The Arizona Cardinals have made a living pulling off stunners in the 2023 season. It started in Week 3 vs. the Dallas Cowboys when no one gave them a chance to defeat what has become one of the NFL’s best teams. They further shocked the NFL with a Week 10 win over the Atlanta Falcons, as it was easy to believe quarterback Kyler Murray would show some rust in his first game back.
This past Sunday, the Cardinals did it again with a convincing 24-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game where inclement weather could have played a major factor in the outcome. Overall, it was an excellent outing for many players, most notably tight end Trey McBride.
But there were other winners who helped fuel the team’s latest improbable victory, and you can probably name one of them. However, there were also a couple of losers whose performances didn’t help the Cards reach that unprecedented W. So who looked good, and who did little in what wound up being the Cardinals third victory of the 2023 season?
3 winners and 2 losers in the Arizona Cardinals Week 13 win
Winner - James Conner
There is no one else you can place atop the winners list than James Conner. Conner had a great career when he was with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the injury bug never stopped biting and the list of pailing ailments forced his career into crossroads.
Now in his third season with the Arizona Cardinals, it’s clear Conner has not lost a step, as he put together a two-touchdown game amidst 105 rushing yards. That performance improved Conner’s numbers to 631 rushing yards, 4.9 yards per carry, and four rushing touchdowns in just nine games this season. It will also let him threaten his career-high of 973 yards, which he rushed for in 2018.
Loser - Offensive line
For as good as the running game looked, given Conner’s numbers and the fact Michael Carter rushed for 19 yards as his long for the day (25 total), the offensive line didn’t fare so well. While they got better at times, they still allowed one too many pressures early along with a pair of sacks.
The line hasn’t held up all season, and it’s clear they need quite a few upgrades in the offseason, especially at left tackle. If there is any good news, the Arizona Cardinals have a pair of potential long-term solutions in Will Hernandez and Paris Johnson, while Hjalte Froholdt could also evolve into snagging a role.
But until they find a few more puzzle pieces, the Cardinals line won’t be doing their quarterback much good. Let’s hope they can at least look somewhat serviceable following the bye and for these final four games. If not, then it will be a long month of December for this group.
Winner - Kyler Murray
No one needed a better bounce back performance this week than quarterback Kyler Murray, who couldn’t move the ball in Week 12 until the Los Angeles Rams defense eased up. It also didn’t help that Murray is playing behind a bad line, which we covered in the previous slide.
But to his credit, he made plays with his arm and legs, most notably with his new emerging favorite target Trey McBride. Murray’s numbers weren’t excellent, as he only completed 13 of his 23 passing attempts for 145 yards, and a touchdown, but for playing in such slick conditions for a good portion of the contest, they were good enough.
This is also the kind of game Murray can build on, and he can continue to show the maturity and leadership he developed that started this past offseason. A few more serviceable performances like this one, and he’s the undisputed starter heading into 2024.
Loser - Marquise Brown
As if it couldn’t get any worse for receiver Marquise Brown, who toiled through yet another uninspiring outing. No, the field conditions weren’t good, but Brown is now closer than ever to dipping below a catch rate of under 50 percent following yesterday afternoon’s contest.
It’s clear Kyler Murray would rather throw to Trey McBride, as he connected with the tight end eight times on nine attempts. As for Brown, Murray targeted his favorite target from his college days just three times, and the former first-round pick came up empty-handed.
James Conner was the only other player to get shut out in the passing game, but unlike Brown, Conner made contributions elsewhere. Further, this has been a problem for the former first-round pick all season, as he now has 51 catches on 101 targets, good for a meager 50.5 catch percentage. Unless Brown has an immaculate final four games to close out 2023, expect him to play in a different uniform next season.
Winner - BJ Ojulari
Neither BJ Ojulari nor anyone on the Arizona Cardinals defense recorded a sack, per ESPN’s stats. But it didn’t mean the Redbirds pass-rushers failed to generate pressure, as BJ Ojulari and Company came after quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky in all four quarters, never losing a step even with weather delays potentially affecting the game.
Few stood out as much as the rookie, however, as he logged three combined tackles, a pass deflection, and a quarterback hit. Ojulari may not finish in the top five in the voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year thanks to his slow start, but it’s clear he will at least evolve into a solid EDGE rusher bordering on spectacular.
Give Ojulari a few more games like he had in yesterday’s win, and he should be the top man in the EDGE rushing unit next season. Even if the Cardinals decide to further upgrade the group in the 2024 NFL Draft.
(Statistics provided by ESPN.com and Pro-Football-Reference)