The NFL’s version of the Chula Vista Bowl took place Sunday, Sept. 20, as the Arizona Cardinals, sporting Eastlake High School alumnus Tony Jefferson on their roster, met the Chicago Bears, coached by former Castle Park High School alum John Fox. Jefferson and the Cardinals handed Fox and the host Bears a 48-23 loss in an NFC non-divisional contest.
David Johnson’s 108-yard return on the opening kickoff helped put the momentum on the Cardinals’ side early. Jefferson returned an interception pass 26 yards late in the first half to further Arizona’s cause.
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler left the game with a hamstring injury while trying to tackle Jefferson on the interception return. Back-up Jimmy Clausen played the rest of the game for Chicago. Clausen completed 14 of 23 passes for 121 yards and no touchdowns.
Jefferson turned in one of his most productive games of his three-year NFL career with a team-leading nine tackles, one pass deflection and one tackle for a loss besides his pick-six. The interception return for a touchdown was the first in his career. The former Titan star has 14 tackles in two games so far for the undefeated Cardinals (2-0).
Johnson added a rushing touchdown later in the game to go with his club-record kickoff return.
Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer (17-of-24 passing, 185 yards) threw four touchdowns in the game, including three to veteran Larry Fitzgerald (eight catches, 112 yards).
The Bears dropped to 0-2 in Fox’s debut season in Chicago. The loss of Cutler only deepens the Bears’ woes to start the 2015 season. Some polls have Chicago sitting at the bottom of the NFL’s power rankings.
The Bears did get a 48-yard touchdown reception from Josh Bellamy (courtesy of Cutler before he left the game), a touchdown run by Jeremy Langford, three field goals by Robbie Gould, an interception by veteran Jared Allen and a fumble recovery.
Cutler completed eight of nine passing attempts for 120 before departing the field.
“We had some opportunities,” Fox stressed in his post-game press conference. “It started off pretty frustrating … we have some work to do.”
The Bears next play Sunday at defending NFC champion Seattle, which is also still searching for its first win of 2015 after dropping a 27-17 nationally-televised non-divisional match-up at Green Bay last Sunday.
Chicago kicked off the season with a 31-23 loss to the visiting Packers on Sept. 13.
Green Bay rallied from a third quarter deficit by outscoring the visitors 11-0 in the fourth quarter. Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 25 of 33 passing attempts for 249 yards and two touchdowns.
Seattle signal-caller Russell Wilson, a two-time Super Bowl participant, completed 19 of 30 passing attempts for 206 yards and one touchdown.
The Packers coughed up a 16-0 lead to the Seahawks in the 2015 NFC championship game and let a 13-3 halftime lead slip away last Sunday as Seattle went up, 17-16, on the strength of a 14-3 edge in the third quarter.
Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch was limited by the Green Bay defense to 41 yards on 15 carries.
The Cardinals get to make a statement this Sunday when they host the defending NFC West Division champion San Francisco 49ers in a key divisional contest. The 49ers are off to a 1-1 start and Arizona could put San Francisco in an early hole in the standings with a third consecutive win to kick off the season.
The 49ers suffered their first loss in 2015 after dropping a 43-18 non-conference decision at Pittsburgh last Sunday.
Meanwhile, Green Bay hosts the Alex Smith-led Kansas City Chiefs in a Monday Night Football match-up on Sept. 28.
The Chiefs carry a 1-1 record into the non-conference game against the Packers (2-0). Smith has completed 65.5 percent of this passes so far this season with a 90.7 quarterback rating, Smith, an alumnus of Bonita Vista Middle School, has thrown for 434 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also been sacked six times.
Rodgers has a 128.4 quarterback rating after two games. He’s thrown for 428 yards with five touchdown passes without an interception. He has been sacked just twice.
The Chargers (1-1) will attempt to get back in the win column after last Sunday’s 24-19 non-divisional loss at Cincinnati when they play at Minnesota (1-1) on Sunday. Chargers signal-caller Philip Rivers set a new career club record with his 255th touchdown pass to pass the legendary Dan Fouts. He finished the game 21 of 27 for 241 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked four times.
Rivers now has extended his club record to 256 career touchdown passes.
Rivers has thrown for 644 yards with four touchdowns and three picks in 2015. He has completed 80.9 percent of his passes for an overall quarterback rating of 107.4.
Rookie Melvin Gordon had a breakout performance with 16 carries for 88 yards in the loss.
Nine teams remain undefeated through the opening two weeks, including five in the NFC.
NFL Unbeatens (Week 2)
AFC Division
New England Patriots 2-0
New York Jets 2-0
Cincinnati Bengals 2-0
Denver Broncos 2-0
NFC Division
Atlanta Falcons 2-0
Carolina Panthers 2-0
Green Bay Packers 2-0
Dallas Cowboys 2-0
Arizona Cardinals 2-0
