Report Card(inals) - Week 12 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Although writing this after a gut-punching loss, there was a lot the Arizona Cardinals did right today. Sadly, it still didn't result in a victory.
The defense had flashes of brilliance that contrasted with mind-boggling playcalling that gave the Los Angeles Chargers far more chances than they deserved based on their own play.
Murray and the offense also shined at moments and fell apart in critical moments. Early success gave the team a lead that would continue to shrink and eventually a gutsy 2-point conversion call from Brandon Staley gave the day to the visitors.
It wasn't awful all the way through and there was a lot to like about certain aspects of both sides of the ball, but with this loss the Cardinals fall to 4-8 and the season is, for all intents and purposes, over.
On to next year.
Defense
Secondary - C+
A lot of the problems that allowed Herbert to sling it to open receivers falls more on the head of Vance Joseph and his infamous soft zone defense than it does on the play of the Cardinals secondary.
Marco Wilson had a second great game in a row after an impressive outing last week. Wilson was the second leading tackler on the team and his performance featured an acrobatic pass deflection that saved a defensive drive. He also held on to Austin Ekeler and prevented a TD with less than 30 seconds left on the clock.
Budda Baker and Antonio Hamilton also had decent games but didn't play the role they were both capable of in helping secure a win.
Linebackers - B-
Isaiah Simmons really had himself a game. Eight tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, and a pass defensed shows that put in the right situation, Simmons is an absolute weapon on defense.
His compatriot at the inside linebacker position had a quieter game, but a tackle for loss helped save a drive and an interception that was ruled incomplete still showcased his big playmaking ability.
Unfortunately, the pass rush from the OLB position continues to be almost nonexistent. Markus Golden has the moves but lacks the speed to get to the quarterback.
Defensive Line - B-
Zach Allen really shined this afternoon and is continuing to play at a high level. He was only credited with one sack as of this writing, but I feel fairly confident that will be bumped to two after review.
J.J. Watt continues to make his presence known and recorded his sixth sack of the season.
Quarterback pressure is coming almost solely from the efforts of the defensive line and they deserve a lot of credit for that.
Offense
Running Backs - A-
The Arizona Cardinals offense ran through James Conner today against the Chargers.
He finished the day with 120 yards on the ground and added another 20 plus a touchdown through the air.
Effective on the edges and up the middle, Conner really did it all and he did it well today.
Sadly, his grade has to be taken down a notch to an A- because of a fumble in the first quarter but his performance was still the bright spot on offense.
Wide Receivers - C-
The much-hyped appearance of DeAndre Hopkins and Marquise Brown on the same field fell far short of expectations.
Sure, Hopkins had some Hopkins moments, including a wild one-handed catch, and he turned only four receptions into 87 yards.
Brown had flashes where it seemed he was about to break out and have another monster game, but they never materialized and he finished with only 46 yards on 6 receptions.
Overall, the wide receivers were not impressive and didn't do much to help out QB Kyler Murray.
Tight Ends - D
The absence of Zach Ertz continues to hurt this team.
Unfortunately, Trey McBride has been underwhelming and his hands continue to be suspect. Multiple dropped passes could have made the difference in sustaining drives and McBride continued to come up short.
Maxx Williams' complete absence in the passing game has made the tight end position fairly useless over the past two games.
Offensive Line - B-
Considering the near-complete decimation of this position group by injury this season, they performed admirably today.
They really shined in the run blocking game and set up the right conditions for James Conner to have a fabulous day on the ground.
Murray had the time to make some big plays downfield and that ability to let plays develop let the young quarterback make the most of his opportunities. Protection really does make a giant difference in quarterback play and the offensive line got it done today.
Quarterback - C
Murray really didn't have that bad of a game, but the end result after multiple 3-and-outs in the 4th quarter lowers his grade significantly. He had the opportunity to put his team on his back and secure a season-saving victory and he fell short.
Numbers-wise, Murray didn't look back. 191 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 58 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown.
It's in the mental game where truly elite quarterbacks set themselves apart. Murray is undoubtedly one of the most gifted athletes on any field he touches, but the fortitude to do it yourself and become THE guy that can wreck a game and win it himself continues to elude him.
Until that happens, it is likely the Cardinals continue to stay exactly where they are. Mediocre.
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