The Arizona Cardinals were completely overmatched on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. They were shut out 27-0.
Rookie Clayton Tune, making his first NFL start, was bad. He turned the ball over three times with two picks and a fumble, and he finished with only 58 passing yards. He was sacked seven times.
The Cardinals finished with 58 total yards of offense, losing their sixth straight game.
The recap is below.
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Browns turn the ball over on downs!
The Cardinals had to punt on their first two possessions and the Browns did on their first.
On their second, they went for it on fourth-and-3 instead of attempting a 54-yard field goal. Deshaun Watson’s pass was incomplete.
Browns 3, Cardinals 0
.@deshaunwatson with a STRIKE to Amari for 59 yds 😱#ARIvsCLE on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/xGJWKG29bI
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 5, 2023
Watson’s 59-yard pass play set up a field goal. Leki Fotu’s sack forced the field-goal attempt.
Tune picked off
🤘 @denzelward 🎸@budlight #EasyToCelebrate pic.twitter.com/7It1Q29Rwk
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 5, 2023
On the Cardinals’ third play on the next drive, after picking up 15 yards on a facemask penalty, Tune badly overthrew Marquise Brown. Denzel Ward jumped up and made a very tough catch to intercept it.
Zaven Collins hurt
Collins was seen walking to the locker room. He was evaluated for a concussion.
He later returned.
Amari Cooper gets lucky TD catch! Browns 10, Cardinals 0
just how we drew it up 🤷♂️#ARIvsCLE on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/M4DtPIlzd5
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 5, 2023
The Browns capitalize on the interception to score a touchdown. However, it was an odd play. In the red zone, on second down, Dante Still deflected Deshaun Watson’s pass but the ball floated all the way to the end zone into the arms of receiver Amari Cooper.
Browns 13, Cardinals 0
The Browns added three points on the last play of the half with a 45-yard Distin Hopkins field goal.
Browns OL Jedrick Wills carted off
Wills had what appeared to be serious right leg injury. He had to have it mobilized and was carted off the field.
Clayton Tune stripped
home run play to set up the TD @ShelbyHarris93 🤝 @Flash_Garrett pic.twitter.com/qeVGBlDdVT
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 5, 2023
After a Cleveland punt for a touchback, Clayton Tune was stripped by Shelby Harris. Myles Garrett recovered the fumble.
Browns 20, Cardinals 0
Chief Slam for 6#AZvsCLE on CBS & NFL+ pic.twitter.com/GTyN6cFUVJ
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) November 5, 2023
Three plays after the fumble, Watson found David Njoku for a five-yard touchdown pass to make it 20-0.
Tune picked off!
Arizona took over at midfield after a 23-yard punt return by Greg Dortch. Tune scrambled for 11 yards and then threw his second interception of the game, getting picked off by linebacker Sione Takitaki.
Missed FG!
The Browns didn’t take advantage of the interception. They moved into field-goal range, but Hopkins missed the 48-yard attempt wide left.
Browns 27, Cardinals 0
Deshaun Watson connected with Amari Cooper for a 49-yard pass play, a thing of beauty, and one play later, Kareem Hunt scored a touchdown from three yards out.
