THE STORY: The field was gorgeous, the uniforms an exciting new look. There was a national TV audience on "Thursday Night Football."
The Cardinals eventually contributed to the show themselves, providing a fourth-quarter rally and some drama for the viewers. It's the "eventually" that killed them, though, in the 23-20 loss at State Farm Stadium, for a second straight game on the final snap.
The offense isn't good enough. Coach Jonathan Gannon said it, quarterback Kyler Murray did too. And it's left the Cardinals (2-2) behind the other three NFC West teams after a 2-0 start.
"It's like, (expletive) is loading and it's taking too long," Murray said. "The resilience of the team, you love to see it and you give yourself a chance to win at the end. But it's too late."
Marvin Harrison Jr. bobbled into an interception in the first half and looked rough. But the final quarter he was spectacular, high-pointing a 16-yard TD catch and sparking the offense en route to six receptions for 66 yards. Running back Emari Demercado, another guy who dropped a pass in San Francisco just five days prior, had a 7-yard touchdown catch that led to a tie game.
The passing game had come alive. But it shouldn't have taken so long.
Offensively, "we're not doing enough to win a game right now, point blank," coach Jonathan Gannon said.
"We do have to take a good hard look at what's going on and adapt. If we keep doing the same thing in my mind, when you've been in the NFL long enough and you have these stretches where you feel like you're letting some games slip away when you keep doing the same thing and hoping, that's not good coaching."
The Cardinals only had 138 yards after three quarters. (They finished with 253.) Trey Benson, the new starting running back in place of the injured James Conner, was OK – 35 yards on 8 carries, 5 catches for 19 yards – but Gannon acknowledged the Cardinals knew they would have to pass often to topple the Seahawks (3-1) and their stout front.
Murray finished 27-for-41 for 200 yards, the two touchdowns and the two interceptions. The bobbled Harrison ball was not on the QB, and his first was also the result of a broken play as it looked like Harrison stopped running his route and Murray expected him to keep going.
Harrison was unavailable for comment. But Murray said there was no question he was going to keep throwing to the wideout even after the shaky connections early.
"I need him," Murray said. "He needs me, I need him. He's not coming out of the game and I don't want him to."
Even with all that, the game seemed headed for overtime. Chad Ryland's kickoff landed in front of the new "landing zone" from the 20-yard line in, giving Seattle the ball at their own 40 with 28 seconds left. After an incompletion, Sam Darnold threw a perfect back-shoulder 22-yard pass to Jaxson Smith-Njigba, beating one on one coverage by Max Melton and putting the Seahawks in field-goal range after just one gain.
"The back shoulder (which) is every corner's worst (expletive) dream," Melton said. "I wish I had that play back."
Gannon waved away Ryland's kickoff, saying the game didn't come down to one play. Given how the Cardinals were talking about their slow-starting offense, not running the ball well enough, not getting enough explosives. Not scoring enough points.
The Cardinals now have a minibye. The struggling Titans visit in 10 days. And the Cardinals will, as Gannon said, "reset"
"I'm optimistic," Murray said. "I know what we have in that locker room and what type of players we have, coaches. I know people think the world's ending but it's not. It's not."
TURNING POINT: Ryland's kickoff, which landed at the 21 and not the 20, led to the short field for the game-winning field goal drive. But Ryland had tried a similar "dirty" kickoff after the Harrison touchdown and it worked perfectly, with the Seahawks starting at their own 22. Gannon said the idea was to keep the ball in play and burn some of the 28 seconds left on the clock.
THE STANDOUTS: It's possible – perhaps even probable – that the Cardinals' best player through four games has been ageless defensive lineman Calais Campbell, who had his first sack of the season and had another impressive tackle to short-circuit a screen pass. Harrison turned his game around with a fantastic touchdown catch among his six grabs. Linebacker Zaven Collins was excellent as well.
INJURY UPDATE: Defensive end Darius Robinson left the game with a chest injury (which often don't turn out well, but his status is TBD.) Wide receiver Simi Fehoko left the game with a concussion. Linebackers Mack Wilson Sr. (ankle) and Jordan Burch both left the game at one point, but both returned to play.
