Charlotte, N.C. – Any hopes of winning the Arizona Cardinals may have had when they entered this match-up against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday faded quickly into the first quarter. Woeful, especially throughout the first half of play, the Cardinals resembled the disaster of a franchise that came into the valley in 1988, and stunk it up for more than a decade at Sun Devil Stadium. Best known for being the laughingstock of the NFL, they were the Bad News Cardinals. Devoted fans will never forget, even if they tried, how difficult it can be to support a losing organization for so many seasons.
Arizona Cardinals Week Eight Takeaways
Now midway through the season, the Cardinals are 3-4-1 with nobody to blame but themselves. Heading into their bye-week, the team can only be grateful that the other denizens of the NFC West division are having struggles of their own. The Seattle Seahawks, after losing 25-20 on Sunday to the New Orleans Saints, sit atop the division at 4-2-1. Losing to the Panthers may have hindered the Cardinals chances of sailing into the post-season, but it didn’t quite sink their ship, just yet.
“We’re getting hit in the mouth,” said linebacker Kevin Minter, after Sunday’s match-up. “We’ve got to stop the bleeding before it’s too late. Do we want to be contenders or pretenders?”
A Little About The Game
After the Panthers jumped ahead to a 24-0 start over the Cardinals, it was obvious who was winning this game. Through out the first half, quarterback Carson Palmer couldn’t get anything going on offense, except short passes to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Running back David Johnson was well contained on the ground through the entire game and finished meagerly ten carries for 24 yards. In the air, Johnson finished with seven receptions for 84 yards.
In the second half, the team started with a little bit of a spark, but it was already too little too late. Palmer beefed up his stats and even made the game kind of interesting in the fourth quarter, but the Panthers remained resilient controlling the 30-20 victory. Palmer survived a total of eight sacks in the game and finished 35-of-46 for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Fitzgerald finished with ten catches for 74 yards, and for the highlight stat of the day, wide receiver J.J. Nelson stepped up with eight receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns.
Panthers running back Jonathon Davis ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns. “Super-star” Cam Newton finished 14-of-27 for 212 yards. The Cardinals had ten penalties called against them in the game for 88 total yards.
Special Injury report
To add salt to the Cardinals crippling supply of open wounds, safety Tyrann Mathieu (dislocated shoulder) was injured against the Panthers. Reports say he will be out three to six weeks. Experience tells us it will be closer to six.
Tackle Jared Veldheer suffered a partially torn tricepts muscle injury in the game. Veldheer was placed on injured reserve on Monday and could be out the remainder of the season.
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals have been beat around brutally through the first half of the season. This upcoming bye week for the team is a much needed reprieve. Players have a little time to spend with their families, get away from the battlefield, and recover sore muscles and depleted health. Coach Bruce Arians and his staff will have time to look over the roster and the league and determine where the Cardinals stand at this point and what they’ll need to do to get the team back to winning football games.
“The bye couldn’t come at a better time, not only getting healthy but also to reassess where we are at,” said Cardinals GM Steve Kiem.
