Deandre Hopkins

The 49ers won the contest convincingly 38-10 as the Cardinals were without starting quarterback Kyler Murray, missing his second consecutive game through injury.

Despite the Cardinals' struggles, Hopkins managed a productive outing, catching nine passes for 91 yards from his 12 targets. Since his return from a six-week suspension for traces of performance enhancing drugs in his system, Hopkins leads the NFL in both targets and catches.

However, speaking to the 49ers' radio broadcast after the win, Ward took the opportunity to trash the five-time All-Pro, calling him "steroid boy".

"D-Hop, he think he a tough guy," he said. "He think he still one of the best receivers in the league, and he really not.

"He was getting locked up. He was doing some dirty things. He tried to clip me, he grabbed me by the throat. He grabbed my facemask on one play, so I don’t respect his game. That’s steroid boy."

Ward, who arrived as a key free agent signing in the offseason from the Kansas City Chiefs, led the 49ers in total tackles in the game, tying his season-high with 10.

It was the third consecutive week the 49ers' defense have not allowed a single point in the second half, leading to three wins on the trot to climb atop the NFC West with a 6-4 record.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, at least six teams have contacted the Cardinals to gauge their asking price.

Arizona are believed to be open to trading the pick due to the fact that they content with Kyler Murray as their franchise quarterback going forward, and with the top two picks almost assuredly going to be used on quarterback prospects, pick three is viewed as the only chance to trade up and get one of the class' best arms.

The Carolina Panthers recently traded up from pick nine to the Chicago Bears' top overall selection with the clear goal to select their quarterback of the future, and in addition to pick nine they sent away pick 61, a 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 second-rounder, and their top wide receiver D.J. Moore.

It has the potential to be a franchise-altering haul for the Bears, and while the package for what is essentially the third-best quarterback prospect in the class will be significantly less than the price to have your pick of the bunch, a bidding war could be just what the Cardinals need.

If they were to stay put at three and make a selection, the Cardinals would likely take the best non-quarterback on the board, and the consensus there is Alabama edge-rusher Will Anderson.

Anderson would immediately become one of the Cardinals' most valuable players, but a roster with so many holes needs more than one defensive player to get things back on track.

Arizona also hold three more top-100 picks – at 34, 66 and 96 – and four more in the later rounds, so a strong return for their top selection could set the franchise up for a quick turnaround.

Three-time All-Pro Hopkins is one of the NFL's finest wide receivers having amassed 8,602 receiving yards and 54 touchdowns in the seven seasons since Houston selected him in the first round of the 2013 draft.

However, in a stunning trade last month, he was moved to the Cardinals along with a fourth-round draft pick this year in exchange for running back David Johnson and two selections in the second and fourth rounds over the next two years.

O'Brien explained that Hopkins, who is under contract for the next three years, wanted an improved deal that the Texans were unwilling to offer.

"I would say the deal with Arizona was a deal that we felt was in the best interest of our team," O'Brien said on a conference call with Texans season-ticket holders.

"DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player here. He made so many plays for us. We love DeAndre Hopkins. But he had three years left on his deal and he wanted a raise. And we weren't going to be able to go in that direction.

"We felt like we had a great offer from Arizona that involved picks. That involved an excellent three-down running back who is hungry and humble and just can't wait to get started. David Johnson is going to be a great addition to our football team.

"There's a lot of things that go into trades. Lot of thoughts that go in. How much are you going to take on contractually? How much does it take to buy that second-round pick, that number 40 pick?

"What type of player are you bringing in? What type of player are you losing and what is in the best interest of the team?"

It is not the first time O'Brien, who also acts as the general manager in Houston, has been involved in a blockbuster trade.

Three-time Pro Bowler Jadeveon Clowney was shipped to the Seattle Seahawks last year while the Texans have no first-round picks in the next two drafts due to the package O'Brien sent to the Miami Dolphins to land left tackle Laremy Tunsil and receiver Kenny Stills.

"Capital T capital E capital A capital M - everything that we do is made with the team in mind," O'Brien added.

"We don't think about one player; we think about the future."

The Cardinals led 35-17 before the Saints scored two fourth-quarter TDs through Dalton passes, but the damage was done as Arizona improved to 3-4 at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Arizona QB Kyler Murray, who was seen shouting at head coach Kliff Kingsbury in the second quarter, completed 20 of 29 passes for 204 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, along with 30 rushing yards. DeAndre Hopkins sparked his side, returning from suspension for the first time this season for 103 yards from 10 catches.

Cardinals running backs Eno Benjamin, who had 12 carries for 92 yards, and rookie Keaontay Ingram both scored TDs.

The story of the game was Saints QB Dalton, starting for the fourth straight game in Jameis Winston's absence due to a back injury. 

Dalton had thrown only one interception in his previous three starts, but gave away three, including two pick-sixes to Marco Wilson and Isaiah Simmons. He had 30-of-47 passing for 361 yards with four touchdowns, connecting with Juwan Johnson for two of them, but the three interceptions hurt.

The Saints had gone ahead early when Dalton found Rashid Shaheed with a 53-yard TD pass, but the Cardinals worked their way back with 25 second-quarter points. Ingram powered his way in for a TD, before Wilson swooped on Marquez Callaway's tip ball, followed by Simmons' interception return from the 40-yard line.

The game marked the Cardinals' first 40-plus-point game since January 1 2017, breaking the longest streak in the NFL of 87 games.

Hopkins had been listed as questionable for the Week 17 encounter on Sunday and he was ruled out on New Year's Eve after his injury flared up this week.

He will sit out a seventh game of the season for a Cardinals side that are out of playoff contention.

Hopkins missed the opening six games of the year due to a suspension for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy.

Andre Baccellia has been promoted from Arizona's practice squad in the absence of Hopkins.

The Cardinals confirmed on Friday that David Blough will be the starting quarterback against the Falcons.

Four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Hopkins was stunningly traded to the Cardinals by the Houston Texans last week in a deal which netted his former franchise David Johnson.

Fans hoping to see Hopkins in red and white at State Farm Stadium will have to wait until August at the earliest, though, when the NFL preseason begins.

However, that has not stopped Hopkins from making a sizeable donation to his new state's COVID-19 fund, set up to cope with the impact of the global pandemic on the region.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Hopkins said: "To my new AZ family, I can't wait until everything settles down so I can get out there and play in front of you all.

"Until then I wanted to do my part for my new community and donate $150,000 to the Arizona Coronavirus Relief Fund."

Hopkins, a first-round pick in 2013, had 8,602 receiving yards and 54 touchdowns across seven seasons with the Texans.

The Cardinals hope his acquisition can help quarterback Kyler Murray in his second year, with last year's first overall pick in the draft having won the Rookie of the Year award in 2019 when Arizona went 5-10-1.

Hopkins was stunningly traded to the Cardinals from the Houston Texans in the offseason for the meagre return of a 2020 second-round pick, a 2021 fourth and running back David Johnson.

There had been speculation Hopkins was holding out because the Cardinals have not given him a new contract, something he was said to have requested from the Texans prior to his shock trade.

He put that to bed on Twitter on Tuesday and his return to the field will be a welcome sight for a Cardinals team looking to contend in the NFC West in 2020.

Hopkins is a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro who led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2017 and has topped 1,000 yards in five of his seven seasons.

The Cardinals finished 5-10-1 and last in the NFC West last season but are expected to improve after quarterback Kyler Murray, the first overall pick in the 2019 draft, was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Last month the Texans shipped their All-Pro wide receiver and a fourth-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson and a second-round pick.

Houston then sent a selection from that second round to the Los Angeles Rams to land Hopkins' replacement Brandin Cooks.

It was considered a perplexing move given Hopkins was coming off his third straight 1,000-yard receiving season and is under contract through 2022, even if there are rumblings about the 27-year-old wanting a new deal.

However, while the rest of the NFL tried to get their head around the trade, it did not come out of the blue for Hopkins.

"It wasn't a big surprise to me after the year," Hopkins told reporters on a conference call. "I was preparing for it.

"I was very excited, actually, about it because [of] what Arizona has been building, having a young quarterback, a young team and also having veterans."

The Cardinals have already discussed a new contract for their recently acquired asset and Hopkins is happy to leave his contract situation in the hands of his agent.

"That's between my agent and the organisation," he said.

"DeAndre Hopkins goes out and works out every day to prepare myself to get my team the opportunity to win a championship whenever that's possible.

"So, you know, everything behind closed doors, that's between my agent and the organisation."

Hopkins is going from one promising young quarterback in Deshaun Watson to another in Kyler Murray, the first overall pick in 2019 who won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award last season.

"Both of those guys are able to get out of situations with their feet, so that's one of the things, and also, they both keep their head downfield and just trying to make their play, not just with their feet," Hopkins said of Watson and Murray.

"So a lot of similarities there. Obviously, they can run out the pocket and get away from things, but both of those guys also have a very strong arm."

All-Pro wide receiver Hopkins was this month suspended for the first six games of the 2022 campaign for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

The news served as a substantial blow to the Arizona Cardinals and their hopes of success in the coming season.

But Cardinals legend and former team-mate Fitzgerald rejected talk of the ban tarnishing Hopkins' reputation.

"I don't think so," Fitzgerald said when asked by TMZ if he thought the suspension would taint Hopkins' legacy.

"He'll still be a Hall of Famer. He's talented. He'll work through it.

"It's just some adversity and, you know, he's a tough guy, resourceful, and he'll work his way through it."

The Cardinals may have a tougher time working their way through his 2022 absence.

With Hopkins on the field last year in the regular season, they went 8-2, averaging 30.2 points per game. In the seven games he missed through injury, the Cardinals were 3-4, scoring 21 points per game.

They start their 2022 campaign with an extremely difficult assignment, hosting a Kansas City Chiefs team that has reached the AFC Championship Game in each of the last four seasons.

All-Pro wide receiver Hopkins was traded from the Houston Texans to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday in a stunning move by O'Brien.

O'Brien, unlike most head coaches, operates without a general manager and has control over the roster.

He has received significant criticism in the wake of the trade, which saw the Texans net a meagre return of a second-round draft pick and running back David Johnson.

Reports of tension between Hopkins and O'Brien were expanded on by former Dallas Cowboys receiver and pundit Michael Irvin in an appearance on ESPN on Wednesday.

Irvin claimed a meeting between O'Brien and Hopkins led to their relationship deteriorating, and presented a range of allegations about what was said in their talks.

However, reacting in a post on Twitter, Hopkins wrote: "This is being blown way out of proportion.

"As I've said before, I enjoyed and am proud of my time with the Texans. I have the utmost respect for Coach O'Brien and that will not change.  

"Now, I'm ready to play for the Cardinals."

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Hopkins' deal is worth $54.5million in new money, an average of $27.25m per year.

Hopkins will receive $42.75m guaranteed at signing and, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, is now tied to the Cardinals for five years for a total of $94m.

The deal keeps Hopkins under contract through the 2024 season and follows his stunning trade from the Houston Texans.

Hopkins was dealt, along with a fourth-round pick, to the Cardinals in return for running back David Johnson, a second-round pick and a 2021 fourth-rounder.

A first-round pick by the Texans in 2013, Hopkins is a four-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro who is expected to have a significant impact for an offense helmed by 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray.

He led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2017 and has five seasons with 1,000 receiving yards in seven years in the league.

Hopkins is poised to make his Cardinals debut on Sunday when they visit division rivals and reigning NFC champions the San Francisco 49ers.

Hopkins was stunningly traded to the Cardinals last month for the paltry return of a second-round pick and running back David Johnson.

The former first-round pick has three successive 1,000-yard campaigns and five overall in his seven seasons in the NFL.

In the aftermath, it was claimed the relationship between Hopkins and O'Brien deteriorated in the wake of a meeting in which the coach brought up former New England Patriots tight end and convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez.

Hopkins was blunt in his response when asked about O'Brien during an interview with Sports Illustrated.

"There was no relationship," Hopkins said. "Make sure you put that in there. There's not a lot to speak about."

The three-time first-team All-Pro revealed he knew that "asking for a little raise" would lead to O'Brien, who acts as the Texans' de-facto general manager, trying to trade him.

"Which is the outcome that I wanted," he explained.

In moving to Arizona, Hopkins will go from one talented young dual-threat quarterback to another.

He will hope to form the same connection with Kyler Murray, last year's number one overall pick, that he had with Deshaun Watson.

Hopkins is confident, though, that Watson will continue to play at a high level, adding: "Deshaun is going to be amazing without me."

The 29-year-old required MCL surgery after suffering a knee injury in December's 30-23 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, missing the remainder of the 2021 campaign, including the Wild Card playoff loss to the Rams.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cardinals will be without Hopkins for the opening six games of the season due to his suspension, which is final after he withdrew his appeal.

The Cardinals traded on draft day for another wide receiver, Marquise Brown, having lost Christian Kirk after the 25-year-old signed a $72million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In the 10 games he did play in last season, Hopkins – a three-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection – managed 42 receptions for a total of 572 yards, with eight touchdowns to his name.

In the 2020 season, his first with Arizona after being traded by the Houston Texans, he recorded 1,407 yards from 115 receptions, and six TDs.

O'Brien was this week relieved of his duties as head coach and general manager of the Texans after an 0-4 start, which followed on from a series of questionable personnel moves.  

Only one team, the 1992 San Diego Chargers, has started 0-4 and gone on to make the playoffs, meaning the Texans are likely playing for pride under interim head coach Romeo Crennel. 

Jack Easterby has taken on the GM role in an interim capacity, but what will O'Brien's long-term replacement in the front office have on his docket? 

Here we look at the tasks that await the new GM in the 2021 offseason.

Replace DeAndre Hopkins

O'Brien's decision to trade Hopkins for a second-round pick this year, a 2021 fourth and running back David Johnson was a move that played a significant role in sealing his fate. 

While quarterback Deshaun Watson's play has not really dropped off without Hopkins - his 8.5 yards per attempt average through four games is the highest of his career - the Texans' offense is predictably worse off without the All-Pro wide receiver. 

The Texans were 52-42 in games with Hopkins and are now 0-6 without him. They averaged 22.1 points in the 94 games Hopkins played for the franchise, but have put up just 17.8 points per game minus his services.

Hopkins helped the Texans rack up 343.8 total yards per game during his time in Houston, with their production in that regard dropping to 304.3 yards per game when he has not featured. 

As one of the game's top young quarterbacks, Watson can mask plenty of the Texans' failings, but the impact of losing a receiver of Hopkins' calibre was always going to be significant. They must repair the damage from a needless trade next offseason.

Shore up the protection

Another of O'Brien's headline moves was the 2019 deal for left tackle Laremy Tunsil, which saw Houston send two first-round picks, a second-rounder and a pair of players to the Miami Dolphins. 

Tunsil, widely regarded as one of the league's top players at the position, was signed to a three-year, $66million extension in April. Yet the numbers suggest the Texans' offensive line has actually declined since his arrival. 

Indeed, between 2014-2018 the Texans rushed for 120.2 yards a game (fifth in the NFL) and gave up an average of 2.63 sacks (24th in the NFL). 

Since 2019, however, the Texans' rush yardage average has dipped to 115.2 (15th), while they are conceding 3.25 sacks per game (31st). 

Tunsil is also the most penalised player in the league since 2019, having been flagged 16 times. Yet it is unlikely the Texans will give up on a player in whom they have invested so much, both financially and in terms of draft capital. 

The challenge for whoever is running the Texans in the offseason is to identify the key weaknesses in the trenches and ensure Watson has the protection to realise his MVP potential.

Reverse the defensive decline

The 2019 offseason also saw the trade of Jadeveon Clowney to the Seattle Seahawks.

A first overall pick in 2014, Clowney has never quite lived up to the billing as a pass rusher, but the drop-off by the Texans' defense following his exit has been stark.

Between 2014 and 2018, the Texans ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in opponent points per game (21.3), opponent total yards per game (329.9), opponent rush yards per game (99.3) and opponent passing yards per game (230.6). 

In the 20 regular-season games they have played since the start of the 2019 campaign, the Texans have allowed opponents to average 25.6 points, 389.3 total yards, 133.2 rushing yards and 256.1 passing yards. They rank in the bottom half of the league in all four categories. 

Whether Clowney would have prevented that decline is open for debate but, with J.J. Watt struggling to stay healthy in recent years, this is a defense that lacks difference-makers - something that must be addressed in 2021.

Acquire draft capital

The list of tasks for the next general manager of the Texans is lengthy, but O'Brien's replacement in that role will not be able to succeed in repairing the roster without acquiring draft capital. 

Perhaps the most damaging result of O'Brien's tenure as personnel chief is the lack of draft picks he has left them. 

The Texans do not have a pick in either of the first two rounds of the 2021 draft as a result of their trade with the Dolphins, which looks particularly costly given their first-round pick would be fourth overall if the season ended now. 

Houston needs to supplement an ageing and - outside of Watson - mediocre roster with premium young talent. The best way to do that is to acquire picks.

After the mess O'Brien has left them, it will take some creative roster reconstruction from his successor to put the Texans in contention for a first NFL title. 

Hopkins made an incredible catch from Murray's 43-yard pass with two seconds remaining to see the Cardinals edge the Bills 32-30 on Sunday.

The wide receiver jumped against three Bills, but managed the catch for the game-winner.

Murray found it difficult to describe Hopkins' catch after the Cardinals' win, as they improved to 6-3.

"The play was designed for me to get out left, they had a guy containing, had to make him miss," the Cardinals quarterback told reporters.

"As funny as it sounds I felt like the only person I saw down there was 'Hop', let it go, give him a chance and it's funny … there was a group of four people and all I saw was black gloves. I'm just glad he caught the ball."

He added: "I've never played receiver so I'm thinking he's got to run down there, that's a 50-yard trot down there, and then he's got to post up with three dudes that are NFL athletes.

"I don't know, that's a tough catch, it's tough."

Murray completed 22 of 32 passes for 245 yards, the Hopkins touchdown and an interception, while he rushed for two scores.

The top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Murray became the first player in NFL history with a pass TD and a rush TD in five straight games, as per Stats Perform.

Hopkins, who finished with 127 receiving yards, said he simply wanted to put himself in position to make the game-winning play.

"I seen him scrambling around, I knew he was going to try to hopefully try to get us the ball or give me the ball or one of the big guys downfield that can go up and pinpoint it, Larry [Fitzgerald], Dan [Arnold], one of us," he said.

"I saw him back there doing what he do, making guys miss, I knew I needed to put myself in position if it came my way."

The Cardinals came into Thursday night's huge game against the Packers looking to stretch their unbeaten start to 8-0 – a new franchise record.

Instead, Arizona went down 24-21 to Green Bay, who also improved to 7-1.

A last-gasp Murray interception – his second of the night – decided the game, but the earlier absence of wide receiver Hopkins had restricted the Cards to that point.

Having been dealing with a hamstring injury heading into the Packers game, Hopkins went out for more than two quarters due to the same issue.

Hopkins caught both of his targets for two first downs and 66 yards, but he had averaged 6.7 targets and 4.7 receptions per game throughout the Cardinals' winning run.

The former Houston Texans wideout failed to add to his seven season touchdowns, with Arizona's three scores all coming across the ground.

Unable to look to Hopkins as often as he would like, quarterback Murray threw multiple picks and no TDs in a game for the first time in his career.

But the Packers were also without their elite WR Davante Adams, along with number two option Allen Lazard, and Aaron Rodgers was still able to lead Green Bay to victory.

Murray was reluctant to make excuses, saying: "Obviously, if you take the best receiver in the game out [Hopkins], it makes it a little tough, but I have confidence in everybody out there.

"I don’t want to make it about that. It wasn’t about that. We just didn't play up to our standards."

Coach Kliff Kingsbury was willing to highlight Hopkins' absence, however.

"He's pretty good," he said. "I mean, that's a big part of our offense having that guy."

Crucially, the Cardinals were also missing players on defense. Corey Peters is out with COVID-19 and Rashard Lawrence has a calf injury, while Zaven Collins went out with a shoulder injury late in the first half.

J.J. Watt was surely the team's biggest miss, though, after his own shoulder injury that is set to end his season.

"We've got to get Rashard and Corey Peters back," Kingsbury said. "Obviously, having those two guys out was not ideal with J.J. going out as well. But you can't replace a presence like that."

Defensive end Watt became a free agent after his request to be released by the Texans - the team who drafted him in the first round back in 2011 - was granted in February.

Speculation over his next destination had been rife since his departure from Houston, but the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has now confirmed his new home for the 2021 season.

Posting a picture while working out in a Cardinals shirt, Watt simply wrote: "Source: me."

According to sources, Watt will sign a two-year, $31million contract with the Cardinals. It is reported that the deal includes $23m in guaranteed money.

Watt, who turns 32 this month, has only previously played in the NFL for the Texans, who selected him with the 11th pick a decade ago. 

He is the franchise's all-time leader for sacks (101), including posting 20.5 in the 2012 season as he was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year for the first time. 

Watt went on to win the honour in both 2014 and 2015, while he has also been named first-team All-Pro on five occasions, most recently in 2018. 

The former Wisconsin Badger has endured injury issues in his career, though he played in all 16 games this past season, logging 52 tackles, five sacks and one interception. 

Despite having one year remaining on his deal, Watt and the Texans came to an agreement to mutually part ways as the franchise appears set to go through a rebuilding process. 

Watt will be back on the same roster as Hopkins, the wide receiver having been part of a blockbuster trade between Houston and Arizona almost a year ago. 

Hopkins had 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns as the Cardinals posted an 8-8 record in the highly competitive NFC West, not enough to seal a return to the postseason for the first time in five years.

All-Pro wide receiver Hopkins was stunningly dealt to the Cardinals in March for a second-round draft pick and running back David Johnson.

The deal, made by head coach Bill O'Brien, who acts as the Texans de facto general manager, drew widespread criticism.

Watt, along with quarterback Deshaun Watson, is one of the faces of the franchise. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year was unwilling to criticise the Texans' decision to part with another of the team's superstars.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Watt said: "Anytime you have a guy like Hop, who in my opinion, has the best hands in the game and is obviously one of the top receivers of the game, it certainly catches your eye, that's for sure.

"It's always tough to lose a guy like that, no matter what the situation is.

"It's above my pay grade and it's something that obviously the team and the organisation feels is in the best interest of the team.

"So as a player on the team, I do my job and I go to work and I play the games, and the GM and the owners, they do their job and they try and do what they feel is best for the team.

"And so, all I can do is show up and go to work and hope that all the guys that we have are great contributors to our team."

Defensive end Watt became a free agent after his request to be released by the Texans - the team who drafted him in the first round back in 2011 - was granted in February.

Speculation over his next destination had been rife since his departure from Houston, but the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year has now confirmed his new home for the 2021 season.

Posting a picture while working out in a Cardinals shirt, Watt simply wrote: "Source: me."

According to sources, Watt will sign a two-year, $31million contract with the Cardinals. It is reported that the deal includes $23m in guaranteed money.

Watt, who turns 32 this month, has only previously played in the NFL for the Texans, who selected him with the 11th pick a decade ago. 

He is the franchise's all-time leader for sacks (101), including posting 20.5 in the 2012 season as he was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year for the first time. 

Watt went on to win the honour in both 2014 and 2015, while he has also been named first-team All-Pro on five occasions, most recently in 2018. 

The former Wisconsin Badger has endured injury issues in his career, though he played in all 16 games this past season, logging 52 tackles, five sacks and one interception. 

Despite having one year remaining on his deal, Watt and the Texans came to an agreement to mutually part ways as the franchise appears set to go through a rebuilding process. 

Watt will be back on the same roster as Hopkins, the wide receiver having been part of a blockbuster trade between Houston and Arizona almost a year ago. 

Hopkins had 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns as the Cardinals posted an 8-8 record in the highly competitive NFC West, not enough to seal a return to the postseason for the first time in five years.

Murray's 43-yard pass was brilliantly caught by Hopkins in the endzone with two seconds remaining to secure a win for the Cardinals on Sunday.

The top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Murray's throw to Hopkins was his only touchdown pass, as he finished 22 of 32 for 245 yards.

But he rushed for two scores, tallying 61 yards on 11 carries, as the Cardinals improved to 6-3.

According to Stats Perform, Murray became the first player in NFL history with a pass TD and a rush TD in five straight games, thanks to his pass to Hopkins.

Murray also joined Cam Newton as the only QBs in NFL history with 6,000-plus pass yards and 1,000-plus rush yards in their first 25 career games, as per NFL Research.

The Cardinals trailed 23-9 against the Bills early in the third quarter before scoring 17 unanswered points.

But Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs combined for 21 yards with 34 seconds left to give Buffalo (7-3) a lead, and seemingly victory, before Murray and Hopkins delivered a game-winning play.

The Cardinals moved top of the NFC West, with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks also holding 6-3 records, while the Bills top the AFC East.