Beaks & Geeks: Cardinals, Giants Winners & Losers: Arizona on the doorstep again

The Arizona Cardinals find themselves at a crossroads with their Week 4 matchup against the New York Football Giants. At 1-2-0, a loss would send the team into the abyss and getting to the surface wouldn’t be likely. There are a lot of exceptional teams on the Cardinals’ schedule coming up, so a win is crucial.

Having to travel and play on the road adds to the fact that Arizona needed a win in the worst way.

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The Cardinals were blown out by the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the season, but otherwise stayed in the game against the undefeated San Francisco 49ers last weekend. The team had plenty of opportunities to pull out a victory, but untimely penalties and trading field goals for touchdowns killed their offensive attack.

Against the Giants, Arizona had several leads and was on the Giants’ four-yard line with 18 ticks left in the game, and could not score the touchdown in four downs in the 36-24 loss.

So, who played well for the Cardinals? Who didn’t?

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Opening drive – This was a thing of beauty, and it looked like more of the same was on the way. Right off, KR Devin Duvernay ran the opening kickoff all the way back to Arizona’s 42. On third-and-10, QB Jacoby Brissett found WR Michael Wilson for 13 yards and into Giants territory.

Two great runs by RB Jeremiyah Love of 16 and 9 yards now put Arizona on New York’s 23. Two plays later, Brissett threw a dart to WR Marv Harrison in the back of the end zone for six. 8 plays, 58 yards, 3:52 of clock, and six points to start the contest.

K Chad Ryland – In the UFL this past season, any kick of 60+ was worth four points. Ryland showed off his leg by nailing a 60-yarder as time expired right before halftime. Was also 3-3 on PATs, and only four of his kickoffs were returned. Great job.

NB Garrett Williams – As the first quarter was winding down, Williams nailed TE Isaiah Likely for a two-yard completion and then a one-yard completion that forced a field goal. With 10:07 left in the second quarter, Williams slapped the ball away from WR Braxton Berrios on a third-and-three that forced a punt. On the ensuing possession, he destroyed Likely, who had the first down. Had a solid second half.

LB Jack Gibbens – The defender that nobody is talking about led the Cardinals in tackles once again with eight, and went bonnet to bonnet with RB Cam Skattebo in the third quarter, who only gained three.

DT Walter Nolen – Very aggressive and played havoc with the Giants’ run game. Forced QB Jameis Winston to leave the pocket, which became a sack for DE Josh Sweat early in Quarter 1. Then on New York’s next possession, Nolen beat rookie RG Francis Mauigoa for his own sack. Four tackles, two tackles for loss, one QB hit, and the sack. Good penetration for much of the contest.

S Budda Baker – All eyes on his pick. Destroyed WR Darnell Moody in the second quarter that could be heard out in the parking lot. Had five tackles and two pass defenses.

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The play that lost the game – Yes, the Cardinals were on the Giants’ four-yard line with 18 seconds left and down by six. But the series before was the game-killer. With 3:07 remaining, Arizona was down by three points and had a third-and-two at their own 11-yard line. An incomplete pass to TE Trey McBride forced the Cardinals to punt. The kick was down at the 50-yard line, which simply moved the Giants into field goal range and converted. This meant that now, instead of getting into field goal range for the tying points, it forced the Cardinals offense to score a touchdown. Which, they did not. This one play ended a drive that had over three minutes of clock left, gave New York excellent field position, and then basically gifted them three points.

C Hjalte Froholdt – The seasoned veteran had no answer for NT C.J. Okoye, who was in the backfield on a ton of plays. Had one sack and five pressures.

Lack of tight end play – McBride has a vertical jump of 33″. Elijah Higgins’ vert is 35″. Yet when Arizona gets inside the 10-yard line, not once did they lob the ball for a jump ball to either player. For one, they are being covered by a linebacker. Can a linebacker jump three feet off the ground? McBride had 12 targets and caught just seven. Brissett’s aim was off in today’s game. Higgins was having a great game, and then all of a sudden, the offense forgot about him. Two targets, two receptions mean he is focused and making a contribution, right? Higgins had that sensational catch-and-run in the fourth quarter and then in the third quarter corralled the touchdown pass. Pretty good numbers for just two catches, and crickets in the first half.

Offense second quarter – Absolutely a dark time in this game. INT, punt, punt, INT, punt, FG. How does any team win games with those type of series?

Play calling final four plays – The Cardinals offense was now down by six points. 2:11 was left on the clock with one timeout and the two-minute warning. Brissett completed several passes to Wilson and McBride, had an eight-yard sneak for a key first down, and was now on the Giants’ 26 with 55 seconds remaining. Two short completions and an 18-yard pass interference call on D Banks placed the ball on New York’s four-yard line with a first-and-goal and 27 seconds left. Four-down territory. Incomplete short left to Wilson. Incomplete short right to Wilson. Incomplete to a well-covered McBride. Then Brissett threw the pick that was intended for Wilson. The Cardinals have a 6′-4″ tight end in McBride who can jump, and a 6′-3″ tight end in Higgins who can jump, and yet all four passes were thrown chest high. Ally oop in the end zone had a much better chance of becoming the game-winner.

QB Jacoby Brissett – Such a wonderful beginning, and such a horrible ending. Brissett was off on so many passes that we failed to keep up. With 6:20 in the first quarter, he threw a dart to Wilson for 20 yards, and then on the next possession he chunked it deep to Harrison, who was double-covered and had zero chance of making the catch. His second interception was simply a batted ball that landed in the hands of DE Arvell Reese, but the pick at the end of the game wasn’t even close to his target, Wilson.

He was sacked twice, but that number could have been three times that if Brissett hadn’t been nimble enough to get out of harm’s way. 21 of 35 for 166 yards, two TDs, three picks, and a 55.2 QB rating.

Third down efficiency – When a team goes 4 for 12 in this category, nothing good happens.

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I’m afraid to say what’s next, because it might be worse…

P Blake Gillikin – Not much distance on his punts today. He had six kicks as the Cardinals’ offense had issues maintaining drives. Gillikin’s average was a measly 43.2, with just one punt landing inside the 20 and zero touchbacks. He did sail one punt 52 yards.

LB Mack Wilson – Was very active in the run-stoppage game, but the dude could not cover the tight end in today’s game. He bit on too many head bobs and found himself too many steps behind his guy. Finished with seven total tackles with one tackle for loss, and had a decent game defensively. Somebody teach Mack how to turn his head and look back for the ball. Wilson missed a sure interception with 6:13 left in the game.

RB Tyler Allgeier – This guy needs more touches. He goes all out and is a brute. On his touchdown run, he hit the hole quickly, then had two defenders on him. He shrugged off CB Deonte Banks and then stiff-armed S Tyler Nubin before hitting the pylon. Good blocker as well. Just eight carries? 42 yards gained and led all Cardinals rushers with a 5.3 average per carry.

S Kei’Trel Clark – The young safety didn’t play many snaps on defense, but he had one play that stood out. After Allgeier’s touchdown run in two possessions for Arizona, Ryland kicked off, which was handled by KR Tyrone Tracy at the goal line. Tracy found a seam, darted to his right, and was gone. Clark’s lane is on the other side of the field. He pursued and caught Tracy at Arizona’s 45-yard line. That was all heart and no quit. Nobody will talk about this play at the water cooler on Monday, but it kept intact a 14-6 lead.

WR Marv Harrison – The game began so grand for Harrison as he cradled the perfectly laid pass from Brissett on Arizona’s first drive. But he was thrown to just four times in this game, and that was his only catch.