Clayton Tune, Cardinals struggle in first half against Browns

The Arizona Cardinals face multiple challenges on offense, resulting in a lackluster performance in the first half against the Cleveland Browns.

In Week 9, the Arizona Cardinals faced numerous challenges on the offensive side of the ball. They were up against the Cleveland Browns and had to overcome several obstacles.

Firstly, the Cardinals had a rookie quarterback making his first start. This rookie had only attempted one pass before, which was part of a trick play. So, he had minimal experience in leading the offense.

Additionally, the Cardinals were missing key players in their running game. Starter James Conner and effective backup Emari Demercado were both unavailable, leaving a gap in the ground attack.

Furthermore, the team was without rookie pass catcher Michael Wilson, who was one of their top receiving threats. This absence weakened their passing game.

On top of that, the Cardinals were dealing with injuries to starting offensive linemen Elijah Wilkinson and Trystan Colon. Their absence affected the protection for the rookie quarterback.

Lastly, the Cardinals were without their starting tight end, Zach Ertz. Ertz's absence limited their options in the passing game and made it harder for the rookie quarterback to find reliable targets.

These challenges resulted in a difficult first half for the Cardinals. They struggled to generate offense, gaining only 31 yards and three first downs. Their conversion rate on third downs was 0-for-5, adding to their offensive woes.

In contrast, the Browns had more success on offense. They accumulated 193 yards of total offense and had 10 first downs. Whether it was through the air or on the ground, the Browns found success against the Cardinals' defense.

The rookie quarterback for the Cardinals, Clayton Tune, relied heavily on screen passes in his first NFL start. He completed five of his eight pass attempts for 22 yards but also threw an interception. Most of his yardage came from a 12-yard catch-and-run by tight end Trey McBride. Tune also contributed 12 rushing yards on three carries but was sacked twice.

The Cardinals' ground game struggled to get going, with Keaontay Ingram leading the team with just 15 yards on four carries. Even with wide receiver Rondale Moore lining up in the backfield, the Cardinals couldn't find success running the ball.

The Cardinals' defense had some unfortunate moments as well. Despite holding the Browns to just three points for most of the first half, they allowed a touchdown late in the second quarter. Rookie Dante Stills managed to deflect the ball thrown by Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, but it still ended up in the hands of wide receiver Amari Cooper for the touchdown.

The Browns added another field goal before halftime, aided by a roughing the passer penalty on the Cardinals' Cameron Thomas. This penalty kept the Browns' drive alive and resulted in more points for Cleveland.

On the defensive side, Budda Baker led the Cardinals with five tackles, while Josh Woods and Leki Fotu combined for a sack.

Overall, the Cardinals faced numerous challenges on offense and struggled to find success against the Browns. Their rookie quarterback and missing key players made it difficult to generate offense. On the defensive side, they had some moments of success but also had unfortunate plays that resulted in points for the Browns.