Arizona
Cardinals
0-0
41
FINAL
38
Pittsburgh
Steelers
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 1 showdown, the Arizona Cardinals narrowly defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 41-38, kicking off the 2027 season with an electrifying performance. Both teams battled fiercely, but it was the Cardinals who managed to secure the victory, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting season ahead.
Joe Milton led the Cardinals' offensive charge, throwing for 288 yards and keeping the chains moving with precision passing. Meanwhile, the Steelers had a standout performance from J.J. McCarthy, who threw four touchdown passes to keep his team competitive. On the ground, Nate Frazier showcased his speed and power, racking up 139 rushing yards, while DK Metcalf emerged as a key target, accumulating 101 receiving yards.
Defensively, Budda Baker anchored the Cardinals with four total tackles, helping to contain the Steelers' explosive offense. The turning point came late in the fourth quarter, when a critical interception by Jamel Dean of the Steelers gave Pittsburgh a glimmer of hope, but the Cardinals' defense held firm in the final moments to seal the win. Despite T.J. Watt's lone sack for Pittsburgh, it was Arizona's ability to withstand pressure and make key stops that ultimately secured their narrow victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Milton | QB | 24 | 13 | 288 | 3 | 2 | 102.0 |
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 17 | 11 | 224 | 4 | 1 | 123.1 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nate Frazier | HB | 18 | 139 | 7.7 | 1 | 68 | 0 |
| Joe Milton | QB | 5 | 50 | 10.0 | 1 | 48 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 12 | 44 | 3.7 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| Jacob Cowing | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK Metcalf | WR | 3 | 101 | 33.7 | 2 | 82 | 0 |
| Trey McBride | TE | 4 | 73 | 18.3 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Nick Marsh | WR | 3 | 66 | 22.0 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| Jacob Cowing | WR | 1 | 65 | 65.0 | 1 | 65 | 0 |
| Nate Frazier | HB | 3 | 43 | 14.3 | 0 | 37 | 0 |
| Michael Pittman | TE | 2 | 43 | 21.5 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
| Michael Wilson | WR | 2 | 38 | 19.0 | 1 | 20 | 0 |
| A.J. Brown | WR | 3 | 37 | 12.3 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr | WR | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Jeremiyah Love | HB | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 1 | 23 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Murphy-Bunting | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Ramsey | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Budda Baker | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | LEDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | SS | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Carlton Davis III | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zaven Collins | LEDG | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Will Johnson | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quincy Williams | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Sweat | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Derrick Harmon | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jermaine Mathews Jr | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Izien | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Anthony Smith | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mack Wilson Sr | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dadrion Taylor-Demerson | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cole Holcomb | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Evan Johnson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joey Porter | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Herbig | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Robert Spears-Jennings | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Boswell | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 63 |
| Jack Fox | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chad Ryland | K | 2 | 2 | 3 | 64 |

