The Los Angeles Rams are coming off a tough loss, but have a chance to rebound against the slumping Arizona Cardinals this weekend. Arizona is already eliminated from playoff contention and can play spoiler in Week 14, but don’t count on them to come through when it matters, given their overall body of work this season.
Ahead of Sunday’s matchup, I spoke with Seth Cox from Revenge of the Birds to discuss the Cardinals’ inability to win close games, Kyler Murray’s future in Arizona and more.
Q – Arizona is 2-7 in one-score games this season. What has been the main issue for the Cardinals’ inability to close out games?
A – There is just no complementary football for the Arizona Cardinals. When the defense plays well, the offense cannot do much. Think about the loss to the Jaguars, the Cardinals were the first team this century to force four turnovers, commit no turnovers and lose the game! It gets worse; one of those turnovers they actually scored a touchdown, as rookie Walter Nolen got them on the board with a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
They scored 17 points on offense the last two weeks, and the defense did enough to win, they weren’t stellar outings, but it was enough.
Then, you go back to Brissett’s first two starts against the Colts and Packers and the defense couldn’t get any stops, while the offense seemed to be able to move the ball much more efficiently.
Oh, and their kicker misses too many field goals. Not ideal in close games.
Q – Despite being 1-6 as a starter, backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett has seemingly been more productive running the offense than Kyler Murray. What must the Rams do to limit Brissett’s effectiveness?
A – Volume? I mean, he is doing a nice job of continuing to hang in and fire, but the reality is they don’t even attempt at running the ball much anymore, they just dropback and throw the ball under the guise of injuries to the running backs.
Last week in the loss to Tampa, they were averaging 5.6 yards per carry with Bam Knight and he got 11 carries.
That was with Marvin Harrison Jr. basically hobbling around most of the second half and Michael Wilson being reduced back to second rate citizen in the Petzing offense.
But, Brissett is a gamer, will stand in, take hits over and over and continue to fire away. If you are a gambling man, I would take the over for all of Brissett’s stats in this one, as I think he throws the ball close to 50 times, he completes well over 30 of those and throws for 300+ yards in a blowout loss.
Q – While we’re on the subject of Murray, what do you think his future looks like with the Cardinals? Or if his future isn’t with Arizona, which team do you see making a move for him?
A – The Cardinals will move on from Murray once the season is over, first hoping to get something for him, before ultimately releasing him and eating the contract. They’ll go into year four of Gannon, with Gannon having won two games (maybe three if they can beat the Atlanta Falcons) with any quarterback not named Kyler Murray starting, and give the reins to Brissett and likely a new offensive coordinator.
I would expect to see Murray in either Minnesota or Atlanta next year.
Q – Head coach Jonathan Gannon is likely gone after this season, given his 15-31 record thus far in his tenure. How would you explain Gannon’s stumbles in the desert?
A – He’s not a good coach.
The Cardinals this season have had the worst fourth quarter defense in the NFL, have set a franchise record for penalties in a single game, have blown a number of end of half/game scenarios and are closing in on another record, of worst win/loss record in four point games. The Cardinals are currently 0-7, and have all the makings of a team that will go 0-8 or worse if they can even keep games that close.
He is respected in the locker room because he shoulders the blame, is looked at as a players coach, and to that end, the team has not quit on him. But, it is a losers mentality to think that paid professionals still playing hard for a coach who can’t win games is something to hang your hat on.
By all accounts, he’ll be back next year, which would be astonishing, as I mentioned above, that 15-31 record breaks down to: 13-17 with Kyler Murray, 2-14 without Kyler Murray.
Q – What is one question that you have for Rams fans?
A – Who did you sell your soul to?
It is funny how the NFL works though. You make the move with the Falcons, they have two quarterbacks, and actually have no quarterbacks and will end up giving you a top five draft pick.
The Cardinals make a similar move with the Texans, and the Cardinals suck, but the Texans are somehow really good that season and the Cardinals end up with a mid 20’s pick and that guy is hurt all the time and hasn’t turned out to do much yet in the NFL.
I guess I don’t have a question as much as I have a lamenting of the good fortune some franchises have, while the Cardinals continue to be the dregs of the NFL.
