The miracle in Phoenix
The Buffalo Bills looked like they had done enough to improve their record to 8-2 on the season when the impossible happened against the Arizona Cardinals. With 11 seconds remaining in the game and no timeouts left to stop the clock, Cardinals’ quarterback Kyler Murray threw up a 43-yard Hail Mary pass just hoping someone would be able to get on the end of it.
DeAndre Hopkins not only got his hands on it, he brought it down in the endzone with just two seconds remaining in the game to give the Cardinals the 32-30 victory over the Bills. Buffalo players, coaches and fans were left stunned as they could not believe what had just transpired. Arizona players, coaches and fans couldn’t believe what they had seen either, but they were too busy celebrating to care.
“I want to say I knew when it left my hand it had a chance just because [when] you play quarterback, you can tell the trajectory, the touch of the ball,” Murray said following the victory, via ESPN. “But, I think I was looking at the sideline when everybody … I just got the reaction from everybody. I don’t think I saw him catch the ball. I really don’t remember — it happened so fast. But, I knew once it left my hand, it had a good chance.”
Hopkins even called the catch the best of his storied career. “This one is No. 1,” Hopkins said. “It was to win the game, no question, against a playoff opponent.”
The win was a crucial one for the Cardinals who now improve to 6-3 on the season and sit atop the NFC West division. After a heartbreaking loss to the Miami Dolphins last weekend, Sunday’s win helps the team move forward as they continue their quest to get into the playoffs. Arizona coach Kliff Kingsbury was just happy he didn’t make the same mistake he did last week against the Dolphins.
“It has to be the biggest one of his career, maybe?” Kingsbury said. “I don’t know. He’s phenomenal. You know, I went out of that game last week regretting we didn’t get it to him in crunch time or try to get it to [him in] crunch time. We had a good talk this week. And I’ve never been a part of one of those so still kind of at a loss for words, but what a phenomenal play.”
Arizona does not have too much time to enjoy the victory though as they get set to take on the Seattle Seahawks in primetime on Thursday evening.
Buffalo on the other hand will have two weeks to think about the gut-wrenching-loss as they have a bye next week. The Bills currently still sit atop the AFC East, but Miami are right behind and can tie them with a victory over the Denver Broncos next week. Buffalo will be in action next when they host the Los Angeles Chargers on November 29th but will have a long two weeks of reflecting until then.
