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The Week 11 game at home against the Detroit Lions was the first game the Arizona Cardinals played following quarterback Carson Palmer's season-ending knee injury. With Drew Stanton and the defense rallying the Cards to a 31-14 win over the Rams, Stanton would get the start against the Lions.
What happened:
Stanton connected with Michael Floyd twice in the first quarter to give the Cardinals a 14-0 lead. Detroit got two first half field goals and that was it. It was a game dominated by defense.
What went right:
Stanton and Floyd worked early. The two catches were his only two of the game, but Floyd caught both touchdown passes to account for all the points the Cardinals would score.
The defense was dominant, allowing only 262 yards of total offense. They sacked Matthew Stafford four times. They picked him off once and forced six punts.
Stanton threw for 306 yards, a career high.
Calvin Johnson was held to give catches and 59 yards.
What went wrong:
The running game was non-existent. Arizona mustered only 46 total yards in the running game. It was against one of the best defensive lines in football, but 1.8 yards per carry won't get you many wins.
Stanton was intercepted twice.
The offense gained 177 yards in the first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. They only gained 175 yards the rest of the way. It was indicative of how the offense would go for the rest of the season.
The defense didn't really stop Joique Bell, who gained 85 yards on 14 carries. They just didn't give him the ball enough.
What we learned:
We learned the Cardinals could win tough games with little offense. Stanton could make big plays, but the offense was stagnant outside of those plays.
The win would get Arizona to 9-1 on the season, but the offensive struggles were a foreshadowing of what was to come.