Arizona Cardinals have to evaluate future after blowout loss
The Arizona Cardinals were pummeled by the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night, ending their season which started out so promisingly.
Thud. That’s the sound of the Arizona Cardinals after losing five of six to end their season.
On Monday night, quarterback Kyler Murray and head coach Kliff Kingsbury both made their first playoff appearances, taking on the Los Angeles Rams. And in a 34-11 defeat, it certainly looked like it. Arizona was outcoached and outplayed from the jump, falling behind 21-0 at halftime with Murray having thrown two interceptions including a pick-six at his own goal line.
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All told, Arizona was never in the game. Murray went 19-of-34 for 137 yards with zero touchdowns and the aforementioned two picks. Somehow, the former No. 1 overall pick let Ben Roethlisberger off the proverbial hook for being the worst quarterback on Super Wild Card Weekend.
For the Cardinals, the end of this season was a disaster. Arizona began the campaign looking like perhaps the league’s strongest team and at the very least, having a real chance at the NFC’s top seed. Instead, after starts of 7-0 and 10-2, the Cards fell apart with losses to a trio of non-playoff teams including the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks. Wins in any of those games would have won the NFC West, but Arizona found itself the No. 5 seed and ultimately, one-and-done.
This isn’t the first collapse under Kingsbury’s watch. Last year, the Cards were 5-2 and looking dangerous before falling apart to finish 8-8 and out of the expanded new playoff format.
Read: NFL Wild Card Weekend – Notes And Observations
At this juncture, it’s fair to wonder about Kingsbury as a long-term fit. Is he the coach who is going to get the most out of Murray? Or should that be left to someone else? And with Murray, is he part of the issue in the desert?
In 2020, he dealt with injuries down the stretch and didn’t resemble the same player. After missing a month this year, the same was true once again. Is his stature too diminutive to hold up in the brutal NFL over a 17-game slate?
The Cardinals now have a longer offseason ahead than they planned for, and need to figure out a litany of answers. It’s going to be a long two months before free agency, with a roster that’s talented but clearly flawed, and a coach who has continuously failed to sustain strong starts.
For Arizona, the journey to being a true contender begins with self reflection.
