The final location is a familiar address in Arizona. Postal codes are rarely a cause for celebration.
The 2023 Cardinals will be a little different.
Sunday’s 21-20 loss to the Seahawks was a defiant and tumultuous end to a season that saw them lose again by double digits. It commemorated James Conner’s first 1,000-yard season as a rusher. This cemented Kyler Murray’s future as the franchise quarterback. This was supposed to be Jonathan Gannon’s first win in the NFC West.
This was a game that historic and highly reliable kicker Matt Prater choked on two second-half field goal attempts and ultimately lost. But in the process, Prater’s mistake cost the 4-13 Cardinals the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, 10 other draft picks and $80 million in salary cap space. It was certain that he would get it.
perfection.
Rarely has a gloomy day looked, felt, and sounded like it ended with so much sunshine in Seattle. It was also a game in which the Cardinals physically dominated another quality team in the second half. Like they did in Pittsburgh. Like they did in Philadelphia. From winning road games in hostile environments to dominating the line of scrimmage, they are showing the key characteristics the Cardinals need to win playoff games in the near future.
There were three other big wins along the way.
The Cardinals re-established Murray as their franchise quarterback, a huge improvement for a team that had a lot of holes to fill in the offseason. Had Prater made those field goals at the end of Sunday’s game, Murray would have finished 4-4 in his return from major knee surgery. Beyond the numbers, he showed maturity, leadership, poise, direction and improved ability to make big plays when it mattered most.
Murray still has his detractors in the Valley. The rest of us should be tickled by the improvement he’s shown since coming back from injury.
The Cardinals have also rallied under the steady, strict leadership of Gannon, an unproven head coach who has proven to be worth the hassle and tampering penalties imposed before the 2023 NFL Draft. In a market known for alibis, excuses and endless whining about officials, Gannon threw his first challenge flag of the season on Sunday. It was successful and very iconic.
It was a testament to the head coach’s ability to instill toughness by showing toughness. His teams never showed the zombie football that is typical of broken teams and poor cultures. His team fought until the end of the game, ending the season with 13 losses. They believed in Gannon’s vision of how a winning program should work and what would not be tolerated.
During the 2023 season, the Cardinals parted ways with players who didn’t consistently model the new philosophy. They dumped cornerback Marco Wilson before a big road game in Philadelphia. They waived defensive lineman Kevin Strong before Sunday’s game against Seattle. Despite being short on pass rushers, they cut Maijay Sanders. Despite starting five of the first six games, the team waived Kevon Wallace off the bench in Week 7.
They have been undaunted, resolute and persistent in setting standards. Gannon has never moved the goalposts. And in the end, they were the strangest four-win team in Cardinals history.
A team inspired by failure. A team with a bright future.
Contact Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
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