2024-10-14 09:20:03
Packers lead Cardinals 24-10 at halftime
The Packers began the second quarter with Love checking at the line of scrimmage and hitting Doubs on a back-shoulder throw that the third-year receiver extended into a 10-yard touchdown to extend Green Bay’s lead to 14-0 with 14:55 left in the first half. The 11-play, 80-yard drive lasted a season-long 6 minutes, 42 seconds.
The Packers forced a second three-and-out with Edgerrin Cooper tackling Trey Benson after a 1-yard gain on second-and-6. Green Bay dialed up an ILB blitz on third down, pressuring Murray into an incompletion.
On second-and-5, Tucker Kraft motions to the right perimeter while fellow tight end Ben Sims came free up the left sideline for a 28-yard gain. Sims had four career catches for 21 yards coming into Sunday.
A 9-yard pass to Kraft moved the ball past midfield. On fourth-and-2 from the Arizona 37, Love threw a perfect ball over the middle to Christian Watson for 22 yards.
Love completed eight straight passes prior to having a third-and-6 pass for Watson broken up in the end zone, but Brayden Narveson made a 36-yard field goal to push the Packers’ lead to 17-0 with 6:32 left in the first half.
Jaire Alexander broke up a slant pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. on first down. Harrison was slow to get up after the play, though he walked off under his own power. Arizona went three-and-out and punted. Reed initially fumbled during his return but there were off-setting penalties on board teams, including the Cardinals being whistled for a horse-collar tackle.
Keisean Nixon handled the next punt and registered a career-long 39-yard return to the Arizona 44. On the first play of the drive, Watson gained separation on a post and Love found him for a 44-yard TD to extend Green Bay’s lead to 24-0 with 4:32 left in the first half.
Penalties hurt the Packers on the Cardinals’ next possession, with Jaire Alexander being flagged for unnecessary roughness after a Murray scramble and Nixon getting an illegal hands to the face penalty at the end of an 8-yard Conner run.
Arizona was called for a holding penalty after a 2-yard Conner run, as the two-minute warning beckoned.
The Cardinals got on the board with an 18-yard TD pass to Wilson, cutting the deficit to 24-7 with 1:56 left in the first half.
Green Bay tried to mount a late drive but Bo Melton slipped out of the slot and Sean Murphy-Bunting picked off Love at the Packers’ 45. Arizona rebounded from a holding penalty on the first play of the series to mount a scoring drive, capped by a Chad Ryland 38-yard field goal to pull Arizona back within two scores, 24-10.
