Cardinals vs Lions Week 15 2021: Final Score 30

Final2021 Week 15

Ford Field, Detroit, MISun, Dec 19, 2021, 1:00 PM ET

Arizona Cardinals vs Detroit Lions, Week 15 2021

Arizona Cardinals

Away

Detroit Lions

HomeWon

Scoring by quarter
Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Cardinals	0	0	6	6	12
Lions	3	14	7	6	30

ARI 12DET 30 Final

Passing leader
Kyler Murray
ARI · QB
13.6PPR pts
23/41, 257 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Top fantasy scorer
Christian Kirk
ARI · WR
24.4PPR pts
9 REC, 94 YDS, 1 TD
Cardinals leader
Zach Ertz
ARI · TE
13.4PPR pts
6 REC, 74 YDS
Defensive playmaker
Amani Oruwariye
DET
1 INT, 5 TKL

Lions 30, Cardinals 12: Detroit leads from start to finish

Detroit led 17–0 at halftime after a 14-point second quarter and outscored Arizona 13–12 after the break to win 30–12. Arizona outgained the Lions 398–338.

Arizona didn't get on the board until the third quarter.

The Cardinals went 7-for-15 on third down and committed one turnover.

The two teams meet again in Week 5 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.

Key advantages

+3:44 time of possession DET 31:52 · ARI 28:08

Game Highlights

Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube

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Why the Lions Won

Detroit won the time of possession battle.

Team stats comparison, Cardinals vs Lions
Cardinals	Stat	Lions
28:08	Time of possession	31:52

Other team stats
398	Total yards	338

5.5	Yards per play	5.5

73	Plays	62

1	Turnovers	1

47%	Third-down conversion	46%

Scoring Summary

The Lions scored three touchdowns and three field goals; the Cardinals scored one touchdown and two field goals.

Scoring plays, Cardinals vs Lions
Time	Team	Play	ARI	DET
1st quarter
6:10	DET	Riley Patterson 37-yard FG Takes lead	0	3
2nd quarter
14:53	DET	Jared Goff → Amon-Ra St. Brown, 37-yard TD Extends leadRiley Patterson XP	0	10
0:19	DET	Jared Goff → Josh Reynolds, 22-yard TD Extends leadRiley Patterson XP	0	17
3rd quarter
11:22	ARI	Matt Prater 29-yard FG	3	17
8:10	DET	Jared Goff → Jason Cabinda, 6-yard TD Extends leadRiley Patterson XP	3	24
3:54	ARI	Matt Prater 29-yard FG	6	24
4th quarter
13:15	DET	Riley Patterson 47-yard FG Extends lead	6	27
4:40	ARI	Kyler Murray → Christian Kirk, 26-yard TD2-pt try failed	12	27
2:46	DET	Riley Patterson 45-yard FG Extends lead	12	30

Fantasy Points: Cardinals vs Lions, Week 15 2021

Fantasy leaders

Christian KirkARIWR24.4 PTSWR5
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR23.5 PTSWR6
Jared GoffDETQB20.6 PTSQB8
Josh ReynoldsDETWR18.8 PTSWR12

Player Stats

Quarterbacks

Quarterback statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	CMP/ATT	Pass YDS	TD	INT	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	Rate	Start/Sit
Kyler MurrayARIQB	12.6	QB16	23/41	257	1	1	4	3	0	72.9	Start/Sit →
Jared GoffDETQB	20.6	QB8	21/26	216	3	0	—	—	—	139.7	Start/Sit →
Colt McCoyARIQB	2.5	QB33	6/9	56	0	0	1	3	0	83.6

WRs, RBs, & TEs

Receiver, running back and tight end statistics
Player	FPTS	FIN	POS	Rush ATT	Rush YDS	Rush TD	TGT	REC	Rec YDS	Rec TD	Start/Sit
Christian KirkARIWR	24.4	WR5	WR	—	—	—	12	9	94	1
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR	23.5	WR6	WR	1	5	0	11	8	90	1	Start/Sit →
Josh ReynoldsDETWR	18.8	WR12	WR	—	—	—	6	6	68	1
Zach ErtzARITE	13.4	TE8	TE	—	—	—	11	6	74	0
Craig ReynoldsDETRB	12.7	RB17	RB	26	112	0	1	1	5	0
A.J. GreenARIWR	10.4	WR31	WR	—	—	—	8	4	64	0
James ConnerARIRB	9.0	RB28	RB	8	39	0	2	2	31	0
Chase EdmondsARIRB	5.3	RB46	RB	6	53	0	1	0	0	0
Antoine WesleyARIWR	4.9	WR63	WR	—	—	—	8	3	19	0
Rondale MooreARIWR	4.0	WR72	WR	1	1	0	3	3	9	0
Kalif RaymondDETWR	4.0	WR71	WR	—	—	—	3	2	20	0	Start/Sit →
Shane ZylstraDETTE	2.6	TE40	TE	—	—	—	1	1	16	0
Jonathan WardARIRB	2.5	RB61	RB	1	6	0	2	1	9	0
Andy IsabellaARIWR	2.3	WR93	WR	—	—	—	1	1	13	0
Jermar JeffersonDETRB	0.9	RB67	RB	5	9	0	—	—	—	—
Godwin IgwebuikeDETRB	0.1	RB71	RB	2	0	0	2	2	11	0
Brock WrightDETTE	0.0	—	TE	—	—	—	1	0	0	0	Start/Sit →

Fantasy Usage

Arizona Cardinals

Snap Share

Christian KirkWR72 snaps96%
Zach ErtzTE67 snaps89%
Antoine WesleyWR64 snaps85%
A.J. GreenWR56 snaps75%
James ConnerRB33 snaps44%

Target Share48 targets

Christian Kirk25%, 12 targets
Zach Ertz23%, 11 targets
A.J. Green17%, 8 targets
Antoine Wesley17%, 8 targets
Rondale Moore6%, 3 targets
Other13%, 6 targets

Carry Share21 carries

James Conner38%, 8 carries
Chase Edmonds29%, 6 carries
Kyler Murray19%, 4 carries
Colt McCoy5%, 1 carries
Jonathan Ward5%, 1 carries
Other5%, 1 carries

Detroit Lions

Snap Share

Brock WrightTE49 snaps75%
Kalif RaymondWR45 snaps69%
Amon-Ra St. BrownWR45 snaps69%
Craig ReynoldsRB42 snaps65%
Josh ReynoldsWR41 snaps63%

Target Share25 targets

Amon-Ra St. Brown44%, 11 targets
Josh Reynolds24%, 6 targets
Kalif Raymond12%, 3 targets
Godwin Igwebuike8%, 2 targets
Craig Reynolds4%, 1 targets
Other8%, 2 targets

Carry Share34 carries

Craig Reynolds76%, 26 carries
Jermar Jefferson15%, 5 carries
Godwin Igwebuike6%, 2 carries
Amon-Ra St. Brown3%, 1 carries

View full usage tableHide full usage table

Offensive snaps and share for the skill positions
Player	SNAPS	SNAP %	TGT	TGT %	CAR
Christian KirkARIWR	72	96%	12	25%	0
Zach ErtzARITE	67	89%	11	23%	0
Antoine WesleyARIWR	64	85%	8	17%	0
Brock WrightDETTE	49	75%	1	4%	0
A.J. GreenARIWR	56	75%	8	17%	0
Kalif RaymondDETWR	45	69%	3	12%	0
Amon-Ra St. BrownDETWR	45	69%	11	44%	1
Craig ReynoldsDETRB	42	65%	1	4%	26
Josh ReynoldsDETWR	41	63%	6	24%	0
Shane ZylstraDETTE	29	45%	1	4%	0
James ConnerARIRB	33	44%	2	4%	8
Chase EdmondsARIRB	29	39%	1	2%	6
Rondale MooreARIWR	20	27%	3	6%	1
Tom KennedyDETWR	15	23%	0	0%	0
Godwin IgwebuikeDETRB	12	18%	2	8%	2
Andy IsabellaARIWR	12	16%	1	2%	0
Jonathan WardARIRB	11	15%	2	4%	1
Demetrius HarrisARITE	8	11%	0	0%	0
Jermar JeffersonDETRB	6	9%	0	0%	5
Darrell DanielsARITE	3	4%	0	0%	0

Fantasy Points vs Expected

PPRHalf PPRStandard

Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.

Biggest overperformer+9.2Jared Goff20.6 PTS vs 11.4 xFP
Biggest underperformer−8.6Antoine Wesley4.9 PTS vs 13.5 xFP
Highest expected volume20.6 xFPKyler Murray13.6 PTS scored

Usage and expected fantasy points
Player	PTS	xFP	vs xFP	Snap%	Usage	Rte%	Pass att	Car	Car%	Tgt	Tgt%
Kyler MurrayARI · QB	13.6	20.6	−7.0	85%	41 att	—	41	4	19%	0	0%
Christian KirkARI · WR	24.4	20.2	+4.2	96%	25% tgt	—	0	0	0%	12	25%
Amon-Ra St. BrownDET · WR	23.5	19.2	+4.3	69%	42% tgt	—	0	1	3%	11	42%
Zach ErtzARI · TE	13.4	18.5	−5.1	89%	23% tgt	—	0	0	0%	11	23%
Craig ReynoldsDET · RB	12.7	18.4	−5.7	65%	76% car	—	0	26	76%	1	4%
A.J. GreenARI · WR	10.4	13.5	−3.1	75%	17% tgt	—	0	0	0%	8	17%
Antoine WesleyARI · WR	4.9	13.5	−8.6	85%	17% tgt	—	0	0	0%	8	17%
Jared GoffDET · QB	20.6	11.4	+9.2	98%	26 att	—	26	0	0%	0	0%
Josh ReynoldsDET · WR	18.8	10.1	+8.7	63%	23% tgt	—	0	0	0%	6	23%
James ConnerARI · RB	9.0	8.5	+0.5	44%	38% car	—	0	8	38%	2	4%
Rondale MooreARI · WR	4.0	5.7	−1.7	27%	6% tgt	—	0	1	5%	3	6%
Chase EdmondsARI · RB	5.3	5.5	−0.2	39%	29% car	—	0	6	29%	1	2%
Kalif RaymondDET · WR	4.0	5.1	−1.1	69%	12% tgt	—	0	0	0%	3	12%
Godwin IgwebuikeDET · RB	1.1	4.7	−3.6	18%	8% tgt	—	0	2	6%	2	8%
Colt McCoyARI · QB	2.5	4.6	−2.1	15%	9 att	—	9	1	5%	0	0%
Jonathan WardARI · RB	2.5	4.0	−1.5	15%	5% car	—	0	1	5%	2	4%
Jermar JeffersonDET · RB	0.9	3.2	−2.3	9%	15% car	—	0	5	15%	0	0%
Andy IsabellaARI · WR	2.3	1.7	+0.6	16%	2% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	2%
Brock WrightDET · TE	0.0	1.7	−1.7	75%	4% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	4%
Jason CabindaDET · RB	7.6	1.7	+5.9	—	4% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	4%
Shane ZylstraDET · TE	2.6	1.7	+0.9	45%	4% tgt	—	0	0	0%	1	4%

Team totals: Cardinals 48 targets and 21 carries; Lions 26 targets and 34 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts are from the weekly player logs (Sleeper), and include plays wiped out by penalties. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.

Fantasy Verdicts

Kyler Murray Unlucky

ARI · QB · 13.6 pts on 20.6 expected

23 of 41 passing for 257 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 4 carries for 3 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 20.6 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Start/Sit: Kyler Murray →

Jared Goff Ran hot

DET · QB · 20.6 pts on 11.4 expected

21 of 26 passing for 216 yards, 3 touchdowns.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 11.4 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Best score since Week 1.

Start/Sit: Jared Goff →

Christian Kirk

ARI · WR · 24.4 pts on 20.2 expected

12 targets (25% of the team's), 9 catches for 94 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 20.2 expected.

Season high in targets (12). Best fantasy game of the season.

Zach Ertz Unlucky

ARI · TE · 13.4 pts on 18.5 expected

11 targets (23% of the team's), 6 catches for 74 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 18.5 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Season high in targets (11).

Amon-Ra St. Brown Strong role

DET · WR · 23.5 pts on 19.2 expected

11 targets (42% of the team's), 8 catches for 90 yards and 1 touchdown; 1 carry (3% of the team's) for 5 yards.

Verdict: The points matched the role, 19.2 expected.

Start/Sit: Amon-Ra St. Brown →

Craig Reynolds Volume, no payoff

DET · RB · 12.7 pts on 18.4 expected

1 target (4% of the team's), 1 catch for 5 yards; 26 carries (76% of the team's) for 112 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 18.4 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Trend: Season high in carries (26).

Antoine Wesley Unlucky

ARI · WR · 4.9 pts on 13.5 expected

8 targets (17% of the team's), 3 catches for 19 yards.

Verdict: The role was there, worth 13.5 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.

Season high in targets (8).

Josh Reynolds Ran hot

DET · WR · 18.8 pts on 10.1 expected

6 targets (23% of the team's), 6 catches for 68 yards and 1 touchdown.

Verdict: The opportunities were worth 10.1 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.

Best fantasy game of the season.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Arizona Cardinals

Stock up: Christian Kirk played 96% of the snaps, up from a 71% season average.
Stock up: Zach Ertz played 89% of the snaps, up from a 69% season average.
Stock up: Antoine Wesley played 85% of the snaps, up from a 33% season average.

Detroit Lions

Stock up: Craig Reynolds played 65% of the snaps, up from a 46% season average.
Stock up: Brock Wright played 75% of the snaps, up from a 36% season average.
Stock down: Shane Zylstra played 45% of the snaps, down from a 63% season average.

Fantasy Matchups

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.

Fantasy points allowed per game by position, Cardinals defense and Lions defense
Points allowed to	Cardinals D	Lions D
QBs	16.5	18.2
RBs	20.5	26.6
WRs	37.9	34.4
TEs	7.7	14.1

Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.

How the Game Swung

Detroit opened at 17% win probability, fell as low as 17%, then rallied to win.

Lions win probability

Key Swings

+7Patterson 37-yd FG19% → 26%Q1 6:10
+23Goff → Brown, 37-yd TD28% → 51%Q2 14:53
+22Goff → Reynolds, 22-yd TD64% → 86%Q2 0:19
−7Prater 29-yd FG90% → 82%Q3 11:22
+11Goff → Cabinda, 6-yd TD86% → 97%Q3 8:10

Swing in Lions win probability, in points

Play Calling and Possessions

Play calling, Cardinals vs Lions
Arizona Cardinals	Measure	Detroit Lions
73	Plays	62
71%	Pass rate	45%
5.6	Yds / dropback	7.6
5.0	Yds / carry	3.7
7/15	Third downs	6/13

Efficiency edge Detroit ran 11 fewer plays but gained 2.0 more yards per dropback.

Top targets
ARI Kirk 25% · Ertz 23% · Green 17%
DET Brown 42% · Reynolds 23% · Raymond 12%

Possession Results

How each possession ended, Cardinals vs Lions
Result	ARI	DET
Touchdowns	1	3
Field goals	2	3
Punts	3	3
Turnovers	1	1
Turnovers on downs	2	0

The Lions opened the scoring on their first possession, a 15-play, 63-yard drive that ended in a field goal.

All 21 possessions, drive by drive

Drive chart
Team	Start	Plays	Yards	Time	Result
DET	Q1 15:00	15	63	8:50	Field goal
ARI	Q1 6:10	3	0	2:28	Punt
DET	Q1 3:42	8	93	3:49	Touchdown
ARI	Q2 14:53	3	-2	1:37	Punt
DET	Q2 13:16	3	3	2:06	Punt
ARI	Q2 11:10	7	19	3:30	Punt
DET	Q2 7:40	3	-3	1:27	Punt
ARI	Q2 6:13	9	58	4:14	Downs
DET	Q2 1:59	9	97	1:40	Touchdown
ARI	Q2 0:19	1	-1	0:19	End of half
ARI	Q3 15:00	9	64	3:38	Field goal
DET	Q3 11:22	5	28	2:33	Fumble
ARI	Q3 8:49	2	2	0:34	Interception
DET	Q3 8:15	1	6	0:05	Touchdown
ARI	Q3 8:10	11	72	4:16	Field goal
DET	Q3 3:54	10	46	5:39	Field goal
ARI	Q4 13:15	7	39	1:38	Downs
DET	Q4 11:37	5	19	3:49	Punt
ARI	Q4 7:48	12	87	3:08	Touchdown
DET	Q4 4:40	6	19	1:54	Field goal
ARI	Q4 2:46	11	65	2:46	End of game

About these numbers

Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.

Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.

Cardinals vs Lions Head-to-Head

The Cardinals and Lions first met in 1930 and have played 70 times since.

All-time series: 36–28–6Lions lead, 70 meetings since 1930
Postseason: 0No playoff meetings
Largest Cardinals win: 56–201948
Largest Lions win: 39–01936

Since 2021

2–0 Lions lead

2 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.

Oldest to newest. L = Lions win, C = Cardinals win, outlined = this game.

2026 Meetings

Week 5 Lions at Cardinals Sun, Oct 11, 2026 Upcoming

Recent Meetings

2024 Wk 3 Lions at Cardinals, 2024 Wk 3 recap Sun, Sep 22, 2024 DET 20 ARI 13 DET W
2021 Wk 15 Cardinals at Lions Sun, Dec 19, 2021 DET 30 ARI 12 DET W

Season to Date (Through Week 18)

The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.

Season to date, Cardinals vs Lions
Cardinals	Stat	Lions
11-6	Record	3-13-1

26.4	Points per game	19.1

373.6	Yards per game	322.6

5.6	Yards per play	5.2

21.5	Points allowed per game	27.5

329.2	Yards allowed per game	379.8

Cardinals vs Lions Odds and Results

How this game finished against the betting lines.

Spread: ARI −13Cardinals failed to cover by 31
Total: 48Under: 42 points scored (by 6)

Expected vs Actual Scoring

Implied team totals against the actual score
Team	Implied	Actual	Difference
Cardinals	30.5	12	−18.5
Lions	17.5	30	+12.5

The Lions beat their implied total and the Cardinals fell short of theirs; the Fantasy tab has the player lines behind it.

Betting Trends

Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.

Arizona Cardinals

Against the spread: 9–5
Over/under: 7–7
ATS as favorite: 4–5
ATS as underdog: 5–0
ATS on the road: 7–1

Detroit Lions

Against the spread: 9–5
Over/under: 5–9
ATS as underdog: 9–5
ATS at home: 5–2

Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.

Cardinals vs Lions Fantasy Outlook for 2026

One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 5 in Arizona. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.

Keep Exploring

2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game

Cardinals vs Lions Game FAQ

Who won the 2021 Cardinals vs Lions Week 15 game?

The Detroit Lions beat the Arizona Cardinals 30–12 in Week 15 of the 2021 season. The game was played at Ford Field in Detroit, MI, on December 19, 2021. See the Lions' 2021 schedule.

What was the final score of Cardinals vs Lions?

The final score was Lions 30, Cardinals 12. The Lions led 17–0 at halftime, and the second half went Cardinals 12, Lions 13.

What happened in the Cardinals vs Lions game?

Detroit led 17–0 at halftime after a 14-point second quarter and outscored Arizona 13–12 after the break to win 30–12. Arizona outgained the Lions 398–338. Christian Kirk led all players with 9 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.

Who scored the most fantasy points in Cardinals vs Lions?

Christian Kirk led the game with 24.4 PPR fantasy points, the WR5 of Week 15, on 9 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. Amon-Ra St. Brown was next with 23.5 (WR6). See Christian Kirk's 2021 game log.

Who led Cardinals vs Lions in passing, rushing and receiving?

Kyler Murray (ARI) led all passers with 23 of 41 for 257 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Craig Reynolds (DET) led in rushing with 26 carries for 112 yards. Christian Kirk (ARI) led in receiving with 9 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.

How many fantasy points did Christian Kirk score against the Lions?

Christian Kirk scored 24.4 points in PPR leagues, 19.9 in half-PPR and 15.4 in standard scoring against the Lions in Week 15 of the 2021 season, on 9 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. He drew 25% of his team's targets.

Who outperformed and underperformed expected fantasy points in Cardinals vs Lions?

Jared Goff outperformed his expected fantasy points the most, scoring 20.6 PPR points on 11.4 xFP (+9.2). Antoine Wesley fell furthest short, with 4.9 points on 13.5 xFP (−8.6). A gap either way reflects efficiency and touchdowns in one game; it is not a forecast. For matchups ahead, see fantasy points allowed by position.

Who had the highest expected fantasy points in Cardinals vs Lions?

Kyler Murray had the most fantasy opportunity in the game, worth 20.6 expected PPR points (xFP) at league-average rates, and scored 13.6. Expected points measure the volume of a player's pass attempts, carries and targets, not how well he used them.

How did the Lions come back to beat the Cardinals?

The Lions' chances of winning fell as low as 17% in the first half. Jared Goff's 37-yard touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the second quarter was the biggest swing of the game. They finished the comeback with a 30–12 win.

What is the all-time Cardinals vs Lions record?

The Lions lead the all-time series 36–28–6 across 70 meetings since 1930.

When did the Cardinals and Lions last play before this game?

Before Week 15 of 2021, they last met in the 2020 season on September 27, 2020, when the Lions beat the Cardinals 26–23.

What is the Cardinals vs Lions record since 2021?

The Lions lead 2–0 across 2 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.

What was the closing spread for Cardinals vs Lions?

The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Cardinals −13, making the Arizona Cardinals 13-point favorites, with a closing total of 48. That implied about 30.5 points for the Cardinals and 17.5 for the Lions.

Did Cardinals vs Lions go over or under the total?

The game went under. The consensus closing total was 48, and the teams combined for 42 points, 6 under the number.

Who covered the spread in Cardinals vs Lions?

The Lions covered as 13-point underdogs against the closing line of Cardinals −13. The final margin was 18 points.