Rewind: Arizona Cardinals fall short in loss to Denver Broncos

Live updates from the Week 15 NFL game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos on Dec. 18, 2022. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 2:05 p.m. and will be broadcast by Fox.

It’s final: Broncos top Cardinals 24-15

Arizona got the ball back with 1:48 left to play at their own 3-yard line but things came to a crushing halt after Trace McSorley’s deep pass down the left side line was intercepted by Patrick Surtain – Arizona’s third turnover of the game.

Brett Rypien took two kneels downs and it was over.

The Broncos outgained the Cardinals, 324 yards to 240. Rypien was 21 of 26 for 197 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He was sacked seven times, however, by the Cardinals.

Latavius Murray ran 24 times for a season-high 130 yards and a touchdown. Jerry Jeudy added seven reception for 70 yards for the Broncos, who ran for 170 yards overall as a team.

James Conner finished with 16 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinals, who finished with just 73 rushing yards. DeAndre Hopkins had seven receptions for 60 yards.

The Cardinals dropped to 4-10. The Broncos improved to 4-10.

Final score: Broncos 24, Cardinals 15

Cardinals score TD, can’t get 2-point attempt

Arizona went 78 yards on seven plays as Trace McSorley completed all four of his passes, including a 29-yard to rookie tight end Trey McBride, and James Conner capped the drive with a 1-yard run off right tackle for the touchdown.

DeAndre Hopkins had three receptions during the drive, but when the Cardinals elected to go for the two-point conversion, McSorley’s pass to Hopkins fell incomplete even though Hopkins and the Cardinals complained the receiver was interfered with by safety Kareem Jackson.

The FOX broadcast crew also thought it was blatant pass interference.

Nonetheless, the call didn’t go in the Cardinals’ favor.

Score: Broncos 25, Cardinals 15 (6:01 remaining in the fourth quarter)

Denver gets INT, score another TD

Cardinals quarterback Trace McSorley tried to connect with receiver A.J. Green on third and 8, but Green appeared to stop running his route and the pass was easily intercepted by safety Justin Simmons, who returned the pick 23 yards down to the Cardinals’ 5-yard line.

It was the second interception of the game for Simmons.

Two plays later, Brett Rypien called a play fake, then turned and tossed a 3-yard pass to a wide open Eric Tomlinson and the tight end hauled it on for Denver’s third touchdown of the game.

Score: Broncos 24, Cardinals 9 (92:29 remaining in the fourth quarter)

Broncos add to lead with second rushing TD

The Broncos went 56 yards on six plays, capped by Latavius Murray’s 10-yard touchdown run, extending their lead to 17-9 over the Cardinals.

Running back Marlon Mack had a big 17-yard gain upon turning the left corner to set up Murray’s score. Murray now has 110 rushing yards on 17 carries.

Score: Broncos 17, Cardinals 9 (11:00 remaining in the fourth quarter)

Budda Baker ends Broncos’ drive with INT

Brett Rypien and the Broncos were driving and seemingly on their way to another score, but after going 43 yards, Rypien went deep on first and 10 from the Cardinals’ 25 and his pass was intercepted by safety Budda Baker at the goal line.

That’s two turnovers now by the Cardinals’ defense and Baker pick was the final play of the third quarter. It could prove to be huge heading into the fourth.

Score: Broncos 10, Cardinals 9 (end of the third quarter)

Broncos score TD, take lead over Cardinals

Denver marched 80 yards on seven plays, including a big 35-yard run by Latavius Murray to start the series, and capped it with a 3-yard touchdown run by Marlon Mack.

Brett Rypien connected twice with tight end Eric Tomlinson for 25 yards to help move the chains.

Score: Broncos 10, Cardinals 9 (5:58 remaining in the third quarter)

Colt McCoy injured, but Cardinals add to lead

The Cardinals got the ball to open the second half, but three plays into their first series, quarterback Colt McCoy was injured on a scramble for a first down. The team announced he is being treated for a concussion and is out for the rest of the game.

A cart came out to take him to the locker room, but McCoy refused it and walked to the locker room under his own power. He has been replaced by third-stringer Trace McSorey.

On the same play, the Cardinals also lost starting right tackle Kelvin Beachum to a knee injury. Cody Ford has since replaced him on an offensive line that has been dealing with multiple injuries all season.

Arizona managed to scored on its possession, however, as Matt Prater kicked his third field goal of the game, this one a season-long 55 yards, to extended the Cardinals’ lead.

Score: Cardinals 9, Broncos 3 (8:55 remaining in the third quarter)

Cardinals take the lead at halftime

We’re at the half and the Cardinals just got a 50-yard field goal from Matt Prater as time expired in the second quarter to take a 6-3 lead over the Broncos.

J.J. Watt, who has been everywhere it seems, knocked the ball lose from quarterback Mark Rypien, causing a fumble that was recovered by rookie Myjai Sanders at the Cardinals’ 49-yard line. Four players later Prater made his first 50-yarder of the season, having missed in only other try this year from that range or beyond.

He's now kicked 67 field goals from 50 yards or longer in his career, extending his own NFL record.

Some first-half highlights:

*Watt already has five tackles, three sacks, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a deflected pass and clearly is having his best game since joining the Cardinals at the start of last season. He’s no just a half-sack away from having a double-digit sack season.

*The Cardinals have six sacks overall as Markus Golden, Tristan Hill and Sanders also have gotten to Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien.

Score: Cardinals 6, Broncos 3 (halftime)

Cardinals tie it at 3 on Prater’s 45-yard FG

The Cardinals went 46 yards on 11 plays during their third possession and it ended with a 45-yard field goal by Matt Prater.

Key plays were first-down receptions by DeAndre Hopkins for 16 yards and rookie tight end Trent McBride, the Colorado native, for eight yards.

Score: Cardinals 3, Broncos 3 (10:35 left in the second quarter)

Cardinals do nothing on first two possessions

The Cardinals went three and out on their first possession of the game and the second ended when Colt McCoy, under heavy pressure, was intercepted by safety Justin Simmons, who returned it 20 yards to the Arizona 24-yard line.

The good news for the Cardinals is they forced the Broncos to settle for another field goal and Brandon McManus, after making a 52-yarder, missed a 38-yarder wide right.

Broncos go up 3-0 on 52-yard field goal

The Denver Broncos took the opening possession and drove 43 yards on 10 players, getting a 52-yard field goal from Brandon McManus to take a 3-0 lead. It was the 41^st career field goal for McManus from 50 yards or further.

Backup quarterback Brett Rypien, starting in place of the injured Russell Wilson, completed four passes for 40 yards during the drive.

Score: Broncos 3, Cardinals 0 (10:27 left in the first quarter)

Milestones to Watch

—With a touchdown of any kind today against the Broncos, Cardinals running back James Conner would have 25 TDs in 26 games with Arizona. That would tie David Johnson for the most in franchise history in a player's first 26 games with the team.

—With 10 receptions, Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins would have 10 or more receptions in four of eight games played this season. He would join Larry Fitzgerald (four in 2017) as the only players in franchise history with at least four games of 10 or more receptions in a single season.

—With one sack, Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt would have 7.5 sacks in 2022. It would give him more sacks in his last seven games (5.0) than he had in his first 13 games (4.5) with Arizona.

—With five tackles, Cardinals safety Budda Baker would reach 100 tackles in a season for the fourth time in his career: 100 in 2018, 147 in 2019, 118 in 2020.

Inactives

The Cardinals will be without their top three cornerbacks today against the Broncos.

In addition to No.1 corner Byrony Murphy Jr. missing his fifth game with a back issue, Arizona will also be without corners Antonio Hamilton (back) and Marco Wilson (neck). Expect to see a lot of rookie Christian Matthew and Nate Hairston, who was elevated to the active roster form the practice squad on Saturday.

Other inactives for the Cardinals on Sunday: QB David Blough, G Rashaad Coward, OT Wyatt Davis and DE Zach Allen, who was expected to miss this game and perhaps next week after undergoing hand surgery.

The Broncos’ inactives are QB Russell Wilson, WRs Courtland Sutton and Kendall Hinton, CB Michael Ojemudia, OL Quin Bailey, TE Albert Okwuegbunam and DL Elijah Garcia.

The Cardinals depth chart for Week 15 was released earlier this week.

How to watch

The game can be see on Fox with a 2:05 p.m. kickoff.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Denver Broncos picks, predictions

The experts seem to be split on who will win this game. The Republic's Jose Romero has the Cardinals winning by a touchdown in his scouting report.

The Broncos are a 3-point favorite in the game, according to Tipico Sportsbook.

The Cardinals are +125 on the moneyline in the game.

The Broncos are also at -145.

The over/under for the game is set at 36 points.

For subscribers: NFL Week 15 picks, predictions: Who wins each Week 15 NFL game?

Pregame reading

Cardinals-Broncos scouting report: Backup QBs get chance in battle of underachieving teams

More:Fired Arizona Cardinals assistant Sean Kugler denies wrongdoing in NFL arbitration request

More:Steve Keim's future with Arizona Cardinals 'certainly in doubt' amid leave of absence

More:Homecoming: For Cardinals' DC Vance Joseph, trip to Denver is all about just getting a win

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rewind: Arizona Cardinals fall short in loss to Denver Broncos