TEMPE, Ariz. — Monti Ossenfort waited as the Arizona Cardinals walked off the field after a 17-15 Monday night win over the Los Angeles Chargers. A week earlier, the second-year general manager had watched his team suffer an embarrassing setback in Green Bay, one that dropped the Cardinals to 2-4 and jeopardized outside trust in the organization.
Must-win? No one says such things out loud, but the Oct. 21 home game was as close as a team gets to one before Halloween. Losing to the Chargers would have been a death blow. Instead, Kyler Murray’s 44-yard touchdown run and Chad Ryland’s 32-yard field goal in the final minutes lifted Arizona.
Standing in a tunnel inside State Farm Stadium, Ossenfort embraced Murray. “Now we stack,” the GM told his quarterback, an exchange team videographers captured.
“Yep, yep,” Murray said.
“Now we stack,” Ossenfort repeated.
Over the next three weeks, improbably and impressively, that’s exactly what the Cardinals have done. Entering this week’s off date, they are among the NFL’s hotter teams, owners of a four-game win streak that has vaulted them atop the NFC West at 6-4. Murray has played like an MVP candidate over the last four games. A defense lacking in star power (outside of Budda Baker, a superhero) has allowed only three touchdowns.
Throughout the streak, the Cardinals have stuck to a script by second-year head coach Jonathan Gannon. It consists of nothing more than staying in the present, a cliche in this sport, but one Arizona has needed. On the plane ride back from the Green Bay loss, in which the Cardinals committed 13 penalties and three turnovers, left guard Evan Brown said he thought about nothing more than understanding what went wrong and figuring out how the Cardinals could learn from it.
Asked after last Sunday’s win over the New York Jets about the vibe of a team that had suddenly gained the attention of the NFL universe, Murray started with two words: “Not satisfied.”
He continued: “I told you all last week. I feel like our record could be better than this. I feel like I expected to be here. I feel like the team expected to be here. We just got to keep going.”
Four factors in the great desert reversal:
I. The quarterback is in control
Murray’s status as a franchise QB has been debated since the day Arizona selected him with the first pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. At long last, those days may be gone.
Murray has had jaw-dropping moments, bursts of explosiveness that few at his position can match. But he never has looked this comfortable and confident within a system. Murray and offensive coordinator Drew Petzing are in a good place, and that relationship has been reflected on the field.
In the Jets win, Murray was masterful, completing 22 of 24 for 266 yards and a touchdown. After throwing incomplete on his first attempt, he completed a franchise-record 17 in a row. One play showed his toughness, and he didn’t even get the ball out of his hand.
Midway through the second quarter, Murray took the snap and looked right. He did not feel Quincy Williams coming from his blind side, and the Jets linebacker blasted him, knocking off Murray’s helmet, which bounced 10 yards on the grass. Murray popped up unfazed, which “juiced us all up,” running back James Conner said.
“QUINCY WILLIAMS LEVELING MURRAY.” – Spero Dedes pic.twitter.com/7J3pxq13bd
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 10, 2024
Three plays later, Murray, the NFC Player of the Week, lofted a perfect 9-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison, Jr., in the back of the end zone. Gannon, who called the TD pass “elite-elite,” said the sequence reflected Murray’s resiliency, playmaking, mental stamina, competitive stamina and mental toughness.
give us this angle of Marv & Kyler all day pic.twitter.com/f7dlvPZ8zi
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 13, 2024
Asked the next day if this is the Murray he envisioned upon taking the Arizona job, Gannon said he always considered Murray a premium player. He added: “I don’t think he’s hit his ceiling yet.”
For much of the season’s first half, Arizona ran the ball well. (Entering Thursday, the Cardinals rank sixth in rushing offense.) Where the Cardinals struggled was with vertical passing. The fourth pick of the 2024 draft, Harrison, Jr., was expected to help, but he needed time to adjust.
McBride has removed the pressure. Over the winning streak, the third-year tight end has become the team’s top threat with 21 catches for 281 yards. Sixteen of those receptions have gone for first downs. Left tackle Paris Johnson, Jr., said all the stuff he tries to do on “Madden NFL,” he sees from McBride every Sunday.
“I keep telling you guys this and no one believes me,” Gannon said. “The guy is elite with the ball in his hands. He can jump over you. He can break tackles. He can run by you. He can make you miss. And he’s a big guy that runs really fast with good contact balance. He’s hard to bring down.”
In the second quarter against the Jets, McBride showcased his playmaking skills. On third-and-7, he caught a pass from Murray a few yards short of the first down. But McBride wasn’t finished. He broke free from cornerback Sauce Gardner, turned upfield and hurdled oncoming safety Jalen Mills, the third time this season he has dodged a defender through the air.
mom, you’re honestly not going to believe what he did again@mcbtrey pic.twitter.com/1vh88olTQm
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 12, 2024
“It’s not ideal,” McBride said of his hurdling habit. “I’m not really going into the game, wanting to jump over people. It’s just kind of reaction when I’m out there. … I’m trying to stop, but I said that last game, too.”
Entering Thursday, McBride’s 49 receptions rank behind only Kansas City’s Travis Kelce (60) and Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers (57) among NFL tight ends.
“I think he’s the best,” Murray said. “I’m not trying to get ahead of myself or anything or put any pressure on him. (But) I know the work he puts in. I know the type of athlete he is, what type of player he is, and it’s good to see. People are taking notice of what he does each and every week when the ball is in his hand.”
III. The offensive line has persevered
In the fourth quarter of Arizona’s Oct. 6 win at San Francisco, Will Hernandez felt 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa roll into his left leg. A veteran right guard, Hernandez walked gingerly off the field with a torn ACL, lost for the season. Arizona already had been without right tackle Jonah Williams, who suffered a knee injury in the first quarter of Week 1.
Although Ossenfort had improved the roster, depth was not considered an Arizona strength, particularly on the offensive line. And, yet, the Cardinals have not slipped. In five games with Hernandez, Arizona averaged 338 yards against teams with a current average NFL ranking of 16.6 in total yards allowed per game. In five games without Hernandez, the Cardinals have averaged 354.8 yards against opponents with an average ranking of 9.
Veteran Kelvin Beachum has held down right tackle as Williams recovers (he could return soon) while Trystan Colon has taken the bulk of snaps in place of Hernandez. Colon had played only six offensive plays before Hernandez’s injury.
“It’s football. Guys are going to get hurt,” Brown, the left guard, said. “You take those reps with guys in practice. You learn how different guys play based upon the reps and who you’re playing against. It’s definitely harder to play with new guys who you haven’t played with within the scheme, but everybody that we put out there is ready to ball at a high level.”
The Cardinals’ Kyzir White and Jesse Luketa celebrate a turnover during their win over the Jets. Arizona’s defense has allowed three TDs in the last four games. (Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
IV. The defense makes plays when it matters
The Cardinals rank near the bottom in most pass-rushing categories. They struggle to get off the field on third down. But it’s a group that continues to improve under coordinator Nick Rallis.
Arizona has not allowed a touchdown over its last three home games. Over the four-game win streak, the Cardinals have averaged 14.3 points allowed, which ranks only behind the Philadelphia Eagles (12.3) and Chargers (13) in that span. They also have displayed a knack for producing in big moments.
In an Oct. 27 win at Miami, the Cardinals lined up on third-and-9 with 5 minutes left. Trailing 27-25, Arizona had struggled on third down all afternoon, letting the Dolphins convert 11 of 14 into first downs. This time was different. Rallis rushed seven, forcing Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa to throw incomplete. After a Dolphins punt, Murray and Conner led the Cardinals to the winning field goal.
The leader has been no surprise. A six-time Pro Bowler, Baker is having his best season. Entering Thursday, his 100 tackles ranked second in the league.
“I know everyone sees what he does on Sundays,” Gannon said. “I see what the guy does on Monday through Saturdays, and you can’t put a price tag on it. He’s just a complete captain. He’s a warrior — all the things that that means. So glad we have him.”
After the off week, the Cardinals visit Seattle and Minnesota. The combined record of their remaining opponents is the worst among NFC West division teams. They have a chance — and momentum.
“Honestly, not even paying attention to it,” Baker said. “Doesn’t matter — at all. We talk about when we come back (from the off week), it’s 0-0. It’s a new season. We’re excited for the process and we’re going to continue to take it day by day.”
GO DEEPER
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(Photo of Cardinals tight end Trey McBride celebrating a catch during Sunday’s win over the Jets: Norm Hall / Getty Images)
