Cardinals at Lions
Detroit Lions 40, Arizona Cardinals 17 · FANTASY LEAGUE
Final Score
Cardinals 17 2 TD · 1 FG · 2 XP
Lions 40 4 TD · 4 FG · 4 XPSam Darnold 271 yds passingJacory Croskey-Merritt 66 yds rushingMike Evans 139 yds receivingNate Landman 9 tkl defenseTotal yards 325 · 382Passing yards 257 · 271Rushing yards 68 · 111Completions 19/38 · 24/39Yards per carry 4.0 · 3.4Recap
Franchise Hub Beat · 32d ago
In a commanding performance, the Detroit Lions topped the Arizona Cardinals 40-17 in the Wildcard Round of the 2026 season, securing their spot in the next phase of the playoffs. With both teams vying for postseason glory, the Lions showcased their dominance on both sides of the ball, ultimately leaving the Cardinals with no answers.
Quarterback Sam Darnold was the standout for Detroit, throwing for 271 yards and two touchdowns, effectively orchestrating the offense. Wide receiver Mike Evans made a significant impact with 139 receiving yards, while Jacory Croskey-Merritt added a solid 66 rushing yards, contributing to an offensive onslaught that kept the Cardinals on their heels throughout the game.
Defensively, the Lions were relentless, with Will McDonald IV recording 1.5 sacks to pressure the Cardinals' quarterback. A pivotal moment came when A.J. Terrell Jr. intercepted a pass, shifting the momentum firmly in the Lions' favor. Despite Nate Landman's nine tackles for Arizona, the Cardinals struggled to contain the Lions' multifaceted attack, ultimately sealing their fate in this playoff matchup.
Box Score
| Player | C/A | PCT | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | ||||||
| Jalen HurtsQB | 19/38 | 50% | 257 | 2 | 4 | 49.8 |
| Lions | ||||||
| Sam DarnoldQB | 24/39 | 62% | 271 | 2 | 1 | 88.7 |
| Player | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | |||||||
| Saquon BarkleyHB | 16 | 65 | 4.1 | 21 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Jalen HurtsQB | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jayden ReedWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jordyn TysonWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jaylin NoelWR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Lions | |||||||
| Jacory Croskey-MerrittHB | 17 | 66 | 3.9 | 19 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| James ConnerHB | 10 | 24 | 2.4 | 9 | 2 | 15 | 0 |
| Sam DarnoldQB | 4 | 15 | 3.8 | — | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Mike EvansWR | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| George PickensWR | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Player | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | |||||||
| Jordyn TysonWR | 6 | 106 | 17.7 | 18 | 1 | 30 | 0 |
| Jayden ReedWR | 4 | 74 | 18.5 | 44 | 1 | 48 | 1 |
| Jaylin NoelWR | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Darnell MooneyWR | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Saquon BarkleyHB | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Sam LaPortaTE | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | — | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Lions | |||||||
| Mike EvansWR | 7 | 139 | 19.9 | 66 | 1 | 80 | 0 |
| Tucker KraftTE | 5 | 52 | 10.4 | 8 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| George PickensWR | 6 | 47 | 7.8 | 13 | 1 | 14 | 0 |
| Tre TuckerWR | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Ja'Tavion SandersTE | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | — | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Jacory Croskey-MerrittHB | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| James ConnerHB | 2 | -4 | -2.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | |||||
| Nate LandmanMIKE | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tarheeb StillCB | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Xavier WattsSS | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Laiatu LatuLEDG | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harold Landry IIIREDG | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. EdwardsWILL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen CarterDT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Rodgers SrCB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Brandon JonesFS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christen MillerDT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joshua WilliamsCB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Darrell Jackson Jr.DT | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mack Wilson SrMIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P.J. LockeFS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lions | |||||
| Jevon HollandFS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A.J. Terrell JrCB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Will McDonald IVLEDG | 4 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antonio JohnsonSS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Daron PayneDT | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Odafe OwehLEDG | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeremiah Owusu-KoramoahWILL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kool-Aid McKinstryCB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Charvarius Ward SrCB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nakobe DeanMIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach SielerDT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen RedmondDT | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian GonzalezCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyler GordonCB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | FG | XP | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | |||
| Jason SandersK | 1/1 | 2 | 54 |
| Lions | |||
| Jake ElliottK | 4/4 | 4 | 47 |