Evaluating 3 Over/Underreactions After Cardinals Meltdown

The Arizona Cardinals have some things to clean up.

Oct 5, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) warms up before their game against the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

It is not an overreaction to call this one of the worst losses in recent history for the Arizona Cardinals. Honestly, I can think of few games that had my blood boiling the way this game did, and I can only imagine the way fans felt.

There’s simply no reason the Cardinals should’ve lost Week 4's game to the Tennessee Titans, but that’s the reality we’re in. There’s plenty of moments from the game to overreact to, but there’s also some aspects that may be overlooked or generate an under reaction.

We’re going to look at both sides of the coin, as it’s starting to get difficult to tell fans they’re overreacting to some things. The fact of the matter is it’s time to start making some harsh criticisms.

I did my best to stay grounded, but the following three topics I have a hard time defending as overreactions:

Kyler Murray is doing just enough

He hasn’t. Plain and simple. There’s a difference between being a game manager and doing what Murray is doing. He’s the former number one overall pick and he’s not doing what he needs to do.

If you want to know what you should ask out of your number one overall pick quarterback at a minimum? Alex Smith from 2011 to the end of his career. That should be the standard for Murray — he’s nowhere close.

He may not be losing the Cardinals football games (that’s the play calling), but he’s not winning them games, either.

Under reaction (pitchforks are valid)

The Cardinals cannot run the football

There were some flashes of a run game from the Cardinals against a bad Tennessee defense, but they stunk. Again. And Emari Demercado's inexcusable fumble at the one yard line perfectly summed it up.

71 of the Cardinals 168 rushing yards came from that carry. In other words, Arizona had 98 yards as a team on 28 carries. That’s pathetic and it’s costing the team wins. If Arizona could have run the ball to chew the clock, they would’ve won the game. But they can’t do it.

Overreaction… mostly

The season is over

We’re five games into the season, so a ton can change. But statistics exist for a reason, and the Cardinals now have a less than 10% chance to make the playoffs. Every single game has been decided by a single possession, and Arizona could just as easily be 0-5 as they are 2-3. It’s been a miserable start to the year, and it doesn’t get easier.

Arizona heads to Indianapolis to play a red-hot Colts team before hosting the Packers before their bye week. The second half of the season is brutal, too. Things all get more difficult, and we said before the year that Arizona had to take advantage of a softer start to the year — and they haven’t.

What’s a reality right now is the Cardinals have to get their stuff together, because the season is derailing fast. There’s plenty of time to turn things around, but this is bad. Very, very bad.

Not a complete overreaction… but it’s not over yet