Cole Bishop
  • LB Joe Andreessen
  • LB Eddie Ulofoshio
  • DE Javon Solomon
  • OL Sedrick Van-Pran Granger
  • OL Ryan Van Demark
  • DE Dawuane Smoot

Smoot and Solomon were ruled with injuries. The rest are healthy scratches.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals inactives: WR Xavier Weaver out; TE Tip Reiman, S Joey Blount to play

The Cardinals released their inactive list 90 minutes before kickoff.

The Arizona Cardinals released their inactive list for their season opener on the road against the Buffalo Bills. The only player who will miss the game with an injury is rookie receiver Xavier Weaver, already ruled out with an oblique injury on Friday’s final injury report.

The two players listed as questionable to play, tight end Tip Reiman (ankle) and safety Joey Blount (back), were set to suit up as they were not deactivated.

These are the players the Cardinals deactivated:

Arizona Cardinals Week 1 inactives

  • CB/S Darren Hall
  • LB Jesse Luketa
  • OL Jon Gaines III
  • TE Travis Vokolek
  • WR Xavier Weaver

The three active backup offensive linemen will be tackle Kelvin Beachum, guard Isaiah Adams and center/guard Trystan Colon.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Cardinals at Bills: How to watch, stream, listen to Week 1 matchup

All the info you need to watch, stream or listen to the Cardinals play the Bills on Sunday.

The Arizona Cardinals open the season against the Buffalo Bills on the road. They are underdogs in the game.

It is Kyler Murray vs. Josh Allen.

The last time the two teams played, there were two touchdowns scored in the final 40 seconds of the game to take the lead, only the Cardinals’ touchdown was the game-winning score, a 43-yard touchdown pass from Murray to DeAndre Hopkins with two seconds remaining, now forever known as the “Hail Murray.”

The two receivers who scored the two final touchdowns, Stefon Diggs and Hopkins, are no longer on either team.

It will be the NFL debut for Cardinals rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Can the Cardinals pull off the upset to start the year?

If you plan on watching, streaming or listening to the game, here is the information you need to know.

Cardinals at Bills game information

What: Arizona Cardinals at Buffalo Bills, Week 1

Where: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

When: Sunday, Sept. 8, 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. Arizona time)

Cardinals at Bills TV info, coverage map

The game will air on CBS. Tom McCarthy, Jay Feely and Ross Tucker will call the game from the booth, while Tiffany Blackmon will report fro the sideline.

The game will air regionally, per the TV coverage maps from 506 Sports in te teal areas in the below graphic.

506 Sports

The local home areas for the Cardinals and Bills, as will as much of Oklahoma, where Murray played collegiately, will see the game.

Streaming options for Cardinals at Bills

You can stream the game on Fubo TV (try for free).

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Cardinals vs. Bills on Fubo” link=”https://www.fubo.tv/welcome/leagues/191277?irad=356362&irmp=1205322&subId1=SMG&subId2=NFLWires&subId3=2024″]

How to listen to Cardinals at Bills on the radio

The Cardinals’ home broadcast will be on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. Their radio crew of Dave Pasch and Ron Wolfley will call the game, while Paul Calvisi will report from the sideline.

The Cardinals’ Spanish broadcast will be on FUEGO 106.7 FM with Luis Hernandez and Irving Villanueva calling the game.

The Bills’ local radio broadcast will be on WGR Radio 550. Chris Brown and Eric Wood call the game, while Sal Capaccio reports from the sideline.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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Expert picks for Cardinals-Bills in Week 1

Check out who is picking the Bills and who is picking the Cardinals to win in the Week 1 battle.

The Jess Cardinals and Buffalo Bills play each other Sunday in their season opener. The Bills are home favorites. The Cardinals are confident and are looking to get an upset.

After all, the last two times they have opened on the road against a team that went to the playoffs the previous season, they have come away with upset wins.

What are the experts saying?

Jess Root, Cards Wire

I believe the Cardinals will do better than expected. I believe the offense will move the ball. I believe Allen and Cook will be tough to defend. Arizona’s defense will come out more physically than the Bills are prepared for but Allen will rally the offense back.

It is a high-scoring, close affair that comes down to the final possession. Bills 30, Cardinals 24

Nick Wojton, Bills Wire

A team like the Cardinals, who didn’t have the best luck with health last season, are always overlooked. People forget injuries occur. While I have a 10-point difference, I think the Bills probably tack on a field goal late to get that gap but I’m expecting it to be pretty close throughout the day… an exciting game, but not quite the “Hail Murray” of years past.

Bills 27, Cardinals 17

Seth Cox, SB Nation/Rise Up, See Red podcast

Bills 31, Cardinals 28

NFL Network panel

Nine of the 10 experts picked the Bills to win, although Daniel Jeremiah does have the Cardinals with the upset.

All experts

According to NFLpickwatch, of 206 experts making picks, 90% pick the Bills.

The noteworthy experts picking the Cardinals to win are NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms and SI’s Connor Orr.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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What uniforms will Cardinals, Bills wear in Week 1 battle?

Check out what uniforms the Cardinals and Bills will use on Sunday in Week 1.

The Arizona Cardinals are on the road for their season opener on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. They announced their full 2024 uniform schedule earlier in the week.

But what will they and the Bills wear in the game?

https://twitter.com/AZCardinals/status/1832114670536421568

We knew the Cardinals would wear their road whites.

The Bills will wear blue on white.

https://twitter.com/BuffaloBills/status/1831369130328588659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1831369130328588659%7Ctwgr%5Ef9fd4d3f53f875ce2cda16da8c98c392e597c146%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbillswire.usatoday.com%2F2024%2F09%2F07%2Funiforms-buffalo-bills-arizona-cardinals-nfl-week-1%2F

Their game kicks off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. Arizona time) from Highmark Stadium and airs on CBS.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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No roster moves for Cardinals leading up to season opener vs. Bills

The Cardinals don’t elevate anyone from the practice squad in Week 1.

The Arizona Cardinals will go with the players they have on the 53-man roster on Sunday in their season opener against the Buffalo Bills. Able to elevate up to two players from the practice squad, they elected not to for Sunday’s game.

Typically, a team will use the practice squad elevations for injury management or special teams roles.

Because the Cardinals are pretty healthy (only receiver Xavier Weaver was ruled out of the game), they have all their roles filled.

Players can be elevated from the practice squad and revert back to it without being subject to waivers only three times. Without having to use that on anyone this week, they have at least one extra week for everyone before that expires.

The Bills elevated two players — center Will Clapp and defensive end Kameron Cline.

Buffalo will be without two defensive ends. Javon Solomon was ruled out on the final injury report on Friday and fellow defensive end Dawuane Smoot, questionable on the injury report Friday, was downgraded to out on Saturday.

The Cardinals and Bills kick off Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. Arizona time).

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

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Cardinals CB Star Thomas V says he is ‘a star in the making’

Star Thomas has come a long way in a year since the Lions cut him.

The future was uncertain 53 weeks ago when cornerback Starling (call him Star) Thomas V was assigned to the Arizona Cardinals on waivers from the Detroit Lions after the cutdown to 53 players.

Thomas did prove himself to be a fast study, playing in 12 games and starting seven after being inactive for the first four, but that didn’t stop the Cardinals from selecting cornerbacks Max Melton and Elijah Jones in the second and third rounds, respectively, and then picking Jaden Davis in the seventh round of this year’s draft.

How did Thomas react? He told Cards Wire this week, “I just took the underdog mentality. There’s competition every day. I’m trusting God. He put me in this position, the position that I’m in now, just to be able to show everybody that I’m a consistent player and I’m a starting cornerback in the NFL at the end of the day.”

That’s what he’s expected to be when the Cardinals defense takes the field Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Thomas was with the first unit a lot at the start of training camp and then Melton missed about a week of practice. That allowed Thomas to build even more confidence from the coaches.

Safety Budda Baker is enthused by what Thomas brings to the field.

“Star’s just a guy that came in and worked hard each and every day,” Baker said. “Star is like my little bro. I put him under my wing, offseason training with the guys that I train with, running, competing with me, sprinting. We have our conversations and our smack talk throughout the offseason on who’s faster.”

But mostly Baker worked with Thomas on the understanding of the game, “just teaching him a little more about the safety position as well, to let him understand in this call, this is what we’re reading, so it helps him understand how he should read things as a corner. I’m definitely excited for Star; he’s done a great job in the offseason, training camp. He’s made a lot of plays and then in the preseason I told the coaches that I didn’t want him to play, but of course the young boys, they’ve got to play so he did a great job in the preseason.

“I’m very excited to see what he can do in the real season now that it’s starting.”

Veteran corner Sean Murphy-Bunting has also been impressed, saying, “Star works hard, harder than a lot of people that I’ve been around. And he shows up every single day with just a mindset to get better. I think that’s what’s continuing for him to make him each and every week trying to get better and develop more into the player that he is.

“Because he shows up, puts in the work. He’s accountable for the things that he does and relies and leans on the vets. He asks questions and that’s really beneficial for him.”

Thomas said of where he is now, “It’s a blessing. I thank God for it every day. Just appreciate and cherish it, knowing how far I came from last season to this season and now the jump that I’ve made.”

How did he accomplish it?

“Trusting myself,” he said. “Leaving it at work, the abilities God gave me, my teammates believing in me and just going out there and showing it and just choosing to be consistent with everything. Consistent routine, consistent day-to-day process and being able to reset every play. Being a level-headed player.”

Consistency was the first word head coach Jonathan Gannon said when asked about Thomas this week, after which he launched into a primer on cornerback play that shows how little those who watch the game actually understand the intricacies. As former NFL head coach Jim Mora Sr. once famously said, “You may think you know, but you don’t know. And you never will.”

Along those lines, Gannon often talks about players know-knowing what they’re doing, which is what he said about Thomas:

“Really know-knowing technique and the why behind each call. For a DB, it’s really important; it happened Thursday for him. (Defensive coordinator) Nick (Rallis) and I talk about the three S’s of each call; you gotta know them: situation, strength, stress and when you put that into a DB, especially a corner, (it means) am I the strength of the call or does the stress fall upon me? (You’ve) got to bleed your technique into that and then you’ve got to know who you’re playing and what I can’t give up or I can be a little more aggressive within each call, each down and distance.

“There’s a game within a game going on that’s awesome. I think that he’s a done a really good job of that since he’s been here to where he’s at now is really understanding how he can change his technique to be more aggressive or less aggressive by the call. Or know what route he cannot give up or what route he can give up. Where is his help on what routes on the splits of guys? He’s really taken his game mentally to another level. That’s why I like where he’s at.”

Meanwhile, when told that Baker called him his “little bro,” Thomas smiled and said, “I love that guy. He took me under his wing from the first time we ever met. We didn’t have a connection (then), but it’s unmatched right now. It’s leaning onto everyday life. He invites me over to his house to meet his daughter and invited me and my wife over for Thanksgiving. We’re building a relationship that goes way beyond football.”

And he just might be building a skillset and mentality to be an excellent, yes consistent, player while living up to that V (the fifth) after his name. That’s where he had some laughter when asked if he knows how far back in his lineage it goes.

“I don’t even know,” he said, adding, “it’s pretty far back, probably the 1900s. The third is my grandfather. That’s as far as I know.”

Finally, was everyone Star or just you?

Thomas said, “There’s a lot of strength in that name and I’m the only Star, the one and only Star. I go by Star because I’m a star in the making. Everyone in the city calls me Star and I love it.”

He didn’t say it with bravado or sound over the top. He just said it with confidence and a genuine belief in himself. Which, after all, is what stars do.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.