The Cardinals scored on their first 4 possessions but only scored three second-half points.

In the Arizona Cardinals‘ home finale against the Atlanta Falcons, they started better than they have in recent weeks, but they still ran into the same problems. They led 10-0 and 13-3, scoring points on their first four possessions and they had their best game running the football, going for 132 yards.

However, they couldn’t stop Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and scored only three second-half points and coming up short with the ball at the end of the game with a chance to tie or win the game.

The Falcons won 26-19, giving the Cardinals their seventh consecutive loss and 12th since a 2-0 start. They are 3-12, while the Falcons improved to 6-9 on the season.

Here is how it went down.

The Cardinals opened the game on offense, starting at the 40 as the kickoff did not reach the landing zone. The Falcons broke up two passes and Jacoby Brissett overthrew an open Marvin Harrison in the end zone, but they did pick up a first down and managed to salvage their first drive with a 50-yard field goal to take the lead.

Sweat had to be assisted off the field after going down. He appeared to have his left leg rolled up on. It was announced he had an ankle injury and was questionable to return.

Going for it on fourth down at the Arizona 39, rookie cornerback Denzel Burke intercepted the pass intended for Drake London at the 28. He returned it to the 45.

Michael Wilson had a 32-yard touchdown catch he hauled in as he was going to the ground. It was ruled incomplete initially and overturned on a challenge.

Williams went down on a non-contact injury. He was carted off the field. It was his Achilles and he was immediately ruled out.

After BJ Ojulari had his first sack of the year on third down, Zane Gonzalez hit a 49-yard field goal with 2:17 left in the first quarter.

Elijah Higgins had a 21-yard catch, but the Cardinals sputtered and, thanks to a nine-yard third-down run by Emari Demercado, they got into field-goal range. Chad Ryland hit a 51-yarder to give the Cardinals a 10-point lead and points in all three of their possessions so far.

The Falcons remembered that their best player is Robinson on offense. He touched the ball on three plays and they scored a touchdown. First, it was a 41-yard catch-and-run. Then it was an 11-yard run. The drive ended with a 13-yard touchdown from Cousins to Robinson to pull the Falcons within three. Robinson was up to 89 yards from scrimmage.

The latest Cardinals player to go down was center Hjalte Froholdt, who went to the locker room after injuring his elbow in the second quarter. Jon Gaines, who started at left guard, moved over to center, and rookie Hayden Conner entered the game at left guard.

Corey Kiner gained 32 yards on the drive, but the Cardinals stalled inside the 10 as Brissett was hit as he threw the ball and then skipped a throw to Trey McBride on third down. Ryland’s 25-yard field goal was good to give the Cardinals points on four consecutive possessions, although field goals in three of them.

With 25 seconds left in the first half, Cousins threw a five-yard touchdown pass to cap a 14-play drive. Calais Campbell blocked the extra point, keeping the Falcons from taking the lead.

The Cardinals executed the hurry-up offense well to get into field-goal range with a 20-yard catch by Wilson and a 12-yard run by Demercado, but Ryland’s 50-yard field goal to end the half hit the right upright.

In the third quarter, first-round pick Walter Nolen went down with a knee injury. He had to be carted off the field. He was ruled out.

On the opening drive of the second half, the Falcons got a 40-yard field goal to take their first lead of the game. It was a 13-play, 44-yard drive highlighted by a 15-yard catch by Robinson and a 10-yard catch by Kyle Pitts on fourth down.

After the Falcons took the lead, the Cardinals had a chance to tie the game with a 44-yard field goal. Ryland missed it wide right after Marvin Harrison Jr. could not hold on to a pass in the end zone.

Cousins sneaked the ball in for a one-yard score after the Cardinals were flagged for defensive holding twice inside the 10. It capped a 12-play, 66-yard drive that took more than six minutes.

On fourth-and-one at the Arizona 46, the Falcons went for it, but Cousins fumbled the snap and Darius Robinson recovered it at the Arizona 47.

After the fumble recovery, McBride had a pair of catches and Harrison had his first catch of the game, a 14-yarder, but McBride could not handle a throw to the end zone and then had a pass broke up on third down. Ryland made a 34-yard field goal to get three points and pull the Cardinals within a touchdown.

The Falcons went for it on fourth down at the Arizona 40. They were stuffed and the Cardinals took over a touchdown down with 2:05 to go.

After the turnover on downs and in a critical drive, potentially tying or winning the game, Brissett threw too wide for Wilson and CJ Henderson made a crazy sideline interception, sealing the win for the Falcons. They ran out the clock and improved to 6-9.

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