There is uncertainty surrounding quarterback Kyler Murray, which doesn’t help. Managing that emotion is crucial during the preparation for the Colts.
“With 12 games left, that’s still like a full college season,” outside linebacker Baron Browning said. “People are understanding that we don’t have no time to waste. The only thing that matters is the moment today, so we want to maximize the moment to get better, perfect our individual craft, so we can come together as a team and be better.”
Asked about the team’s response heading into the week, coach Jonathan Gannon said it was “dope as hell.” He also said that if the Cardinals didn’t have the right people, the confidence within the facility might not be as high.
“I see them respond to some adversity with maybe being a little disappointed with how they’re playing themselves, with our team,” Gannon said. “They respond the right way. When I ask them to do something, they do it. So, we just got to keep moving ahead, forging ahead, and make sure we keep getting better.”
Gannon acknowledged that neck injuries like the one Nichols suffered last year “can get a little dicey at times,” but that he was pleased with Nichols’ first game back.
For the defensive lineman, it hasn’t been easy watching Cardinals games from the sidelines. But Nichols has gained a new perspective of the sport, something which can be helpful as the team hopes to return to Arizona from Indy with their first victory in almost a month.
“I look at it like a blessing in disguise,” Nichols said. “For so many years I’ve been in it, and it gave me a different viewpoint of what it is that I needed to do better as player, what we needed to do better as a group, and allow me to really hone in on things that I knew I needed to improve. It’s exactly as a blessing in disguise.”