Fitzgerald falls to 0-6 in hometown as Cardinals fall to Vikings
MINNEAPOLIS --Larry Fitzgerald found his friend Adam Thielen for a postgame hug at midfield following yet another loss for the Arizona Cardinals in Minnesota.
The embrace shared by these summer training and golfing partners could have served as a symbolic torch-passing from one star wide receiver born and raised in Minnesota to the next .
Fitzgerald, in his 15th and perhaps final NFL season, fell to 0-6 in his career in his hometown after the 27-17 victory by the Vikings. The Cardinals managed just 269 yards, went 0 for 12 on third and fourth down conversions and turned the ball over twice.
"It's frustrating," said Fitzgerald, who was targeted by rookie Josh Rosen eight times and had five receptions for 39 yards. Fitzgerald added: "You've just got to keep chugging along. We have four days to rest, and then we're back at it again."
The Cardinals (1-5), who host the Denver Broncos on Thursday night, have been outscored 42-0 in the third quarter this season.
"You hope you can change quickly, but all you can do is just keep working at it," said Fitzgerald, who is 175 receiving yards away from passing Terrell Owens for second place on the NFL's all-time list behind Jerry Rice. "It's not like we're not putting in the effort and time and film studying and things of that nature."
The game was tied until a field goal by Dan Bailey put the Vikings in front with 7 seconds left before halftime. Then the Vikings scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half to move ahead 27-10.
With the Cardinals facing third-and-6 at the Minnesota 49, Rosen threw to Fitzgerald -- and Vikings safety Anthony Harris jumped right in front of him for the interception. Then on Arizona's next drive, a fourth-and-2 pass by Rosen from the Minnesota 32 for Fitzgerald fell incomplete with Mackensie Alexander in coverage.
"It happened fast. I lost it in the lights," Fitzgerald said. "I can't tell you what happened right now. Obviously, I would've loved to make the play."
As a player who grew up learning the game on park grass in Minneapolis and served as a ball boy for the Vikings when Cris Carter and Randy Moss were the star wide receivers, Fitzgerald still has "a little purple running through my veins," as he put it this week on a conference call with Minnesota reporters.
Thielen, meanwhile, has long looked to Fitzgerald as a player to emulate for not only his tie to the same state but his work ethic, community service, football instinct and exceptional skills. With 123 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions, Thielen became the first player in the NFL since 1961 to post a 100-yard performance in six straight games to start a season. With 58 catches, Thielen also has the most in league history over the first six games of a season.
"I'm really happy for him," Fitzgerald said. "Every single week he continues to raise his level of play. He makes tough plays and consistent plays and does a great job in the run game. He's been a sparkplug for his team all season."
ROSEN'S THORNS
Coming off his first career NFL win against the San Francisco 49ers, Rosen faced a much stiffer test on the road against a Vikings defense that was in sync at all three levels after several displays of uncharacteristic vulnerability over the last few games. Rosen threw one interception while completing 21 of 31 passes for 240 yards, and the Cardinals were 0 for 10 on third down conversions. They were also stopped twice on fourth down tries.
"The opportunities are there," said Rosen, who took over for Bradford last month. "We find ways to miss them."
The Cardinals had 269 total yards, which happens to be their season high.
"Am I concerned? Majorly," coach Steve Wilks said.
KEEPING UP WITH JONES
In three career games against the Vikings, Cardinals defensive end Chandler Jones now has 18 tackles, five tackles for loss, 4 sacks, four quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, one pass breakup and a touchdown return of a blocked field goal.
Jones chopped the ball out during a second quarter sack of Cousins, and Budda Baker scooped it up for a 38-yard touchdown return . The Cardinals also sacked Cousins four times, hit him seven times and deflected seven passes, but those became background highlights on an afternoon when the Vikings revived a dormant rushing attack with 195 yards on 32 attempts.
"Me being one of the captains and one of the leaders of this team, it's my job to stay on top of the guys and get this thing turned around," Jones said.
DOUBLE DIP
Cousins and the Vikings recovered from that sack-fumble-touchdown trifecta in time for a 48-yard field goal by Dan Bailey on the last play from scrimmage of the first half that gave them a 13-10 lead. Then they took the second-half kickoff and went on the 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that included four catches for 47 yards by Thielen. The Vikings have actually been focusing on the importance of scoring on the last possession of the first half and the first one of the second half since Zimmer brought it up in a team meeting during organized practices in May.
"He calls it a 'double dip,'" Cousins said.
