Arizona Cardinals vs Buffalo Bills Match Player Stats Breakdown (Sep 08, 2024)
Josh Allen hurdled Budda Baker like he was playing in his backyard. Greg Rousseau sacked Kyler Murray three times and probably could’ve gotten six if the game went longer.
Buffalo was down 17-3 at halftime. They won by six points. Good teams find ways to flip games when things look bad.
The Arizona Cardinals vs Buffalo Bills match player stats show Allen threw for 232 yards and ran for 39 more, collecting four touchdowns along the way. Rousseau tied a franchise record for Week 1 sacks that hasn’t been touched since 1983.
The official NFL box score tells the story of Buffalo’s 34-28 victory, but the individual performances made this game special.
Table of Contents
Allen Does Allen Things
Most quarterbacks slide near the goal line. Allen sees Budda Baker standing there and decides to go flying over him for six points. Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins said Allen’s leap reminded him of the Air Force flyover during pregame.
That hurdle put Buffalo up 31-20 with eight minutes left. Game basically over at that point.
Allen finished 18-of-23 passing with two touchdown throws and zero picks. His 137.7 passer rating was surgical. Add in two rushing touchdowns on nine carries and you’ve got a quarterback playing at an elite level.
| Josh Allen’s Performance | |
|---|---|
| Passing | 18/23, 232 yards, 2 TDs |
| Rushing | 9 carries, 39 yards, 2 TDs |
| Total Touchdowns | 4 |
| Passer Rating | 137.7 |
Those four touchdowns put Allen in rare air among dual-threat quarterbacks. When you can hurt defenses through the air and on the ground like that, you’re basically unstoppable. His combination of arm talent and rushing ability makes him one of the toughest guys to game plan against.
Buffalo spread the ball around to everyone. Rookie Keon Coleman caught four passes for 51 yards in his first NFL game. Khalil Shakir caught a touchdown. Mack Hollins caught a touchdown. Even running backs were getting involved.
| Buffalo Pass Catchers | Catches | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keon Coleman | 4 | 51 | 0 |
| Khalil Shakir | 3 | 42 | 1 |
| James Cook | 3 | 32 | 0 |
| Mack Hollins | 2 | 25 | 1 |
Four different guys with 25+ yards receiving, two touchdown catches from role players. When you spread targets like that, defenses can’t zero in on stopping anyone.
Murray kept Arizona competitive longer than they probably should’ve been. He completed 21 passes on 31 attempts for 162 yards, but those sacks killed their rhythm. Four times Buffalo’s pass rush got home, and that 5.2 yards per attempt shows how much pressure affected Murray’s timing.
Murray’s legs kept drives alive when nothing else worked. Five carries for 57 yards, including a 29-yard scramble that reminded everyone he’s still one of the most elusive runners in the league.
| QB Under Pressure | Josh Allen | Kyler Murray |
|---|---|---|
| Times Sacked | 2 | 4 |
| Yards per Attempt | 10.1 | 5.2 |
| Completion Rate | 78.3% | 67.7% |
| Passer Rating | 137.7 | 91.1 |
Allen had time to pick apart Arizona’s secondary while Murray was running for his life. That’s a recipe for disaster when you’re facing elite talent.
Rousseau’s Dominant Performance
Greg Rousseau had the kind of game that gets defensive ends paid big money. Three sacks, including a strip-sack that Buffalo turned into points. Haven’t seen a Bills player dominate like that in a Week 1 since way back in 1983.
That strip-sack in the third quarter broke Arizona’s back. Murray was scrambling around trying to make something happen when Rousseau just ripped the ball away. Dorian Williams grabbed the loose ball and Buffalo scored right after to take a 24-17 lead they never gave back.
Von Miller added a sack too. When you’re getting pressure from multiple guys, quarterbacks are done.
The complete defensive statistics show how Buffalo’s pass rush controlled this game from start to finish.
| Defensive Leaders | Team | Tackles | Big Plays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyzir White | Cardinals | 11 | Team leader |
| Terrel Bernard | Bills | 11 | Coverage specialist |
| Budda Baker | Cardinals | 10 | Got hurdled |
| Cam Lewis | Bills | 10 | Steady all game |
High tackle numbers usually mean your defense is on the field too much. That’s exactly what happened to Arizona once Buffalo found their rhythm. Rousseau’s strip-sack changed everything.
Special Teams Fireworks
DeeJay Dallas took a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown with eight and a half minutes left. Started at his own four-yard line and didn’t stop until he hit the end zone.
That return cut Buffalo’s lead to 31-28 and gave Arizona life when they desperately needed it. Dallas found traffic up the middle, then broke loose along the left sideline for one of those plays that can flip a game instantly.
Both kickers were automatic when their teams needed points:
| Kicking Game | Buffalo | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | 2/2 (37, 39 yards) | 2/2 (29, 31 yards) |
| Extra Points | 4/4 | 2/2 |
| Punting Average | 42.5 yards | 39.0 yards |
Perfect kicking kept both teams from leaving points on the board. In a six-point game, that reliability becomes crucial. The official play-by-play shows how important those field goals were in Buffalo’s comeback.
How Buffalo Flipped Everything
Arizona started fast with touchdowns on two of their first three drives. Michael Wilson caught a five-yard score from Murray, then James Conner punched in a three-yard run. All of a sudden it’s 17-3 Cardinals and Bills fans are getting nervous.
Allen scored on a seven-yard run with 19 seconds left in the first half. Cut it to 17-10 heading into the break and completely changed the mood.
Whatever Sean McDermott told his team at halftime worked perfectly. Buffalo outscored Arizona 28-3 from that point until Dallas’s kickoff return.
Here’s how the scoring went:
| Quarter | Scoring Plays | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Wilson 5-yard TD pass (ARI) | ARI 7-0 |
| Q2 | Prater 29-yard FG (ARI) | ARI 10-0 |
| Q2 | Bass 37-yard FG (BUF) | ARI 10-3 |
| Q2 | Conner 3-yard TD run (ARI) | ARI 17-3 |
| Q2 | Allen 7-yard TD run (BUF) | ARI 17-10 |
| Q3 | Hollins 11-yard TD pass (BUF) | Tied 17-17 |
| Q3 | Shakir 11-yard TD pass (BUF) | BUF 24-17 |
| Q4 | Allen 6-yard TD run (BUF) | BUF 31-20 |
| Q4 | Dallas 96-yard KO return (ARI) | BUF 31-28 |
| Q4 | Bass 39-yard FG (BUF) | BUF 34-28 |
Buffalo scored 31 straight points after falling behind 17-3. That’s what good teams do when their backs are against the wall.
Allen found Mack Hollins for an 11-yard touchdown to tie it 17-17. Then he hit Khalil Shakir for another 11-yarder to take the lead. Then came the hurdle over Baker that essentially ended Arizona’s chances.
| Team Comparison | Buffalo | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 352 | 270 |
| Passing Yards | 222 | 146 |
| Rushing Yards | 130 | 124 |
| First Downs | 23 | 18 |
| Time of Possession | 30:30 | 29:30 |
Buffalo’s 82-yard advantage in total offense came almost entirely in the second half. Once they started rolling, Arizona couldn’t keep pace.
Where Games Are Won and Lost
Arizona actually converted third downs better than Buffalo did. Cardinals went 7-for-13 (53.8%) while Buffalo only converted 3-of-9 (33.3%). But that doesn’t tell the whole story.
The real difference showed up in the clutch moments:
| Crucial Situations | Buffalo | Arizona |
|---|---|---|
| Third Down Success | 33.3% | 53.8% |
| Fourth Down Conversions | 2/2 | 0/1 |
| Red Zone Touchdowns | 4/6 | 2/4 |
| Goal Line Success | 1/2 | 2/2 |
Buffalo went perfect when they absolutely had to convert. Arizona couldn’t get it done when the game was on the line. That’s often the difference between playoff teams and everyone else.
Players Who Stepped Up
James Cook ran 19 times for 71 yards and caught three passes for 32 more. His 103 scrimmage yards gave Buffalo the ground game they needed. Cook’s been really consistent lately, giving the Bills a reliable option they can count on.
Keon Coleman’s debut was encouraging. Four catches for 51 yards including a 28-yard grab that showed he can stretch defenses. The rookie also drew a pass interference penalty, proving he’s not afraid of contact.
For Arizona, James Conner did his job with 16 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. Added three catches for 33 yards too. Solid production when your offensive line is struggling.
Arizona’s skill position players had mixed results:
| Arizona’s Key Players | Rushing | Receiving |
|---|---|---|
| James Conner | 16-50, 1 TD | 3-33 |
| Kyler Murray | 5-57 | 0-0 |
| Greg Dortch | 1-4 | 6-47 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | 0-0 | 1-4 |
Conner delivered what you’d expect from a veteran back. Murray’s scrambling kept drives alive. But Harrison Jr’s quiet debut is a concern for Arizona’s passing game development.
Marvin Harrison Jr. managed just one catch for four yards. Not ideal for the fourth overall pick, but rookies sometimes need time to find their footing. Arizona needs more from him moving forward.
What’s Next for Both Teams
Buffalo looks ready for another playoff run. Allen’s playing at an MVP level, the defense can create game-changing plays, and they’ve got weapons all over the field.
The penalty situation needs work though. Nine flags for 65 yards including some costly false starts. Better teams will make you pay for that kind of sloppiness.
Arizona has talent but needs better execution in big moments. Murray can keep them competitive in most games, but they need more help around him.
What went right and wrong tells the whole story:
| Success Factors | Buffalo ✓ | Arizona ✗ |
|---|---|---|
| QB Protection | 2 sacks allowed | 4 sacks given up |
| Fourth Down Execution | 2/2 perfect | 0/1 failed |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 67% touchdown rate | 50% touchdown rate |
| Pass Rush Impact | 4 sacks, 1 turnover | 2 sacks, no takeaways |
| Rookie Production | Coleman: 4-51 | Harrison Jr: 1-4 |
Buffalo executed when games are decided. Arizona couldn’t protect Murray or finish drives consistently enough.
The Cardinals vs Bills player stats show two franchises heading different directions. Buffalo has the talent and execution to compete for championships. Arizona’s still building toward that level.
Allen’s hurdle over Baker will be on highlight reels all year. Rousseau’s three-sack performance announced him as a legitimate pass rush threat. Dallas’s return reminded everyone that special teams can flip games instantly.
When everything settled, Buffalo had better players making bigger plays in crucial moments. That’s usually how these things go, and it’s exactly why the Bills are heading to Miami as legitimate contenders while the Cardinals head home with more questions than answers.
Game Summary:
Bills 34, Cardinals 28 at Highmark Stadium (70,542 attendance)
Buffalo improves to 1-0, Arizona falls to 0-1
Next: Bills at Miami Thursday night, Cardinals host Rams Sunday
Statistical data compiled from official NFL sources including Pro Football Reference, ESPN Game Center, and NFL.com. All statistics verified through official league records.
