After yet another embarrassing loss, the once high flying Arizona Cardinals now find themselves outside of the playoff race for the first time this season with only four games left to play.
What a roller coaster it can be, an NFL season. And what a ride — and decline — it’s been for the 2020 Arizona Cardinals. At one point, the darling 5-2 team riding high out west, the Cards have found themselves outside looking in for an NFC playoff spot.
They are playing uninspired football at the most crucial time of the season. Their season is slowly slipping away and no one seems to be accountable, nor is there a sense of urgency from both the players and coaches.
When asked what the identify of the team is after losing the fourth of the last five games, head coach Kliff Kingsbury nonchalantly responded, “I’d say we’re still looking for it.” That’s not what you want to hear in December from a head coach — ever. With that response, the identity is clear: the Cardinals are horribly coached football team with nothing but wasted talent on the field.
Good teams don’t make the playoffs leading the NFL in penalties. Good teams play complementary football in all 3 phases. The former shows a lack of disincline and poor coaching; something that should’ve been corrected by October. The latter seems to be poor execution by the players when someone needs to step up and make a play on both sides of the ball.
With all 4 remaining games against NFC opponents, the Cardinals certainly control their own path to the playoffs. It’s the fourth quarter of the season, and “Hail Murrays” certainly will not suffice if this team is to get back into the playoff picture and punch their ticket to the dance.
There’s an identity crisis in the desert, and if Kliff Kingsbury wants to prove he was the right man for the job, he’ll need to find his identity and bring his team together before the Big Red come crashing back down to another lost season with no playoff football.