Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Arizona Cardinals Box Score on Oct 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 15, 2017

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Adrian Peterson did more in his first two quarters Sunday with the Cardinals than he could in his first four games combined with the Saints, but it almost didn't matter as Arizona had to hold off a furious rally before vanquishing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 38-33.

The Cardinals scored points on each of their first five possessions of the game in beating the Buccaneers for the second straight year at home. For Tampa Bay, this one was worse than last season's 40-7 loss, as quarterback Jameis Winston suffered an injured right shoulder in the second quarter and did not return.

Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced Winston and threw three touchdown passes.

Winston appeared to have gotten hurt on the Buccaneers' first series of the game when he scrambled outside of the pocket looking to throw and was hit by pass rusher Chandler Jones.

The Cardinals led 24-0 when Winston exited.

Peterson scored on a 27-yard touchdown run, Carson Palmer threw touchdown passes to tight end Troy Niklas and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Phil Dawson kicked a 28-yard field goal.

Palmer added a 17-yard touchdown to wide receiver John Brown to make it 31-0 four minutes into the third quarter.

Then Tampa Bay began coming back.

Fitzpatrick threw touchdowns to wide receiver DeSean Jackson and tight end Cameron Brate on consecutive possessions and then Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David forced a fumble by Fitzgerald and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown.

After getting back in the game, Brown caught a 31-yard pass on a third down from the Arizona 37 and the Cardinals consumed too much of the clock.

Though the Bucs forced the Cardinals to punt, Andy Lee's kick and Budda Baker's catch pinned Tampa Bay at its own 1-yard line. Moments later, Fitzpatrick tried forcing a short pass to wide receiver Mike Evans and it was intercepted by safety Tramon Williams.

Peterson turned the turnover into a touchdown with a 1-yard scoring plunge and it was 38-20 Cardinals.

Fitzpatrick mounted yet another drive, capped by Doug Martin's 11-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

Fitzgerald later would find Evans for a 37-yard touchdown and with the extra point, the Bucs pulled to within five points with 2:03 left.

Palmer completed his first 14 passes and he was 18 of 22 for 283 yards, three touchdowns and the one interception

Peterson ran 26 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns in his Cardinals' debut. In four games with the Saints, he gained 85 total yards on 27 carries. Peterson, acquired in a trade last week for a conditional sixth-round pick in 2018, ran for more than that by halftime, rushing for 85 yards on just 11 carries.

Fitzgerald caught 10 passes for 138 yards, including eight receptions for 128 yard the first half.

Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 32 passes for 290 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

NOTES: Cardinals RB Adrian Peterson's two rushing touchdowns tie him with Hall of Famer Barry Sanders (99) for ninth on the NFL's all-time list. ... In his last visit to University of Phoenix Stadium, Buccaneers rookie TE O.J. Howard caught five passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns for Alabama in the national championship game against Clemson. ... With his 29-yard reception in the first quarter, WR Larry Fitzgerald surpassed Steve Smith Sr. (14,731) for seventh place on the league's all-time receiving yards list and also reached 14,735 career receiving yards, leaving him behind only Jerry Rice (19,247 with the 49ers) for the most receiving yards by any receiver with the same team. ... CB Patrick Peterson aggravated a sore quadriceps muscle in the fourth quarter and did not return.