Sliding Cardinals to meet surging Colts
Murray aims to stop Arizona’s skid
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals failed to clinch an elusive playoff spot after losing to one of the league’s worst teams last week.
They’ll get another chance against arguably one of the league’s best.
The surging Indianapolis Colts (8-6) travel to face the sliding Arizona Cardinals (104) on Saturday. It’s just the third time the Cardinals have played on Christmas Day, while the Colts will be making their Dec. 25 debut.
The standings say the Cardinals are a better team than the Colts, but that hasn’t been the case in recent weeks. The Cardinals have lost four of their last seven games, including their last two. The Colts have won five of six, including a 27-17 win over the Patriots last weekend.
If the Cardinals clinch a playoff spot, they’ll likely have to earn it against the Colts, who lead the NFL with a plus14 turnover margin. The Colts are currently in the No. 5 spot in the AFC playoff chase.
“It’s a great team. There’s no sugarcoating it,” Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray said. “They’re a great team, a lot of talent over there on defense and offense. We’re going to have to be ready for it. This is December football. It’s a playoff-like atmosphere on Christmas. They’re going to be ready. We’ve got to come to play.”
The matchup features some of the league’s best running backs.
The Colts’ Jonathan Taylor already has 1,518 yards rushing and needs one more 100-yard game to tie Edgerrin James for the second-most in team history.
The Cardinals’ James Conner doesn’t have as many yards, but he’s been a touchdown machine, finding the end zone 16 times to earn his second Pro Bowl nod.