The Arizona Cardinals appeared poised for a playoff run earlier this season, leading the NFC West with a 6-4 record in early November. However, their postseason aspirations unraveled quickly, culminating in a 36-30 overtime loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, marking their third consecutive season without a playoff berth.
The Cardinals (7-8) faced a cascade of setbacks that began with the loss of left tackle Paris Johnson to a knee injury earlier in the week. During the game, right tackle Jonah Williams also exited in the first half, and star running back James Conner, who had accumulated 166 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, left with a knee injury in the third quarter. Additionally, linebacker Baron Browning (neck) and safety Joey Blunt (ribs) were sidelined early in the contest.
Mistakes compounded the Cardinals’ struggles, as they turned the ball over twice — including an aborted snap and a critical fourth-quarter interception by Kyler Murray. Arizona also committed 11 penalties for 82 yards, contributing to a 17-point deficit in the first half and a 10-point hole in the fourth quarter. Three penalties extended Carolina scoring drives, while two others thwarted Arizona’s offensive efforts.
“We just didn’t play very good,” tight end Trey McBride said. “What sticks out to me is a lot of penalties. We didn’t play clean. We really beat ourselves today. That’s what’s most frustrating. That’s a good team, and down 17, it’s hard to win games like that.”
Despite the setbacks, the Cardinals managed to rally, forcing overtime with a 20-yard touchdown run by Murray, two crucial defensive stops, and a 58-yard field goal from Chad Ryland as time expired in regulation. However, they struggled to maintain their momentum in overtime, gaining just minus-six yards on their only possession, which ended in a punt. This gave the Panthers excellent field position, and they quickly capitalized, with Chuba Hubbard scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 21-yard run after breaking two tackles.
“The emotion will be that we have to put our big-boy pads on Tuesday and rebound to try to win a game next week,” said Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon. “I know they’re down, and that’s real. Ultimately, when you reflect on it, we haven’t done enough, and that starts with me. Everybody had a hand in how this season went and why we are where we are.”
The Cardinals’ decline was gradual rather than sudden, marked by offensive struggles that began with a 16-6 loss to Seattle on November 26. They followed that with a heartbreaking 23-22 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings, where they surrendered a late lead. A win over New England last Sunday proved insufficient to revive their playoff hopes, and even a victory over the struggling Panthers (4-11) might not have been enough to turn the tide.
“It’s tough. We felt like we were close and had an opportunity to get it done,” linebacker Kyzir White said. “We came out here and didn’t get it done. It’s definitely frustrating and hurts.”
Defensive lineman L.J. Collier echoed those sentiments, reflecting on the team’s efforts amid adversity. “It’s just one of those things where it’s just not a good feeling in your stomach,” Collier said. “We came so close after all the adversity that we faced this year. It’s not a good feeling, especially when you love the guys that you work with and fall short.”
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