The Arizona Cardinals are five weeks into the season and the picture is getting uglier by the game. This isn’t just a bad stretch. It’s the kind of football that leaves little room for optimism and even less room for excuses.
Drew Petzing’s offense had the kind of afternoon that stings even more because it came after all the changes. His unit rolled up more than 400 yards and put 45 points on the board, and somehow that only sharpened the frustration around what the Cardinals have become. The moves that were supposed to change things may have made them worse.
That’s the uncomfortable question hanging over the franchise now: do they keep running it back?
The defensive side has been just as alarming. Arizona has allowed 31 or more points in every game since Week 1, and that’s the kind of trend that doesn’t just look bad on paper - it looks broken on the field. It’s hard to find much that feels functional right now.
Jacoby Brissett’s numbers tell part of the story. He’s now 2-15 as a starter, and his .118 win percentage is the worst in Cardinals history among quarterbacks with at least eight starts.
Against this level of losing, even decent stat lines feel hollow. Brissett threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns, but the timing made those numbers almost meaningless.
His second touchdown came with 4:22 left in the third quarter, and Arizona was already trailing by 24. The final touchdown arrived with 2:11 left, on what may have been the best play of the season by Trey McBride, with the Cardinals down 45-14.
At 1-4, Arizona now turns to the Los Angeles Rams, and the questions are only getting louder. Is it time to see Gardner Minshew?
Is it Carson Beck time? And what, if anything, can be fixed on defense?
There are a lot more questions than answers as the Mike LaFleur era moves forward.
In Other News...
Cardinals Just Made A Marvin Harrison Jr. Decision Fans Cant Ignore
The Cardinals moved on from Marvin Harrison Jr. in a deal with Houston, a jolt of a decision involving one of the most recognizable young names on the roster. In return, Arizona added draft capital, including a second-round pick and a sixth-rounder, while sending a seventh-rounder back to the Texans, a swap that immediately shifted the conversation from potential to what comes next.
Head coach Mike LaFleur framed the move as one made in the best interest of the club, and he also took responsibility for Harrisons performance while in Arizona. LaFleur stopped short of getting into Harrisons side of the story or the finer points of the trade, leaving the most important part of the fallout still hanging as the Cardinals try to explain what this means for their future. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face Another Michael Bidwill Fight Fans Wont Ignore
Another legal fight is circling the Cardinals, this one carrying the kind of baggage that can linger well beyond the courthouse. The dispute stems from claims of racial discrimination, retaliation, defamation and constructive termination, and it lands at a time when any new off-field controversy around team ownership is bound to draw attention from fans who have seen plenty of turbulence already.
What makes the case especially notable is the NFLs familiar arbitration path, which can send disputes away from a public courtroom and into a league-controlled process. In this instance, the case was moved out of federal court and into arbitration, adding another layer to the long-running debate over how much transparency players and employees actually get when those clauses are invoked. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Put Their Receiver Room And Team Direction On Notice
The Cardinals receiver room changed in a hurry during Sundays game, when Marv Harrison Jr. was dealt to the Houston Texans as Arizona shuffled targets and playing time to other wideouts. The move came after a season in which Harrison had been lightly used, and it immediately altered the look of a position group that had already been under a microscope.
Head coach Mike LaFleur said the decision was made in the best interest of the club and acknowledged Harrisons contributions, but he did not get into the specifics of how the deal came together. For a team trying to define both its present and future, the trade sent a clear message that the Cardinals are willing to reset parts of the roster even in the middle of a game. [Read more 🡒]