Ravens vs. Cardinals: Postgame Grades and Notes for Arizona
The Arizona Cardinals held off a furious rally to beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-18 on Monday night.
Arizona appeared to have the game well in hand in the fourth quarter, with Carson Palmer finding John Brown for a four-yard touchdown to help extend the lead to 26-10. Chandler Catanzaro's missed extra point kept Baltimore in the game.
The Cardinals were undone a second time by their special teams later in the fourth quarter, as Asa Jackson blocked a Drew Butler punt, setting up a Kyle Juszczyk touchdown. That score cut Arizona's lead down to 26-18.
Baltimore had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but safety Tony Jefferson intercepted a Joe Flacco pass in the end zone with six seconds remaining to secure the Arizona victory.
The win moves the Cardinals' record to 5-2, and extends their NFC West lead to two games over St. Louis.
Click ahead for the full recap.
Position Grades for Arizona
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| QB | B+ |
| RB | A- |
| WR | B |
| TE | B |
| OL | B |
| DL | A |
| LB | B- |
| DB | B |
| Coaching | B- |
| Special Teams | D |
Shocking, isn't it, how solid, balanced victories produce solid, balanced grades?
The defensive line earned top marks on Monday night, leading the charge in holding Baltimore's run game to only 55 yards. Calais Campbell made three tackles behind the line of scrimmage, while Dwight Freeney and Frostee Rucker chipped in a sack each. Freeney's sack was his first with the Cardinals.
Despite his dominance, Campbell might not have been Arizona' player of the game. That honor might belong to Tyrann Mathieu, who was everywhere against Baltimore. In addition to a sack and a pass defensed, Mathieu matched Campbell with three tackles for loss.
On offense, Carson Palmer bounced back with a steady if unspectacular performance. Palmer produced a humble stat line (275 yards and two touchdowns), but he didn't put the ball in harm's way, something he struggled to avoid in previous games.
We'll dig into the running backs (A-minus) and special teams later (D) in the slideshow.
Jerraud Powers Injured
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Injuries tend to pile up toward the middle of the season, and starting corner Jerraud Powers is the latest name on the Cardinals' injury list. He left the game with a hamstring injury in the first half and did not return.
There was no immediate word on the extent of the injury.
Justin Bethel replaced Powers opposite Patrick Peterson, and the drop-off was almost a turning point in the game. Chris Givens burned Bethel deep for 31 yards on Baltimore's final drive, giving the Ravens a legitimate shot at tying the game.
Quality cornerback depth has been an issue for Arizona, dating back to the preseason, and Powers' injury could force Steve Keim into making a move before the trade deadline.
We should get an update on Powers' condition by midweek. Even if the injury isn't as bad as initially feared, it's possible the Cardinals will keep him out through their Week 9 bye as a precaution.
Chris Johnson Can't Stop, Won't Stop
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Chris Johnson has been nothing short of a revelation this season, and the 30-year old running back may have made the heads up play of the year (for Arizona, anyway) on Monday night.
On a handoff to the left, Ravens defensive tackle Brandon Williams appeared to have Johnson down. Johnson, however, never touched the ground, landing instead on top of Williams. After the tiniest of pauses, Johnson got to his feet and sprinted for a 60-yard gain, setting up a field goal.
You can watch a loop of the crucial moment on Arizona's Twitter feed.
Johnson finished with 122 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries for the night against Baltimore's stringy run defense. Would anyone have a strong argument against him being Arizona's first-half MVP?
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Arizona's Special Problem
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We now come to the ugly truth about Arizona's win: It should have never come down to the final seconds.
The Cardinals special teams had themselves a bit of a nightmare on Monday night, and in doing so they gave Baltimore an opportunity to tie the score in the game's final stages.
It started on the opening drive with a Chandler Catanzaro missed 55-yard field goal. Catanzaro later followed up with a missed extra point in the fourth quarter, keeping it a two-possession game.
The nightmare fully unfurled on the next Arizona possession, with Asa Jackson blocking a Drew Butler punt, and the Ravens recovering at the 1-yard line. They scored on the next play.
That's 12 gift-wrapped points Arizona handed to Baltimore on special teams.
The Cardinals had their struggles elsewhere, including some poor clock management on offense in the fourth quarter, but that's too big of a swing to overcome with regularity on special teams. You simply can't beat a team like Green Bay in the playoffs if you spot them 12 points.
Arizona may have proved some of their mettle in extending their record to 5-2, but they still have some work to do.
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