The Arizona Cardinals just blew a good fourth-quarter lead, dropping their preseason matchup against the Green Bay Packers 42-38. It was the much-anticipated “LaFleur Bowl” between head coaches Mike LaFleur and his brother Matt, and despite some flashes of brilliance, the Cardinals’ defense completely unraveled when it mattered most.
Defense Disintegrates as LaFleur Bros Battle
Man, talk about a heartbreaker! The Cardinals’ defense, which held tough enough to keep Green Bay scoreless in the third quarter, absolutely fell apart in the fourth. Green Bay just walked all over them, scoring every single time they got their hands on the ball. It’s tough to watch any squad lose a good lead like that in a preseason game, especially when there’s so much on the line for individual players. It was the high-profile “LaFleur Bowl,” with Cardinals’ head coach Mike LaFleur going up against his brother Matt, who leads the Packers. You know their parents, fresh out of Michigan, were glued to every single play. Both brothers cut their teeth learning offensive schemes under Sean McVay with the Rams, so you knew it’d be a tactical chess match. That late defensive showing, though, really killed the vibe for Arizona.
Who Stepped Up? Hull, Minshew, Sharar Flash Promise
Amidst that chaos, some guys truly stepped up and made a statement. What a performance from Evan Hull! This dude absolutely flew on that 47-yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter, hitting an insane 21.62 MPH. He wasn’t messing around, leading all ball carriers with 16 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a ridiculous 6.7 yards per carry. He looked like a lock, but you gotta wonder if that fourth-quarter collapse puts his roster spot in question when they make cuts on Sunday. Who would they even cut instead of him after that?
And can we talk about Gardner Minshew? He was pure confidence, handled the offense like a pro, and showed all the traits you want in your backup quarterback. His beautiful 41-yard dime to Fehoko, with a cornerback all over him, was a thing of beauty. Finishing 7 for 9 for 126 yards, one TD, zero picks, and a 155.8 QB rating, he definitely made a case for himself. Even the rookie linebacker Karson Sharar came to play! He made plays all over the field, including an excellent stop in the first quarter, forcing a four-yard loss on a short right completion to Pierre Strong. Five tackles and one tackle for loss, leading all defenders, that’s how you make an impression when it counts. The second-team offense, especially the offensive line, was legitimately good and got things done, but it wasn’t until the third-stringers hit the field that everything started to fall apart for the Cardinals.
So, what’s next? For Mike LaFleur and his coaching staff, it’s gotta be a brutal weekend. With Sunday being cut day, they need to figure out which players truly belong after seeing that kind of defensive breakdown and some real standout individual performances. Hopefully, they know exactly who to cut and who to keep. This preseason game definitely gave them plenty to chew on as they finalize that roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Revenge of the Birds.
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