CARDINALS

Kliff Kingsbury on what went wrong for Cardinals in win over Vikings

Dana Scott
Arizona Republic

Starting off the season at 2-0 is obviously better than 0-2. Records don't show how flawless or ugly the winner's performance was or how the games are won.

The Arizona Cardinals are starting this season having won their first two games for the second consecutive season. That includes their home-opening 34-33 win over Minnesota after Vikings kicker Greg Joseph missed a 37-yard field goal with four seconds left to play. 

It seemed like the Cardinals were destined to lose, as many of their fans headed for the State Farm Stadium exit doors during the Vikings' final 58-yard drive.

"It’s much easier to coach off a win than a loss. I think that’s the first thing that all of us as a coaching staff feel when we watch the tape today," Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said to reporters on Monday.

The staff found plenty of mistakes to correct, Kingsbury said.

The Cardinals allowed 419 yards, including 142 rushing and 150 passing in the first half. The Vikings' 64-yard TD pass from Kirk Cousins to K.J. Osborn (5 receptions, 91 yards) on their second play of the game on first-and-10, after their running back Dalvin Cook (22 carries, 131 rushing yards) made an 11-yard run for that first down. Cousins has threw three TDs before halftime.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (29-of-36 completions, 400 yards, 3 touchdowns) also threw two interceptions and got sacked three times, all by Vikings' top defensive end Danielle Hunter (7 tackles)

"The turnovers are something offensively we’ve gotta do a better job taking care of the football," Kingsbury said. "We had, I think, 11 negative plays on offense that really hurt us, put us behind the chains, and into drives. And then defensively, first half, being that we slowed down that (Vikings) run game, did a nice job in the second half making some adjustments and slowing it down, but we can’t let teams get off to that kind of start." 

Injury report

Kingsbury said his team's starting offensive lineman is still day-to-day, and rookie cornerback Marco Wilson's status is the same.

Beachum suffered a rib injury and left during the third quarter of the Cardinals' season-opening road win over the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 12. 

Wilson suffered an ankle injury during the second quarter against the Vikings. 

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at dana.scott@azcentral.com or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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