Instant Reaction: Cardinals’ Historically-poor Season Concludes

There was no delusion present that the Arizona Cardinals could find a way to beat Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams on the road to close out the 2025-2026 season, but they did manage to keep Sunday’s game close until the fourth quarter. But that closeness didn’t prevent a brutal, devastating season for the Cardinals ending in what became a 37-20 loss at SoFi Stadium.

It was a game that came with some highlights and personal accolades, and it was one of Arizona’s few contests in recent history that did not feel lost in less than one half. The Cardinals even held a lead late in the third quarter.

But the deficiencies present on this team stood out for one more game. When the clock ultimately hit 0:00, the Cardinals were forced to stare down a 3-14 record — the most losses by the franchise in its 100-plus-year history.

Year three of a rebuild concludes in an even uglier fashion than year one, as questions surround Arizona’s coaching staff, QB situation and more. With the loss, the Cardinals now hold the No. 3 pick in the 2026 draft.

Cardinals Fall to Rams in Los Angeles

The Cardinals played hard in this game — that cannot be denied. They fought hard, and the overall effort level on the field is hardly the item to scrutinize. But it was clear, once again, that Arizona could not hang with McVay, nor Stafford, nor WR Puka Nacua, who had 10 receptions for 76 yards and a score. The Cardinals were able to get the Rams into 3rd down situations frequently, but allowed conversions on nine of 16 opportunities.

At this point, there’s not much to be broken down, talked about or examined when it comes to the reasons for such defeats. They have simply rolled on and on as the season devolved further with each passing week. The Cardinals allowed four passing touchdowns while giving up 143 yards on the ground — a 4.6 yard-per-carry clip. Though it did not become a 40-point affair, Arizona’s defense was thoroughly exploited once again.

On the offensive side, the Cardinals still could not surpass 20 points. That extended the streak to six games closing out the season. Jacoby Brissett struggled with accuracy, though he was admittedly under pressure all game. The Cardinals gave up six sacks, while only managing 238 net passing yards and 79 on the ground.

On the positive end, WR Michael Wilson secured his first career 1,000-yard season with a seven-catch, 99-yard game. He’s the first 1,000-yard receiver Arizona has seen since DeAndre Hopkins did so five years prior in the 2020 season.

And TE Trey McBride — who broke multiple records in week 17 — surpassed Jackie Smith’s 1,205 as the Cardinals’ all-time, single-season TE receiving yard leader. His relatively quiet 65 yards place him at 1,239 to conclude what has been a truly dominant season.

And yet, all these accolades are hardly more than harsh reminders of what could have been. While it’s certainly a positive to see these players rewarded for their efforts, the Cardinals have now put their fans through the worst season in franchise history. Fans that were already beginning to lose patience with a lengthy rebuild will demand answers — those that remain, of course.

Week 18 hardly meant anything in the grand scheme. Fans largely were hoping for a loss to improve Arizona’s draft position.

But the fact that the primary narratives surrounding this franchise now center on draft position, potential coaching changes and the need for a franchise QB — and not the final score of a game against a division rival — is a true indictment on what has been a catastrophic failure of a season.

The Cardinals have a long, ugly road ahead of them this offseason — and they did it to themselves.