Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff Writer 3y

Resilient Cardinals stay in playoff hunt with huge game from Kyler Murray

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- It wasn't pretty, but that doesn't matter this time of year.

The Arizona Cardinals gave up a 16-point lead and had to fight for their playoff lives in the fourth quarter Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia Eagles at State Farm Stadium. But fight the Cardinals did, and that resilience might just be their key to the postseason.

Arizona held on for a 33-26 win despite a couple of late-game charges by Jalen Hurts and the Eagles.

When the Cardinals (8-6) needed a play the most, quarterback Kyler Murray returned to his early-season form, when he was part of the MVP conversation, and put the offense on his back. He threw for a career-high 406 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another score. By throwing and running for touchdowns Sunday, Murray became the first player in NFL history to have a score both ways in nine games in a season.

On Sunday, whatever Murray couldn't handle himself, DeAndre Hopkins shouldered.

The wide receiver had 169 yards and a touchdown, eclipsing 100 yards for the seventh time this season and 100 catches in a season for the third straight year and fourth time in his career.

The Cardinals put some distance between themselves and the Chicago Bears, who, at 7-7, are the eight seed, one spot out of the playoffs. With the San Francisco 49ers up next week and the Los Angeles Rams in the season finale, the Cardinals can lock down a playoff berth on their own.

They showed Sunday that they can overcome adversity -- as needless as it was. For as well as Murray and Hopkins played against Philadelphia, the Cardinals were playing well enough to avoid being in a close game. Murray threw an interception and fumbled twice, and Hopkins fumbled once, with each losing one.

If the Cardinals can clean up their mistakes, they showed Sunday that they can come back when needed to keep a win.

Describe the game in a few words: Never underestimate the opponent. The Cardinals didn't seem to take the Eagles as seriously as they should have after Philadelphia beat the Saints last week.

Buy on a breakout performance: Special-teamer Ezekiel Turner made a statement to be a Pro Bowler on Sunday, with a blocked punt and catching punter Andy Lee's pass on a fake punt. Turner could be -- and should be -- the second Cardinal in as many years in the Pro Bowl conversation. Last year, Dennis Gardeck was an alternate.

Pivotal play: On third-and-8 from their 16, with 9:35 left in the game and the score tied at 26, Murray hit Hopkins for about a 10-yard throw, and Hopkins took off down the field for a 44-yard gain. That allowed the Cardinals to score later in the drive on a pass from Murray to Hopkins to take a lead they never relinquished.

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