Getty Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins is lifted up by teammate James Conner after making a 9-yard touchdown catch against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, October 10, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Needing a touchdown to secure a victory, the Arizona Cardinals turned to their top playmaker.
DeAndre Hopkins made highlight reel-worthy catches on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter during a game-clinching touchdown drive as the Cardinals defeated the San Francisco 49ers 17-10 on Sunday, October 10.
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Clinging to a 10-7 lead with about eight minutes left in the game, quarterback Kyler Murray relied on Hopkins to revive the Cardinals’ sputtering offense. Arizona picked up 30 yards on a broken play when Murray, who had been targeting Hopkins, scrambled away from pass rushers and then heaved the ball back across the field to his star receiver.
“At that moment, I knew DeAndre was open and he had the DB beat,” Murray said after the game.
It was then that Murray said he decided he need to “figure out a way to get him the ball at all costs, to give him a chance. He made the play.”
Hopkins was matched up with defensive back Jimmie Ward, who earlier in the game celebrated a fumble recovery by mimicking Murray’s end zone meditation pose. Hopkins had to come back to the ball and made a leaping grab in front of Ward.
On the next play, first-and-goal at the 9-yard line, Murray said he changed the play prior to the snap to get the ball in Hopkins’ hands again.
“At that point, it was kind of like, ‘Yeah, take over,’ ” he said. “Throw it his way and allow him to make me look good.”
Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury said he was thinking the same thing.
“When he’s playing like that, it’s like, throw the call sheet out,” Kingsbury told reporters after the game. Let’s call what goes to Hop.”
Better catch by I
Hopkins was matched up one-on-one on the play with 49ers cornerback Josh Norman.
“That was a great ball, good coverage, better catch by I,” Hopkins said after the game.
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‘I Just Go Out and Play Ball’
Hopkins led the Cardinals in receiving against the 49ers (2-3) with 87 yards and six catches while being targeted nine times — all season-highs. He also had six catches in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans.
The five-time Pro Bowl receiver has seen his stats decline this season as Murray has spread the ball around to his receivers, tight ends and running backs.
With his big day against the 49ers, Hopkins has taken over the team lead in receiving yards with 312. His four touchdown catches also are tops on the team, and he’s now tied with running back Chase Edmonds for most receptions (23).
With his first catch of the day, Hopkins passed longtime Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald for the most catches in NFL history by a player before their 30th birthday. Hopkins turns 30 next summer.
“I’ve got to thank all 20 of my quarterbacks,” Hopkins joked when a reporter made him aware of the milestone. “I should buy all those guys something.”
Later, he called the reception record “a great accomplishment” but added that he doesn’t pay much attention to such things.
“Honestly, I just go out and play ball,” Hopkins said. “I just want to win and be reliable for my team.”
Hopkins certainly was reliable against the 49ers, coming up with big plays when the Cardinals needed them most.
Early in the second quarter, Arizona was facing a third-and-7 from their own 4-yard line when Hopkins made a diving catch along the sideline, gaining 23 yards and again winning his one-on-one matchup with Norman.
Incredible. @DeAndreHopkins #RedSea
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Later, when the Cardinals were trying to run out the clock and secure the home victory, Hopkins made his final catch of the day, picking up 11 yards and a first down along the sideline before carefully sitting down inbounds to keep the clock running.
“He’s sly like a fox,” said Kingsbury, who later awarded Hopkins a game ball. “Sometimes he’ll look at you like he doesn’t know what’s going on, but he always knows what’s going on. He is very in tune as a football player and that was a big-time play by him — great route and a great heads-up play.”
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