Carson Palmer’s Cardinals Edge The Slumping Bengals 34-31

When the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Carson Palmer with the first in the 2003 NFL Draft, he was supposed be the quarterback leading them to last minute victories. On Sunday night, however, he led the Arizona Cardinals to a last second win over his former team, 34-31.

Despite the final scoreline, Palmer got off to a difficult start throwing two interceptions; Arizona went into halftime trailing by a touchdown.  “I just made two really stupid plays,” Palmer said. “Just kind of got the jitters out and we got rolling. We caught fire in the second half.”

In the third quarter, Palmer threw for three touchdowns, including a 64-yarder to J.J. Nelson. Their defense could not hold the lead, however, and Cincinnati looked to be the stronger team as Mike Nugent converted a 43-yard field goal to tie the game with 63 seconds left on the clock.

Palmer was not done, though. With only three passes, he drove the Cardinals into field goal range. What looked to be a 47-yard kick was reduced to 32 when Cincinnati defensive tackle Domata Peko was flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct; the explanation on the field was that he imitated the Cardinals’ snap call in an attempt to bait them into a false start. Chandler Catanzaro knocked the winning kick home and the Bengals couldn’t help but feel robbed.

“I don’t think I have ever seen that call, ever since I have been in the NFL,” Peko said. “We had way too many penalties today. That was the name of the game. We were fighting the refs and the Cardinals.” Head Coach Marvin Lewis agreed, saying the penalty was “a phantom call” and “kind of ridiculous.”

The Cardinals now sit atop the NFC West with a three game cushion over Seattle; the Bengals, who have now lost back-to-back games after starting the season with eight straight wins will look to rebound against the Rams next Sunday.

PHOTO: GLENDALE, AZ – NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Carson Palmer #3 of the Arizona Cardinals gestures during the first quarter of the NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on November 22, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)