Nick Folk hits 50-yard game-winning kick, Patriots top Cardinals 20-17
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Nick Folk hit a 50-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots a walk-off win over the Arizona Cardinals, 20-17, in Foxboro on Sunday.
Folk’s game-winner was an answer to the Cardinals’ Zane Gonzalez, who missed his own field goal attempt with under two minutes to go. Arizona had a chance to really make Cam Newton pay for a late interception, but it was to no avail.
On the final drive, Newton picked up 14 yards on third-and-13 then the Patriots grabbed another 15 yards on an Isaiah Simmons late hit on the quarterback as he ran out of bounds. Newton spiked the ball with three seconds left to set up Folk’s walk-off kick.
The Patriots defense bounced back in a major way after getting sliced and diced by Deshaun Watson in Houston. The unit held Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to just 170 yards through the air with no touchdown passes and an interception – a 67 passer rating. Adam Butler had a big day with a sack, three QB hits, two tackles for a loss, and a deflected pass that led to an Adrian Phillips interception in the third quarter.
It was at the end of the first half when the Patriots started to turn their fortunes. The Cardinals were up 10-7 with a chance to punch in a touchdown from the 1-yard line as the clock ran out in the second quarter, but a tackle before the goal line by Ja’Whaun Bentley kept them out of the end zone and off the scoreboard entirely. The Cards got the ball to start the third quarter, but again came up empty-handed as they punted after six plays.
Arizona clawed back in the game with a Kenyan Drake touchdown run in the fourth quarter, but the Patriots made just a few more plays than them in the end. The Pats overcame an off day for Newton throwing the ball, as he completed just 9-of-18 passes for 84 yards.
New England improves to 5-6 on the season and head to Los Angeles next Sunday to take on the Chargers.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff or send him a nasty email at [email protected].
