Rapid Reaction: Offense Crumbles like a Cookie as Russ cooks the Seattle Seahawks over AZ 28-21

I have mixed feelings about Thursday Night Football...on one hand, it’s NFL football without having to wait a full week, and guarantees a nationally televised game for your team.

On the other hand, with such little prep time and teams hurting, it can become a sloppy and sordid affair. Which we saw in the first half.

Arizona’s offense looked almost completely disconnected from the rest of the other portions of the game with only 107 yards of offense in the first half and 3 three-n-out’s as a team.

Patrick Peterson looked like a little boy against D.K. Metcalf overall...

Not a great start. Fortunately, the Cardinals have been known as a second half team.

The story of the second half was Seattle coming after Kyler....and Kyler responding despite a plethora of penalties to bring the game back for the Cardinals.

It was a sloppy affair with sooo many penalties.

So many.

Penalties.

The Cardinals had some HUGE blown opportunities with three blown penalties especially...

• Dre Kirkpatrick flipping out and earning a penalty after D.K. Metcalf harassed him
• Jamal Adams blowing up a screen play for the tight end and Kyler throwing the ball in the dirt for an intentional grounding call backing AZ up to the goal-line
• A holding call by JR Sweezy where he carried L.J. Collier into the endzone for a safety that helped put points back onto the board for Seattle setting up the need for a touchdown

Just brutal.

The Cardinals need to develop a winning culture and winning football but there’s players who they always seem to be able to count on...and some who’ve let them down.

Those penalties inhibited the team from winning the rushing attack as well as hurt their ability to rack up long drives.

Patrick Peterson was one such player tonight, he was beaten multiple times by D.K. Metcalf and while he looked like he lost a step, it was evident he’s no longer an elite corner.

The end of the game was the same with the missed opportunities...which we saw all game long.

• Burned a time out because they would have otherwise taken a delay of game penalty
• Throw to Fitz was likely covered, risky and a bit late
• Missed catch by Isabella (Murray was late on the throw from the replay as the window closed fast to hit him)
• Gave up a sack on a 3 man rush that Carlos Dunlap made look EASY.

Is it a brutal loss? Sure, and I think the reason why they lost is what will make fans most mad.

The Cards just couldn’t move the ball via the pass or the run in the first half and it proved to be just too much.

It feels like they did it to themselves. I believe I counted at least 15 points that Arizona handed to Seattle through penalties and the like.

Props to Seattle for taking advantage of those mistakes...while Arizona couldn’t. The offense let the team down while the defense gave them enough opportunity to finally tie the game in the end.

In my opinion? The Cardinals need to find linemen who can punch guys in the face and won’t melt in the face of pressure.

The Seahawks came out with a gameplan of rushing and getting pressure on Kyler with 4-5 guys and it worked. Kyler wasn’t able to find running room and the line got beaten similar to the Panthers game.

Except the defense gave the offense a chance.

I think I have two takeaways after seeing this game....

1. The offense still needs help in the offseason w/ a draft pick
2. The Cardinals need to finally make a move on from Patrick Peterson and ensure that their DB’s are disciplined enough to not make a game-costing penalty

Ultimately, the Cards in years past would have been blown out, or would have done this sort of game to Seattle and won one they shouldn’t have.

Instead, they fall on their own sword in a way, proving that while Kyler is ready for the bright lights of prime time, the Cardinals aren’t there yet.

And the hope is that these missed opportunities and dropped games don’t hang in the balance for this team’s first playoff push in 5 years.