Kevin Kolb’s run as the Cardinals quarterback started this season when he replaced an injured John Skelton and led the team to a season-opening win with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter against the Seahawks.
It’s fitting, then, that Skelton got a chance to replace Kolb late in the fourth quarter after an injury forced the Cardinals starter out of the game. Kolb appeared to hurt his right shoulder on a sack by Bills defenders Alex Carrington and Chris Kelsay as he tried to drive the Cards into position to beat or tie the Bills just before the two-minute warning. He needed to be helped from the field by the medical staff, opening the door to Skelton to try to finish off the comeback.
Skelton made one good pass -- a laser beam to Larry Fitzgerald to convert a 4th-and-11 -- but the Cards sputtered a few plays later and they turned to Jay Feely for a 61-yard field goal. Feely nailed the kick, his career long, and the score was tied at 16 with just over a minute to play.
The Arizona defense stuffed the Bills on three straight plays, burning their timeouts in the process, and got the ball back near midfield after Bills punter Shawn Powell shanked a 30-yard punt while trying to avoid Peterson. A defensive holding call moved them into Bills territory and then another completion to Fitzgerald set up a 38-yard kick for Feeley. He pushed it into the upright -- Chan Gailey did not try to ice him -- and time expired in regulation.
The Cardinals got their chance to pull off the late heroics thanks to a very curious play call by the Bills. With the team eating clock and trying to drive into position for some insurance points, they went with a formation that featured Brad Smith at quarterback and called for him to throw a pass rather than run the ball. Patrick Peterson picked it off at the Arizona goal line and put the Cards in business.