THIS WEEK’S PREVIEW
The Cardinals host the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium this week as Arizona kicks off the second half of its 2023 home slate.
Home is exactly where the Cardinals want to be when playing the Falcons. Including postseason, Arizona is 11-2 all-time at home vs. the Falcons and enter Sunday’s game having won four straight. In fact, playing at home has been a major factor for both teams. The host has won 12 straight – and 16 of the last 17 – in the series.
Arizona and Atlanta are facing off for the second consecutive season and the fourth time in the last six years. The last two meetings were one-point affairs, with Arizona winning 34-33 at home in 2019 and Atlanta winning 20-19 on a FG as time expired in Week 17 last season.
State Farm Stadium will also play host to a reunion on Sunday as Jonathan Gannon and Arthur Smith face off for the first time as head coaches. The two coached together with the Titans from 2012-13. Gannon also has close ties with Atlanta offensive coordinator Dave Ragone and assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray.
The last time the Falcons visited Arizona in 2019, then rookie QB Kyler Murray earned his first-ever win at State Farm Stadium after throwing for 340 yards and three TDs in his only career game vs. the Falcons to date. The second may come this Sunday, when Murray is expected to return from a knee injury that has kept him out of action since Week 14 of last season.
Another possible return that would significantly boost the Arizona offense is RB James Conner, who has missed the last four games after suffering a knee injury at the tail end of a season-long 35-yard run vs. the Bengals in Week 5.
Sunday’s game will feature the #6 (OL Paris Johnson Jr.) and #8 (RB Bijan Robinson) overall picks in the 2023 Draft. Robinson is a Tucson, AZ, native who enjoyed a record-shattering prep career at Salpointe High School. Among his many prep accolades was being named Arizona Cardinals High School Player of the Year in 2019.
Following this week’s game, the Cardinals are back on the road to take on the Houston Texans. It will be the 11Ǧǚ consecutive game to open the season for a banged up Cardinals squad, who won’t see its bye until Week 14.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
The Cardinals host the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium in Week 10. It marks the Falcons fifth all-time visit to the venue (including postseason) and Arizona is 4-0 in the previous four games.
As part of the league’s long-standing support of America’s Armed Forces, the Cardinals are honoring current and former members of the military by taking part in the NFL’s Salute to Service campaign at Sunday’s game.
This past Monday (11/6) would have been the 47Ǧǚ birthday of Pat Tillman, the former Cardinals safety who was killed in action on April 22, 2004 while serving his country as a member of the elite Army Ranger unit.
Sunday’s game marks the potential return of QB Kyler Murray. Should Murray start for the Cardinals this week it will come 335 days since he last saw action (vs. New England on Dec. 12, 2022). It would also come vs. the same team (Atlanta) the Cardinals defeated in 2019 as Murray earned his first-ever win at State Farm Stadium.
WR Marquise Brown has a TD catch in all four home games this season. With a TD vs. Atlanta on Sunday he would join Mal Kutner (7), Larry Fitzgerald (5), Anquan Boldin (5) and Sonny Randle (5) as the only players in franchise history with a TD catch in at least five consecutive home games.
Sunday’s game will mark an Arizona homecoming for two Atlanta players: RB Bijan Robinson and DE Calais Campbell. Robinson is a Tucson native who starred at Salpointe High School. Campbell played nine seasons (2008-16) with the Cardinals, who selected him in the second round of the 2008 draft.
S Budda Baker finished last week’s game at Cleveland with 10 tackles. It marked his 23Ǥǖ career outing with double-digits tackles. That total leads all NFL DBs dating back to Baker’s rookie season in 2017.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN WEEK 10
WITH A WIN THIS WEEK…
Arizona would improve to 18-16 all-time vs. the Falcons (including postseason). The Cardinals would improve to 12-2 at home vs. Atlanta.
Arizona would improve to 5-0 at home vs. Atlanta since beginning play at State Farm Stadium in 2006 (including postseason).
