There is something very wrong with this Arizona Cardinals team. It is snake bit. It can’t get out of its own way. It dominates the first three quarters, and then can’t defend Santa Claus and his elves
in the final 10 minutes of the contest.
The Tennessee Titans came to Tempe, Arizona as the league’s worst team. Period. Everyone knew this going into the opening kickoff. Even the Titans rookie QB admitted that his roster was horrible.
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The Cardinals controlled the entire game in all aspects and once again built a big lead. They even gave up a gimme touchdown that did not add points to the scoreboard, and then batted the ball around after a turnover to allow their opponents six points. In the end, the Cardinals had gifted the Titans their first win of the season with a 22-21 victory.
And get this: with the Titans now 1-4-0 and known as the league’s worst team, Arizona is just one win behind them at 2-3-0. The Cardinals have now completely fallen apart in the fourth quarter in all five games. In two, they hung on to win against bad teams, while in the other three, they had the lead or were tied, and gave away the game.
In essence, Arizona should be 5-0-0. Instead, they are being laughed at for their ineptness.
Who played well for the Cardinals in this embarrassing defeat? Who didn’t?
Winners
WR Marvin Harrison, Jr. – High-pointed a great throw by QB Kyler Murray early in the first quarter, where Harrison outjumped double coverage by S Xavier Woods and CB Jalyn Armour-Davis that was first ruled a touchdown, then reversed to be a first-and-goal. Nifty 20-yard grab in the second quarter on a back shoulder catch defended by Armour-Davis. He was hardly used in the second half at all. Five targets, four catches for 98 yards and a 24.5 yards per catch average.
RB Michael Carter – Overall, a hard-running game with several good receptions. With 11:29 left in the first quarter, he took the Murray pass and came close to converting for the first down, gaining nine. Scored from the one and followed who the play was designed to open up the hole between LG Isaiah Adams and LT Paris Johnson, with TE Tip Reiman as the lead blocker lined up at fullback. Carter was giving Arizona some decent gains on first down, including nine with 12:37 left before halftime. Nice little grab in the right flats early in the fourth quarter, where he turned a short pass into a third-and-one.
First two offensive drives – The first drive was a thing of beauty. Carter and TE Trey McBride had short passing gains before the big play by Harrison placed it at the one. 8 plays, 67 yards, 4:06 off the clock. On the second drive, Carter had several short gains on the ground as Harrison looked like a star receiver with catches of 20 and 16 yards to get the Cardinals to the Titans’ 12-yard line. 7 plays, 65 yards, 4:21 of clock. Both showed what a good offensive line can do to protect on passing plays and open holes for the runner, Harrison’s height advantage, plus some improv by Murray.
Losers
Fans of the Arizona Cardinals – This team is like no other that has been seen in quite a while. They play lights out for three quarters and even build a large lead. Then, the roster is transformed in the fourth quarter, and the defense can’t defend, the offense can’t get more than three plays off with minimal time run off the clock, and mistakes and penalties become the norm. Then suddenly, the game is close. The outcome isn’t clear. Without warning, victory slips away, and because of stupid stuff. For three-quarters times five games, this team is undefeated. Even in the two early victories, the other roster had an opportunity to win at the end after coming back. Shame on all of us for caring.
CB Kei’Trel Clark – With 34 seconds to play in the first quarter, Titans QB Cam Ward was able to find WR Calvin Ridley for 25 yards with a huge cushion. He broke up a nice third-and-11 pass intended for WR Elic Ayomanor early in the second stanza. Clark missed the tackle on the screen pass to TE Chig Okonkwo that gained 16 yards instead. Then, Okonkwo juked him out with just six minutes left in the game, which took a two-yard catch into 12 yards and now in Arizona territory. Had the fumble recovery that resulted in a Tennessee touchdown, and in fact he was the one who pushed the ball into the end zone. With just :34 left in the game, Clark allowed Ridley to complete that huge 38-yard completion to seal the win, getting them in field goal range. Finished with four tackles.
RB Emari Demercado – Runners must block when held in, catch outlet passes, and control the football while it is in their possession. What in the world was Demercado doing, letting go of the ball as he approached the goal line? What? Why even let go of the ball at all? At first, it appeared that CB L’Jarius Sneed had caught up with him after going 72 yards and punched out the ball. But the replay plainly showed that Demercado simply let it go, as if his hands were tired of holding the ball. And please explain why Demercado started slowing up as he crossed the 10-yard line, allowing Sneed to close the gap? Really? He is a young man who gets paid to play the game of football. Do not say he cannot sprint 72 yards. No, stop it. In fact, at the five-yard line, he was in full deceleration mode. Demercado began Week 1 as the third running back, and this game became his opportunity to prove he could be trusted with more carries. The Cardinals would have been up 28-6 with the game well in hand. One word: knucklehead.
C Hjalte Froholdt – Allowed the sack by DT Jeffrey Simmons in the second quarter that killed a drive. Then, what happened with the early snap in Quarter 3 that hit Murray dead in the face mask? It was like everyone was getting set, and Froholdt snapped it, which became a lost fumble.
The interception turned fumble turned touchdown – Here is what happened. DT Calais Campbell forced Ward to run into the left flats, to which he attempted to throw across his body. On his attempt, LB Mack Wilson tipped it. The toss is way too wild and wobbly towards TE Gunnar Helm, and the ball found S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson instead. As he flipped on the turf at the five-yard line, the ball came loose. CB Kei’Trel Clark had first dibs, but tried to pick it up instead of falling on the loose ball, and in fact, he ended up kicking it with his left cleat towards the goal line. If Clark jumps on the ball, the play is over. Clark then jumped at the ball at the two-yard line and literally swats it with his right hand into the end zone, where Titans WR Tyler Lockett jumped on it for the score.
2:09 left in the game, third-and-eight – Tennessee had one time out left, plus the two-minute warning. The Cardinals had a key third down on their own 35. If they convert, the game is all but over, and the Titans may get it back with under 30 seconds remaining – or nothing. OC Drew Petzing called a run play. Titans had eight men in the box. Only one receiver wide. Of course, the odds would be that the play would be stopped. Why not come out in four wide? This spreads the defense out all over the field and forces them to defend the pass with a minimal pass rush. Then allow Murray with his legs to run outside the pocket, and either find an open man or take off? Eight yards in the open field is nothing to him. Tell him no slides. Instead of a spread attack, the lone Cardinals receiver is covered by one defensive back, and then the other 10 defenders converged on Demercado, who bounces out left because the middle is clogged, and then is buried by three defenders for no gain while three other Tennessee defenders arrive. Pivotal play. So what if an incompletion had stopped the clock? If this one play converts into a first down, that point is moot and the game is basically won. Instead, a punt and the Titans took over possession with plenty of time, and they kept their timeout.
Birdseed – Watching the Cardinals’ game means day drinking
QB Kyler Murray – Great improv scamper on the touchdown run. Had issues with overthrowing several receivers all game, including the underthrow to WR Michael Wilson late in Quarter 2 when he had two steps on his man, then had to slow down as his defender, Armour-Davis, was able to catch up and bat the ball away. The entire first quarter, Murray and Harrison were on the same track and had several big gains as the duo looked like Pro Bowl contenders. He started the game 9-11 for 120 yards and had the Cardinals up 21-3.
Murray had that mythical throw to nobody near his own goal line that became a costly intentional grounding penalty. With 10:17 left in the game, the pocket was collapsing quickly as Murray remained in his six-step drop and never attempted to get out of trouble, which resulted in a huge sack. A key third-and-nine pass sailed with just over eight minutes left. In the second half, he completely forgot about Harrison. 23-31 for 220 yards, with zero TDs and zero picks. Was sacked three times.
LB Baron Browning – Some good stops and was on the spot with the fumble recovery in the second quarter at the Tennessee 26. Was shot out of a cannon on the fourth-and-10 play with 49 seconds left in the half. Browning missed RB Tony Pollard, who would have stopped a third-down play in Quarter 3, but kept a drive going after gaining enough yardage for the first. Finished with three tackles and one QB hit.
S Darren Hall and WR Simi Fehoko – After Arizona scored their third touchdown, K Chad Ryland kicked off, to which Titans KR Chimere Dike returned it 65 yards. He had one man to beat, which was the kicker. Ryland guided Dike towards the sidelines as Dike cut back to avoid Ryland. Hall hit him first as Fehoko came out of nowhere full speed to help finish the tackle that appeared to be a sure six points. Tennessee got three points instead.
