Cardinals come up short once again going with 4th QB in 4 months

ATLANTA (AP) — For the 1st time in 3 years, David Blough trotted on the industry as a commencing quarterback in the NFL.

His initially victory will have to wait.

Blough did a commendable job on brief detect foremost the Arizona offense, but the banged-up Cardinals lost their sixth in a row when Younghoe Koo kicked a chip-shot industry target on the previous enjoy of the sport to give the Atlanta Falcons a 20-19 victory Sunday.

It was a meaningless match in the standings, with both of those groups eliminated from the playoffs.

But it confident intended a large amount to Blough.

The 27-calendar year-old Texan, who signed with the Cardinals (4-12) about two weeks back, wound up remaining Arizona’s fourth starting up QB in 4 weeks with starter Kyler Murray out for the period and Colt McCoy having difficulties with concussion indications.

Blough finished 24 of 40 for 222 yards, like a 4-lawn touchdown to Trey McBride, and the Cardinals had a shot at their very first victory since Nov. 13 when Matt Prater booted a 57-lawn field purpose with 4:57 remaining.

Arizona under no circumstances received the ball back. The Falcons (6-10) drove almost the length of the discipline, draining the clock in advance of Koo booted it by way of from 21 yards as time expired.

“I’m the fourth quarterback in 4 months. I get it. It’s not an ideal circumstance. It’s not best for anyone,” Blough reported. “I never know what next 7 days holds.”

Undrafted out of Purdue, Blough wound up with the Detroit Lions in the course of their woeful 2019 year. He got a chance to commence the closing 5 game titles immediately after Matthew Stafford was injured.

The Lions lost them all to shut out a 3-12-1 marketing campaign, with Blough finishing 54% of his passes for 984 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions.

It seemed that would be his only likelihood.

Blough played briefly in two games over the past two seasons and was toiling on Minnesota’s exercise squad when the Cardinals signed him on Dec. 14, shortly just after Murray was misplaced for the season with a knee injuries.

Blough immediately worked his way up the depth chart.

Tale carries on

McCoy went out the subsequent 7 days with a head harm, supplying way to Trace McSorley. After a 19-16 reduction to Tampa Bay on Christmas Day, the Cardinals decided to go with quarterback No. 4 on New Year’s Working day.

“I started five online games in Detroit, and they didn’t go the way I would’ve appreciated them to,” Blough mentioned. “I’m just thankful for an opportunity simply because they don’t come around every working day in this league.”

Still, the end result was a common a single for Arizona and embattled coach Kliff Kingsbury, whose roster has been ravaged by accidents.

For the fifth time in the last 6 online games, the Cardinals unsuccessful to score 20 factors. They experienced a good deal of chances at the Falcons stop of the subject, but wound up settling for 4 industry goals. Prater missed an additional check out from 43 yards.

“It’s irritating. You want to get,” Blough reported. “We didn’t do enough, experienced to settle for as well a lot of area aims and at the conclusion of the working day, which is on me and the shoulders of the offense.”

Kingsbury was appreciative of the hard work.

“Guys out there, just studying the procedure, haven’t gotten a ton of reps all period and they’re out there striving to compete and get video games,” the mentor stated.

The Cardinals will have a single extra likelihood to send out longtime defensive stalwart J.J. Watt out with a gain in the season finale at San Francisco.

The three-time NFL defensive participant of the 12 months surprised practically absolutely everyone by saying his impending retirement just after Arizona’s final home game.

Watt experienced a sack in opposition to the Falcons, pushing him to 10 1/2 for the year — his very first double-figure sacks time given that 2018. He also had a few of hits on Falcons rookie QB Desmond Ridder.

Watt understands he is done just after following 7 days.

Kingsbury could be facing the similar prospect after a depressing season.

The coach is 28-36-1 in four seasons as the Cardinals coach, with only a solitary a single-and-performed playoff look.

“You want to get,” KIngsbury mentioned. “As a staff members, you can not say enough about guys enjoying their tails off hoping to earn. Preserving us in online games. It’s kind of been the tale of the season, not becoming equipped to end at the conclude.”

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL