VINTAGE EMMITT - CARDINALS GROUND GAME SHOWS UP IN BLOWOUT
Unlike last week, Emmitt Smith found a gaping hole in the opponent's defense. This 42 yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave Arizona a 17-7 lead.
FIRST QUARTER
ARZ- Drew Henson 18 yard pass to Anquan Boldin (Neil Rackers kick)
NO- Aaron Brooks 5 yard pass to Boo Williams (John Carney kick)
SECOND QUARTER
ARZ- Neil Rackers 28 yard field goal
ARZ- Emmitt Smith 42 yard run (Neil Rackers kick)
ARZ- Neil Rackers 22 yard field goal
THIRD QUARTER
ARZ- Drew Henson 43 yard pass to Anquan Boldin (Neil Rackers kick)
ARZ- Emmitt Smith 8 yard run (Neil Rackers kick)
ARZ- Dexter Jackson 65 yard interception return (Neil Rackers kick)
FOURTH QUARTER
ARZ- Neil Rackers 21 yard field goal
NO- Aaron Brooks 80 yard pass to Donte' Stallworth (John Carney kick)
GLENDALE, AZ (AP)- After an awful performance by the ground game last week at Atlanta, the Cardinals got a boost from an all-time great. Emmitt Smith had 151 yards and two touchdowns and Erik Bickerstaff added 85 yards in Arizona's 44-14 blowout win over the hapless New Orleans Saints. Drew Henson, who only threw 19 passes compared to the 58 he threw last week, got things going with two throws to Larry Fitzgerald. Smith then carried the ball three times for 13 yards before Henson found Anquan Boldin for an 18 yard touchdown. Aaron Brooks led the Saints back down the field on a nine play drive which ended in a touchdown pass to Boo Williams.
Arizona then went on a fifteen play drive that ended in a Neil Rackers field goal to put them up 10-7 in the second quarter. A three and out by New Orleans was proceeded by four runs by Bickerstaff, followed by a 42 yard touchdown by Smith. Rackers tacked another field goal on the board before halftime. Smith carried the load on the first drive of the second half, carrying it five straight times before Henson found a wide open Boldin for a 42 yard touchdown. Brooks then threw an interception on the next drive to Coby Reinhart and Smith just needed two carries to find paydirt. Back-to-back three and outs gave the Saints the ball back late in the third. Brooks threw the ball towards Joe Horn when Dexter Jackson jumped it perfectly and ran back the mistake 65 yards for a touchdown. The Arizona secondary was great again, forcing Brooks into two interceptions and a 34% completion percentage. The surprising Cardinals go to 3-1 and will head to the Bay Area to face the San Francisco 49ers.
PASSING
NO- Aaron Brooks (10-29, 202 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT) | ARZ- Drew Henson (12-19, 175 yards, 2 TD)
RUSHING
NO- Deuce McAllister (9 carries, 21 yards), Sam Gash (3 carries, 11 yards) | ARZ- Emmitt Smith (23 carries, 151 yards, 2 TD), Erik Bickerstaff (19 carries, 85 yards)
RECEIVING
NO- Donte' Stallworth (3 catches, 110 yards, 1 TD), Joe Horn (3 catches, 38 yards), Boo Williams (2 catches, 9 yards, 1 TD) | ARZ- Larry Fitzgerald (6 catches, 87 yards), Anquan Boldin (4 catches, 71 yards, 2 TD), Freddie Jones (2 catches, 17 yards)
TACKLES
NO- Tebucky Jones (11), Darrin Smith (10), Selvin Hodge (6) | ARZ- Dexter Jackson (4), Wendell Bryant (3), Duane Starks (2)
SACKS
ARZ- Calvin Pace (1.5), Russell Davis (1.5), Bert Berry
INTERCEPTIONS
ARZ- Jackson, Coby Reinhart
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