The Cardinals don’t just lose. The cardinals are lost.
The head coach seems just as clueless as powerless. The $230 million quarterback is shrinking before our eyes. The CEO laid a foundation of quicksand. And the owner seems more interested in hosting a Super Bowl than winning a Super Bowl.
A 21:31 loss on Sunday was the second loss to the Seahawks in four weeks. Barring a miraculous turnaround, it will likely fail a postseason return in 2022.
Losing is a contagion in the NFL. And our team is extremely sick.
“I believe in this team,” said head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
After the game, Kingsbury said the same things he usually does ad nauseam. But words are hollow and don’t matter at this point because the Cardinals are 7-13 in their last 20 games. They’ve been routinely bad for a while.
The offense once again swooned and posed no threat or fear to the Seahawks defense. They scored a touchdown on the opening drive, suggesting a corner may have been turned. And they promptly went into hibernation.
The Cardinals totaled 15 first downs. After a half full of intrigue and adjustments, they gained a measly 12 yards in the third quarter. They had back-to-back false start penalties at home, which is absurd. They had even more trouble getting the ball from center to quarterback.
Overall, the team finished with eight pre-snap penalties, depicting a recurring and startling lack of discipline.
“The self-inflicted stuff is killing us,” Kingsbury said.
You made crucial mistakes. Kyler Murray lost a crucial fumble through carelessness. The touchline featured another scene and signs of turmoil, this time a barking match between Murray and DeAndre Hopkins.
“I won’t go into detail,” Murray said. “But misunderstandings right there.”
Meanwhile, recently acquired Robbie Anderson has been a liability. The return of James Conner did little to revive the game in progress.
And the decimated offensive line gives Murray very little time to get comfortable.
You want answers? Much luck.
“I couldn’t give you an answer as to why or what,” Murray said. “We kept shooting ourselves in the foot.”
The defense carried the offense for most of the game, as it has for most of the season. But they dropped a few red-zone interceptions only to watch the Seahawks score touchdowns the next game. And once again, the heavy lifting took its toll.
When Zaven Collins threw up an interception return, it was the fifth touchdown of the season for the Arizona defense. But the joy was temporary. The Seahawks countered with three touchdown drives and converted 7 of 7 third downs on the last two.
The Cardinals don’t just lose games. You lose fans. The call for a new head coach will be loud from Monday. There is mounting evidence that Arizona is in dire need of a dramatic culture change and overhaul. But Michael Bidwill has wreaked havoc with bizarre contract extensions given to mediocre performers. Chances are he won’t take any drastic steps and swallow both pride and money when HBO’s “Hard Knocks” debuts Wednesday and reveals our dysfunctional football team to the rest of the country.
In contrast, just look at the Seahawks, who have rookie-of-the-year contenders on both sides of football. They have a culture that produced a journeyman quarterback. They defeated the Cardinals in a year when Seattle seemed destined for last place.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals are back in the basement. And it won’t change until the owner brings in a broom and cleans up the mess.
Follow @danbicley
