Patrick Peterson’s return to the desert headlined the Arizona Cardinals Week 2 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Many Cardinals fans wanted to see Peterson exposed; his relationship with the fanbase soured after his departure. Much to the delight of the Red Sea, Peterson was featured prominently. Kyler Murray had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 when throwing in his direction. K1 hit both DeAndre Hopkins and Rondale Moore for touchdowns, with Peterson in coverage on both occasions. Ultimately, the Cardinals new faces got the upper hand over their former cornerstone star and left their home opener victorious.
The Cardinals team that awaited Peterson in Arizona was unrecognizable, the next generation of rookie and veteran talent in The Valley was on full display. Arizona demonstrated the depth of their armory in an exciting offensive performance that saw the team improve to 2-0. Let’s take a look at how the Cardinals offense outgunned the Vikings in Week 2.
Arizona Cardinals New Faces Excel Against Minnesota Vikings
Spreading The Ball Around to Cardinals New Faces
Hopkins is Murray’s favorite target. He looks for him early and often. Against Minnesota, three of Hopkins’s four receptions for the day came on a single drive, which culminated in a Hopkins touchdown on Peterson which was his last reception of the game.
It was only a matter of time before defenses bracketed Hopkins. Last season, the Cardinals offense stalled when opposing defenses rolled coverage to him. The supporting cast didn’t carry the load and the Cardinals lost some of their potency. Yet, in 2021, it’s a very different story.
With Hopkins taken away, Murray leaned on the rest of the wide receiver corps. New faces, veteran A.J. Green and rookie Moore tallied their first Cardinals scores on Sunday. Moore, in particular, had a breakout performance. He led the game in yardage with 114 yards on seven receptions and was Murray’s favorite target. With Kliff Kingsbury continuing to exploit his lateral ability, Moore’s offensive contribution will only grow from his Sunday performance.
Maximum Effort from Maxx Williams
Arizona’s supposed need at tight end is only perhaps overshadowed by their woes at cornerback. The departure of Dan Arnold this past off-season left the team without a true receiving tight end. This off-season, the Cardinals were left with signing a blocking tight end in Maxx Williams.
On Sunday, Williams repaid the organization’s faith in him. Seemingly a different player, Williams, the receiver, came to play on Sunday and posted 94 yards on seven receptions, second only to Moore in the game. He caught tipped passes and contributed RAC yardage in what was a notable performance for the third-year Cardinal. His ability to attack the seam against Minnesota’s two-deep safety formations was integral in Arizona’s ability to extend drives on offense. He may not solve all of Arizona’s issues at tight end, and Cardinals fans shouldn’t expect consistent 90-yard performances out of their tight end, but Maxx Williams put in a performance on Sunday that was perhaps the best of his time in Arizona.
The Right Side of the Upright
Like several teams, the Cardinals have had a torrid time in the kicking game recently. Kicker Zane Gonzalez missed clutch kicks against the Patriots and Dolphins that cost Arizona their season in 2020. It also cost Gonzalez his job with the Cardinals, who added Matt Prater after the season.
Ultimately, the game was won and lost on special teams. Vikings kicker Greg Joseph was at the center of Minnesota’s poor kicking performance, missing both an early PAT that gave Arizona the lead and then missing a game-winning field goal to close out the game.
Unlike his counterpart, Prater had a perfect day on Sunday. The oldest of Arizona’s new faces, he converted two field goals, in addition to four PATs in a performance that included a record-setting 62-yard field goal. Finally, it seems like the Cardinals have found a kicker that is not only consistent but also kicks historic field goals in clutch moments.
The offensive shootout expected in Week 1 came this week against Minnesota. Gunslinger Murray and the rest of the Cardinals offense successfully outdueled the Vikings. At 2-0, Jacksonville is up next.
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