How will the Arizona Cardinals do against the Cleveland Browns and their No. 1 defense with rookie Clayton Tune making his first NFL start? If things go the way they did in a simulation of the game on “Madden NFL 24,” it won’t be bad.
In the simulation, Tune is sacked three times and throws an interception but had two touchdown passes and has a chance to get a game-tying touchdown at the end. But he ran out of time and the Cardinals lost 24-17 to the Browns.
The Browns took a 7-0 on their first drive of the game, getting a two-yard touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to Elijah Moore. It was the first of three touchdown passes on the afternoon for Watson.
The Cardinals answered right back with a touchdown of their own. Tune threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Rondale Moore to tie the score.
The Browns’ next drive stalled and they added three points with a 33-yard field goal and then Tune was picked off by Martin Emerson, the only turnover of the game.
Watson’s four-yard touchdown pass to tight end David Njoku made it 17-7.
After halftime and an Arizona punt, Watson’s third touchdown pass, a five-yarder to Amari Cooper, made it 24-7.
The Cardinals finally responded with a 27-yard field goal, stalling in the red zone.
After forcing a Cleveland punt, the Cardinals turned the ball over on downs in field goal range but sacked Watson twice to force a punt.
Tune threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Hollywood Brown to make it 24-17 and then the defense forced a punt, giving the offense a chance with under two minutes to go to potentially tie or win the game.
They moved down the field but Tune was sacked with no timeouts left and they were unable to score.
Tune finished completing 19-of-26 passes for 246 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also led the Cardinals with 30 rushing yards on seven attempts. Keaontay Ingram only rushed for 16 yards and Tony Jones for 12.
Rondale Moore caught seven passes for 111 yards and a score. Hollywood Brown had four receptions for 79 yards and a score.
Defensively, Zaven Collins dominated. He had 2.5 sacks but was in on all four sacks of Watson, getting half sacks twice with Leki Fotu and once with Marco Wilson.
Watson completed 23-of-29 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns. Jerome Ford rushed for 53 yards. Elijah Moore was their leading receive with seven catches for 55 yards and a touchdown.
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