Preseason football often serves as a dress rehearsal, but for Arizona Cardinals fans, the August 9 opener against the Kansas City Chiefs felt like a glimpse of what could be. Kyler Murray looked sharp in limited action, and despite three turnovers, the Cardinals edged the Chiefs 20-17 at State Farm Stadium. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the team and player stats that defined the night.

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Final Score: Arizona Cardinals 20, Kansas City Chiefs 17 ·
Total Yards (KC): 249 ·
Total Yards (ARI): 355 ·
First Downs (KC): 17 ·
First Downs (ARI): 24 ·
Turnovers (KC): 2 ·
Turnovers (ARI): 3

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Which Chiefs receivers caught passes (outside of one known TD)
  • Exact time of possession by quarter
  • Individual defensive stats beyond team totals
  • Injury updates from the game
3Timeline signal
  • Q1: Chiefs TD (Mahomes to Brownlee, 2 plays, 13 yds) (Chiefs.com Official)
  • Q2: Cardinals score 17 unanswered points (ESPN Box Score)
  • Q3: Chiefs FG (ESPN Box Score)
  • Q4: Cardinals FG for final 20-17 lead (ESPN Box Score)
4What’s next
  • Chiefs evaluate quarterback depth after Zappe’s 2 INTs (FOX Sports Box Score)
  • Cardinals build on Murray’s efficient start (ESPN Box Score)
  • Standings implications: preseason only, but roster battles intensify (FOX Sports Box Score)

The implication: The Cardinals overcame a slow start and three giveaways to win, a resilience that may carry into the regular season.

Key facts from the game
Label Value
Date August 9, 2025
Game Type Preseason Week 1
Stadium State Farm Stadium
Attendance Not reported
Head Coach (KC) Andy Reid
Head Coach (ARI) Jonathan Gannon

What was the final score of the Kansas City Chiefs vs Arizona Cardinals preseason game?

The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-17 in their preseason opener on August 9, 2025 (ESPN Box Score). The Chiefs struck first with a touchdown in the opening quarter, but the Cardinals roared back with 17 points in the second quarter. Both teams were held scoreless in the third before a fourth-quarter field goal sealed the win for Arizona.

Quarter-by-quarter scoring: Chiefs 7 (Q1), 7 (Q2), 3 (Q3), 0 (Q4) — Cardinals 0, 17, 0, 3 (Chiefs.com Official Site).

The pattern: Arizona’s ability to flip the script after a slow start shows offensive resilience even in a preseason setting, while Kansas City will want to clean up second-quarter lapses before the regular season.

What were the third-down and penalty statistics for each team?

Third-down efficiency proved decisive for the Cardinals, who converted 4 of 9 attempts (44.4%) while holding the Chiefs to 5 of 13 (38.5%) (Chiefs.com Official Site). Arizona also earned more first downs via penalty (4 vs. 2) and held an edge in passing first downs (13 to 9) and rushing first downs (7 to 6).

Penalties heavily favored the home team: the Chiefs committed 11 penalties for 113 yards, while the Cardinals had only 5 for 47 yards (Chiefs.com Official Site).

The catch: Kansas City’s aggression on offense created opportunities but also costly flags that stalled drives. Arizona’s discipline allowed them to sustain longer possessions despite fewer third-down conversions.

The data reveals that Arizona’s efficiency in key situations outweighed their turnover disadvantage.

Third-down efficiency and penalty comparison
Metric Chiefs Cardinals
3rd Down Efficiency 5/13 (38.5%) 4/9 (44.4%)
Penalties/Yards 11/113 5/47
First Downs (Penalty) 2 4
Passing First Downs 9 13
Rushing First Downs 6 7

The pattern: Arizona’s discipline on third down and penalty avoidance compensated for their giveaway count.

How did Kyler Murray perform in his preseason debut against the Chiefs?

Kyler Murray saw limited action, playing just two drives, but he looked sharp. He completed 7 of 8 passes for 96 yards and tossed one interception (ESPN Box Score). His lone pick came on a pass that caromed off a receiver, according to game reports, but the overall efficiency was promising.

Trey McBride caught 1 pass for 21 yards (FOX Sports Box Score). No other Cardinals receiver had a notable stat line from Murray’s drives, as the Cardinals spread the ball around.

What this means: Murray’s quick release and accuracy on short-to-intermediate routes suggest the offensive scheme under Drew Petzing is gelling. The interception, while unfortunate, was not a sign of regression.

What turnovers and defensive stops occurred during the game?

Total turnovers: Chiefs committed 2 (both interceptions by backup QB Bailey Zappe), while the Cardinals turned it over 3 times (including Murray’s INT) (FOX Sports Box Score). Despite the giveaway edge, Arizona won because their defense forced stops at critical moments.

Defensive snap counts: Chiefs defense recorded 66 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 interceptions; Cardinals defense had 57 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 interceptions (FOX Sports Box Score).

Third-down stops: The Chiefs stopped the Cardinals on 5 of 9 third downs; the Cardinals stopped the Chiefs on 8 of 13 third downs (Chiefs.com Official Site). That meant Kansas City’s offense faced more third-and-long situations and struggled to convert.

The pattern: Arizona’s defense bent but didn’t break, allowing yardage but clamping down on third downs. For the Chiefs, the error-prone quarterback play behind Mahomes created turnover opportunities that the Cardinals capitalized on.

Where can I find the complete player stats from this game?

Official box scores and player stats are available through multiple authoritative sources. The ESPN Box Score provides full team totals, passing, rushing, and receiving stats. For a detailed play-by-play, Chiefs.com offers the official game book including drive summaries and time of possession. FOX Sports Box Score includes defensive stats and scoring plays.

Why this matters: For fantasy players and analysts, these box scores are the only way to compare player usage across preseason games. Rely on the official sources above for accurate, verified data.

Bottom line: The Cardinals’ 20-17 win over the Chiefs was a preseason showcase of efficient quarterback play and disciplined defense. For Kyler Murray and Arizona, the offensive rhythm is real. For Kansas City, the backup quarterback battle behind Mahomes needs attention.
The catch

Arizona won despite losing the turnover battle 3-2. That suggests their defense and special teams outplayed the Chiefs on the margins — but three giveaways in a regular-season game would usually be fatal. The Cardinals will need to protect the ball better when the games count.

What to watch

The Chiefs’ 11 penalties for 113 yards nearly doubled the Cardinals’ penalty yardage. Andy Reid will likely emphasize discipline in practice this week, because yielding that many free yards against regular-season opponents will be costly.

Game timeline

  • Pre-game: Both teams prepare for preseason opener; starters expected to see limited snaps.
  • First Quarter: Chiefs drive 13 yards in 2 plays for TD (Mahomes to Brownlee). Cardinals’ first drive ends with Murray INT.
  • Second Quarter: Cardinals score 17 points (mix of passing and rushing). Chiefs add a TD to go into half tied? Actually scoring: Q2 Chiefs 7, Cardinals 17. Half: 14-17 Cardinals.
  • Third Quarter: Only points are a Chiefs field goal. Cardinals held scoreless.
  • Fourth Quarter: Cardinals kick a field goal to make it 20-17. Chiefs’ final drive: 5 plays, 11 yards, ends game.
  • Final: Arizona Cardinals 20, Kansas City Chiefs 17.

Timeline based on play-by-play from Chiefs.com Official Site

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

  • Final score: Cardinals 20, Chiefs 17
  • Kyler Murray: 7/8, 96 yards, 1 INT
  • Total yards: KC 249, ARI 355
  • Turnovers: KC 2, ARI 3
  • Third down: KC 5/13, ARI 4/9
  • Penalties: KC 11/113, ARI 5/47
  • Time of possession: KC 29:36, ARI 30:24
  • Chiefs TD: Mahomes to Brownlee (1 yard)
  • Patrick Mahomes: 1/1, 1 yard, 1 TD
  • Bailey Zappe: 21/40, 157 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
  • Clayton Tune (ARI): 6 rushes, 51 yards

What’s unclear

  • Which Chiefs receivers had multiple catches (beyond the TD)
  • Exact quarter-by-quarter time of possession
  • Individual defensive player stats (tackles, sacks by player)
  • Presence of any minor injuries on either side
  • Which Cardinals receivers caught passes from Murray (only McBride confirmed by sources)
  • Specific drive summaries for all possessions
Bottom line: The Cardinals’ 20-17 win over the Chiefs was a preseason showcase of efficient quarterback play and disciplined defense. For Kyler Murray and Arizona, the offensive rhythm is real. For Kansas City, the backup quarterback battle behind Mahomes needs attention.
Additional sources

espn.com, en.as.com, foxsports.com, azcardinals.com, espn.com

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Frequently asked questions

What is the final score of the Chiefs vs Cardinals game?

The final score was Arizona Cardinals 20, Kansas City Chiefs 17.

How many yards did the Cardinals gain total?

The Cardinals recorded 355 total yards, compared to the Chiefs’ 249.

Did Kyler Murray start the game?

Yes, Kyler Murray started and played two drives, completing 7 of 8 passes for 96 yards with one interception.

How many turnovers did the Chiefs have?

The Chiefs committed 2 turnovers (both interceptions). The Cardinals had 3 turnovers (including Murray’s INT).

Where can I find the official box score?

Official box scores are available at ESPN, FOX Sports, and Chiefs.com. Links are included in the game timeline section above.

Was this a regular season or preseason game?

This was a preseason Week 1 game, played on August 9, 2025.

Who caught passes for the Cardinals?

Trey McBride was the only receiver confirmed on the box scores (1 catch, 21 yards). Other Cardinals receivers were not individually reported in the available sources.