The Arizona Cardinals came back down to Earth in a Week 2 loss against the Seattle Seahawks. It didn't look like a blowout, tied 7-7 heading into halftime. Ultimately, the Cardinals' roster flaws were too much to overcome against the well-balanced Seahawks.
The Cardinals ultimately fell 31-7 in their home opener, failing to generate any consistent offense against the elite Seahawks defense. Defensively, it was equally concerning: Jaxon Smith-Njigba had more receiving yards (155) than Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett had passing yards (95).
There's still some encouraging takeaways from Arizona's standpoint, particularly in that first half when they were able to keep up with the defending Super Bowl champions. They'll look to build on these positives in what will be another difficult Week 3 divisional matchup against the San Francisco 49ers.
Winner: Trey McBride
Trey McBride looked the part of a Madden 99 tight end.
He was predictably the lone exception to show up in what was otherwise a quiet Sunday for Arizona's offense. On a day when Brissett failed to reach 100 yards passing, McBride still managed to finish with 41 yards on 8 receptions and a touchdown.
He was everything you want out of an elite tight end in terms of that reliable safety valve for Brissett and someone capable of moving the chains when required. It's the silver lining for what was otherwise an incredibly flat Cardinals offense -- the fact that McBride manages to produce in these types of environments is just further confirmation they have legitimately the best in the position.
Loser: Jacoby Brissett
These are the type of performances where it's difficult to justify the Cardinals reworking Jacoby Brissett's deal this offseason. Quite the rollercoaster after what was a strong Week 1 performance.
This time around, Arizona's signal caller finished 17-of-28 for just 95 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception with a 63.8 passer rating.
While we have to give credit to a Seahawks defense that Mike LaFleur called the best in the league, this loss also served as an unfortunate reminder of just how far the Cardinals must continue to upgrade at the most important position in football to have a realistic chance in the NFC West.
Winner: Zaven Collins
Zaven Collins may just be a rotational piece for the Cardinals defense, but still showed he plays a key role with a forced fumble and recovery on Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price. Though Arizona's defense eventually cracked in the second half, this was a huge point for the game's first turnover to keep the Cardinals alive, giving their offense at least a chance to stay in it.
This play served as a reminder of Collins' impact on this Cardinals defense despite being a rotational piece and someone who splits snaps with Baron Browning. As a former first-round pick in 2021, it's encouraging that Collins is still finding ways to leave his mark in a reduced role.
Loser: Marvin Harrison Jr.
We didn't want to push the panic button after an underwhelming Week 1 performance by Marvin Harrison Jr. He was seeing double coverage, Jacoby Brissett rarely looked his way, and most importantly, the Cardinals won as their offense produced despite Harrison's disappearance.
That wasn't the case against an elite Seattle defense, where Arizona could've used the firepower expected of a former top five draft pick.
It's become clear Harrison is an afterthought in this Cardinals offense, and this recent blunder -- zero receptions on just one target -- should be legitimate cause for concern about whether this is a draft bust by Arizona.
Winner: Andrew Wingard
Safety Budda Baker had a game of highs and lows, but it's time Andrew Wingard gets more recognition for the performance alongside him. Wingard remains an underappreciated offseason signing and addition to this Arizona Cardinals defense.
He had the signature defensive play in the first half, stuffing Seahawks' running back Emanuel Wilson for a goal-line stand on 4th-and-goal. While this wasn't the turning point in the game, it certainly had the look of it when Wingard kept the game tied with the Cardinals crowd on their side.
Loser: Kendrick Bourne
Kendrick Bourne followed up a strong preseason in which he emerged as the Cardinals' clear WR3 with a standout performance in Arizona's Week 1 win over Los Angeles. He took a significant step back in this contest, finishing with just 11 yards while catching 2 of 3 targets.
Like Harrison, it's hard to produce when the quarterback isn't even reaching 100 yards passing and not looking your way. Unlike Henderson, Bourne has actually shown legitimate signs of production and connection with Brissett in Week 1.
In all likelihood, he should lie in between the extremes of his Week 1 and 2 outliers. Still, it's a disappointing (and admittedly predictable) step back after even looking like the Cardinals' WR1 at times in that electric Week 1.
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