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With the Arizona Cardinals falling to the Chicago Bears 28-13, it was just another example of all that has one wrong for the team. They turned the ball over three times, allowed two defensive touchdowns and failed to take advantage of scoring opportunities when they had them. Combine that with more bad quarterback play and one drive in which the defense just did not play well, and you have the game and the season in a nutshell.
It started when the Cardinals were pinned back near their own goalline, and running back Beanie Wells slipped and fell, lost the ball and the Bears recovered it for a touchdown. Wells carried the ball four times in the game and was sent to the bench.
Head coach Ken Whisenhunt was seen on the sideline having an animated conversation with his running back. When asked about it after the game, Beanie sort of ducked the question, saying really only, "it is what it is," but did say he was not hurt on the play. Apparently, Beanie did not give much of an explanation to his coach. When Whisenhunt was asked whether wells could explain what happened, he responded, "no, he really couldn't."
"I mean, from what I saw, obviously you can't put the ball on the ground, especially not there, so no," he continued.
The offense continued to struggle, gaining a total of only 248 yards on the afternoon. Twice they started a drive in Chicago territory. They could not capitalize, scoring only three points in those possessions.
"It kills you," said Whisenhunt about those series. "You cant do that. THat was the difference last week in the game when we played Detroit, we got scores out of that." He recognized that in the game last week, they were in the red zone already, "but we had opportunities there and we didn't take advantage of them, and that's what you can't do."
On of those drives ended when a fake field goal was not converted. They were trying to make something happen, and knew that Jay Cutler had completed only 1/11 passes at that point.
That was where the defense had their one hiccup on a drive. Cutler was 5/5 passing and Chicago went down the field to score a touchdown in the last two minutes of the half without having a timeout left.
Ryan Lindley would also throw a pick-six, which was his seventh interception of the season, the third of which was returned for a score. Lindley still has not thrown for a touchdown in his career, making it 171 throws without a score to start his career. That is an NFL record.
Brian Hoyer replaced Lindley after the interception. He was 11/19 for 105 yards and an interception. Aside form that particular play, Whisenhunt said, "I thought he got the ball out quick and he had good anticipation and he made some nice throws."
Not everything was negative from the game.
- Hoyer looked decent, and despite comments saying that the team will need to process things, it would make the most sense to have him start in the season finale against the San Francisco 49ers on the road.
- Punter Dave Zastudil had six punts inside the 20, matching the number he had a week ago. In so doing, he set the NFL record for punts inside the 20. He has 43 on the season.
- Receiver Larry Fitzgerald had eight catches for 111 yards, the first 100-yard game he has had since the team's win over the Philadelphia Eagles. He had 91 yards and 10 catches in the previous five games combined.
- Adrian Wilson blocked a field goal late in the game, which rookie Justin Bethel picked up and ran for a touchdown, for the team's only trip to the end zone for the game.
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