Arizona back in playoff position
EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. >> There’s more to the Arizona Cardinals than Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins and a potent offense.
Kliff Kingsbury and the Cardinals are back in a playoff spot with three weeks left in the regular season because of a record performance by linebacker Haason Reddick and the play of his buddies on the defense.
Reddick had a franchiserecord five sacks and three forced fumbles as the Cardinals ended a three-game skid and spoiled the return of Giants quarterback Daniel Jones with a 26-7 victory over New York on Sunday.
“Hopefully it sparks something,” said Reddick, who broke the team record of 41/2 sacks set by Curtis Greer in 1983 against the Eagles. “When you looked at us in practice, the energy was different. The intensity was crazy. I felt like everybody knew this was a game that we needed.”
After opening the season 6-2, the Cardinals lost four of five to fall out of a playoff spot. Coupled with Tampa Bay’s 26-14 win over Minnesota (6-7), the Cardinals are back in a wild-card berth.
“At this point. we have to go out there and execute,” said Murray, who went 24 of 35 for 244 yards and a touchdown. “Every game for the rest of the season matters for us. We’ve got to keep grinding.”
The loss ended a fourgame winning streak for the Giants (5-8), who were coming off a win over Seattle that was their best performance of the season.
Jones, returning from a one- game absence with a hamstring injury, finished 11 of 21 for 127 yards and two fumbles. He was sacked six times before leaving late for Colt McCoy.