There was no precise information about the nature of the injury. Murray is in his fourth NFL season and is one of the most spectacular quarterbacks in the league. Substitute Colt McCoy didn’t do badly, but careless turnovers by the Cardinals made it easy for the Patriots in the second half.
The last two touchdowns for the guests, which saw them go from 13:13 to 27:13, resulted from Cardinals errors. The Patriots climbed to seventh place in the American Football Conference (AFC) and would be in the playoffs. Next, the six-time NFL champion meets the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Mr. Irrelevant” makes Brady look old
On Sunday (local time), the San Francisco 49ers celebrated a clear 35:7 victory over superstar Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Man of the Match was Brock Purdy, the second backup playmaker in the 49ers to be picked last in the draft this year, thus earning the traditional title of “Mr. Irrelevant”. For the Californians, the 22-year-old is suddenly very relevant.
“Mr. Insignificant” scored a touchdown himself and each threw the pass for two more. He is now the first quarterback in NFL history to make his first starting XI against a Brady team and not lose. All of this was made possible because the other two playmakers Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance are both injured. With a strong defense, the 49ers underpinned their claim to a playoff spot and can secure it on Thursday with a win against the Seattle Seahawks.
“It was unreal,” Purdy said of meeting Brady on the pitch after the game. “As a kid, I saw him do it in all the Super Bowls over the years, and to be able to high five with him now is pretty cool.” Purdy, who previously played at Iowa State College, was selected this year in the draft as the ninth quarterback at 262nd and last position. “He did a great job, I think you all saw that,” said 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in praise of the rookie.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, continue to lead the NFC South despite having a negative record of six wins and seven losses. “We’re not consistent enough in a game too often, especially not today,” said 45-year-old Brady, whose team is feeling the breath of the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons on their necks. Both are just one win behind the Buccaneers.
Philadelphia as the first team in the playoffs
Philadelphia doesn’t have those worries. The 2017/18 champions were the first team to make the play-offs. Coach Nick Sirianni’s team celebrated a superior 48:22 win against the New York Giants on the 14th day of play. With a record of 12 wins and just one loss, the Eagles are no longer a playoff spot in the National Football Conference (NFC).
Jalen Hurts was once again the outstanding player in Philadelphia. The quarterback contributed a total of 294 yards and three touchdowns. Miles Sanders had 144 yards and two touchdowns. The running back became the first Eagles player since LeSean McCoy in 2014 to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. The Kansas City Chiefs, who won 34:28 at the Denver Broncos, are also about to enter the postseason, although Patrick Mahomes afforded three interceptions. The Buffalo Bills took the next step with a 20:12 against the New York Jets.
Late win for Dallas, Minnesota loses
Dallas are also well on their way to the knockout stages. However, the Cowboys really struggled to a 27:23 win against latecomers Houston Texans. Running back Ezekiel Elliott managed the decisive touchdown only 41 seconds before the end of the game. Dallas holds ten wins and three losses.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings surprisingly lost 23:34 to division rivals Detroit Lions. The Vikings will have to wait at least a week because of the loss before they can secure their playoff spot. The Lions are now on six wins and seven losses and are within reach of the playoff wildcards with four games left. Detroit quarterback Jared Goff threw three touchdowns and went without an interception.
