The Arizona Cardinals are in the stretch of their schedule where every single opponent is brutal. This week, it was last year’s AFC #1 the Denver Broncos.
The Cardinals were looking for the upset. Denver wanted to keep pace with the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs in their division.
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The Cardinals have been a roller coaster this year. The new offense is going to take a while to get going, but there are glimmers of hope in every contest. In the end, the Broncos made
a statement by beating Arizona 30-16 in another game where the offense drives the field and cannot score touchdowns.
So, who played well for the Cardinals? Who didn’t?
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BEAKS
LB Jack Gibbens – This just might be the Cardinals’ best defensive player. Each week, he is either the #1 tackler or close to the top. He stuffed RB Jonah Colemand in the second quarter after just a three-yard gain. He hit RB J.K. Dobbins on the goal line, but Dobbins slid off all tackles and fell into the end zone. Led all tacklers with seven.
TE Trey McBride – The talented tight end is a default entry each week. He is undoubtedly the best offensive player the Cardinals have. Proof of that is the hurdle in the fourth quarter. Led all receivers with 13 targets, 10 receptions for 11 yards and one score.
K Chad Ryland – Another good day for Ryland who, once again, scored the majority of offensive points with nine as he connected on field goals of 30, 26, and 41 yards. After McBride, Ryland has been the offense MVP this year. How sad is that?
Larry Fitzgerald Enshrinement – First, the Hall of Fame, and now enshrined in Arizona Cardinals history forever. You gave your all, Larry. We still love you.
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GEEKS
Lack of receiver play – Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne are both exceptional receivers, yet Wilson only caught four balls all game. Bourne had six targets, but was only able to corral three catches for just nine yards. Jalen Brooks had one catch. These are all good pass catchers, and yet aren’t being utilized.
No rushing attack – This is a huge breakdown for this offense. Yes, their best offensive lineman, Paris Johnson, is out for the year, but this group must be more consistent on running plays. Good teams run for more than 94 yards in a game. What was all that hype about when Tyler Allgeier was signed during the offseason? Eight rushes for 19 yards?
Too many huge plays – The 62-yard run by QB Bo Nix in the second quarter. A 52-yard catch-and-run by RB R.J. Harvey early in the third stanza. Nix to WR Marvin Mims for 47 yards later in the quarter. 27-yard completion to WR Jalen Waddle in the fourth quarter, followed by a 19-yard completion to WR Courtland Sutton two plays later. All in one friggin’ ballgame?
Fourth-and-goal – This was disappointing, but really, the odds of the comeback were not in Arizona’s favor down 30-16 with 52 seconds remaining. RG Conner Hayden had his man blocked, but DE Malcolm Roach could not get any penetration and did the only thing he could: get a paw up. The pass was blocked, and that, was that.
Continued Red Zone disasters – This Cardinals offense can move the ball up and down the field. However, they cannot punch it into the end zone. This is a continuing saga. They got down to Denver’s 11, 7, and 23 without scoring a touchdown. Drives of 14 plays and 10 plays. While the Broncos were scoring six points a pop, Arizona was getting half that. The scoreboard will get away from you quickly with that strategy.
Pass rush – Where is it? One sack all day? Limited pressures? One QB hit? Josh Sweat two tackles. Roy Lopez one tackle. L.J. Collier one tackle plus one batted pass. Darius Robinson played well and netted four tackles with the game’s only sack. Are missed tackles just what this defense does now?
Penalties! Penalties! Penalties! – The best way to take one step forward and two steps back is to get a bunch of penalties. This team collects yellow flags. 11 accepted penalties for 114 yards is a game destroyer. Three holding calls, one false start and neutral zone infraction, a rare offensive facemask call, and a delay of game while sitting on the two-yard line. Who does that?
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Bird Seed – What’s another word for Thesaurus?
Third down efficiency – Going 3-for-11 is not what good teams do. That is a stat of what bad teams have.
CB Kalen King – Played well and had the second-most tackles with six. Made a good play on the third-and-five play in the second quarter with the pass intended for Waddle that ended up a four-yard gain and a punt instead of moving the sticks. He also came through late in this same quarter with the Broncos facing a third-and-four. King nailed Harvey for just a two-yard gain. The 47-yard pass completion in the third quarter was stopped by King as he ran down Mims. He later became injured in the fourth quarter.
Stopping the run – The Broncos busted out for several great runs, including the 62-yard run by Nix and Jonah Coleman’s 15-yarder for a key first down. Where were any Cardinals defenders when Nix left the pocket? It was like the entire field was wiped clean until he got inside the five-yard line. There weren’t any trailing defenders whatsoever. The Broncos ran up the gut way too many times and ended the contest with a 6.1 yards per carry average.
