The Cardinals lost their seventh straight game on Sunday, falling 26-19 to the Atlanta Falcons<\/a>, but that wasn\u2019t the most depressing part of the afternoon. Instead, it was non-contact injuries for rookie defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (knee) and cornerback Garrett Williams (Achilles tendon) that really put a damper on the mood.<\/p>\n Coach Jonathan Gannon said Monday that both players will head to injured reserve and are done for the season. Because of the timing of what could be major injuries, they may not be ready for next season.<\/p>\n \u201cYou try to tell yourself \u2018Next man up,\u2019 but if you\u2019re being realistic, you\u2019re losing friends, you\u2019re losing guys that you depend on and prepare with, go to war with and build confidence with,\u201d veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell said.<\/p>\n The injuries for Nolen and Williams are particularly brutal because the two players are part of a young core that could help the franchise get on the right track in 2026.<\/p>\n Nolen was the No. 16 overall pick out of Ole Miss and had flashed major potential in limited time on the field. Williams \u2014 a third-year player out of Stanford \u2014 has been one of the team\u2019s better options in the secondary.<\/p>\n Gannon was adamant after Sunday\u2019s game that injuries can\u2019t be an excuse for the Cardinals, who fell to 3-12 with the loss. They\u2019ve dropped 12 of 13 since starting the season with a 2-0 record.<\/p>\n \u201cThe human side of me feels horrible for the guys on the ground, but then you have to refocus and you have to go play football,\u201d Gannon said. \u201cWe talked about that with our guys because it happens not just to us, it happens to everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s true that injuries are a big part of football, but the Cardinals have suffered more than most over the past few months. Even before Sunday\u2019s game, they had 22 players on injured reserve or the non-football player injury list, which was the most in the NFL. Miami was second at 17.<\/p>\n Now the Cardinals are limping into the final two games of the season with a depleted roster.<\/p>\n \u201cSome of these things you can\u2019t prevent,\u201d quarterback Jacoby Brissett said. \u201cIt\u2019s the unfortunate part about this game.\u201d<\/p>\n
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