The Cardinals wore all black on Monday Night Football. Because redemption doesn’t always begin with red.
This time, they came to play. They came to fight. And in the end, they came to win.
There are many spoils accompanying a gritty 17-15 victory over the Chargers. The Cardinals re-established their physical, smashmouth identity. They boosted their credibility as a good football team heading in the right direction. It marked the first time in Jonathan Gannon’s career as head coach that he’s won two games in the span of three weeks.
With their season on the brink, a feisty group of Cardinals beat a good team in prime time. That doesn’t happen very often in Arizona.
RELATED STORIES
“I thought it was a big-time physical game,” Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said.
Kyler Murray directed an efficient offense that found a groove despite another lackluster showing from prized rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. The Cardinals quarterback utilized the star talents of Trey McBride. He threw a gorgeous red-zone touchdown pass to Greg Dortch. He leaned heavily on the brute force of James Conner, who amassed 152 total yards and forced a key fumble with sheer hustle. And for the second time this season, Murray raced unscathed for a lengthy touchdown run, blowing by a hopeless Chargers defender who had badly underestimated his speed.
It happens to the best of them.
Best of all, Murray led the Cardinals on a game-winning drive, rewarding a defense that won the turnover battle and allowed zero touchdowns. The drive came with a hint of controversy, a personal foul penalty on the Chargers that followed a key drop from Harrison Jr.
But that’s not our problem.
“I wish we could’ve done more tonight,” Murray said. “But a win’s a win.”
The game was a golden opportunity for the Cardinals, and they did not let the moment slip away. Just look at the landscape.
Despite their recent struggles, the NFC West is wide open. Ten wins might claim the division title and a home playoff game. The 49ers are decimated by injuries and appear primed for a fall. The Cardinals have already throttled the Rams and currently own a 2-0 divisional record. And does anyone really fear the Seahawks?
Gannon said he felt the momentum swing during Thursday’s practice, which he described as especially violent and chippy, a clear sign of the team’s collective agitation. He also said that Conner delivered a passionate speech to the team on Sunday night, imploring the team to “push all their chips into this game.”
“He put the team on his back today and carried us home,” Gannon said.
The Cardinals survived a shaky start, forcing a pair of critical fumbles early on. They began to hold their own at the point of attack. They outgained the Chargers 181-59 in rushing yards. They generated pressure on Justin Herbert with players activated from the practice squad. At a critical time in the game and the season, the Cardinals found a way to get it done.
There have been games this season when Murray’s quarterback rating has seemed deceptively high. Against the Chargers, it was deceptively low (67.0). But he was a winning quarterback. And there’s no stat better than that.
Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7.