RSS Cards Team Notes

[Arizona Cardinals]

What is the deal with Cardinals’ receiver Michael Wilson?

The Arizona Cardinals came into this season wanting their offensive identity to become a great running team. That is what OC Drew Petzing envisioned and is his scheme.

The Cardinals were actively gathering offensive linemen who were primarily good run blockers. All of their tight ends were scouted for how they blocked, and if they could catch an occasional ball, then that is the bonus round.

RELATED: 2024 CARDINALS FIRST DEPTH CHART

The offense already had QB Kyler Murray, who was considered an above-average runner who could scramble for yards, and also had his own running plays.

But the offense still needed to throw the ball. On occasion. Sometimes.

Last year, Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort drafted the best receiver in the draft when he selected Marvin Harrison, Jr. out of Ohio State. Harrison had a laundry list of accolades, plus was the son of an NFL Hall of Famer. Make that, an NFL Hall of Fame receiver. So, the lineage was there.

True, Harrison’s presence wouldn’t help the rushing attack. The very next pick in the draft was OT Joe Alt out of Notre Dame. OT JC Latham went two slots later. In all, eight offensive tackles and one center went in the first round after the Harrison choice.

But what offense doesn’t want a blue-chip receiver in its midst? Arizona is home to one of the league’s all-time best, with Larry Fitzgerald, so having greatness catching passes felt like home.

Harrison would be paired with TE Trey McBride, a good blocker who also has exceptional hands. The team would also feature speedy journeyman Greg Dortch, veteran Zay Jones, the aging Zach Pascal, who was now on his fourth NFL club, undrafted rookie Xavier Weaver, and Michael Wilson.

None of this group were starting receivers the year before in 2023. Which meant it was a clean slate, ready to become whatever this group could make it to be. When the team’s first press release of the 2024 season was released, that first depth chart listed Harrison, Dortch, and Wilson as the starting receivers.

For many, the lineup came as a surprise. Wilson had beaten out the veteran Pascal. He had been ruled better than Chris Moore, Andre Baccellia, and Jones.

Not that Wilson didn’t have talent. He did. He ran a 4.58 with a vertical jump of 37.5”. He was selected by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft. He had 58 targets in his rookie campaign and 71 last year, with 565 yards and 548 yards, respectively. For the two seasons, he added seven touchdowns and converted 56 first downs.

And now, Wilson has earned his starting position in this year’s training camp. A lot was expected out of Wilson based on the fact that the 2025 season would be his third in the league. Usually, players have worked out all the kinks and the learning curve by their third season. They are no longer expected to make rookie mistakes and have become acclimated to the NFL level of how pro cornerbacks operate.

But that isn’t happening.

This year, Wilson has just 27 targets. That is a mere 3.9 per game. Wilson has 15 receptions. Yeah, 15. That’s just over two catches a game. His total output is 136 yards, which is an average of 19.43 yards a game. Oh, and one touchdown.

What is going on with Michael Wilson? Why the low production? Anyone?

Plainly put, he just isn’t getting the ball thrown to him. Is he just not in the game plan each game? Are his targets being rerouted to Harrison or McBride?

This year, starting RB James Conner went down and is now out for the year. His backup, Trey Benson, suffered a meniscus injury in the Week 4 contest against division foe Seattle Seahawks. Since then, it has been a steady diet of backup running backs, including Michael Carter, Emari Demercado, and Bam Knight.

Which all means the lack of starting-quality running backs has moved the focus from a run-first game.

Plus, the starting QB, Kyler Murray, has been hurt and has only played the first five games. Since then, career backup Jacoby Brissett has held down the fort.

There have been issues with the offensive line keeping a solid pocket together during passing plays. Because of this, and the starting RBs are no longer in play, the offense has basically morphed into a passing team.

• Week 4 (Seahawks): Murray passing yards – 200; Rushing yards – 89; QB was sacked: 6
• Week 5 (Titans): Murray passing yards – 220; Rushing yards – 168; QB was sacked: 3
• Week 6 (Colts): Brissett passing yards – 320; Rushing yards – 88; QB was sacked: 2
• Week 7 (Packers): Brissett passing yards – 279; Rushing yards – 94; QB was sacked: 6

Wilson signed a four-year deal, which is traditionally what is offered to a third-round pick. His total contract was for $5.34 million. This year, his cap hit is $1.47 million, which will increase next season by just over $200,000.

At $1.47 million, he is being paid $10,809 for each yard he has gained. He is paid $98,000 per reception. Exactly where do you apply for that job?

The thought process was that Harrison and Wilson would become this dynamic duo, snagging passes when the run game needed the defense to shift gears. But even when Harrison has been injured, Wilson did not get the attention he should have had.

In Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts, Harrison left the game with a concussion. This should have set the stage for more passes being thrown Wilson’s direction. Yet, he ended up with just four receptions on five targets for 44 yards. Five targets. 5. Harrison is out, and Wilson saw just five balls. And Wilson had 55 snaps in this game, or 75% of all offensive plays.

Instead of using Wilson, Brissett had several key passes go to Jones beginning in the final two quarters, where the pair hooked up on plays of 11, 21, 17, 6, and 24 yards, plus tossed a 12-yard pass to Dortch, who scored.

Brissett also used the running backs more on passing downs as he connected with Knight for 20 yards and Carter for 16.

In the fourth quarter, Brissett did find Wilson for a 30-yard gain to get into the Colts’ territory and inch the Cardinals closer to a possible game-winning touchdown down 31-27.

Last weekend’s game against the Green Bay Packers, Wilson was targeted just four times with three receptions for 40 yards. In the San Francisco game, he had two targets for five yards.

It’s not like Wilson isn’t playing. He is. In Week 1 against the New Orleans Saints, he had his lowest number of offensive snaps with 44, or 66.7% of offensive plays. But since then, he has been in the 80% to 90% as far as snap counts. It’s his targets that are dwindling. And when the ball isn’t being thrown his way, obviously, receptions will be low.

All season, he has had a mere one touchdown.

The third-year wideout is not getting enough of an opportunity within the Arizona offense to be considered for any type of confidence. Officially, he has zero drops and is listed as the fourth most receiving yards on the team.

And really, is Wilson upset about getting low targets per game? If he is, he hasn’t mentioned it. So, he gets two catches and makes $196,000 for the game. Okay, that makes some sense. But how does that help the Cardinals’ offense?

He has the speed. He will run crisp routes and then run others more rounded. He can be deceptive. And he understands the jump high point.

Again, why isn’t the coaching staff using him?

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...e-deal-with-cardinals-receiver-michael-wilson

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals fan hate watch guide for week eight

Happy week eight in the NFL season one and all.

We have only one game with a division opponent today, as the both the Seahawks and Rams join the Arizona Cardinals on a bye week.

Meanwhile, the rest of the NFC Wild Card is… well the Detroit Lions, who are on a bye week as well.

So, today we are doing it a little different, as we will look at obviously look at the San Francisco 49ers game, but also a couple of the teams in front of the Cardinals, which is almost everyone.

Let’s take a look.

Buffalo Bills (-7.5) at Carolina Panthers, 10:00 a.m. Arizona Time

I think the Bills take this one, but the Panthers cover at home.

Bills 30
Panthers 24

Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens (-1.5), 10:00 a.m. Arizona Time

The Ravens stink right now, shocked they are favored.

Bears 27
Ravens 21

San Francisco 49ers at Houston Texans (-2.5), 10:00 a.m. Arizona Time

Again, surprised to see the Texans are favored.

Niners 28
Texans 17

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...cardinals-fan-hate-watch-guide-for-week-eight

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Cardinals-Packers reactions: More late-game problems in 5th straight loss

It is the bye week and we have not much to discuss.

We will take a look at a couple of the games today, but for the most part this is a week to either sit back, relax and enjoy the NFL, or go do something not involving football.

Hell, we get another Sunday of no football next week when the Arizona Cardinals take on the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

First though, we need to go through the latest Arizona Cardinals fourth quarter collapse as Jess and I take a look at the Cardinals loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

We discussed the following:

• (1:00) Why the Cardinals lost again
• (24:08) Why the offense seems to look better with Jacoby Brissett
• (40:23) The good and the bad from the defense against the Packers.

View Link

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...-more-late-game-problems-in-5th-straight-loss

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals midseason report card

Happy Monday one and all.

The Arizona Cardinals sit at 2-5 after seven games, and coming off their bye week they get the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

Should be fun.

With the season nearly at the halfway mark, Jess and I thought taking a look at the season as a whole, giving out some grades and talking about the coaching.

It is a great hour of talk, so sit back, relax and enjoy.

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

In this episode, we give midseason grades. We go position by position and give grades for each position group, and even the coaches.

• (1:00) Quarterback, running back, receiver and tight end
• (19:22) Offensive line, defensive line, outside linebackers
• (38:17) Inside linebackers, defensive backs, special teams and coaches

Enjoy the show!

View Link

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...84101/arizona-cardinals-midseason-report-card

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Predicting the Cardinals’ remaining games

What a wonderful time of the year to be a sports fan.

The World Series has finally begun. Both the NHL and NBA have started their respective seasons, along with their various farm system leagues. If you have Spanish channels, you can binge-watch soccer games all day, every day. College football is at the midway stage with key games every Saturday.

RELATED: CARDINALS PICKING IN THE TOP-10 OF THE DRAFT

And the NFL is almost to its halfway point of the 2025 season. The Arizona Cardinals have a bye this weekend, but if you are inclined to watch the NFL, there are some good matchups.

It is the time of year that hardly anyone is talking about draft positions, or who will win which division title, or even which games will tilt playoff slotting. Right now, it’s just about getting another win.

Currently, the Cardinals sit at 2-5-0. That means they have 10 games remaining. How will the season end? Let’s take a look at the remaining contests and do a win-loss prediction just for fun.

@ Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1)​

November 3, 8:15 pm (Eastern)

ABC, ESPN

The Cowboys are a mess, especially on defense. Two of their three wins are against trash teams, both of the New York clubs. Their offense is a very good passing team, right now ranked #3 in passing yards, so they fling it around all game. Cardinals are ranked #23 in passing defense, so that’s a mismatch. The Achilles heel for Dallas is that they cannot cover the pass whatsoever, ranked dead last in the league. Arizona can’t run the ball effectively anyway, so they have to throw often. Cowboys 38, Cardinals 31

@ Seattle Seahawks (5-2-0)​

November 9, 4:05 pm (Eastern)

CBS

The Cardinals had a great fourth quarter in their first game and were able to tie it up with not much time remaining. It looked like the game was headed to overtime, but Arizona’s defense allowed several completions that got the Seahawks into field goal range to win. The secret sauce against Seattle is that they cannot cover a pass to save their grandma. If Jacoby Brissett or Kyler Murray can air it out to Trey McBride and Marv Harrison, this just might be a win. For now, let’s give the advantage to the home team. Seahawks 27, Cardinals 13

San Francisco 49ers (5-3-0)​

November 16, 4:05 pm (Eastern)

FOX

The Cardinals had their first meeting won. A sure-fire touchdown dropped by Harrison, and then, as the fourth quarter was winding down, WR Zay Jones dropped a first-down conversion. If he had caught the ball, it would have been just a matter of running out the clock. The rebound game is critical to both teams as San Fran is already eyeing a division title after having a down year last season. The 49ers have beaten some good teams like the Rams and Seahawks, but lost to Tampa Bay and an improved Jaguars club. The Cardinals can beat this team. No, really. They dominated them offensively in the last game, and that was on the road. The 49ers’ defense allows teams to score in the Red Zone, and they are middle of the pack in pass defense. So, throw the damn ball. Cardinals 24, 49ers 20

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3-0)​

November 23, 4:05 pm (Eastern)

CBS

Jacksonville has improved this year with all of its losses against good teams. The Cardinals will struggle in this challenge. But the Jags rank #27 in pass defense. Throw it to McBride repeatedly, especially inside the 10-yard line. The Jaguars are very stingy against the run. Offensively, they can air it out and like to throw and have a good run game. Jaguars 30, Cardinals 17

@ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2-0)​

November 30, 1:00 pm (Eastern)

FOX

The Bucs are a really good team, but their defense is nothing like their high-flying offense. They also reside in the league’s weakest division, which has padded their win total. Their two losses are against the Eagles and Lions, which means they can’t beat the really good clubs and run all over the weaker teams. Only defeated the Jets 29-27. Exceptional passing attack with a mediocre run game. With the Cardinals ranked #23 in passing defense, this won’t be pretty. Buccaneers 30, Cardinals 9

Los Angeles Rams (5-2-0)​

December 7, 4:25 pm (Eastern)

FOX

The first divisional game of the season against the Rams will be a good game. Their two losses were against the Eagles and the 49ers. They killed the Jaguars last week, 35-7. Matchups? #4 passing team against Cards #23 passing D. LA is not a good running team, nor are they adept against the run. However, teams can throw against their defense. On paper, it would appear that Los Angeles will come in and dominate, but it should be tight and another one of those games where Arizona has the lead late in the fourth quarter and squanders it. Rams 38, Cardinals 35

@ Houston Texans (3-4-0)​

December 14, 1:00 pm (Eastern)

FOX

Do not let the Texans’ record fool you. They have a terrific defense, which has allowed the fewest points scored in the league (88). Their offense fails them; sound familiar? Their losses are to the Seahawks, Rams, Buccaneers, and Jaguars, which are all good teams. This is a team that could easily be a one-loss ballclub. They feature a horrible passing attack (#29), and a terrible rushing game (#28). That is where you attack this team. Arizona must score more points while they have the ball. Cardinals 17, Texans 13

Atlanta Falcons (3-4-0)​

December 21, 4:05 pm (Eastern)

FOX

Who are the Falcons? What are the Falcons? A roller coaster, that’s who. Just when they beat the Commanders and Bills, they drop a 30-0 loss to Carolina. But they are #1 against the pass. The Cardinals will need to establish a rushing attack in this contest. Atlanta’s offense is hit or miss, and already, they are switching out their starting quarterback. Cardinals 24, Falcons 10

Cincinnati Bengals (3-5-0)​

TBD

Cincinnati can’t beat anybody good. Getting QB Joe Flacco has probably saved their season as they knocked off division foe the Steelers last weekend. Dead last in rushing. #30 against the pass. #29 in run defense. A lot of points have been scored against their defense (214) so far. Arizona will need to get out in front fast in this game because the Bengals always start late and gain momentum in the second half. Cardinals 34, Bengals 20

@ Los Angeles Rams (5-2-0)​

TBD

By this time, the division race will most likely be solved. The Seahawks and 49ers are playing on the same day. Arizona will be looking at draft slotting and whether it is worth playing their starters or not. At the same time, if the Rams have nothing to gain, they may start most of their second-teamers as well. It will resemble a preseason game more than anything else. Winner? Score? Let’s just pass on this one.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...4028/predicting-the-cardinals-remaining-games

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals open practice window for Garrett Williams

The Arizona Cardinals are getting a little healthier, even if the players are not quite ready to go yet.

The team announced on Tuesday that they are opening the practice window for Garrett Williams.

From the team:

The Arizona Cardinals Football Club today announced that the team has designated cornerback Garrett Williams to return from the injured reserve list. Williams can begin practicing and the team can activate him to the 53-man roster at any time during the next 21 days or at the conclusion of the three-week period.

In addition, the team released running back Michael Carter and cornerback Darren Hall from the active roster and has re-signed both of them to the practice squad. The signings took place today at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, AZ.

The team has also released wide receiver Bryson Green, running back D’Ernest Johnson and tight end Nick Muse from the practice squad.

Getting Williams back could help remedy some of the fourth quarter defensive woes we have seen this season, but will also be good for this group to get more work together heading into the future.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...als-open-practice-window-for-garrett-williams

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

The most critical game for the Cardinals is Monday Night against the Cowboys

The Arizona Cardinals are nowhere near where they thought they would be at the midway point of the schedule. A record of 2-5-0 and dead last in the NFC West Division was not the plan.

RELATED: CARDINALS MIDSEASON REPORT CARD

Is the season lost? Depends. In fact, it depends on what happens against the Dallas Cowboys on the road on Monday Night Football.

No, really, it does.

This one game is the day before the NFL trade deadline, set for Tuesday, November 4 at 4:00 pm (Eastern). Why is that so important? Because the Cardinals just could be buyers or end up as sellers. And they won’t know for sure until after the game against Dallas.

The Cowboys (3-4-1) are in second place in the NFC East Division. Dallas needs this win to keep pace in their division. Every team in the NFC West has a winning record except for Arizona. A loss would pretty much place an exclamation mark on the season, and even though the Cardinals would still be mathematically in the playoff race for a Wild Card seed, it would take a run on the final number of games to accomplish this feat.

A win over Dallas could influence the Cardinals’ front office to try to bring in a few chess pieces to help out for the remainder of the schedule. A loss might make GM Monti Ossenfort decide to part ways with a body or two to assist with the salary cap for next year. It’s a business and not a game, you know.

Even though their record is currently a huge disappointment, the team does have some good news about some much-needed help on both sides of the ball.

After the Cowboys’ contest, RB Trey Benson is eligible to come off the IR list and begin practicing if he is ready to come off rehab.

Last week, the team opened up the 21-day practice window for rookie DT Walter Nolen to return. He was able to practice in a limited capacity in his first three days and looked like he just might be ready to get back on the field after being selected with the 16th pick in this year’s NFL draft out of Ole Miss.

Calais Campbell on Walter Nolen III

"I know Walter is a very talented guy and he's making his progress. When the time comes, I think the whole world is going to be excited for what he can do, including me." pic.twitter.com/NXjSkmL3VW

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) September 29, 2025

Nolen suffered a calf injury before training camp and was subsequently placed on the PUP list before the season began. The thought process after coming off their bye week is that Nolen would debut against Dallas.

On a Zoom call to members of the media this week, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon gave this assertion about Nolen’s availability against the Cowboys:

“He’s got a big time plan this week. Everyone’s a little bit different with this. It’s not just a week off here. He has to keep progressing as he would if we had a normal week, I would say.”

Another key player found his way back to the huddle with last year’s first-round draft pick DE Darius Robinson. He was able to play against the Green Bay Packers right before the bye, after missing a few games against the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts, both of which were losses. Against the Packers, he played in a minimal capacity with just 22 defensive snaps (39.3%).

Hopefully, soon, CB Garrett Williams will return from IR.

RELATED: CARDINALS OPEN PRACTICE WINDOW FOR GARRETT WILLIAMS

He has already served his four-game requirement. Williams is one of the team’s biggest defensive pieces that is missing. The team released RB Michael Carter and CB Darren Hall from the active roster in moves that signify the injured players will need their spot on the 53-man roster.

Attrition affects every club every season. But the addition of these players, plus a win over the Cowboys, could influence Ossenfort to make a few trades to fill obvious holes in this roster and fight for a playoff spot this year.

Last year, five clubs with 10-7-0 records qualified for the postseason. So, 10 wins is the magic number to hopefully secure a Wild Card spot.

Granted, the remainder of the schedule is pretty brutal. And it all starts against the Cowboys, who are one of the league’s most explosive offensive teams. But they also have one of the NFL’s worst defenses.

All of the teams in the Cardinals’ division are very good clubs. Arizona has four more division games on the agenda, including two against an exceptional Los Angeles Rams squad.

Let’s just get past Dallas, then decide. Build up – or rebuild.

The fat lady has her sheet music out and is adjusting her music stand. But she hasn’t sung any notes quite yet.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...cardinals-is-monday-night-against-the-cowboys

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Cardinals work out three quarterbacks on Wednesday

The Arizona Cardinals worked out nine free agents on Wednesday at their practice facility, three of whom were quarterbacks.

NFL General Managers regularly bring in players at various positions in order to update their records in the event a position of need arises from an injury. It is called “keeping current.”

The players were (in alphabetical order):​

• WR Jalen Brooks (6’-2”, 205 pounds)
• TE Oscar Cardenas (6’-4”, 275 pounds)
• QB Jeff Driskel (6’-4”, 231 pounds)
• WR Brenden Rice (6’-3”, 210 pounds)
• TE Messiah Swinson (6’-7”, 259 pounds)
• WR Roc Taylor (6’-2”, 213 pounds)
• QB Kyle Trask (6’-5”, 236 pounds)
• WR Jalen Virgil (6’-0”, 210 pounds)
• QB Logan Woodside (6’-1”, 213 pounds)

Currently on the practice squad are similar position players: WR Andre Baccellia and Tejhaun Palmer, plus TE Pharaoh Brown.

Oddly, no offensive guards were worked out, although Nick Leverett is on the practice squad. And every player brought in was an offensive player, which that side of the ball has been plagued with inconsistency so far this season.

Brooks has spent the last three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, but was released four days ago. Rice is the son of Jerry Rice and was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in Round 7. He was a final-day cut and hasn’t been added to any team’s practice squad. Taylor played for Memphis and went undrafted, then was in the Pittsburgh Steelers camp but was waived during training camp. Virgil went undrafted in 2022 but made the final roster of the Denver Broncos. He was eventually waived on an injury settlement, then was added to the Buffalo Bills practice squad, who waived him early in this year’s camp.

Cardenas was in the Cardinals’ training camp this year but did not register a catch in all three preseason games. Swinson went undrafted in 2024 and has participated on the practice squad of three NFL clubs.

As far as quarterbacks go, currently, the Cardinals list Kyler Murray, Jacoby Brissett, and Kedon Slovis on their active roster. With the three signalcallers that worked out, more than likely, that is just to see who they can bring in for a QB3 role in case Murray’s injury is prolonged.

Out of all the quarterbacks. Driskel has the most experience.

He was a sixth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in the 2016 NFL draft out of Louisiana Tech. He was waived on the final cuts, then claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals and became QB3 all season. After an injury, the Bengals issued an injury settlement, and he was cut. The Detroit Lions picked him up, and he started a game when starter Matthew Stafford became injured.

The Denver Broncos signed him to a two-year deal, where he played in three games with one start. He then had stints with the Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, and Washington Commanders. For his NFL career, Driskel has played in 25 NFL games with 12 starts and has passed for 2,394 yards with 16 TDs and 10 picks.

Trask is one of those guys who dominated in college when he was with Florida, then has had a rough time at the next level. Was 17-5-0 at Florida and threw for over 7,000 yards in just two-and-a-half seasons with 69 TDs against just 15 interceptions.

Was a second-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021. Played in just seven games with zero starts, and backed up Tom Brady for two years. Then the club signed QB Baker Mayfield, marking the end of his residency.

Woodside was a seventh-round pick of the Bengals in 2018 after a tremendous college career at Toledo, where he threw for 10,514 yards with 93 touchdowns against 25 interceptions. He was waived on the last cutdown and was signed to the practice squad of the Tennessee Titans. He then played for the San Antonio Commanders of the short-lived AAF, then was signed to the practice squad of three NFL clubs. He was waived by the Steelers eight days ago.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...nals-work-out-three-quarterbacks-on-wednesday

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

The Arizona Cardinals sign two players to practice squad

For the Arizona Cardinals, they have been getting some healthy potential impact players back, and it has allowed them to be a little more aggressive on the practice squad front.

Today, the team announced the signing of two players.

From the team:

The team has signed wide receiver Jalen Brooks and tight end Messiah Swinson to the practice squad and has released cornerback Jaden Davis from the practice squad. The signings took place today at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, AZ.

Brooks (6-2, 205) played 22 games (one start) with Dallas the past three seasons after entering the league with the Cowboys as a seventh-round selection (244th overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft out of South Carolina. During his time in Dallas (2023-25), the 25-year-old Brooks had 18 receptions for 241 yards and a touchdown. Brooks began his college career at Wingate (2018-19) before transferring to South Carolina where he played three seasons (2020-22). He was high school teammates at Hickory Ridge High School (Harrisburg, NC) with Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams.

Swinson (6-7, 259) played collegiately at Arizona State for two seasons (2022-23) and entered the league in 2024 with Green Bay as an undrafted rookie free agent. He has spent the time on practice squads of the Packers, Panthers and 49ers so far in his career. Prior to transferring to ASU, Swinson played four seasons (2018-21) at Missouri. In his two seasons with the Sun Devils, he appeared in 24 games and caught 21 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns.

Brooks will wear jersey #86 and Swinson will wear #35.

Do they need help at wide receiver? Maybe not, but they definitely need to continue to bring in help along the tight end position, so bringing in Swinson makes sense.

Good luck to both.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...-cardinals-sign-two-players-to-practice-squad

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals open practice window for B.J. Ojulari

The man who the Arizona Cardinals drafted in the second round in the 2023 NFL Draft is finally getting back on the field.

B.J. Ojulari, who blew out his knee in August of 2024, is getting back on the practice field, and the Arizona Cardinals have opened his 21-day practice window.

From the team:

The Arizona Cardinals Football Club today announced that linebacker BJ Ojulari (oh-joo-LARR-ee) will return to practice from the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP).

Ojulari can begin practicing and the team can activate him to the 53-man roster at any time during the next 21 days or at the conclusion of the three-week period.

In addition, the team has signed wide receiver Jalen Brooks and tight end Messiah Swinson to the practice squad and has released cornerback Jaden Davis from the practice squad. The signings took place today at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe, AZ.

We will have a little more on the practice squad additions, but it could be a good thing for the Arizona Cardinals pass rush, which has been underwhelming outside of Josh Sweat this season.

The Cardinals need the reinforcements, and getting Ojulari and Walter Nolen III back could be the answer.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...ardinals-open-practice-window-for-b-j-ojulari

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Cardinals DT Calais Campbell set to hit milestone

The Arizona Cardinals (2-5-0) are getting ready for the Monday Night Football (MNF) contest against the Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1). The game will be on a national stage in front of over 100,000 hometown Texas fans and approximately 15 million viewers. This year, MNF viewership is up 10%.

RELATED: WALTER NOLEN PRACTICE WINDOW OPENS

Both teams have been a disappointment this season. Arizona began 2-0 and then lost three games they had won in the closing quarter. The Cowboys can outscore anybody in the league, but their defense is porous and ranked dead last in most defensive categories.

The Cardinals’ defense will most likely be outmatched by the high-flying aerial attack of Dallas. They are ranked #17 against the pass, but have a very good defense against the run, currently ranked #7.

Nothing but love for the #BirdGang @CalaisCampbell pic.twitter.com/XvWxbL15A7

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 10, 2025

Part of the reason Arizona is so good versus the run is because of DT Calais Campbell. He is on his second stint with the Cardinals after being selected in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft out of Miami. He spent nine seasons with Arizona before going on to play for four other NFL clubs. In April, GM Monti Ossenfort inked Campbell to a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the team that originally drafted him.

Against the Cowboys, Campbell will have started his 250th NFL game.

This is not consecutive, mind you, but career total starts in his 18-year career. Only 15 athletes have reached the 250-start plateau. QB Tom Brady heads the list with 333 starts.

Campbell is now 39 years old. That in itself would be assumed to mean that he should become a two-down gap plugger because of his 6’-8” frame and tipping the scales at 315 pounds during the season, and easily pushing 350 pounds during the off-season despite having a nutritionist on staff monitoring his pizza intake.

But Campbell has been one of the Cards’ best defenders this season.

This season, he has seven starts, 19 total tackles, 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 1 batted pass, 5 QB hits, 2 hurries, 5 knockdowns, 10 pressures, and just two missed tackles.

It just seems he is in the most opportune spot when a big play is needed. And the fact that the big play is arriving from the middle of the defensive line instead of flying off the edge or on a stunt from a safety is remarkable. And a lot of times, his presence or pressure in the pocket doesn’t get an actual stat, but it will give a result for another player’s act.

Big dudes are supposed to become immovable objects that prevent ball carriers from gaining yardage up the gut and have to resort to taking it outside instead. This shuts down the inside running lanes and protects the linebackers.

Campbell has been voted to the Pro Bowl six times, two while with Arizona on the first go-round. He has been named First Team All-Pro once, and Second Team All-Pro twice, both while with the Cardinals. He was later named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

He was selected as the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2019 while with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Other accolades include the Bart Starr Award (2019), Art Rooney Award (2022), and the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award (2024).

After signing to play for Arizona this off-season, Campbell announced he would be donating upwards of $100,000 to nine Phoenix homeless-focused nonprofits.

For his career, Campbell has 936 tackles, 113.5 sacks, and 159 pressures, among other stats.

Recently, Campbell expressed to Spectrum News about playing on Monday Night Football:

“I don’t know if you guys can tell, but I love football. It started from being a kid and watching the big prime-time games. Back then, there were only a few games on TV, but the Monday night game was always the biggest.”

Several media outlets have projected that Campbell could be trade bait if the Cardinals fall to the Cowboys, which might signal an end to any playoff hopes. His size and production this year have made him an asset to clubs that have postseason aspirations and need a good run stuffer.

OUR big fella @CalaisCampbell should of NEVER left We Are Excited to HAVE YOU BACK pic.twitter.com/yWMiwqkLf7

— BE LEGENDARY (@art_chacon36) April 11, 2025

Campbell told Sports Illustrated that he is on his final run and wants to end it in the State of Arizona:

“I came here. I want to be here, and I want this team to go out there and make a run and go fight for it. So, I didn’t even think about that [leaving Arizona]. You know, it doesn’t exist to me. All that exists to me is this team getting back into the fight. Fight with everything we have to get back into it. I expect us to win ball games and be in position [for a playoff spot].”

He has maintained a residence in Tempe for 13 years on East Rio Salado Parkway. He did leave the door open for another season. But apparently, that settles it. Campbell will end his career where it began.

In Cardinal red.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...inals-dt-calais-campbell-set-to-hit-milestone

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals will start Jacoby Brissett on Monday Night Football

The Arizona Cardinals will start Jacoby Brissett in their Monday Night Football showdown with the Dallas Cowboys.

The team on Friday once again listed Kyler Murray as limited in practice, did not give a quarterback availability for the press, and waited until the weekend to make the call.

After it was reported that it would be Kyler, and then with the delays, plus the practice reports coming out that Brissett was playing with the first team, it seemed inevitable.

Now we know that it’ll be Brissett against the Cowboys on Monday.

Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett will start Monday night vs. the Cowboys.

Kyler Murray is making progress from his foot sprain, and could have a role Monday night, but Brissett will start. pic.twitter.com/MCFlCsRJhm

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2025

It’ll be interesting to see if the Cardinals can improve from 1-11 under Jonathan Gannon without Murray as the quarterback.

So, is this the week that the Cardinals finish a game?

Is this the week Gannon’s team looks like they are competent for four quarters?

The Cardinals at 2-5 need to win this game to have any semblance of hope for the rest of the season.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...tart-jacoby-brissett-on-monday-night-football

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Hate Watch: Rooting interest for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday

For the Arizona Cardinals, they are closer to picking top seven, than they are finishing up in the top seven of the NFL Playoffs.

Yet, with their game against the Dallas Cowboys looming on Monday Night, they can make up some NFC ground tomorrow just in their game.

They can also make up some ground before they even take the field on Monday.

Here is the hate watch agenda for today.

Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots (-4.5) at 11:00 a.m Arizona Time

The Falcons are really not good, until they are. But their quarterback situation seems not great.

Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers (-13.5) at 11:00 a.m.

Maybe the Panthers win was a good win?

Chicago Bears (-2.5) at Cincinnati Bengals, 11:00 a.m.

The Bears are interesting. They don’t seem good, or bad, but they seem either on any given Sunday.

San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) at New York Giants, 11:00 a.m.

The Giants look to be on the last leg of the Daboll era, but has the Mac Jones era slowed down?

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (-8.5), 11:00 a.m.

The Vikings are quite the cautionary tale right now.

New Orleans Saints at Los Angeles Rams (-14.5), 2:05 p.m. Arizona time

The Saints usher in the Tyler Shough era. It could be ugly.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...41/2025-nfl-playoff-picture-arizona-cardinals

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

What will it take for the Cardinals to defeat the Cowboys?

(Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

The Arizona Cardinals are facing one of the best offensive units in the league on Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys. That is the bad news.

The Arizona Cardinals are facing one of the worst defensive units in the league on Monday Night Football against the Dallas Cowboys. That is the good news.

RELATED: CRITICAL GAME ON MONDAY NIGHT

The Cowboys can score, and score often, ranking #2 in points scored with 246. That is a 30.75 points per game average. In three games so far this season, they topped scoring 40+ (40, 40, and 44). That is a lot of points for a single game at the NFL level.

However, their offense is one-sided. They are a great passing team and are set up to throw the ball.

Dallas ranks #3 in total passing yards (2,168), which is just 14 yards out of the first-place slot. They are also #3 in attempts (299), #4 in completion percentage (70.2%), #10 in passes for first down conversions, #21 in interceptions (6), and ranked #1 in two categories: completions (210), and touchdown passes (17).

But they are below average at running the ball, ranked in the bottom third of the league in all categories.

That’s their offense in a nutshell.

The Cowboys’ defense?​

Lordy. This side of the ball is a mess. A huge mess. Where do you start?

Maybe begin with Dallas’ run defense. They are #30 against the run, allowing 1,168 yards so far. That averages out to being 146 yards allowed per match. #29 in rushing attempts. Sixth worst in average yards per carry (4.9) and have allowed the second most rushing touchdowns (10). This group is also dead last in allowing runs for first downs (77).

That Dallas defense is generational level bad

— TB EGO (@TomBradyEgo) October 26, 2025

On to the Cowboys’ pass defense. This group is #11 in attempts allowed (267), #8 in completions (183), #31 in yards per attempt (8.4), #9 in fewest interceptions (4), #6 in completion percentage (68.5%), #9 in sacks (15), and dead last in several categories: most yards gained (2,185), and most passing touchdowns allowed (20). This group as a whole is ranked #32.

Basically, there is minimal to no pass rush now that Micah Parsons was shipped off to Green Bay, and they can’t cover the pass.

What this game comes down to is Dallas’ #3 passing offense against Arizona’s #5 passing defense.

And, the Cardinals’ #28 passing offense against the Cowboys’ #32 pass defense.

Neither team can run the ball, so that’s not a factor. Arizona will need to air it out for most of the game against a very weak pass defense. How to stop the Cowboys’ offensive attack? Who has to this point? The Cowboys’ offense just might be too strong for the Cardinals to handle.

This means the Cardinals’ offense will have to keep pace with the league’s #2 overall offense.

One ace in the hole for Arizona is QB Jacoby Brissett. He has the patience to wait for the pocket to form and then isn’t inclined to take off the way QB Kyler Murray does. He will run and scramble if needed, but prefers to throw it downfield.

Here’s an odd streak: Playing at AT&T Stadium, Murray is 9-0-0 in the building from high school to college to the NFL.

What to stop​

The tight end position has been critical for the Arizona defense. Dallas has a very good receiving tight end in Jake Ferguson. He recently had a string of scoring six touchdowns in four games. He is a huge target in the Red Zone and will need some tight coverage from the linebackers.

The biggest weapons for Dallas are their receivers.

George Pickens (6’-3”, 200 pounds) is having a tremendous season. He has good leaping ability and is exceptional at knowing where the catch point is. Already, he has 63 targets with 43 receptions for 685 yards and has scored six touchdowns.

Pickens is a nasty player with a mean disposition. He really doesn’t care. He has a 66.7% success rate of catching the ball and can outleap most defenders. Maybe a safety over the top can contain him, but he gets open a lot. Like, a lot a lot. He will attempt to out-bully any and all defenders using his hands and shoulders. Plus, he has good speed (4.47).

Arizona will need its best cornerback on him all game. Another thing is to eliminate any soft cushion on him. He likes to catch those 5-6 yard outs and move the offense down the field. Keep it close on this one.

Then there is CeeDee Lamb (6’-2”, 200 pounds). Another great target for QB Dak Prescott. He has missed a few games this year because of injury, but will be in the lineup against Arizona.

Lamb is fast (4.51) and is a crafty route runner.

How to limit his production? Have the Cardinals’ second-best cornerback shadow him, then have safety help over the top. It may sound simplistic or normal, but this is a good receiver who can dominate a game if the defense gives him too much cushion coming off the line.

How to solve this is for the Cardinals to go into a 4-2-5 defensive scheme and bring in another safety or cornerback to help out. The Cowboys will throw a ton of passes all game because their running attack is horrible.

106 yards by six players against Denver. 31 yards in the Carolina Panthers’ loss. 117 yards in a tie with Green Bay. 119 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Playing the league’s #32-ranked secondary​

Other NFL teams have gone deep on this Cowboys’ pass defense and succeeded. The Broncos laid 44 points on them last weekend and had no issues passing the ball, no matter the down and distance.

Brissett will need to keep up his passing grade of throws over 10+ yards, which he is good at doing. That is where the soft zone lies and will become the key to success for the Cardinals’ offense. They will need to match points with this Cowboys offense or find themselves getting deeper into the hole. Dallas is also weak in tight end coverage.

This is the worst secondary in the league. Brissett will need to execute.

Brissett gives all effort into gaining large to medium chunks of real estate, then utilizes the run game to keep the defense honest and not go all out with blitz packages. Both TE Trey McBride and WR Marv Harrison need to be a major part of this offense.

TE games over 20% target share, 2025:

7: Trey McBride
6:
5:
4: Jake Ferguson
3: Harold Fannin, Sam LaPorta, Tyler Warren, Juwan Johnson, Tucker Kraft, Kyle Pitts, Dallas Goedert, Mason Taylor

All hail the TE1 pic.twitter.com/m2TXvpYJrX

— Ethan Kreager (@EthanKreagerFF) October 29, 2025

Yes, the Cowboys can score a lot of points very quickly. Yes, the Cardinals will need to take advantage of the fact that Dallas has the worst secondary in the NFL, and they will need to keep scoring at will to keep up.

And maybe this is obvious, but the Cardinals’ pass rush must up their game for this one. Prescott will bury a team if given all day to sit back and wait for somebody to get open. A great tight end and dominating receivers are what Arizona’s defense is facing. Collapse the pocket and make Prescott either throw early or scramble for minimal yardage. It will be a good challenge because Dallas has only given up 10 sacks all year.

This is not going to be a fun time for Brissett, who is still looking for his first win as a Cardinal. But it could become one of his best statistical games ever. Or, just another regretful loss where Arizona is leading in the waning moments and gives the game away.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...-take-for-the-cardinals-to-defeat-the-cowboys

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Cardinals at Cowboys: How to watch Monday Night Football, TV schedule, radio broadcast, live stream and more

Happy Monday Night Football to all.

The Arizona Cardinals are on Primetime, by themselves. Not as a double header, not on some random Amazon Thursday Night Football.

No, this is the big boy, the OG primetime.

Here is everything you need to know about the game:

Week 9: Arizona Cardinals (2-5) vs Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1)​

Date: Monday, November 3, 2025
Time: 6:15 p.m. Arizona Time
Location: AT&T Stadium — Dallas, TX
National TV: ESPN/ABC (Locally the game can be found on ABC)
National online streaming: NFL+, ESPN+
TV announcers: Joe Buck (play-by-play) Troy Aikman (analyst) Lisa Salters and Laura Rutledge (sideline)
Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Radio announcers: Dave Pasch (play-by-play), A.Q. Shipley (analyst) and Paul Calvisi (sideline)
National Radio: Westwood One – Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Kurt Warner (analyst)
Spanish Radio: Fuego Radio 106.7 FM
Spanish Radio announcers: Luis Hernandez (play-by-play) and Irving Villanueva (analyst)
Betting line: Cardinals +3 per FanDuel Sportsbook

The Cardinals are heading into primetime with Jacoby Brissett at the helm and the Cardinals need a win in order to have any chance. Or hate watch each week comes from fighting for NFL Draft order.

Let’s go Cardinals!

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...tball-tv-schedule-radio-broadcast-live-stream

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals snap 5-game losing streak in Monday Night Football win vs. Cowboys

It was never close, but everyone was waiting on something to change, because it has fallen apart every week.

Yet, in this one they found a team who didn’t exactly play their smartest game, and the Arizona Cardinals found enough plays to hold on and win this one, despite another interesting fourth quarter.

The Cowboys bypassed a field goal that would have made it a 14-point game early in the fourth quarter and the Cardinals once again failed to do much on offense in the quarter. Yet, they made a couple of plays on defense this time.

The biggest being a sequence that saw Walter Nolen get his first career sack, then Will Johnson make a tackle on third down, and while Javonte Williams inexplicably tried to get more yardage, Cody Simon came in and ripped the ball out.

That basically ended any threat of a Cowboys comeback, but the Cardinals offense, after being almost flawless for the game, sputtered again in closing time.

Thankfully the 10-point lead was more than enough, and the team did enough to close out and get a win.

That moves them to 3-5 on the season, and a chance to keep going in the playoff race.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...l-week-9-walter-nolen-will-johnson-cody-simon

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals big underdogs ahead of matchup with Seattle Seahawks

The Arizona Cardinals won in primetime on the road.

The books don’t care.

According to our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook, the Arizona Cardinals are 6.5-point underdogs ahead of their matchup with the Seattle Seahawks.

The Cardinals on the road this season are 4-0 against the spread, even if they are only 2-2 on the road this season.

So, with the line sitting at a touchdown, you have to like the chances of the Cardinals covering, even if it is on the road in Seattle.

The Seahawks beat the Arizona Cardinals in week four 23-20.

The Seahawks meanwhile at home this season are 2-2, with losses to the 49ers and Buccaneers, their wins though, they beat the Saints 44-13 and Texans 27-19.

Now, can the Arizona Cardinals defense show up two weeks in a row against good offenses?

The interesting thing is that the over/under is set at 45.5 and the money right now is on the under.

Who would you take?

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...izona-cardinals-odds-fanduel-seattle-seahawks

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Arizona Cardinals name Jacoby Brissett starter

The Arizona Cardinals are moving on.

They have decided that Jacoby Brissett will start against the Seattle Seahawks, and presumably moving forward as they look to maintain position in the NFC Playoff race.

The decision comes after Brissett and the Cardinals beat the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, in which Brissett had 261 yards passing a two touchdowns to go along with his first rushing touchdown on the season.

Brissett is 1-2 as a starter.

Now the question becomes is this a complete benching or is this just this week moving into the position of softening the blow?

Jonathan Gannon likes the clarity naming Jacoby Brissett starter provides. Kyler Murray will continue to rehab is foot injury leading up to the Seahawks game. JG did not rule out IR for K1 @PHNX_Cardinals

— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) November 4, 2025

For Brissett, he has thrown for 860 yards and six touchdowns to one interception, with a 65.2% completion and a 102.5 quarterback rataing.

The concern becomes the amount Brissett is getting hit and hit hard, as he has taken 13 sacks already this season, which is only three less than Kyler, and he is hit a lot. He was hit 11 times in the Cowboys game, 12 times in the Packers game and 12 times in the Colts game.

That is what becomes the issue, is how long can a quarterback, any quarterback stand up to that type of continued assault?

Brissett has earned this opportunity, how will he handle it?

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...rizona-cardinals-name-jacoby-brissett-starter

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Are Arizona Cardinals fans more confident with Jacoby Brissett starting?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cardinals fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The change has been made.

The Arizona Cardinals moved to Jacoby Brissett as their starting quarterback before their matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. What that means for the rest of the season, who knows, but for this week the Cardinals won’t try and hide who their starter is.

And, they are coming off a win for the first time since September, so that begs the question, are you more confident in the direction of the franchise?

What is interesting now is how the next part goes. Under Jonathan Gannon, the Arizona Cardinals moved to 2-10 with anyone not named Kyler Murray as the quarterback.

They are in the teeth of their schedule, so this will be an interesting experience for the next nine games.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/n...ls-fans-starting-jacoby-brissett-kyler-murray

 

[Arizona Cardinals]

Cardinals place Kyler Murray on IR with a continued foot injury

Right after the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in front of a national audience to advance their record to 3-5-0, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon held his post-game press conference.

RELATED: CARDINALS NAME BRISSETT STARTER

When asked how he thought QB Jacoby Brissett played against Dallas, Gannon stated:

“I thought he played well. Thought he operated. We had one protection issue. That’s on me. We got to do a better job with that. We just got to keep him clean, and he shows how he can deliver the football. He battles. He has gotten us out of a hole a couple of times now in the last couple of games. He’s resilient, bounces back, and plays the next play.”

Today, Gannon’s assessment of Brissett and the quarterback controversy became moot when the Cardinals placed Murray on the IR list. The placement does not seem to be season-ending, as Murray will have a chance to return with a minimum of four weeks on the list.

Gannon told ESPN Arizona:

“I really do [hope that happens],” Gannon said. “We got a lot of ball to play, and one day at a time. And where he sits right now is he’s got to pour into his health bucket and get ready to get healthy.”

Jonathan Gannon said the pivot to place Kyler Murray on IR “is completely predicated on the information that we have now and his health. He's got to fully focus on getting healthy.” pic.twitter.com/x6z0YaJuxg

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) November 5, 2025

This weekend’s game, Arizona faces division foe Seattle Seahawks (6-2-0) on the road in the afternoon slot. In their first matchup, the Seahawks held a 20-6 lead before Arizona came back to tie the game with 28 seconds remaining, only to have Seattle get in field goal range to win 23-20.

The following week, against the Tennessee Titans, Murray became injured and hasn’t played since.

Gannon added:

“Jacoby does his job, takes it one day at a time, prepares when he wasn’t the starter, prepares to be the starter. He knows his role can change, and now he’s going to prepare the same way.”

Which is a complete turnaround since the Cowboys win. After the game, in the post-game presser in Dallas, Gannon was asked about Murray. Specifically, the media question that was rendered was, “Will Kyler still be your starting quarterback when you…..”

Gannon interrupted and said:

“Yeah, nothing’s changed on that. That’s how I feel.”

Then came another poignant question from another reporter: “Is there anything Jacoby can show you to win this starting job?” Gannon’s answer?

“Like I said, nothing’s changed.”

Brissett has completed 65.7% of his passes and has thrown six touchdowns against a single interception in three games. He is also a QB sneak guru and has only been stopped short once in his career. Plus, the offense is able to convert a high number of third-down attempts, no matter the down and distance.

Then Brissett was brought out to the podium in order to answer questions. One reporter asked, “The offense has put up more than 300 yards a game the last three weeks, averaging 25 points. Why is this offense so effective with you under center?”

Brissett is the ultimate professional. He recognizes a “throw another player under the bus” question when he hears it. He is a team-first player. He also identifies that he has zero control over who plays on game day. He countered with:

“I don’t think it’s me. I really don’t. Everybody gets caught up in the beginning of the season, and everything’s going well or not going well. Good teams in this league find a way to continue to get better. That’s what we are doing at this point in the season. You tweak things. We are going back after this game and find out what we should do better.”

The idea to place Murray on IR began as a conversation on Tuesday night and became more clear Wednesday morning. It was a decision between the coaching staff, the quarterback, and his agent. Gannon has always stated that Murray is this team’s starting quarterback.

Gannon further noted:

“He’s not fully healthy, ready to go yet, so that makes the most sense. Obviously that’s a change, but we just felt. looking at it right now, that’s the best thing for him and us. He’s fully committed. Right now, what he’s going to concentrate on is getting healthy. He’s not healthy enough to play. He needs to get healthy so he can get back to playing football.”

The question after the Cowboys game was if Murray is actually a better quarterback than Brissett or the other way around. One of the TV analysts, Troy Aikman, a former Hall of Fame and Super Bowl quarterback himself, stated on air that he believes Brissett should remain the starter even after Murray is medically cleared to play.

Then early Tuesday, Gannon stated that Brissett would get his fourth consecutive start against Seattle.

Gannon had this to say about Murray’s continued rehab on his ankle:

“He’s doing well. He wants to be out there. He’s a competitor. I talked to him today. He’s a good teammate, and he’s working to get healthy.”

Murray participated some last week in the offense vs. defense portion of practice, leading up to the Dallas game. Gannon announced that Murray would start against the Cowboys, then recanted, telling the media that Brissett would get the start because Murray just wasn’t ready.

Brissett has played very well as this group’s starting quarterback. He threw for 320 yards, two touchdowns, plus a pick in a 31-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in a game the Cardinals held the lead late. That was followed by a narrow loss to the Green Bay Packers in which Brissett tossed for 279 yards with two touchdowns. Against Dallas, he had 261 yards with two touchdown passes plus a rushing touchdown.

Why did Gannon change his mind for the second week in a row?

Gannon told Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday:

“Jacoby will start, and Kyler will keep working on his health. I do like what the offense is doing right now. We’ve operated well, and we will go from there.”

It wasn’t long after Gannon announced that Brissett would start that NFL analyst Adam Schefter tweeted out on Tuesday what may be some answers:

Sources: Kyler Murray and the Cardinals have consulted with multiple doctors on his foot injury and have been told the timetables for recovery have been anywhere from 4-8 weeks, with an increased chance of setback until it’s properly healed. Murray now has more time to heal. pic.twitter.com/a6bPJJeEwL

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 4, 2025

So, according to Schefty, Murray is not healed after all, and now could be down for 4-8 weeks? Is that the reason? Or did Gannon decide that Brissett was the better option and subsequently bench a healthy Murray? Somebody did point out that the next “Call of Duty” video game, “Black Ops 7,” will be released on November 14. Just sayin.

Schefter is a reliable source of NFL news and notes. He is accurate in most cases, and he tells the truth. But he is also a friend to numerous NFL executives. Could this be a PR situation instead of an actual medical issue?

By saying Murray “now has more time to heal,” does that really compute to him being a soft benching? Remember, he practiced last week and at one time was supposed to start against Dallas.

However, right after Schefter’s tweet, respected NFL analyst Howard Balzer also tweeted:

That's what I reported when the injury happened, although the time-frame was 4-6 weeks. And that while he could possibly play, yes there was chance for aggravation and he wouldn't be able to do Kyler-Murray like things. Most ignored it, so drama could be created.

— Howard Balzer (@HBalzer721) November 4, 2025

In the Cowboys game, Murray made the trip but was in street clothes along the sideline. So, it wasn’t like he suited up and could be the emergency QB. He grew up 45 miles from that stadium in Allen, Texas, and wanted to be back in it one more time. He has a 9-0-0 record in AT&T Stadium, going back to high school and college.

When did these doctors make this evaluation of Murray? It had to be post-Cowboys game because right after the Dallas win, Gannon had stated that Murray was his starting quarterback. Or did he mean when Murray was ruled healthy and ready to go?

Gannon added:

“Obviously, for him, it prevents him from being fully healthy to go play, and him, as the person that he is and the player that he is, yes. And you could look at other things, like this injury for other people might not, but he’s played through some things that other positions, if they have those, they can’t play with those because of what they’re asked to do.”

In any regard, in the three games in which Brissett has started, the offense has traveled up and down the field all game and scored points. Keeping him as the starter may validate the coaching staff’s decision, and hopefully, more victories will follow.

There are nine more games left on the schedule. The division is really tough, and nobody is eyeing a division title at this juncture. 10 wins will get a team in as a Wild Card seed, and in the NFL, anything can happen.

In 2011, the New York Football Giants were tied for the division lead with the Cowboys with identical 7-7-0 records and two games remaining. In the finale, the two teams met with 8-7-0 records. The Giants won with a 9-7-0 record, hosted a playoff game, then had to travel to play the #2 seed Green Bay Packers in a blizzard, then another road game against the #1 seed San Francisco 49ers. The Giants defeated them all. Next up: the 18-0-0 New England Patriots and Tom Brady, who they defeated 21-17.

It started with Arizona whipping the Cowboys. Now, on with an upset win over the Seahawks.

Source: https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/a...ler-murray-on-ir-with-a-continued-foot-injury