Everything That Went Right/Wrong in Cardinals' Finale vs 49ers
The 2022 season is over for the Arizona Cardinals, but they of course had to end it in style with a 38-13 blowout loss to the NFC West division champion San Francisco 49ers.
As per usual, most of the game went wrong for the good guys, as the offense struggled outside of one splash play and the defense got run over. Nothing we haven't seen all year long.
Of course, at least a couple of things went right for the Cardinals that give us hope moving forward. For the final time this season, let's look at everything that went right and wrong for the Cardinals during their loss to the 49ers in the 2022 season finale.
What went right
A finale worthy of a Hall of Famer
Week 18 of the 2022 season marked the final game in the illustrious career of future Hall of Fame defensive end J.J. Watt. In his 12-year career, Watt accumulated 114.5 sacks and 586 tackles. Watt also accumulated numerous accolades, including three Defensive Player of the Year awards and five First-Team All-Pro selections.
During his final game against the 49ers, Watt took down quarterback Brock Purdy twice and recorded five total tackles, three for a loss. Watt also had a signature pass deflection and was an overall terror on the field for 60 full minutes. Purdy won't soon forget about the day he played Watt.
Watt ends his final pro season with the Cardinals with 39 tackles and 12.5 sacks. With any luck, Watt can make a Pro Bowl alternate and get the honor one last time for a year where he should've been selected regardless. Either way, salute to one of the GOATs, and what a way to go out!
Not much else...
Honestly, this game will blend into every other game from the 2022 season. It was miserable to watch and no one would've blamed you if you turned on Red Zone instead of submitting yourself to this week's game.
There was the crazy trick play touchdown pass to A.J. Green to start the game and Corey Clement scored a tough touchdown on the ground. The defense recorded four sacks on Purdy including one from rookie Cameron Thomas and one from Isaiah Simmons, the latter of whom played safety today in place of Budda Baker.
Trey McBride also had a solid day for what it's worth, hauling in all three of his targets for 41 yards.
Other than that, this was overall a game to forget and move on from.
What went wrong
Just about everything
This was an ugly game from start to finish for the Cardinals.
David Blough committed three turnovers before exiting the game for concussion protocol. Trace McSorley entered the game and proceeded to go 6/9 passing for just 29 yards and an interception. Cardinals quarterbacks were also sacked three times during this game. The more things change, the more they stay the same, I suppose.
The run game wasn't much better with Clement leading the team with just 23 yards and a team average of 3.1 YPC. If you subtract the 77-yard trick play touchdown to Green, the passing game accumulated just 132 yards.
Defensively, the four sacks will be overlooked by the fat 38 points hanged on them. Purdy threw three touchdown passes and the ground game tallied 149 yards and two touchdowns. That kind of performance will lose you 99% of your games.
Cheers to the offseason that we've so long waited for and here's to a brighter future for the Cardinals that we all deserve!
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