Cards' Shuffling Along Offensive Line Pivotal in Loss vs. Seattle
The Arizona Cardinals can point to plenty of reasons why they failed to secure a victory in Week 9 against the Seattle Seahawks.
Penalties? Absolutely. 12 accepted flags for 77 yards will not get the job done at any level of football.
Missed opportunities? Again, not out of reach to say. Between dropped red zone interceptions and overhead snaps, the Cardinals are going to break down the film and see exactly where it all went wrong.
Reasons will come and go, but let's not forget about the constant shuffling that quarterback Kyler Murray has had along his offensive line.
The Cardinals came into Sunday without left guard Justin Pugh and center Rodney Hudson. Nearly 20 minutes after kickoff, right guard Will Hernandez suffered what head coach Kliff Kingsbury later described as a pec injury and wouldn't return, giving sixth-round pick Lecitus Smith the opportunity the rest of the way.
Murray, working with an interior of Cody Ford, Billy Price and Smith, was sacked four times with a handful of egregiously misplaced snaps. The Cardinals' quarterback rarely had time to make plays in the pocket throughout the course of the evening.
Against a very talented Seahawks defense, at times Arizona simply didn't hold up.
"If I'm being completely honest, I did not expect to play this week. But at the same time I prepared like I was going to because of those guys leading me and showing me right from wrong, especially Coach Kugler. He does a great job as well, getting us guys ready for the game," Smith said after the loss.
"What I really like is that a lot of people are holding themselves accountable. You don't have people pointing the finger and this and that and all those other kinds of things. Guys are looking in the mirror. Guys are ready to get on this film, including me. Ready to get on this film and see what I did wrong and see what I can do better next week."
The consistent game of musical chairs along Arizona's offensive line this season has tested their depth like no previous season has before. Assembling the talent is one thing, but establishing chemistry in the trenches is equally important.
"I don't think anybody in here has ever played professional O-line, but the continuity got to be there. You know, It's tough," said Murray.
"Those guys are working together, trying to get on a groove together. But when you got the rotation and stuff like that when guys go down, it is tough, but at the end of the day, next man up mentality. We just gotta be better."
Things start and finish with how well things are handled in the trenches. Sunday's loss to the Seahawks proved just that, perhaps highlighting just how valuable protection and blocking up front can be.
While Hudson seems to be nearing return, Pugh is out for the season with a torn ACL and the status of Hernandez moving forward is unknown.
More shuffling appears to be on the horizon for Arizona's starting unit.
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