The Cardinals trailed 14-6 before scoring three touchdowns in eight plays from scrimmage. It took all of 1:42 for Arizona to take a 28-14 lead and for things to fall apart for the Saints.
Andy Dalton threw three first-half interceptions, two returned for Cardinals touchdowns and another in the end zone to stop a drive in the red zone. He was 9-of-15 for 177 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
His 53-yard touchdown throw to rookie Rashid Shaheed and 3-yard toss to Taysom Hill, sandwiched between an Antonio Hamilton pick of Dalton in the end zone on third-and-eight from the Arizona 10 on the Saints’ second drive, got the Saints off to a promising start.
But Cardinals running back Keaontay Ingram scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:28 remaining. Officials missed a low block on Corey Clement on the play, which should have resulted in a 15-yard penalty on the Cardinals.
The touchdown came after Arizona’s third timeout of the half when Murray had an animated exchange with coach Kliff Kingsbury on the sideline. DeAndre Hopkins put his arm around Murray, calming him down. Murray had converted a fourth-and-one at the New Orleans 4 with a 2-yard run.
The Cardinals converted on the two-point conversion, getting a defensive holding on Chris Harris on an incompletion, and then a favorable if lengthy review on Eno Benjamin’s run. Benjamin lost control of the ball just as he was crossing the plane. It was ruled a two-point play.
On the Saints’ second play on the ensuing possession, Marquez Callaway let a perfectly placed pass bounce off him and into the hands of Marco Wilson. He returned it 38 yards to the end zone with 1:50 left. Rodrigo Blankenship missed the extra point, leaving Arizona with a 20-14 lead.
But the Cardinals weren’t done, because the Saints weren’t done melting down.
Isaiah Simmons picked Dalton and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown with 46 seconds left in the first half. Murray threw a pass to Zach Ertz for the two-point conversion and a 28-14 lead.
Murray is 10-of-13 for 96 yards and has rushed for 27 yards on five carries. Hopkins has four receptions for 37 yards in his 2022 debut after a six-game suspension.
