The Republic breaks down the Cardinals’ walk-off loss to the Seahawks
The Republic’s Theo Mackie and Bob McManaman react to the Arizona Cardinals’ primetime loss to the Seattle Seahawks on a last-second field goal.
In the hours since the Arizona Cardinals’ Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, head coach Jonathan Gannon has offered a new tone.
For three weeks, he spoke about how the Cardinals needed to execute better and clean up the details. In other words, he thought they were close to being where they need to be.
After this defeat, he has, instead, acknowledged that changes are needed, especially on offense.
“If you keep just doing the same thing and hoping, that’s not good coaching,” Gannon said after the game. “So we will change and adapt some things, there’s no doubt.”
That doesn’t mean that the Cardinals are going to make wholesale changes. Don’t expect anyone to be fired, or any stars to lose their jobs. But it does mean that the Cardinals are aware that the status quo is not good enough.
Their offense, after all, is averaging just 4.6 yards per play and 20.5 points per game — good for 25th and 20th in the NFL, respectively. Last year, they averaged 5.9 yards per play and 23.5 points per game.
“Some of the play types just haven’t been as good for us through four weeks,” Gannon said in his news conference a day after the game.
That could be as niche as a specific run blocking scheme or one style of passing play.
“We’ve gotta look at that,” Gannon said. “Are we coaching those right? Do we need different people in those spots? Or do we bag it?”
That’s where the Cardinals coaching staff will focus until Oct. 5, when the Tennessee Titans come to town for Week 5.
“I want some guys to get a little mental break,” Gannon said. “Coaches and players. But then the coaches will be working this weekend as far as — some problems that are happening, let’s solve some problems, cause that’s our job.”
Gannon explains Marvin Harrison Jr. struggles
Marvin Harrison Jr.’s worst moment against the Seahawks needed no explanation. He simply bobbled a pass wide open over the middle of the field, popping it into the hands of a linebacker for an easy interception. That much was obvious for the world to see.
The other three incompletions that Murray threw Harrison’s way were more complex — all of which appeared to come on varying degrees of miscommunications.
Immediately after the game, those plays bothered Gannon.
“I felt that walking off the field,” Gannon said. “Like, man, are we on the same page? Cause that irks me, truthfully. It does. When we’re throwing the ball to nobody, that’s like a busted coverage to me. It shouldn’t happen.”
But after watching the tape, Gannon took a more measured view.
On Murray’s first interception, Harrison broke his route deep, expecting a scramble drill. On another first-half miscommunication, the two read Seattle’s defense differently in an up-tempo situation that requires thinking on the fly.
Gannon didn’t address the final incompletion directly, but he intimated that it was a matter of execution, not miscommunication. On that play, Murray threw at Harrison’s feet on a curl route.
“I thought we weren’t on the right page, but we were,” Gannon said. “So I honestly feel better about that. But we can’t have miscommunication of where the ball should be delivered at the proper time and what route is being run. But with Marv and Kyler, I don’t think it was bad. After watching the tape, I’m not mad about where they were, being on the same page.”
Still, it’s an issue for the Cardinals to solve. In each game, Murray has had at least one pass sail to a different spot than the route his receiver ran. In three of those games, Harrison has been the intended receiver.
“There’s nothing like learning from game reps,” Gannon said. “So I think these reps will help us moving forward to play better.”
Gannon remains mum on Walter Nolen status
With the Cardinals entering Week 5, they can now open the 21-day practice window for their players who began the season on the Physically Unable to Perform or Injured Reserve (with a designation to return) lists.
That list includes defensive tackle Walter Nolen, edge rusher B.J. Ojulari, defensive tackle Justin Jones, defensive tackle Bilal Nichols, offensive tackle Christian Jones and interior offensive lineman Hayden Conner.
Of that group, Nolen and Ojulari are the key names to watch. Nolen, the Cardinals’ first-round pick, suffered a calf injury in July. Ojulari is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered nearly 14 months ago. Both players would boost a pass rush that has only been sporadically productive.
“I’m hopeful that some of those guys start to get back soon,” Gannon said.
Gannon added that he typically does not know when a player’s practice window will open until one day ahead of time. The Cardinals have to be cautious with those decisions, as players then only have 21 days to be placed on the active roster. If they’re not activated within that 21-day window, their season is over.
“They’ve gotta be fully healthy, ready to assimilate into a practice before we open the window and put them out there or you’re wasting time with it,” Gannon said. “So that’s truly how it works.”