The Arizona Cardinals battle but lose another one-score game, falling to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-17 in Week 13.
“Hats off to Tampa Bay, they made more plays than us. The game came down to the wire there, a lot of back and forth. We lose the takeaway battle 2-0. We know it’s going to be tough sledding,” Jonathan Gannon said to the media postgame. “Love the fight by the group. I told them in the locker room, it comes down to a couple of plays, all three phases. You’re going against a good football team; you’ve got to make those plays. It starts with us coaches, making sure we are on the details and start converting more of those plays so we can win a game.”
Year three under head coach Jonathan Gannon and General Manager Monti Ossenfort has been a massive disappointment. After starting the year 2-0, the Arizona Cardinals have lost nine of their last ten games. And with today’s loss, the Arizona Cardinals have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.
Early Turnover Haunts Arizona
On their first possession, the Arizona Cardinals went on an 11-play, 73-yard drive. The march down the field went to an abrupt halt after quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw an ill-advised interception inside the red zone. Following the opening drive of the game, the Arizona Cardinals had trouble finding a rhythm against the Buccaneers. Arizona’s offense was limited to just three points and 126 yards in the first half.
The Arizona Cardinals didn’t score their first touchdown until late into the third quarter when Jacoby Brissett connected with running back Bam Knight through the air. Knight has had a nose for the end zone recently, scoring a touchdown in three straight games. He had a productive day in Tampa, recording 98 all-purpose yards vs. the Buccaneers.
The offense continues to roll with Brissett at the helm. Jacoby Brissett completed 29-of-40 passes for 301 yards. He finished the afternoon with two touchdown passes and one interception. Since becoming the starter in Week 6, Brissett has thrown for 2,188 yards, 13 touchdowns, and four interceptions. Veteran quarterback Kyler Murray is eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 14. After the game, Gannon said he was “not sure” whether Murray would be activated next week.
McBride Is a Superstar
Trey McBride is having an All-Pro season in the desert. He scored his 8th touchdown of the year against the Buccaneers in Week 13. He finished the day with eight receptions and 82 receiving yards.
According to Next Gen Stats, Trey McBride now has 309 career receptions, which is the most by a tight end in NFL history in his first four career seasons. In addition, Trey McBride has recorded 14 consecutive games with five-plus receptions, which is the second-longest such streak by a tight end in NFL history, trailing only Travis Kelce (15 games in 2018).
Kicking Woes Continue
For the second-straight week, the Arizona Cardinals have left points on the board with missed field goals. Last week, Chad Ryland missed a 33-yard field goal attempt against Jacksonville. This week, he missed a 43-yard field goal vs. Tampa Bay. Both tries were kicked off the right hash mark, and both kicks sailed wide right. Consequently, the Arizona Cardinals’ last two losses have been by a combined score of six points.
However, even with Ryland’s recent blemishes, Jonathan Gannon remains confident in his kicker. “It’s just like a productive run play. It takes all eleven. Got to make sure we are blocking it up right, snaps good, operations good,” Gannon said. “I am not worried about him. He will bang them through.”
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