Game story
In Week 17 of the 2002 NFL season on 2002-12-29, the Denver Broncos took care of business against the Arizona Cardinals, pulling away with a 37–7 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 21 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Plummer (Arizona Cardinals) paced the passing game, with +1.26 total EPA.
On the individual side, C. Portis (Denver Broncos) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +12.90 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+11.1% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Denver Broncos changed the game: (6:12) 11-S.Beuerlein pass to 80-R.Smith to ARI 30 for 20 yards (55-R.Thompson).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Denver Broncos | 3 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 0 | 37 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 C. Portis · Denver Broncos · Rushing · +12.90 total EPA · 26 snaps · +0.50 EPA/play
- 2 S. Beuerlein · Denver Broncos · Passing · +9.53 total EPA · 30 snaps · +0.32 EPA/play
- 3 E. McCaffrey · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +7.61 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.85 EPA/play
- 4 R. Smith · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +6.76 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.13 EPA/play
- 5 K. Kasper · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +5.07 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.85 EPA/play
- 6 F. Jones · Arizona Cardinals · Receiving · +4.20 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.70 EPA/play
- 7 J. McCown · Arizona Cardinals · Rushing · +1.34 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.34 EPA/play
- 8 J. Plummer · Arizona Cardinals · Passing · +1.26 total EPA · 31 snaps · +0.04 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
C. Portis — DEN · Rushing
C. Portis posted the highest total EPA (+12.90) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Denver Broncos's efficiency. Across 26 counted snaps, they averaged +0.50 EPA per play.
The signature play (-7.12 EPA) came from Arizona Cardinals: (5:13) 12-J.McCown sacked at ARI 44 for -13 yards (94-L.Dalton). FUMBLES (94-L.Dalton), touched at ARI 44, RECOVERED by DEN-52-I.Gold at ARI 34. 52-I.Gold to ARI 16 for 18 yards (19-N.Poole).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Arizona Cardinals — K. Kasper (J. Plummer pass)
- Denver Broncos — A. Lelie (S. Beuerlein pass)
- Denver Broncos — R. Smith (S. Beuerlein pass)
- Denver Broncos — C. Portis
- Denver Broncos — C. Portis
Field goals
- Denver Broncos — J. Elam
- Denver Broncos — J. Elam
- Denver Broncos — J. Elam
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 3–0. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the ARI 26 (Q1 49:34) — (4:34) 1-J.Elam 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein..
The second quarter: Arizona Cardinals won the period 7–6. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the ARI 35 (Q2 44:18) — (14:18) 1-J.Elam 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein.; Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the ARI 3 (Q2 38:10) — (8:10) 1-J.Elam 21 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein.; Arizona Cardinals found the end zone from the DEN 1 (Q2 30:06) — (:06) (Shotgun) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.; Arizona Cardinals added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q2 30:01) — 7-B.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-48-N.Hodel, Holder-10-S.Player..
The third quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 7–0. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the ARI 5 (Q3 21:22) — (6:22) 11-S.Beuerlein pass to 85-A.Lelie for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q3 21:17) — 1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein..
The fourth quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 21–0. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the ARI 10 (Q4 12:55) — (12:55) 11-S.Beuerlein pass to 80-R.Smith for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q4 12:49) — 1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein.; Denver Broncos found the end zone from the ARI 4 (Q4 7:39) — (7:39) 26-C.Portis left tackle for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q4 7:35) — 1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein.; Denver Broncos found the end zone from the ARI 12 (Q4 4:18) — (4:18) 26-C.Portis right end for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the ARI 2 (Q4 4:11) — 1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Denver Broncos (Q1 51:12) — (6:12) 11-S.Beuerlein pass to 80-R.Smith to ARI 30 for 20 yards (55-R.Thompson).
- Denver Broncos (Q2 44:18) — (14:18) 1-J.Elam 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein.
- Denver Broncos (Q2 39:51) — (9:51) 26-C.Portis right guard to ARI 4 for 59 yards (23-J.Rhinehart).
- Denver Broncos (Q2 30:01) — 7-B.Gramatica kicks 39 yards from ARI 30 to DEN 31. 89-D.Carswell to DEN 31 for no gain. Penalty on ARI-56-L.Woods, Offensive Offside, declined.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q3 19:56) — (4:56) (Shotgun) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper pushed ob at DEN 46 for 22 yards (28-K.Kennedy).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Arizona Cardinals (Q4 5:13) — (5:13) 12-J.McCown sacked at ARI 44 for -13 yards (94-L.Dalton). FUMBLES (94-L.Dalton), touched at ARI 44, RECOVERED by DEN-52-I.Gold at ARI 34. 52-I.Gold to ARI 16 for 18 yards (19-N.Poole).
- Denver Broncos (Q2 39:51) — (9:51) 26-C.Portis right guard to ARI 4 for 59 yards (23-J.Rhinehart).
- Denver Broncos (Q4 8:24) — (8:24) 11-S.Beuerlein pass to 87-E.McCaffrey to ARI 4 for 52 yards (22-D.Starks).
- Arizona Cardinals (Q2 30:06) — (:06) (Shotgun) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
J.Plummer led all passers in efficiency for Arizona Cardinals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Plummer (Arizona Cardinals) · 31 dropbacks · 41.9% completion · +0.04 EPA/play · +1.26 total EPA
- S.Beuerlein (Denver Broncos) · 30 dropbacks · 53.3% completion · +0.32 EPA/play · +9.53 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Arizona Cardinals | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.059 | +0.334 |
| Offensive success rate | 48.1% | 55.8% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.131 | +0.318 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.196 | +0.330 |
| Defensive EPA/play | -0.334 | +0.059 |
| Defensive success rate | 44.2% | 51.9% |
By the numbers
Denver Broncos held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.33 vs -0.06), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Arizona Cardinals: 9 drives, -4.56 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
- Denver Broncos: 10 drives, +25.72 total EPA, 7 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Denver Broncos leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- C. Portis (Denver Broncos) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q1 49:34 · ARI 26 · Score 0-3
(4:34) 1-J.Elam 44 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q2 44:18 · ARI 35 · Score 0-6
(14:18) 1-J.Elam 54 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q2 38:10 · ARI 3 · Score 0-9
(8:10) 1-J.Elam 21 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein. - Arizona Cardinals TD (+6) — Q2 30:06 · DEN 1 · Score 6-9
(:06) (Shotgun) 16-J.Plummer pass to 11-K.Kasper for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. - Arizona Cardinals XP (+1) — Q2 30:01 · DEN 2 · Score 7-9
7-B.Gramatica extra point is GOOD, Center-48-N.Hodel, Holder-10-S.Player. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q3 21:22 · ARI 5 · Score 7-15
(6:22) 11-S.Beuerlein pass to 85-A.Lelie for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q3 21:17 · ARI 2 · Score 7-16
1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q4 12:55 · ARI 10 · Score 7-22
(12:55) 11-S.Beuerlein pass to 80-R.Smith for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q4 12:49 · ARI 2 · Score 7-23
1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q4 7:39 · ARI 4 · Score 7-29
(7:39) 26-C.Portis left tackle for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q4 7:35 · ARI 2 · Score 7-30
1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q4 4:18 · ARI 12 · Score 7-36
(4:18) 26-C.Portis right end for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q4 4:11 · ARI 2 · Score 7-37
1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-48-M.Leach, Holder-11-S.Beuerlein.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos?
The Denver Broncos beat the Arizona Cardinals 37-7 in Week 17, 2002 on 2002-12-29.
What was the final score of Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos?
The final score was Arizona Cardinals 7, Denver Broncos 37 (ARI 7-37 DEN) in Week 17, 2002 on 2002-12-29.
What was the score by quarter in Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos?
Q1: Arizona Cardinals 0, Denver Broncos 3; Q2: Arizona Cardinals 7, Denver Broncos 6; Q3: Arizona Cardinals 0, Denver Broncos 7; Q4: Arizona Cardinals 0, Denver Broncos 21; Final: Arizona Cardinals 7, Denver Broncos 37.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos?
Arizona Cardinals touchdown — K. Kasper (J. Plummer pass) (Q2 30:06) Denver Broncos touchdown — A. Lelie (S. Beuerlein pass) (Q3 21:22) Denver Broncos touchdown — R. Smith (S. Beuerlein pass) (Q4 12:55) Denver Broncos touchdown — C. Portis (Q4 7:39) Denver Broncos touchdown — C. Portis (Q4 4:18) Denver Broncos field goal — J. Elam (Q1 49:34, 3 pts) Denver Broncos field goal — J. Elam (Q2 44:18, 3 pts) Denver Broncos field goal — J. Elam (Q2 38:10, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos?
J. Plummer (Arizona Cardinals), 41.9% completion, +0.04 EPA per dropback, +1.26 total passing EPA. S. Beuerlein (Denver Broncos), 53.3% completion, +0.32 EPA per dropback, +9.53 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Arizona Cardinals vs Denver Broncos?
C. Portis (Denver Broncos) led the game in total EPA with +12.90 on rushing plays. across 26 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-7.12 EPA): (5:13) 12-J.McCown sacked at ARI 44 for -13 yards (94-L.Dalton). FUMBLES (94-L.Dalton), touched at ARI 44, RECOVERED by DEN-52-I.Gold at ARI 34. 52-I.Gold to ARI 16 for 18 yards (1. The biggest win-probability swing was +11.1%.
Season records after this game
Arizona Cardinals
Entered 5-10 Now 5-11 L
Denver Broncos
Entered 8-7 Now 9-7 W
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