The Arizona Cardinals finally put one in the win column this preseason, and they did it on the road in Las Vegas with a 27-14 victory over the Raiders.
For Mike LaFleur, it was the first time the Cardinals have won a football game in his era. Yes, it’s preseason.
Yes, that matters less than the standings will in September. But for a franchise that has spent so much of its history piling up losses, a win still lands with some weight.
Arizona set the tone early by matching the Raiders’ opening touchdown drive with one of its own, evening the game at 7-7 and letting the offense settle in from there.
Jacoby Brissett handled the start and was sharp, going 5 of 5 for 44 yards and a touchdown before handing things over to Gardner Minshew. Minshew kept the production rolling, finishing 14 of 16 for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cardinals also got a look at Jeremiyah Love in his debut, and he made the most of the opportunity. Love ran 11 times for 58 yards and added three catches for 14 yards, a busy preseason workload that totaled 14 touches.
Arizona’s offense was strong again, and the defense did a better job too, even if the Raiders’ top two quarterbacks still combined to go 15 of 22 for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
The quarterback play also raises an obvious question about last week’s performance from Carson Beck, who missed this game with a rib injury. After what Arizona got from Brissett and Minshew, it’s fair to wonder whether Beck’s outing looks a little less impressive now.
The one concern that cuts through the win is the injury to rookie second-round pick Chase Bisontis, who left the game with an apparent knee injury.
In Other News...
Cardinals Win Brought One Roster Concern Fans Cant Ignore
The Cardinals left Allegiant Stadium with a 27-14 preseason win over the Raiders, and there was enough on the field to like in the way Arizona pieced together scoring drives. Starting quarterback Kirk Cousins helped set the tone, and the offense had enough rhythm to make the result look comfortable by August standards.
Still, the bigger takeaway for Arizona had less to do with the final score and more to do with the roster picture. Rookie Carson Beck had already been ruled out before kickoff with a rib injury, and then Chase Bisontis went down with a left knee injury during the game, leaving his long-term outlook uncertain at a time when the Cardinals can least afford more uncertainty up front. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Brooks Is Turning Into A Real Cardinals Roster Problem
Jalen Brooks has put himself on the Cardinals radar in a way that has been hard to ignore through the first two preseason games. The second-year wideout has already topped his production from last season, and the early returns have included sharp route running and a touchdown in the second exhibition, the kind of showing that tends to get a receiver noticed by coaches sorting through a crowded position group.
Brooks progress, though, only sharpens the roster math in Arizona. The Cardinals have competition brewing at the back end of the wide receiver room, and Brooks is right in the mix as the team tries to sort out who fits best for the regular season. Even with the momentum he has built, the decision is still unsettled, which is exactly what makes his preseason surge such an interesting subplot. [Read more 🡒]