Thursday night football was definitely a game of old vs. new. Kyler Murray, an up and coming QB for the Arizona Cardinals, destined for an MVP consideration this season, and Aaron Rodgers, the perennial favorite every year for a deep play off run and MVP consideration.
The matchup was clearly one for the ages with 6-1 Green Bay visiting the 7-0 Arizona Cardinals.
The game…came down to one play.
The Set Up
The play was 2nd and Goal from about the 4 yard line. Cardinals have the ball and come out in a Trips formation to the left and single receiver right. That single receiver is A.J. Green. Murray is in shotgun formation with Chase Edmonds as the lone RB.
The Snap
The snap is made and Murray stares down Green who is likely his first read in the progression considering the one on one coverage. Rasul Douglas, DB for Green Bay is matched up in a press man coverage.
After the snap, the trips formation sends the outside receiver on a fade to the corner. The middle reciever runs a inside dig, and the inside receiver runs a cross just across the goal line. Green Bay is in a match up man press coverage.
The Packers defense rushes 7 with a delayed S blitz. Arizona’s line held up well against the blitz giving Murray enough time for progression reads. Chase Edmonds provided a chip block to the late S blitz, which by that time, the ball was out to A.J. Green.
The Throw
The throw and route looked to be a designed back shoulder fade. At least, that is where Murray placed the ball. Unfortunately, A.J. Green almost looked as if he was going to engage in a block against Douglas, but the ball was on his back shoulder, and Douglas was able to tip the ball and follow to gain control before heading out of bounds.
The focus of Douglas to maintain his vision on the location of the ball, allowed him to swim move past Green, who was looking around in limbo, and catch the ball, dancing 2 feet in bounds, then heading out of bounds in the endzone, which is ruled a touchback.
Cardinal Rule
What does this mean for the Cardinals? It’s a conference loss to a very good team. A team that was uncertain on their QB future this off season, and one that seems to have put that issue behind him for now. But the Packers played big time ball as only the Packers could.
The Cardinals merely made a tiny mistake, one that could define their season.