Thursday Night Football top plays: Packers hand Cardinals first defeat

Updated Oct 29, 2021 12:21 am ET

Week 8 of the NFL season kicked off with a thriller as the Green Bay Packers handed the Arizona Cardinals their first loss of the season, 24-21, on FOX.

It came down to an end-zone interception in the final seconds to seal the deal as the Packers put the first mark on the Cardinals' previously perfect record. Both teams are now 7-1 and remain atop their divisions.

Green Bay was without star wideout Davante Adams, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday and was unable to clear the league's protocols in time for the game. The Packers have now won all seven games they've played without Adams since the start of the 2019 season. 

Here are the top plays from Thursday's matchup.

Green Bay Packers 24, Arizona Cardinals 21

FIRST QUARTER

After a slow first half of the opening quarter, things saw a spark midway through the frame. But what could have been a 61-yard touchdown from DeAndre Hopkins was called back on an offensive face mask penalty. 

Arizona ended up getting its TD on that same drive, however, when Chase Edmonds ran it up the middle for six.

SECOND QUARTER

The Packers got on the board in the second thanks to Aaron Jones, who muscled his way into the end zone for his 50th career touchdown.

Packers tight end Marcedes Lewis was this close to a jaw-dropping, one-handed TD catch, but he wasn't able to get both feet in bounds. 

The Packers settled for a field goal on the drive to take a 10-7 lead headed into the break. Green Bay is 25-1 when leading at the half under Matt LaFleur.

THIRD QUARTER

Green Bay made it a 10-point game when Aaron Rodgers floated this ball to Randall Cobb in the end zone.

On Arizona's ensuing drive, the Cardinals kept the Packers within arm's reach as James Conner found the end zone to pull within 17-14 midway through the third.

Both teams got a scare following Arizona's punt when Jonathan Ward collided with rookie Kylin Hill on the return. Following the play, both players were carted off the field after being down for several minutes.

Then, on the same drive, Robert Tonyan went down after a 32-yard catch and run. He is questionable to return.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Packers came out strong in the fourth, finding the end zone on the first play of the period to take a 24-14 lead.

But Arizona was quick to respond, capping off an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a score of its own.

How about Rodgers looking to the officials for a horse-collar tackle penalty before he was even down? He didn't get the call, but the effort was 10/10. 

The Packers nearly extended their lead when Jones ran in what could've been his second TD of the night …

… But after a booth review, it was determined that Jones was down short of the goal line, and instead of going for a field goal, the Packers turned it over on downs. 

The Cardinals used that opportunity to charge down the field with some help from Rondale Moore.

With 1:16 to play, Edmonds split the Packers' defense and picked up a huge gain as the Cardinals crossed into the red zone. 

It all came down to the final seconds when A.J. Green failed to look for the pass from Kyler Murray, allowing Rasul Douglas to come up with a clutch interception.

And that's all she wrote.