Category: Cardinals vs. Jets

Larry Fitzgerald: Jets game a must-win for Cardinals to keep up in NFC West

“We need to be able to keep pace with the Rams and other teams who are playing really good in our division, so it is definitely a must-win.”

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The Arizona Cardinals, after a 2-0 start to the season, now find themselves at 2-2 with a winnable road game against the 0-4 New York Jets. It feels like a bit of a must-win game because of how the Cardinals have played in recent weeks and because of the games coming up on the schedule.

But, being it is only in Week 5 and the Cardinals are 2-2, is it really a must-win game?

Star receiver Larry Fitzgerald thinks so.

“You look at the leaders in our division — Seattle is 4-0 right now and they are rolling,” he told reporters on Thursday. “We have to be able to find a way to get back on the right track. We’ve got another road game. We’re going across three time zones to play. We’ve got to find a way to put four quarters of good football together in all three phases. It’s as simple as that.”

The Cardinals are currently in third place in the NFC West, behind the 4-0 Seahawks and 3-1 L.A. Rams.

“We need to be able to keep pace with the Rams and other teams who are playing really good in our division, so it is definitely a must-win.”

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Contract extension details for Cardinals OL Justin Murray

While reportedly worth up to $9 million, it is really $5.5 million in new money,

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The Arizona Cardinals announced a two-year contract extension for reserve offensive lineman Justin Murray. The initial report was that it was worth up to $9 million.

The details of the contract show that much of that potential $9 million must be in contract incentives.

Over the Cap has the details of his extension and the basic terms are that it is $5.5 million in new money.

Murray receives a $1 million signing bonus, which gives him $1.75 in actual cash this season, as he will earn $750,000 in salary this year.

His 2021 salary is $1.75 million and he will earn up to $250,000 in a per-game active roster bonus, or $15,625 per game. $1 million of his 2021 salary is guaranteed for injury.

His 2022 salary is $2.25 million with another $250,000 in per-game roster bonuses ($15,625 per game).

That leaves $3.5 million unaccounted for in incentives. Those potential incentives are likely tied to whether he is a starter or not.

At the basic salary he will earn the next two seasons, it lines up with being a backup or a low-end starter.

Without incentives, here is how each year breaks down against the salary cap.

2020: $750,000 salary, $1.083 million cap hit

2021: $1.75 million salary, up to $250,000 roster bonus, up to $2.33 million cap hit

2022: $2.25 million salary, up to $250,000 roster bonus, up to $2.83 million cap hit.

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DL Jonathan Bullard leaves Cardinals practice squad to sign with Seahawks

He played nine games for the Cardinals in 2019 and was protected by the team for three weeks this season.

The Arizona Cardinals lost a practice squad player on Wednesday. Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard, who played nine games for Arizona in 2019 and had one of his most productive seasons, has signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle needs help on the defensive line and Bullard had been on the practice squad all season. He was protected in three of the four games this season but never elevated to the active roster.

He now gets the chance to play and make more than just the practice squad salary.

Of course, the Cardinals play the Seahawks in two weeks, so Seattle will have the added benefit of potentially getting some information about the Cardinals’ defense.

His departure from the practice squad made it possible for the Cardinals to activate safety Kentrell Brice from the practice squad injured reserve and re-sign safety Curtis Riley to the squad.

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5 Jets out, 2 limited in first injury report of Week 5

The Jets had several starters who sat out on Wednesday.

The Arizona Cardinals will face the New York Jets this weekend on the road. As the week of practice began on Wednesday, the Jets’ first injury report of the week shows they are banged up. They had five players listed as not practicing and another two limited with injuries.

Starting quarterback Sam Darnold (shoulder) has already been ruled out of the game Sunday and did not go on Wednesday. Neither did rookie left tackle Mekhi Becton, who played through a shoulder injury in the Jets’ game last Thursday.

In addition, receiver Breshad Perriman at out with an ankle injury, starting cornerback Bless Austin and starting outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins saat out with both shoulder and calf injuries.

Safety Ashtyn Davis (groin) and receiver Chris Hogan (ribs/knee) were limited, while receiver Jamison Crowder (hamstring), offensive lineman Chuma Edoga (shoulder) and linebacker Jordan Willis (ankle) were full participants.

Did not practice:

  • QB Sam Darnold (shoulder)
  • WR Breshad Perriman (ankle)
  • CB Bless Austin (calf)
  • OL Mekhi Becton (shoulder)
  • LB Jordan Jenkins (shoulder, calf)

Limited participation:

  • S Ashtyn Davis (groin)
  • WR Chris Hogan (ribs, knee)

Full participation:

  • WR Jamison Crowder (hamstring)
  • OL Chuma Edoga (shoulder)
  • LB Jordan Willis (ankle)

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Injury report: Kenyan Drake practices fully, but 6 Cardinals miss Wednesday’s practice

DeAndre Hopkins no longer has an injury listed.

The Arizona Cardinals released their first injury report of the week on Wednesday following practice. After missing all of last week in practice with an ankle injury, receiver DeAndre Hopkins does not have an injury listed, although he did get the day off on Wednesday, which he has done all season so far.

Receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive lineman Corey Peters also sat out with a day off. They do not have an injury.

Three others did not practice because of injuries.

Safety Chris Banjo, who missed all of last week and the game on Sunday with a hamstring injury, was unable to practice. So was linebacker Devon Kennard, whose calf injury kept him out of practice all last week and the game. Tight end Darrell Daniels also missed practice with a thigh injury. He did not have that injury last week.

Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick was limited with calf injury.

Safety Budda Baker, coming back from thumb surgery, running back Kenyan Drake (chest) and guard Justin Pugh (knee) all were full participants on Wednesday.

Did not practice:

  • WR DeAndre Hopkins (rest)
  • WR Larry Fitzgerald (rest)
  • DL Corey Peters (rest)
  • S Chris Banjo (hamstring)
  • LB Devon Kennard (calf)
  • TE Darrell Daniels (thigh)

Limited participation:

  • CB Dre Kirkpatrick (calf)

Full participation:

  • RB Kenyan Drake (chest)
  • S Budda Baker (thumb)
  • G Justin Pugh (knee)

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Joe Flacco to start for Jets vs. Cardinals

Darnold has been ruled out with a shoulder sprain and is week-to-week. The Cardinals will face Flacco for only the third time ever.

The Arizona Cardinals will not face third-year quarterback Sam Darnold for the first time this weekend. A Manish Mehta report said the New York Jets were not planning to start him after he suffered a sprained AC Joint in their last game, but not multiple reports have come out that Darnold has been, in fact, ruled out in Week 5.

That means the Cardinals, who travel to play the 0-4 Jets this weekend, will face Joe Flacco, Darnold’s backup.

Flacco has only played four snaps this season, coming in for Darnold after he initially got hurt. He completed two passes for 16 yards in two attempts before Darnold reentered the game.

Flacco was the starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens from 2008-2018 and led them to a Super Bowl title. He was benched midway into the 2018 season in favor of Lamar Jackson and then, after joining the Denver Broncos in 2019, he started half the season before being benched in favor of Drew Lock.

He went 2-6 in his eight starts with the Broncos in 2019.

He has started twice in his career against the Cardinals. He is 1-1 against them. He has completed 57-of-91 passes against the them for 588 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked six times in those two games.

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Cardinals bring back S Curtis Riley to practice squad, reinstate Kentrell Brice

The Cardinals now have four safeties on the active roster, three on the practice squad and one on injured reserve.

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Safety Curtis Riley is back. After being released on Tuesday, the Arizona Cardinals announced two practice squad moves. Riley was re-signed to the practice squad, where he was originally signed.

Riley started for the Cardinals in Week 4, had six tackles but struggled.

The Cardinals also reinstated safety Kentrell Brice from the practice squad injured reserve to the practice squad. He suffered an ankle injury at the beginning of the year.

This gives the Cardinals a number of safeties. They now have four on the active roster and three on the practice squad (Riley, Brice and T.J. Ward, whom they added last week), as well as Jalen Thompson on injured reserve.

Budda Baker is expected to be back in the lineup after missing one game.

The Cardinals had vacancies on the practice squad after Jonathan Ward was signed to the active roster. Defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard is no longer listed on the practice squad roster. It is likely he signed with another team.

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PODCAST: What’s wrong with the Cardinals and what to expect vs. Jets

Listen to the latest edition of the show as we discuss the Cardinals, their Week 4 loss and their upcoming Week 5 game.

The latest podcast episode is here for your listening pleasure. Revenge of the Birds’ Seth Cox and yours truly talk about the Arizona Cardinals and their loss to the Carolina Panthers and look ahead to their Week 5 road matchup against the New York Jets.

We react to what went wrong against the Panthers. We discuss the safety position and whether or not Isaiah Simmons should have played more there. We wonder what happened to the offense. We talk about whether or not we are worried about the current direction of the team and we preview their game against the Jets.

Enjoy the show and make sure to subscribe to it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform, and give it a five-star rating.

Here are the approximate times of each topic.

(1:30) Reactions to what happened against the Panthers and what went wrong

(17:48) Discussion of the safety position, play and the use of Isaiah Simmons

(26:48) What happened to the offense?

(40:17) Are we worried about the direction of the Cardinals?

(49:44) Preview/predictions for Cardinals-Jets

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Report: Jets not planning on playing QB Sam Darnold vs. Cardinals

But the third-year quarterback doesn’t want to miss a game.

The Arizona Cardinals will take on the New York Jets this weekend on the road. The Jets are winless at 0-4 and might not have their starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, in the lineup.

According to the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, the Jets are not planning on having Darnold in the lineup this weekend.

He suffered a shoulder injury in the Jets’ Thursday night loss to the Denver Broncos, although he finished the game last week.

That would mean the Cardinals would face Joe Flacco, Darnold’s backup.

While the Jets plan on sitting Darnold, at least according to Mehta, Darnold wants play and is preparing as if he were going to start on Sunday.

“The most important thing for me is going out there if I can,” Darnold said on Monday, via the New York Daily News. “If I’m able to play and I don’t play, that’s worse than anything in my opinion.”

The Jets’ first injury report of the week will come out Wednesday afternoon. We will see how much work he is getting then.

Already a bit of a must-win game for the Cardinals, if they face a winless team with a backup quarterback, getting a win after two straight losses becomes even more important.

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Budda Baker expected to return against Jets in Week 5

He will have missed only one game after having surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumb.

The Arizona Cardinals will get a big boost to the safety position this week. Pro Bowler Budda Baker, who missed Sunday’s game after having surgery to repair ligaments in his right thumb, is expected to be back on the field this weekend against the New York Jets.

“We feel good about Budda playing this week,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters Wednesday morning.

The Cardinals released safety Curtis Riley on Tuesday, suggesting at least one of their injured safeties (Baker, Jalen Thompson, Chris Banjo) would return.

When Baker had his thumb surgery, the hope was that he would only miss one game. There will be precautions to take care of that hand.

“I know they’ll have some sort of apparatus on his hand to protect him,” Kingsbury said.

As for Thompson and Banjo, Kingsbury is unsure about their return.

“They’re still working through it,” he said. “Kind of a day-to-day situation for them.”

The return of Baker will be a big boost to the secondary, which struggled against the Carolina Panthers.

“Budda being back will definitely make us all feel better,” said Kingsbury.

It certainly will.

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