The Arizona Cardinals host the Indianapolis Colts Christmas night at State Farm Stadium. It will be a tough game for them, as they must slow running back Jonathan Taylor, the league’s top rusher with 1,518 yards and 19 total touchdowns.
It should be a good game.
If it plays out like it did in a simulation of the game on Madden NFL 22, it will be a good but disappointing game for Arizona.
In the simulation, the Cardinals built a 13-0 lead but the Colts rallied and scored a touchdown with under two minutes to go to win 28-21.
The Cardinals scored on their first two possessions, first on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to Antoine Wesley and then on a four-yard score to A.J. Green. The first extra point was blocked.
The Colts didn’t get on the board until their final drive of the first half. They went for it on fourth down while in field-goal range and picked up a first down. Carson Wentz threw a 16-yards touchdown pass to tight end Jack Doyle.
The Cardinals punted on their first two possessions of the second game and Wentz threw a second touchdown pass, a 12-yarder to receiver T.Y. Hilton, to take a 14-13 lead.
Then Matt Prater missed a 60-yard field goal and Taylor made it 21-13 with a seven-yard run.
The Cardinals tied the score on the next drive, as Chase Edmonds ran it in from two yards out and also ran in the two-point attempt to make it 21-21
The Colts got the ball back with over four minutes left, ran the ball on every play and Nyheim Hines scored on a seven-yard run with 1:19 left in the game.
The Cardinals ran out of time and lost 28-21.
They held Taylor to 84 yards and a touchdown on 19 rushing attempts and Wentz had only 141 passing yards, although he threw the two touchdown passes.
Markus Golden sacked Wentz twice and Budda Baker and Leki Fotu shared a third sack.
Murray had 230 passing yards, two touchdown passes and 45 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Antoine Wesley, A.J. Green and Christian Kirk all have fave catches. Green and Wesley scored. Wesley led the trio with 72 yards, Kirk had 71 and Green had 36.
Tight end Jack Doyle led the Colts with seven catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.
[listicle id=463275]
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Latest show:
Previous shows:
and