The Arizona Cardinals have been straight-up brutal since the start of the 2025 season, rocking a 4-18 record that feels absolutely crushing. Yeah, you read that right. It’s gotten even worse since the middle of last season, with a pathetic 1-13 run that screams “disaster” for their offense, and honestly, the whole team. When you lose games like last Sunday against the Detroit Lions or earlier in Week 2 against our own Seattle Seahawks with a combined score of 76-28, the bad stuff just gets magnified.
The Feast or Famine Nightmare Is Real
Cardinals tight end Trey McBride put it perfectly this past Wednesday: “It just feels like when we get rolling, when we get the first, first down, it’s like man, our offense is really freaking good. But it’s like right now it just seems like we’re either on a 15-play drive or we’re three-and-out. And it’s like there’s no in-between and that’s a problem.” And let me tell you, the numbers back him up big time. This isn’t just a feeling, it’s a harsh reality.
Look at this: they’ve had 18 possessions where they scored points. Out of those, 13 lasted at least 10 plays, with nine of ’em going for 12 plays or more. In those “feast” drives, they racked up a ridiculous 1,082 yards, averaging 60.1 yards per drive, on 196 plays with 78 first downs. That’s a high-octane offense right there! But then, you hit the “famine” side. They’ve got 38 possessions where they only gained 424 yards, a measly 11.2 yards per drive, on 138 plays with just 21 first downs. The most eye-popping, soul-crushing stat? An astounding 21 three-and-outs in those famine drives, not even counting a few kneeldowns. That’s not just bad, that’s a total breakdown. McBride said it best: “We got to find a way to stay on the field.” He’s not wrong, the defense can’t keep getting thrown back out there after three snaps.
The Ground Game Has Vanished
Part of this mess is apparently tied to a compromised Jeremiyah Love, who’s been affecting their ground game. McBride pointed out that their run game looked solid at the beginning of the Giants game, but since then? It’s completely disappeared in the last seven quarters. And if you know football, you know what that means. “The run game’s the start of everything,” McBride explained. “It’s like if you can run the football in this league, everything else opens up. You can pass the ball better. You can do fun stuff. Everything’s better when you can run the ball.”
They’ve got two talented running backs, plus Bam Knight, but they just can’t get it going. It’s on everyone, from the tight ends to the offensive linemen to the coaches, to figure this out. The offense is leaving their defense out to dry. Former coach Joe Paterno’s lesson about things never being as good or as bad as they seem might offer a little perspective, but with a 1-13 record since the middle of last season, it’s hard to find the “not as bad” part for the Cardinals right now. They’ve got to find a way to get those first downs, sustain drives, and start scoring points to give their defense a much-needed break.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply