Quarterback Josh Rosen‘s performance this past Sunday has cast a shadow of optimism on the entire Arizona Cardinals organization
Fans of the Arizona Cardinals have something to look forward to. For the first time this season, the team’s arrow is pointing up. The performance of the club’s 21-year old rookie quarterback this past Sunday is the reason for the optimism.
The highly-anticipated, first NFL start of Josh Rosen took place this past Sunday. The matchup with the Seattle Seahawks ended in disappointment, when kicker Sebastian Janikowski‘s 52-yard field goal sailed through the uprights. Sure, a victory would’ve been nice, but Cards’ followers were still able to walk away from the defeat with their heads held high.
Rosen played very well against those dreaded Seahawks. In fact, Arizona’s first-round draft pick played well enough to win. A storybook finish was attainable, but in the end it was not to be.
With time running out in the fourth quarter, Rosen navigated his teammates downfield towards the winning points. Ultimately, a Phil Dawson field goal sailed wide, setting the stage for the Cardinals’ fourth loss of 2018. Rosen had played his heart out, but on this day it just wasn’t enough.
The 10th-overall pick of the draft has an air of confidence that’s not commonly seen with first-year players. There Cards had a positive vibe against Seattle, one that was missing from the squad with veteran signal-caller Sam Bradford at the controls. Rosen appears to possess the leadership qualities that are so vitally important to the quarterback position.
Arizona’s front office looks like they got this one right. A shrewd trade-up during the first round of the draft allowed the franchise to nab Rosen, who many thought was the most pro-ready of the college passers. The Cardinals missed out on the Kansas City Chiefs’ Pat Mahomes in 2017, and were determined to not be left out in the cold again.
The injection of the young gunslinger into the starting lineup has changed the landscape in the desert. There is no longer a hopeless feeling surrounding the Cards. Fasten your seatbelts Red Sea, the Rosen era has begun.