Cardinals Ready To Reset In Bye After Emotional Toll Of Weekly Down-To-Wire Results

Gannon said team won't practice but players will have own schedules of work

Oct 20, 2025 at 04:52 PM

Darren Urban

azcardinals.com

Jonathan Gannon has stressed the need for Cardinals to reset "mentally, physically and emotionally" over the bye.

The Cardinals won't practice during their bye week, but "it's not just a week off," Jonathan Gannon said Monday.

Self-reflection will be crucial, but how could it not be. The team heads into the break with a five-game losing streak after winning its first two, but losing those five by a total of 13 points, enough to fuel plenty of what-if nightmares.

"We do need to get rested up physically, mentally, emotionally," Gannon said.

The next game isn't until Nov. 3, when the Cardinals travel to play "Monday Night Football" in Dallas. The plan had been that the Cardinals would be in the thick of the NFC West race by the time the bye arrived, and instead they need to quickly find answers, with questions provided most recently by Sunday's 27-23 home loss to the Packers.

Veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell noted after the game he's been through a lot of losses, but also a lot of victories. Massive change isn't needed, beyond making a play or two in the fourth quarters, he said.

But he also acknowledged his frustration.

"We're in the repetition business," Campbell said. "Fight. Do your job. Play football. Find a way to win a ballgame."

Kyler Murray will be the quarterback again, although Gannon wouldn't go as far as guaranteeing Murray's return for the Cowboys game. Murray has spent two weeks with limited practice already, however, and with two more weeks before another game, he is expected to be ready by then.

Backup QB Jacoby Brissett has led the Cardinals' best two offensive showings of the season the last two games, although it hasn't been enough to show in the standings.

Players all have workout schedules (or rehab) depending on their current health, as well as video watching to do.

"They do need to get out of here a little bit," Gannon said.

Gannon was asked again Monday about a couple of key plays. He said the decision to kick deep right before halftime "falls squarely on me," believing the defense was in a good place to burn the final seven seconds. (He said after the game Sunday he liked the defensive playcall although it left a second for a 61-yard field goal try.)

"Obviously," Gannon said, "didn't work out."

He also talked about potentially taking a timeout after the Michael Carter 14-yard reception on the final drive. The Cardinals did not – about 13 seconds came off the clock before the snap -- and then Brissett was sacked by Micah Parsons.

"I typically try, when you need a touchdown, to save my timeouts as long as I can," Gannon said, acknowledging that it would play into the analysis for future situations.

Those are the smaller details that, in such close games, have been magnified for seven games.

"Emotionally the toll of being in one-score games for seven weeks, which is 70 percent of the games (in the NFL) so it's not absurd in the NFL and margins are small for everybody … but it is a good time to reset here," Gannon said. "Really focus on some controllables."

OJULARI, NOLEN UPDATES

Gannon said rookie defensive lineman Walter Nolen III has a "big plan" for the week as he continues to rehab his calf and make strides toward returning. He has two weeks to be put back on the 53-man roster from the PUP list.

Gannon also said rehabbing-and-on-PUP linebacker BJ Ojulari is "getting better," but offered nothing further. He said Ojulari, who tore knee ligaments in August of 2024, has not had a setback.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch (4) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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The Arizona Cardinals during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Jonathan Gannon during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals linebacker Baron Browning (5) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Zay Jones (17) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight (20) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals cornerback Darren Hall (30) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. (70) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson (14) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Will Hernandez (76) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell (93) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson (34) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Calais Campbell (93) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch (4) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the Week 7 regular season game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at State Farm Stadium.