DeAndre Hopkins, defense lead Arizona Cardinals to home victory against New Orleans Saints
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals finally won at State Farm Stadium.
The Cardinals beat the New Orleans Saints, 42-34, on Thursday night to snap an eight-game losing streak at home. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray passed for 204 yards and a touchdown in the win.
Arizona called a timeout with 2:32 on the clock in the second quarter down 14-6. Everything went right for the Cardinals the next two-and-a-half minutes.
Cardinals RB Keaontay Ingram scored a 2-yard touchdown on the first play after the timeout. Then Saints quarterback Andy Dalton threw pick-sixes on consecutive drives that changed the game. The Cardinals flew out to a 28-14 lead in the first half and were able to hold off the Saints in the second half to get their third win of the season.
The victory was Arizona’s first home win since Oct. 24, 2021.
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Here’s what we learned in the Cardinals-Saints tilt on Thursday night:
Cardinals get two pick-sixes in less than two minutes
Cornerback Marco Wilson’s first career interception went the distance.
Dalton threw an accurate pass to WR Marquez Callaway that deflected off his hands right into Wilson’s hands. Wilson took the interception and returned it for a 38-yard touchdown.
after a six-game suspension, Hopkins was the star the Cardinals offense desperately needed.
Hopkins produced a team-high 10 catches for 103 yards. He was targeted 14 times.
“His energy. Obviously he’s as talented as ever. Just having him out there, it didn’t look like he had any rust,” Murray said of Hopkins. “He knocked if off real quick if he had any. His communication, his feel for the game, all of that you can’t put a price tag on it.”
Arizona’s offense flows much better with Hopkins in the lineup. He’s the true No. 1 wide receiver the team has been missing for six games. It’s not a coincidence the Cardinals as a team scored a season-high 42 points in his debut.
“I was just trying to go out and do whatever I needed to do,” Hopkins said postgame. “For me it’s winning. I don’t care where I’m at. I just want to be able to help my team win.”
Cardinals defense takes football away
The Cardinals had three interceptions in the first half. Two of them were pick-sixes.
Wilson, Simmons and Antonio Hamilton all had interceptions.
“The defense did a great job there. (Hamilton) made a great play in the end zone to keep them out and those back-to-back (interceptions) really turned our tide for the first time all season,” Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “We could really play with a lead and lean on it. It definitely helped.”
The Cardinals had two total interceptions entering Week 7. They had three in one night.
Quarterback controversy in New Orleans?
Dalton got the start Thursday night, but he didn’t do anything to give the Saints confidence going forward. Jameis Winston hasn’t played since Week 3 due to back and ankle injuries, but he was active in Week 7. Saints coach Dennis Allen will probably want to reevaluate the quarterback position following Thursday’s game.
Dalton had 361 yards passing, four touchdowns and three interceptions in the loss.
Saints’ Rashid Shaheed’s touchdown-per-touch average is stellar
Rashid Shaheed couldn’t ask for a better start to his NFL career. The Saints’ undrafted rookie wide receiver had a 44-yard touchdown run on his very first career touch. His second touch came on Thursday night, and it was a 53-yard touchdown catch.
The Weber State product’s first two career touches resulted in touchdowns.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TheTylerDragon.