GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Marco Wilson and Isaiah Simmons scored touchdowns on two pick-6s late in the first half and used that stunning momentum shift to lift the Arizona Cardinals over the New Orleans Saints 42-34 on Thursday night.
The Cardinals (3-4) snapped an eight-game home streak that was the franchise’s longest since 1958.
The game was tied at 14 when Saints quarterback Andy Dalton threw game-changing interceptions on back-to-back drives barely a minute apart. The first wasn’t necessarily his fault, but the second was.
The first came when Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway hit a potential catch. Wilson was there to pluck it out of the air, then sprinted 38 yards to the end zone, leaping over the goal line for a 20-14 lead.
The second came when Dalton attempted a throw over the middle. Simmons caught the pass with one hand, then ran 56 yards down the right sideline for the score. The Cardinals crowd — which hadn’t won since Oct. 24 last season against the Texans — roared its approval.
From there, the Cardinals were in control. The Saints trailed 28-17 early in the third, but Kyler Murray found Greg Dortch for a 5-yard touchdown to put Arizona ahead 35-17.
Murray completed 20 of 29 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown.
New Orleans (2-5) has lost five of its last six games. Dalton threw for 361 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Saints led 7-3 late in the first quarter and looked like they would score another touchdown, but Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton intercepted Dalton’s pass in the end zone.
New Orleans pushed ahead 14-6 in the second on a 3-yard touchdown pass to Taysom Hill. The touchdown was set up by a 64-yard catch by running back Kevin White, who barely stayed in the game as he raced down the left sideline to the Arizona 3-yard line. Bijeli was elevated to the active roster from the pregame practice squad.
Arizona rookie Keaontay Ingram ran for a 2-yard touchdown late in the second quarter, and Eno Benjamin converted a 2-pointer to tie the game at 14.
HAPPY HOP
The Cardinals welcomed back three-time All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who was suspended for the first six games of the season after violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
Hopkins finished with 10 catches for 102 yards.
Newly acquired receiver Robbie Anderson – who has been with the team just three days since being acquired in a trade with the Panthers – has also been active and has been on the field several times. He did not record a catch.
BAD COMPANY
Dalton became just the fourth quarterback since 2010 to throw two first-half pick-sixes. The others are Josh Rosen, Tony Romo and Colin Kaepernick.
ANGRY KYLER
Murray and Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury had a bit of an altercation at the end of the first half that was caught on camera.
Whatever was said, it worked. The Cardinals were trailing 14-6 before the altercation and led 28-14 minutes later.
GOOD GAME, ROOK
Dalton — starting his fourth straight game for the injured Jameis Winston — had a beautiful long throw on the first drive, connecting with rookie Rasheed Shahid for a 53-yard touchdown.
Shaheed was an undrafted free agent who made a big impact for the second straight week with his early touchdown run.
He was brought up from the practice squad before last week’s game against the Bengals and showed incredible speed when he took the ball on a streak 44 yards for a touchdown in his first NFL offensive game.
INJURIES
Saints: Both starting CBs Marshon Lattimore (abdomen) and Paulson Adebo (knee) were inactive. So started LG Andrus Peat (chest), WR Jarvis Landry (ankle), WR Michael Thomas (foot) and TE Adam Trautman (ankle). … CB Bradley Roby (ankle) was carted off the field in the first quarter.
Cardinals: LB Dennis Gardeck (ankle), K Matt Prater (hip), RB James Conner (ribs), C Rodney Hudson (knee) and RB Darrel Williams (knee) were inactive. … DL Rashard Lawrence (shoulder) was carted off the field in the first quarter.
NEXT
Saints: Host Raiders on Oct. 30.
Cardinals: Travel to face the Vikings on Oct. 30.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/BPA2EY464BFLTA2IOLQR5WCVX4.PNG)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/X4QVYNBY6JGLXNGNDEEK5DU3A4.jpg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/GTVR42SJZZHNDL46O2PGNP7NLY.png)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/F7DJFZO5JRC5LPIJFPMY63KC6E.jpeg)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/QNO6VJQUFNAVTPONXE7N225BHE.PNG)
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/VYKQTOFLW5FBHF4O6KJ42ZAS4Y.jpg)