ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-1) VS. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (0-1)
Allegiant Stadium | September 18, 2022 | 1:25 PM
THIS WEEK’S PREVIEW
The Cardinals embark on the first road trip of the 2022 regular season as they travel to Las Vegas to face the Raiders in their first-ever visit to Allegiant Stadium.
Having faced the Chiefs in the season-opener last week, this year marks the first time since 1996 (Indianapolis and Miami) that Arizona opens a season with back-to-back matchups vs. teams from the AFC.
The Cardinals are coming off a 2021 campaign in which the team went 8-1 on the road during the regular season, establishing a franchise record for road wins.
Arizona was dominant on the road last season, finishing ranked #1 in the NFL in points scored (267), total TDs (31), rushing TDs (12), passer raƟ ng (111.2), turnover margin (+18), forced fumbles (14) and fumble recoveries (11). The team also had the fewest turnovers on the road (3) in 2021.
Although the series between the Cardinals and Raiders dates back 49 years (1973), this week’s matchup marks just the 11Ǧǚ all-Ɵ me regular season meeting between the two teams. The Raiders hold a 6-4 advantage but the Cardinals have had success as the road team, with a 3-2 record overall and a 2-1 record in its last three road games in the series.
Sunday’s game will see Cardinals QB Kyler Murray trying to avoid former teammate DE Chandler Jones who is in his debut season with Las Vegas after six seasons (2016-21) in Arizona. Jones had a highly-successful tenure in the desert, playing in 84 games and leaving as the career franchise leader in sacks (71.5).
The head coaches in this weekend’s matchup – Arizona’s Kliff Kingsbury and Vegas’ Josh McDaniels – also have history. McDaniels was a young coaching assistant in New England in 2003 when the Patriots drafted Kingsbury in the sixth round (201st overall) of the NFL Draft.
Next week the Cardinals return home to face the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams at State Farm Stadium in the first divisional matchup for either team.
The Raiders will head to Nashville for a showdown with the Titans at Nissan Stadium.
THIS WEEK’S HIGHLIGHTS
The Cardinals and Raiders – the teams that play in stadiums hosting the next two Super Bowls – face off on Sunday. State Farm Stadium will host Super Bowl LVII following the 2022 season and Allegiant Stadium will host Super Bowl LVIII following the 2023 season.
Sunday’s game will be Arizona’s first visit to Allegiant Stadium. The Cardinals were scheduled to play the inaugural game at the venue in 2020 but the NFL preseason was canceled that year due to COVID.
Arizona enters Sunday’s game with a 15-10 record on the road under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Cardinals are 12-5 (.706) on the road in the last two seasons (2020-21). Only Kansas City (.824), New Orleans (.722) and Tampa Bay (.722) hold higher road winning percentages during that span.
Sunday’s game is the Cardinals second of three straight against 2021 playoff teams to start the year. Arizona is the only team in the NFL to start the season with three straight games vs. 2021 playoff teams.
Facing his former team on Sunday is Cardinals C Rodney Hudson, who played six seasons (2015-2020) with the Raiders. Hudson started at center in all 92 games he appeared in with the Raiders, was named to the Pro Bowl three times (2016-17, ’19) and was named 2ⁿǖ-team All-Pro in 2019.
With his rushing TD vs. Kansas City last week, RB James Conner now has 19 total TDs in 16 regular season games with the Cardinals. In NFL history, only four players – all Hall of Famers – had more TDs in their first 16 games with a team: Gale Sayers (24 w/ Bears), Randy Moss (23 w/ Patriots), Jim Brown (20 w/ Browns) and Eric Dickerson (20 w/ Rams).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN WEEK 2
WITH A WIN THIS WEEK…
Arizona would earn its first-ever win at Allegiant Stadium and improve to 4-2 all-Ɵ me on the road against the Raiders.
The Cardinals would improve to 3-1 in their last four games vs. the Raiders.
The Cardinals would improve to 9-1 on the road in the regular season dating back to 2021. Arizona would also improve to 13-5 on the road over the last three seasons (2020-22).
MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
QB Kyler Murray
With a passer rating of 120.0+, Murray would have 10 such performances in his career. That would Ɵ e Neil Lomax (10 times in 108 games) for the most games with a passer rating of 120.0+ in franchise history.
With 300+ passing yards, Murray would have 12 career 300-yard performances. Just 48 games into his career, that would tie for the fifth-best total in franchise history.
RB James Conner
With two TDs (of any kind), Conner would have 21 TDs in 17 regular season games with the Cardinals. In NFL history only Hall of Famers Jim Brown (24 w/ Browns), Gale Sayers (24 w/ Bears) and Randy Moss (24 w/ Patriots) would have more in their first 17 games with a team.
With two rushing TDs, Conner would have 18 rushing TDs in 17 regular season games with the Cardinals. In NFL history, only Hall of Fame RBs Jim Brown (22 w/ Browns) and Eric Dickerson (19 w/ Rams) would have more in their first 17 games with a team.
TE Zach Ertz
With a TD reception, Ertz would have a TD catch in each of the first two games of a season for the first time in his career.
DL J.J. Watt
With a sack, Raiders QB Derek Carr would become the 42ⁿǖ different QB Watt has sacked in his career.
WR Marquise Brown
With a TD reception, Brown would have a TD catch in each of the first two games of a season for the second consecutive year.
LB Markus Golden
With a sack, Golden would have 10.0 sacks in his last 13 games played.
ARIZONA AVOIDING TURNOVERS
The Cardinals were one of seven teams that went without a turnover in Week 1. Avoiding turnovers has been a hallmark of the team since head coach Kliff Kingsbury took over in 2019. In 2021, Arizona committed just 15 turnovers, including four fumbles lost. Both numbers represent the lowest single-season totals in franchise history. The Cardinals have committed just 54 turnovers in 50 games under Kingsbury. Dating back to 2019, only three teams have fewer.
The Cardinals went without a turnover in seven games in 2021, tied for the most in a single season in franchise history. Only twice has that happened, and both seasons have come in Kingsbury’s tenure (2019, 2021).
