Patriots @ Cardinals
Final Score: Cardinals 30, Patriots 17
Senior Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1.bsky.social on Bluesky)
The Arizona Cardinals comfortably handled a flawed New England Patriots outfit to move to move to .500 and stay in touch for a playoff berth in the tightly contested NFC West. Piggybacking off another impressive rushing performance from James Conner, Jonathan Gannon‘s plucky Cardinals raced into a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter thanks to a perfectly executed drive off the back of a Drake Maye interception to settle the encounter as a contest. Conner hit paydirt twice and dominated in between the tackles as quarterback Kyler Murray once again struggled to find a consistent rhythm in the passing game. Maye provided the odd spark and showed enough improvement for New England fans to feel excited about a better future ahead with their franchise signal-caller.
Three Up
- James Conner – a dominant performance from the veteran running back, who has been a fantasy monster this season with this being his eighth 100+ scrimmage yard performance this season – his two rushing scores were his first since Week 10
- Trey McBride – one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL this season, McBride again excelled through volume, catching nine of his 10 targets for 87 yards. The annoying thing is that he is still yet to catch a touchdown pass this season
- Drake Maye – maybe not right now for fantasy production, but Maye is looking like the real deal going forward at the quarterback position – a smattering of elite throws combined with dual-threat capabilities and a rushing score in the red zone all point the trending arrow up
Three Down
- Rhamondre Stevenson – the Patriots’ rushing offense has been miserable this season, and Stevenson is just aint cutting it as the lead back – he is without a rushing score in the last five games and has only mustered 100+ rushing yards once this season, way back in Week 1
- Kyler Murray – ouch! A fantasy dud from the Cardinals signal-caller in the first week of the playoffs was not what managers were looking for from a Top12 fantasy QB. Murray posted his third-worst fantasy score of the year in this one
- Marvin Harrison Jr. – it hasn’t been the rookie year that fantasy managers expected from the “generational talent,” who caught just two of his five targets as he continues to struggle to build a unique relationship with Murray
New England Patriots
Quarterback
Drake Maye: 19/23, 202 Yards, TD, INT, 2 Sacks, Fumble | 4 Carries, 14 Yards, TD
A passing touchdown and a rushing score in the fourth quarter when his team was trailing by 20 points ensured that Maye survived this heavy defeat with a mark of respectability after his seventh interception in six weeks condemned any hope the Patriots had early in the fourth quarter. To be honest, it was harsh on Maye as his low pass was tipped up into the air by wideout Kayshon Boutte. Throwing short and extremely conservatively did not help Maye move the offense but left him with a healthy 83% conversion rate. His measly average per attempt and 8.8 yards per completion point more toward play calling problems than Maye’s ability. He did unleash a beautiful deep bomb for 37 yards right into the bread basket of Kendrick Bourne to ignite the offense in the fourth quarter, but that was about as good as it got. The talent is there, but is the coaching up to it? Not on this showing!
Running Back
Rhamondre Stevenson: 13 Carries, 69 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 16 Yards
Pedestrian. It’s the only word for what Stevenson has put on tape this season. Outside of a two-game span midseason where he scored four of his six touchdowns this year, the Patriots lead back has failed to show the burst and ability to break tackles he flashed last season. Pair that with an anemic offense that consistently finds itself playing from behind, and the game situations have also leaned heavily out of his favor. It was the same in this game as the Patriots quickly slipped behind on the scoreboard early in the second half. Backup Antonio Gibson earned a 35% share of the touches after an explosive 29-yard run at the start of the second half that ate into his potential to produce for fantasy managers also. It’s hard to get excited about a merely serviceable back in a poor offense.
Antonio Gibson: 7 Carries, 33 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 31 Yards
Gibson benefited from two catches for 31 yards on the final drive of the game to pad out his stat sheet that hides in ineffectiveness as a consistent runner. Gibson broke off one explosive play but was then bottled up for a further six carries for 4 yards on the ground. He has disappeared into the fantasy wasteland.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Kendrick Bourne: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 44 Yards
Thirty-seven of veteran Bourne’s 44 total yards came on one throw down the right sideline from Maye that was perfectly placed for him to catch in stride. Leading the team in yards is only a good thing when the yards are much higher. Bourne was paid to be this team’s Temu version of a leading receiver, but he’s fallen way short of that valuation this season.
Austin Hooper: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 38 Yards
Two catches on the final drive of the game provided most of forgotten tight end Austin Hooper’s production, but it was enough to place him second in receiving yards on the team. He’s taken a backseat to primary option Hunter Henry in the tight end room, and that doesn’t look like it has changed. This was as uninspiring as it gets.
Hunter Henry: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 25 Yards
Kayshon Boutte: 5 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards
Marcus Jones: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 18 Yards
Demario Douglas: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 11 Yards, TD
After showing promise earlier in the season as a flex option in this offense, Demario Douglas has tailed off significantly in the second half of the season. He did well to stay alive for his quarterback on a play near the goal line on the penultimate drive of the game, catching a flicked ball from Maye for a 3-yard score. It was only his second score of the season. Douglas provides something different for Maye than a traditional receiver, but Offensive Coordinator Alex Van Pelt has failed to realize his potential so far in 2024.
Ja’Lynn Polk: 1 Target
Arizona Cardinals
Quarterback
Kyler Murray: 23/30, 224 Yards | 5 Carries, 11 Yards
Murray did not win this game for his team, in fact, a poor throw that resulted in an interception at a crucial time in the third quarter was ruled out by a roughing the passer penalty that forced the diminutive quarterback from the game for several plays, Clayton Tune deputizing for the drive before Murray re-entered the game after being evaluated for a potential concussion. Even before that hit, Murray struggled to move the ball through the air against an average Patriots secondary, his accuracy and decision-making proving to be his downfall, especially when targeting rookie Harrison Jr. The Cardinals quarterback posted his third-worst fantasy score of the season and failed to throw for a touchdown for only the third time this year. That is not what fantasy managers hoped for in a potentially plus matchup. Murray added just 11 yards on the ground and has failed to provide a dual-threat boost for most of the season.
Clayton Tune: 2/2, 8 Yards | 1 Carry, -1 Yard
Running Back
James Conner: 16 Carries, 110 Yards, 2 TD | 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 28 Yards
The man of the moment, the player of the game, the true fantasy elite presence in this game, thank you, James Conner, for making this worth my while. The power back was on his game from the off, using his lower body strength to break through tackles and fight for yardage at the next level. His 53-yard run at the end of the first quarter set up the Cardinals’ first touchdown and set the tone for a big day on the ground for the former Steelers cancer survivor. His two scores were both red zone carries in which he burst through holes and read his running lanes perfectly. It was the fifth time this year he has posted over 100 yards rushing, and his 30.80 fantasy points (in Yahoo!) was his highest single-game showing of the season. It came at a perfect time for fantasy managers. He caught all his five targets out of the backfield, matching his season-high in single-game receiving touches. Bonus!
Trey Benson: 5 Carries, 22 Yards
Deejay Dallas: 4 Carries, 15 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Trey McBride: 10 Targets, 9 Receptions, 87 Yards
Tight end McBride led the Cardinals’ offense through the air with his fourth straight game of double-digit targets. Working over the middle of the field, he consistently worked to be available for his quarterback as a safety blanket. On at least three occasions in the contest, it took multiple Patriots defenders to haul the big unit down as he plowed forward for extra yards after contact. Amazingly, McBride sits third in fantasy production for tight ends this year without catching a touchdown pass. Fantasy managers will hope that changes going into the final few games of the fantasy season. The Cardinals certainly need him with a place in the NFC playoffs in their grasp.
Greg Dortch: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 60 Yards, Fumble | 1 Carry, 6 Yards
Lucky boy, Greg! Dortch fumbled the ball into the end zone on a red zone carry at the end of the first quarter but breathed a sigh of relief as he watched 312-pound offensive tackle Jonah Williams chase the ball and recover it for a touchdown before it slipped out the back of the end zone for a touchback. Dortch has seen his opportunities diminish out of the slot this season, and his 60 total yards in this game saw him post a new season-high. It was mainly due to a nifty catch and run for 39 yards on third-and-long that the Patriots’ defense failed to spot inside the two-minute warning in the first half.
Marvin Harrison Jr.: 6 Targets, 2 Receptions, 32 Yards
It just hasn’t clicked for the rookie wideout in his first season in Arizona. There have been moments of brilliance, and more was expected after four touchdowns in his first four professional appearances. But it seems defenses have figured out a weakness with him in contested situations, and the Patriots manned up tight against him in this contest. The result was just two catches for 32 yards, one being a handsy 14-yard grab late in the second quarter that resulted in the Cardinals adding points before the break. The rookie was marshaled well by standout cornerback Christian Gonzalez, and thus, his fantasy day fell flat.
Michael Wilson: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 9 Yards
Tip Reiman: 3 Targets, 2 Receptions, 8 Yards
Elijah Higgins: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
Zay Jones: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards