Cardinals Vow to Keep Battling

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals were officially eliminated from playoff contention in their Week 15 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

It was a game where the Cardinals walked into State Farm Stadium as the obvious inferior team - the 49ers are expected by many to appear in the Super Bowl (if not win the whole thing) while Arizona is putting the finishing touches on the first year of their rebuild.

The final 45-29 score line is nowhere near flattering, though Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon was proud of how his team battled.

"I just told them I like the fight, battled a really good football team, give them credit. I thought the game turned there the first four possessions in the second half. We got them to third down, they have an explosive play and then score the next play. We go three-and-out on offense, kick it to them. We stop them. I think they punted back to us. We got it all the way down in there, couldn't score a touchdown there. Got points on the board. We have to play cleaner than that to beat a really good football team," he said following the game.

"Hung in, kind of got away from us at the end and like I just told them, I appreciate the fight. We'll come in ready to work tomorrow and try to get a win on the road in Chicago.”

Quarterback Kyler Murray said with three weeks left in the season, he doesn't see his team giving up:

"I don't see that in his team. I know that's not this team. Offensively, we won't allow it. Defensively, I know those guys over there won't. The goal is to go 1-0 each week. We've said it all along that our record doesn't determine how we're going to play football or how we're going to prepare each week, and that's the case. Obviously, this one stings but we've got another game next week."

Emerging star tight end Trey McBride believes the Cardinals are close to being the team they believe themselves to be:

“Frustrated, obviously. We’re close. It’s a tough team and tough defense. We’re really close. We played well on offense. Missed a few opportunities I think. That pick-six, I wish we could get that one back, but we’re close. We’re really close," McBride said.

"That’s a good football team ,a really good football team, and we’re right there with them.”

Regardless of wins and losses, the NFL season marches forward. Despite the Cardinals' essentially playing for pride at this point, they've made it clear they'll go down swinging as the 2023 season expires.

"I know the leadership in that locker room. I know the want to. I know their will. That was evident to me. We didn't lay down at the end of the game. The game is out of reach and we go down and score. I actually was very pleased about that because there's a point where you could say, if you're in my seat, ‘let's pull everybody and let the other guys go.’ No way," said Gannon.

"They weren't coming out of the game either. So, that's what we need to keep doing to give ourselves a chance to win. That has to be consistent. It’s the NFL, it’s a big boy league. You have to bring it every week. I think our guys do. From a coaching perspective, we have to help them out. Keep coaching the details, keep setting up good plans, keep coaching our ass off in practice every day. We'll give it a go again next week.”