Cardinals vs. Lions: Some game notes, stats

With the 25-21 comeback victory for the Arizona Cardinals over the Detroit Lions, they accomplished a few things. Here are some notes and stats that the team released. I now pass them on to you.

A TALE OF TWO HALVES

• In earning the come-from-behind win over the Lions on Sunday, the Cardinals outscored Detroit 15-7 in the second half, including 9-0 in the fourth quarter. Arizona blanked the Lions offense in the second half, with Detroit's lone TD coming on an INT return in the third quarter.

Lions Offense By Half

Stat 1^st Half 2^nd Half
1^st Downs 12 4
3^rd Down Eff. 3-6 (50%) 0-5 (0%)
Total Net Yards 232 90
Net Passing Yards 205 68
Time of Possession 18:28 10:13
Yards per Play 7.03 3.75

• The Cardinals were one of six NFL teams to come back from a fourth quarter deficit yesterday (Buffalo, Chicago, Houston, San Diego and New Orleans).

Lions 2^nd Half Drive Breakdown

• Only two of the six drives totaled more than six yards, with two drives consisting of three plays and zero yards. Detroit reached Arizona territory just once in the second half and that drive ended on a blocked FG.

2^nd Half Drive Chart
2 plays, 1 yard, fumble
3 plays, 0 yards, punt
3 plays, 6 yards, punt
9 plays, 51 yards, blocked FG
3 plays, 0 yards, punt
5 plays, 26 yards, downs

SHUTTING DOWN THE RUN

• After allowing just 67 rushing yards on 24 attempts (2.8 avg.) against the Rams in Week 1, the Cardinals came out on Sunday and allowed just 49 yards on 20 attempts (2.5 avg.) against the Lions. The Cardinals 49 rushing yards allowed against the Lions represent the fewest allowed in a game since the team surrendered just 14 yards against the Seahawks on 10/18/09.
• Through the first two games, Arizona has allowed just 116 rushing yards-and 0 TDs-on 44 attempts (2.6 avg.). The Cardinals 58.0 rushing yards allowed are the third fewest in the NFL and fewest in the NFC through Week 2, trailing only Denver (40.5) and Kansas City (54.0).

NFL Leaders - Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed

YPG Team
40.5 Denver
54.0 Kansas City
58.0 Arizona
59.5 Cleveland
59.5 NY Jets PETERSON DOES IT ALL

• In addition to his duties as the team's #1 CB-and covering All-Pro WR Calvin Johnson-Patrick Peterson flashed his abilities on offense on Sunday as well. While playing on offense, Peterson hauled in a 17-yard reception and threw a 17-yard pass to WR Kerry Taylor. The 17-yard reception was the fifth catch of Peterson's career and the longest. His 17-yard pass to Taylor was the first pass attempt of his career.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Peterson became the first NFL defender to catch a pass and complete a pass in the same game since at least the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.
• For the game, Peterson had four tackles, a pass defensed, a reception, a pass completion and three punt returns.

PALMER GETS TO 30,000

• After throwing for 248 yards in the Cardinals win over the Lions on Sunday, QB Carson Palmer now has 30,040 passing yards for his career, becoming just the seventh active NFL QB to reach the career milestone. He is the 36^th player in NFL history to reach 30,000 career passing yards.

NFL QBs with 30,000+ Career Passing Yards

Player Yds
Brett Favre 71,838
Dan Marino 61,361
Peyton Manning* 60,256
John Elway 51,475
Warren Moon 49,325
Fran Tarkenton 47,003
Drew Brees* 46,598
Vinny Testaverde 46,233
Tom Brady* 45,279
Drew Bledsoe 44,611
Dan Fouts 43,040
Kerry Collins 40,922
Joe Montana 40,551
Johnny Unitas 40,239
Dave Krieg 38,147
Boomer Esiason 37,920
Donovan McNabb 37,276
Jim Kelly 35,467
Jim Everett 34,837
Jim Hart 34,665
Matt Hasselbeck* 34,517
Steve DeBerg 34,241
John Hadl 33,503
Phil Simms 33,462
Steve Young 33,124
Troy Aikman 32,942
Ken Anderson 32,838
Kurt Warner 32,344
Sonny Jurgensen 32,224
John Brodie 32,162
Eli Manning* 32,339M
Mark Brunell 32,072
Steve McNair 31,304
Norm Snead 30,797
Carson Palmer* 30,040
Ben Roethlisberger* 30,035
*Active Player

THAT'S COMEBACK #14 FOR CARSON

• Palmer entered the 2013 season with 13 career wins in which he has led his team back from a fourth quarter deficit, and he got #14 and his first with the Cardinals after he led the team back from a 21-16 hole in the final quarter against the Lions on Sunday. Arizona outscored Detroit 9-0 in the fourth quarter to earn the victory.

Palmer's Career 4^th Quarter Comeback Victories

Opponent ` Deficit Final
9/15/13 vs. Detroit 16-21 25-21
10/21/12 vs. Jacksonville 13-20 26-23 (OT)
9/23/12 vs. Pittsburgh 21-31 34-31
9/19/10 vs. Baltimore 9-10 15-10
10/11/09 @ Baltimore 10-14 17-14
10/4/09 @ Cleveland 14-20 23-20 (OT)
9/27/09 vs. Pittsburgh 9-20 23-2010/2
1/07 vs. NY Jets 17-23 38-31
9/10/07 vs. Baltimore 19-20 27-2010
22/06 vs. Carolina 10-14 17-14
9/24/06 @ Pittsburgh 14-17 28-20
10/16/05 @ Tennessee 17-20 31-23
12/5/04 @ Baltimore 3-20 27-26
11/28/04 vs. Cleveland 44-48 58-48

FROM PRACTICE SQUAD TO GAME BALL RECIPIENT

• WR Kerry Taylor began the week on the Cardinals practice squad but ended it by receiving a game ball from head coach Bruce Arians for his efforts against the Lions on Sunday. Promoted to the active roster on Saturday (9/14), the Chandler, AZ native and former Sun Devil caught three passes for 40 yards in his first career regular season NFL action.

Taylor's Reception Breakdown

• 17-yard reception from CB Patrick Peterson on a reverse pass. The play was Peterson's first career pass attempt and Taylor's first career reception.
• 16-yard completion for QB Carson Palmer in the third quarter, which put Palmer over 30,000 passing yards for his career.
• 7-yard reception from Palmer later on the same drive to pick up a first down, a drive that ended with a K Jay Feely 33-yard FG.

BETHEL'S BIG BLOCK

• With the Cardinals trailing 21-19 in the fourth quarter, CB Justin Bethel made one of the game's biggest plays, coming off the edge to block a 47-yard FG attempt by Lions K David Akers that kept the Cardinals within two points. It was the first blocked FG attempt of Bethel's career but his second standout play on special teams in the last four games. In Week 16 of the 2012 season vs. Chicago, Bethel returned a blocked FG 82 yards for a TD.
• Dating back to 2008, it was the Cardinals 15^th blocked FGA, the highest total in the NFL during that span.

Most Blocked FG Attempts (2008-present)

Block Team
15 Arizona
10 Seattle
8 Buffalo
6 Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Minnesota

• Arizona has blocked 17 total kicks (FG, Punt, PAT) dating back to 2008, which also ranks as highest total in the NFL.

Most Blocked Kicks (FG, PAT, Punt) - 2008-2012

Block Team Type

17 Arizona FG (15), Punt (2)
15 Seattle FG (10), Punt (4), PAT
13 Chicago FG (6), PAT (4), Punt (3)
12 Tampa Bay Punt (6), PAT (3), FG (3)10 NY Giants, Buffalo and Oakland tied

• Dating back to 2011, it marked the third block of a David Akers FG attempt for the Cardinals. Arizona blocked two Akers FG attempts on 11/20/11 at San Francisco when he was with the 49ers. Dating back to 2011, Akers has connected on just 10 of 18 FG attempts (55.6%) against the Cardinals.

ELLINGTON PROVIDES A SPARK

• Rookie RB Andre Ellington-the Cardinals second pick in the sixth round (187^th overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Clemson-showed his ability to make plays as both a receiver and a runner in Arizona's win on Sunday. Ellington scored the Cardinals first TD on a 36-yard reception from Carson Palmer in the second quarter. He finished the day with two receptions for 42 yards. On the ground, Ellington piled up 20 yards on four attempts, including a long run of 16 yards on the Cardinals eventual game-winning TD drive in the fourth quarter.
• With a 36-yard reception and a 16-yard run, Ellington had the Cardinals longest reception and rushing play from scrimmage for the game.
• Of Ellington's six touches for the game, four went for first downs, including the 36-yard TD reception. Ellington has seven total touches this season, five of which have resulted in first downs.
• During his four seasons (58 games) at Clemson, Ellington recorded two receiving TDs. He has one in two games with the Cardinals.

MATHIEU CONTINUES TO SHINE

• Through his first two career games, S Tyrann Mathieu-the Cardinals third round selection (69^th overall) in the 2013 NFL Draft-has lived up to his billing when it comes to making big plays. In Week 1 it was his TD-saving forced fumble against the Rams and on Sunday it was his fourth down tackle on WR Nate Burleson that left the Lions one-yard short of a first down, ending the game and sealing the Cards 25-21 victory.
• Making his first career start on Sunday, Mathieu finished the game with six tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass defensed. Through two games, the former LSU standout has totaled 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, two passes defensed and a forced fumble.

FOUR MORE FOR ZASTUDIL

• After establishing an NFL single-season record with 46 punts landing inside the 20-yard line in 2012, P Dave Zastudil has landed seven of his nine punts inside the 20 through two games this season-including four of five punts against the Lions on Sunday.
  
  

Below is a look where the Lions began their five drives that followed Zastudil punts on Sunday:

DET 6
DET 7
DET 21
DET 6
DET 8

• The Lions average starting position following a Zastudil punt was inside their own 10-yard line (9.6).
• Through the first two games, Arizona's opponents have returned just four punts for a total of three yards, with their 0.8-yard return average ranking as the second-lowest in the NFL behind Cincinnati (0.5 avg.).
• It is largely due to Zastudil's punting so far this season that opponents have started drives deep inside their own territory. Of the 23 series for Arizona opponents this season, nine have started inside their own 20-yard line, tied for the second best mark in the NFL behind only Kansas City (11 of 27). The Cardinals defense has recorded three takeaways on those possessions, which trails only New England (4).

A CAREER DAY FOR DRAY

• The start of the 2013 season has seen a big uptick in production for fourth-year TE Jim Dray. During his first three seasons combined (39 games), Dray totaled seven receptions for 87 yards. Through two games this season, the Stanford alum recorded seven receptions for 52 yards. Against the Lions on Sunday, Dray hauled in career-highs in receptions (5) and receiving yards (31) in a single game. His five receptions were more than he had in his previous two seasons combined (4 in 23 games).

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM THE GAME

• Rookie safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Tony Jefferson both made their first career starts against the Lions.
• After posting 24 first downs against the Lions on Sunday, the Cardinals totaled 49 first downs through the first two games this season. That is eight more than the team posted in any two consecutive games in 2012 (41). Arizona's 49 first downs are tied with the NY Giants for third-most in the NFL behind only Houston and Green Bay (both with 51). In 2012, the Cardinals ranked 32^nd in the NFL averaging 15.4 first downs per game.
• K Jay Feely connected on all four FG attempts (47, 23, 43 and 33 yards) and his lone PAT against the Lions on Sunday.
• RB Rashard Mendenhall totaled 15 attempts for 66 yards (4.4 avg.) against Detroit, including a 1-yard TD run with just under two minutes remaining that proved to be the game winner. Mendenhall also added 28 receiving yards on two receptions.
• For Mendenhall, it marks his eighth career game (postseason included) with at least 65 rushing yards and 25 receiving yards. In those eight games, his teams have a 7-1 record and have won six straight.
• With his second quarter sack of Matthew Stafford, DE Calais Campbell now has a sack in four consecutive home games. He has four sacks in his last five games overall.