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SPORTSSaturday 12 December 2015
Cardinals top Vikings 23-20 on Freeney’s defensive play
BOB BAUM Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Dwight Freeney (54) forces inning, two outs,” Freeney kings’ first possession of the
AP Sports Writer Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) to fumble said, “one of situations for night.
GLENDALE, Arizona (AP) — during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. a defensive lineman, and I Palmer connected on
Dwight Freeney stripped 10, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals recovered the ball to was able to make a play.” scoring plays of 65 yards to
the ball from Teddy Bridge- secure the 23-20 win. Chandler Catanzaro’s 47- John Brown and 42 to Mi-
water with 5 seconds re- yard field goal with 1:23 to chael Floyd. His 30th and
maining to deprive the (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) go was the winning score 31st touchdowns broke
Vikings a chance at the as Arizona (11-2) won its the franchise record of
game-leveling field goal, seventh in a row. 30 set by Kurt Warner in
as the Arizona Cardinals Bridgewater passed for 335 Arizona’s 2008 Super Bowl
clinched a playoff berth yards and a touchdown for season. Floyd caught five
with a 23-20 victory over the Vikings (8-5), who were passes for 102 yards. David
Minnesota. playing without four de- Johnson, the rookie who
“That’s why I came back, fensive starters but made stepped in when the Car-
because moments like it close after being embar- dinals’ top two backs were
this, you can’t duplicate rassed at home by Seattle hurt, rushed for 92 yards in
those in life,” said Freeney, 38-7 on Sunday. 19 attempts.
who joined the Cardinals a Carson Palmer threw for After Walsh’s 54-yard field
month into the season. 310 yards and two touch- goal cut the Arizona lead
Bridgewater moved the downs for the Cardinals, to 20-13 and the Cardinals
Vikings to the Arizona 31- who will win the NFC West if failed to convert on third-
yard line, well within the Seattle is beaten Sunday at and-1, the Vikings went 88
range of Blair Walsh. But Baltimore. yards in 11 plays, tying it 20-
Freeney hit the quarter- Minnesota’s Adrian Peter- 20 on Bridgewater’s third-
back’s arm as Bridgewa- son wanted more carries down, 7-yard touchdown
ter tried to pass. The ball than the eight he got (for pass to Mike Wallace with
came loose and Calais 9 yards) against the Se- 4:50 remaining.
Campbell recovered. ahawks. He got them, car- Arizona moved downfield
“To be able to have this rying 23 times for 69 yards, and left guard Mike Iupati
type of dream situation, but had only 31 yards on caught a deflected pass
fourth quarter, game on 19 attempts after his 9-yard for 11 yards in the drive to
the line, it’s kind of like ninth touchdown run on the Vi- the decisive field goal.
