Calais Campbell’s sack of Bryce Young on fourth down brought a sudden end to a furious comeback by the Carolina Panthers, preserving a 27-22 victory for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.
The Cardinals led 27-3 after James Conner scored on a 2-yard run midway through the third quarter before Young led Carolina back. The Panthers scored 19 unanswered points to make it interesting before Campbell’s big play let Cardinals fans breathe a sigh of relief.
Young completed 35 of 55 passes for a career-high 328 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, meanwhile, was 17-of-25 passing for 220 yards, with one touchdown and one pick.
The Panthers led in total yards (352-293), first downs (26-16) and time of possession (33:15-26:45), but committed two turnovers that proved to be critical. Arizona improved to 2-0, while Carolina dropped to 0-2.
Cardinals are 2-0, but need to focus on closing
After failing to put away New Orleans in Week 1 — making a 20-13 win a lot closer than it needed to be — the Cardinals emphasized closing. Running out the clock with the ball in their hands, a victory safely secured.
They were much worse in this regard against Carolina. This game was over. Late in the third quarter, the Cardinals led 27-3. And once again, they sputtered. The Panthers scored 19 points in a row to pull within 27-22. Then, in the final minutes, they recovered an onside kick.
To the Cardinals’ credit, they gave Carolina QB Young no chance to move the ball, pressuring him on every play. Campbell ended the game with a fourth-down sack. Every Cardinals fan in State Farm Stadium exhaled.
No team has to apologize for a 2-0 start. No doubt, there are worse places to be. But if the Cardinals don’t figure out how to finish better, this fast start will fizzle quickly. — Doug Haller, senior writer
Onside kick recovery!
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/dbfZyZ2LbK
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 14, 2025
Panthers’ comeback attempt falls short
The Panthers looked dead in the water, trailing 27-3 with a little more than two minutes left in the third quarter. But with Young finding a lot of underneath passes against the Cardinals’ soft zone, the Panthers started moving down the field. They ended up scoring 19 unanswered points and had a chance at the end after recovering an onside kick. But Campbell sacked Young on fourth down with 26 seconds left to seal it.
Still, Young showed some moxie while finishing with career highs in completions (35), attempts (55) and passing yards (328), and tying his high with three TD passes. — Joseph Person, Panthers beat writer
Josh Sweat makes a big impact
Josh Sweat was Arizona’s biggest off-season acquisition. In desperate need of a pass rusher, the Cardinals signed the former Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker to a four-year deal worth $76.4 million. Sweat last season had registered eight sacks and had been a star of Philadelphia’s Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. You can understand the excitement his arrival generated in the desert.
And then came last week’s opener at New Orleans. Although the Cardinals won, Sweat wasn’t much of a factor. He posted one tackle in 47 snaps. It seemed like a letdown. Sunday’s home opener against the Panthers was different.
Ninety seconds into the contest, Sweat lined up outside, curled inside and sacked Young. The ball came loose. Arizona’s Zaven Collins recovered, rolling into the end zone for the game’s first touchdown. Sweat finished with three tackles, two for loss. That’s the disruptor the Cardinals need him to be. — Haller
Blitz pickup was a problem
Fresh off a three-turnover game at Jacksonville, Young had two more giveaways on the Panthers’ first two offensive series. Those turnovers — one of which was a fumble return for a TD — put the Panthers in a 10-0 hole. But they weren’t all on Young. On both of those turnovers, failure to recognize or adjust to stunts and pressures allowed a pass rusher a free run at Young. Still, the turnovers go on Young’s ledger — and the No. 1 pick from 2023 has had five in the Panthers’ first four-and-a-half quarters. — Person
(Photo of Josh Sweat stripping the ball from Bryce Young: Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
