Arizona Cardinals vs New Orleans Saints: Two returned touchdowns in one minute give Cardinals victory over Saints




CNN

A 64-second play turned the game upside down as the Arizona Cardinals beat the New Orleans Saints 42-34 in a thrilling matchup on Thursday night.

Deep in the second quarter, Saints backup quarterback Andy Dalton threw two pick sixes in back-to-back drives that gave the Cardinals a 28-14 halftime lead.

After last Thursday’s dismal 12-7 win for the Commanders over the Bears – and with two of the league’s worst performing teams facing each other this week, fans could have been forgiven for missing out on this one.

Instead, it was a feast of attacking and aggressive defensive football, leading to one of the most memorable games of the season.

The Saints took the lead after two minutes when Dalton threw a 53-yard pass to find Rashid Shaheed. After a few Cardinals field goals, Dalton threw his second touchdown in the second quarter, this time just three yards from Tayson Hill who came over the line.

The Cardinals came back with a break-in from Keontay Ingram and a two-run conversion with 2:28 on the clock. Then the game fell apart for the Saints within the next two minutes.

Dalton, with one of the most inconsistent performances in recent memory, threw a pass to receiver Marquez Callaway who missed the catch, leaving Marco Wilson to intercept and run for six.

Just a minute later, Dalton, under pressure, threw in a loose pass. Isaiah Simmons had a great one-handed catch before returning for 56 yards to give the Cardinals a 14 halftime lead.

Both teams traded touchdowns in the second half, but after the Saints scored a field goal to cut the deficit to eight, they fumbled with a last-minute inbounds kick and the Cardinals saw the game.

For the Saints – and especially for Dalton – it was a night where they were punished for their inconsistency. Dalton, who plays in place of the injured Jameis Winston, threw for four touchdowns and 361 yards but also threw three interceptions, two of which were returned.

The win keeps hopes of a playoff berth alive for the Cardinals, who now sit 3-4 heading into their trip to Minnesota to face the Vikings on Oct. 30.

For the 1-4 Saints, who host the Raiders on Oct. 30, any hope of a playoff berth seems nearly over.

malek

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