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New England kicker Nick Folk connected on a 50-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots a 20-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.
Nick Folk sends it through the uprights. @Patriots win! #GoPats pic.twitter.com/WJX7Rdkgco
— NFL (@NFL) November 29, 2020
The field goal by Folk was made possible by a missed scoring attempt from the Cardinals and kicker Zane Gonzalez.
After intercepting Cam Newton for the second time in the game, Arizona found themselves with prime field position to break the 17-all tie, with time waning late in the fourth quarter. Though they were required to use all three of their timeouts, the Patriots' defense held the Cardinals to the 27-yard line, and forced what looked to be a 44-yard chip shot by the Cards' kicker.
Unfortunately for Arizona, things didn't quite go according to plan.
Following the kick sailing wide right, the Patriots and Newton took possession, and were once again stymied on offense until a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty moved them into Cardinals' territory. Once in position to attempt a field goal themselves, New England was content to simply let time expire as Folk gave them the lead for good.
That Arizona not only missed the field goal, but allowed the Patriots to get into position through a costly penalty, will undoubtedly be a topic of conversation over the following week, as the Cardinals fall two losses behind the Los Angeles Rams for the lead in the NFC West. For all the optimism that their talent and youth have produced this year, the Cardinals once again showed Sunday, that they can be their own worst enemies.
The Cardinals will now face the Rams in Week 13, a near must-win for Arizona in a season which has taken a sharply negative turn over the past few weeks. The Cardinals will play the Rams twice in their closing stretch of five games in this NFL season. Their margin for error will be small, and performances such as this one in Foxborough will lead to a loss.
