Episode 6 of "Hard Knocks In Season" featuring the Cardinals debuted on Wednesday night, and -- as we will do after every episode this season -- here are the top five takeaways from the show for your reading pleasure. Warning: Spoilers ahead.
"Hard Knocks In Season" can be seen every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Arizona time until the season ends, and is streaming on HBO Max.
(To purchase merchandise seen during Hard Knocks, go to azcardinals.com/shophardknocks.)
MICHAEL BIDWILL TALKED TO THE TEAM ABOUT STEVE KEIM -- AND MADE HIS FEELINGS KNOWN
The Cardinals owner addressed the team during Broncos week after the news broke about GM Steve Keim taking a leave of absence, telling the players VPs Quentin Harris and Adrian Wilson were taking over the department in the interim and that Keim would be out "at least until the end of the season." But then he had a chance to talk to the team about the results.
"I'm as (expletive) disappointed as everyone else in this room," Bidwill said. "I can see who's really doing it. I can also see where people are sometimes cutting corners. That really affects your play on Sundays."
TREY MCBRIDE HAD INTERNAL PRESSURE TO UP HIS GAME
A chunk of the episode was dedicated to rookie tight end Trey McBride, who was returning home for the game against the Broncos. McBride had had a tough season until late. At one point a practice rep from earlier in the season was shown and Kliff Kingsbury can be heard saying "Trey's got to play faster." And after recapping the Zach Ertz injury, we see a scene with then-tight ends coach Steve Heiden telling McBride in the meeting room that his bad techniques and mental errors "all gotta stop." McBride is playing much better, and had the best game of his young career against the Broncos -- much to the delight of his family.
KINGSBURY HOPING TO USE THE STRUGGLES FOR GOOD
During a practice, Kingsbury and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph are having a conversation and Joseph is talking about how difficult the season has been and how "that's the NFL." At one point, Kingsbury stays optimistic about what he can use it for in 2023.
"It's going to allow us to get it right, because there are things that need to be straightened out," he said.
VANCE JOSEPH IS THE COACH WHO HAS SEEN IT ALL AND KEEPS PERSPECTIVE
The defensive coordinator has a big part in the episode, opening with the pre-dawn walks near the facility he takes with fellow coaches, talking about his time as the Broncos head coach, and how he was a backup QB in college to Kordell Stewart and morphed into a cornerback in the NFL who started some games. He has seen a lot in his time coaching, but during a practice, even he reflects on a season no one has seen before.
"It was a bizarre year," Joseph says, realizing that at that point there were still four games left. "It's still bizarre."
WITH CORNERBACK INJURIES, HOPKINS OFFERS HIMSELF UP
The Cardinals went into the Broncos' game with their top three cornerbacks all out injured, and only three were active against the Broncos. In the second half, rookie cornerback Christian Matthew went down with an injury. Joseph can't believe it. And DeAndre Hopkins came in with a suggestion that he could play cornerback if needed.
"If y'all need a corner or (expletive) comes to the worst, you know I got you now," Hopkins tells Joseph. "You know I did that (expletive) in college. For real."
Fortunately for the Cardinals, Matthew only missed a few plays.
