GLENDALE, Ariz. — The offensive line is beat up, down two starters on the right side, not overpowering but effective, quickly becoming a symbol of one of the NFL’s more surprising teams.
The Arizona Cardinals have won three in a row. That’s a sentence that hasn’t been written in three years. In 2021, Arizona ripped off seven in a row to open the season, but that group fizzled, limping into the playoffs, embarrassed in an NFC wild-card loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
This team might be finding its stride at a different time.
It hailed at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, an occurrence so rare it was difficult to believe. Things like this don’t happen often in the desert. Had you watched this inconsistent football team earlier this season, you would have considered a three-game winning streak almost as difficult to grasp. The Cardinals had too many issues, not enough talent.
Sunday’s 29-9 win over the Chicago Bears — open roof to start, closed roof to finish — was not explosive or anything close to edge-of-your-seat excitement. It was simply a confident football team winning a game because it was better. Sounds simple, almost boring. But the Cardinals have not been in this position often.
Quarterback Kyler Murray missed wide-open tight end Trey McBride in the end zone. Murray and rookie receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr. each lost fumbles. Beyond that, the Cardinals (5-4) pretty much bullied the Bears. They controlled the line of scrimmage, rushing for 213 yards. They harassed Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams, sacking him six times. They looked confident and in control, miles from the Oct. 13 debacle at Green Bay, when a mistake-prone team never gave itself a chance.
tiger on the prowl 🐅@ClemsonFB x @atxlete pic.twitter.com/13pgKZIzc5
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 3, 2024
“No matter your role, everyone’s of the same importance to the team,” Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said. “I thought guys starred their role.”
Gannon won’t discuss momentum. He doesn’t believe in it. (He prefers “confidence,” which probably works better.) He’ll credit his team’s resilience and collective belief, for sticking together after a 2-4 start. He’ll go no further. The Cardinals this week graduated from Round 9, he said. Next week they move on to Round 10 and the New York Jets. While fans and media will discuss the NFC West standings (Arizona is in first) and second-half schedule strength, the Cardinals will remain nailed to the present.
Focus has become their superpower.
“That’s what’s allowing us to win games,” Gannon said. “… I think probably why that’s happening is the leadership in the locker room. We got a bunch of leaders on that team, and they don’t allow no bull—.”
Example A: Murray was asked what it means to turn “winning behavior” (Gannon’s favorite phrase) into wins. “Yeah, I’m not really too worried about being over .500 or 5-4, I’m just focused on the next day, the next game,” he said.
Example B: Running back James Conner was asked what this streak means to the Cardinals. The answer: “More work ahead.”
The best anyone could offer came from outside linebacker Zaven Collins: “It’s good,” he said of Arizona’s recent run. “But we got to keep going.”
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For the first time in two years, local television stations may have a difficult time finding a Murray play to include in the evening highlight package. It’s not that Murray didn’t play well — he was fine, completing 13 of 20 for 154 yards — it’s just that the sixth-year quarterback didn’t need to do anything heroic. Conner rushed 18 times for 107 yards. Emari Demercado broke off a 53-yard touchdown run. Murray managed the offense.
“Not too many times have I been able to play in a game like that, play the way I feel like I played, not up to my standard and be able to win the way we did,” Murray said. “It was a helluva effort by the whole team.”
The defense limited the Bears (4-4) to 241 yards, a season-best. The special teams units played so well, coordinator Jeff Rodgers received a game ball. The offensive line deserved one as well. This is a beat-up unit. Arizona lost first-team right tackle Jonah Williams in its opener (although he could return soon). Right guard Will Hernandez, an anchor the past three seasons, tore an ACL against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 21.
Veteran Kelvin Beachum has started in place of Williams, Trystan Colon has started in place of Hernandez. And the Cardinals haven’t missed much of a beat. Entering Sunday, they boasted the NFL’s seventh-best rushing offense, averaging 141.8 yards per game. They had also gone three games without giving up a quarterback sack.
In his 13th season, Beachum sat at his locker. Asked about the winning streak, the veteran right tackle said there has been no turning point. No burst of momentum. Just a collective belief. The one thing Beachum acknowledged is that Arizona has found different ways to win, which should serve them well.
“The competitive spirit is here, we just have to find a way to continue to execute,” Beachum said. “When we execute, we’re a really good team. When we don’t execute, things are not as pleasant as they are right now.”
(Photo of the Cardinals celebrating a second-quarter touchdown in Sunday’s win: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
