Cardinals' coaching exposed in Christmas Day loss to Colts

Cardinal coach Kliff Kingsbury is running out of time.

After a blistering 7-0 start to begin the season, the Arizona Cardinals now sit at 10-5 following the team’s 22-16 loss to the visiting Colts on Christmas night. In yet another national showcase with an opportunity to prove themselves to the football world, Kingsbury’s Cardinals were thoroughly outcoached by an old school staff in Indy that was grossly undermanned. One team was prepared to deal with their own adversity, playing smart and loose in the process. The other managed to continually make head-scratching mistakes often associated with preseason football.

Sounds familiar?

“We continue to find ways to lose in critical situations,” said Kingsbury after the game.

It wasn’t just that the Cardinals lost their fourth straight at home but routinely how completely lost they appeared. Against an Indianapolis team that was missing upwards of four starting offensive linemen, the Cardinals allowed the much-maligned Carson Wentz to methodically pick them apart through four quarters. This culminated late in the fourth quarter as Wentz hit Dezmon Patmon for a fourteen-yard score to put the game on ice. Never did the Cardinals and their increasingly finesse front-seven manage to make Wentz uncomfortable. Only safety Budda Baker managed a sack against the often dominant front of the Colts, with the unit averaging over 5.5 yards per play on the evening.

Despite early praise, Vance Joseph’s defense is playing it’s worst football of the season. The third year Cardinal defensive coordinator was routinely out-schemed by Indianapolis’s Frank Reich who called a near perfect game. MVP candidate running back Jonathan Taylor was methodical in rushing for 108 but it was the aforementioned Wentz who so often made the Cardinals pay when it mattered most. The Colts were an efficient 8-for-15 on third down attempts, while dominating time of possession by nearly 11 minutes.

“They did a great job keeping the ball,” said Kingsbury.

They did more than that.

The Colts outplayed the Cardinals in all three phases, clearly enforcing a coaching advantage over Kingsbury and company despite their depleted roster. In a game that would have temporarily quieted many of his doubters, Kingsbury’s Redbirds once again underwhelmed in front of an Arizona home crowd that hasn’t seen a Cardinal win since Week 7 against the hapless Houston Texans.

Against the Colts, each time it appeared as if the Cardinals were attempting to break through, Arizona would bungle a snap, jump offsides or miss a chip shot field goal. Those in attendance were left completely befuddled at the notion that this Cardinal team was once considered the class of the NFL. The often clutch kicking of Matt Prater was no where to be found, as the veteran missed two field goals as well as a chip shot extra point.

Saturday night was truly a comedy of errors on Christmas in the desert.

“I think it was just key moments where we didn’t convert,” said running back Chase Edmonds. “Key moments we just didn’t make plays.”

While Cardinal quarterback Kyler Murray managed to largely play mistake free football, the stark regression in Kingsbury’s offense is a major red flag. Held to under 20 points for the second consecutive week, this once potent unit is scrambling to find a post-Hopkins identity. So much so that the Cardinals, despite only punting once on the evening, finished seven of their ten drives without points.

While the Cardinals were notably missing both James Conner and Rondale Moore due to injury, the great teams led by great coaching staffs are so often able to adjust. The unfortunate reality with these Arizona Cardinals is that, despite early returns, they are not currently a well coached football team. Kingsbury, along with Joseph, deserve an immense amount of blame for the recent struggles of this team.

“I think everybody has to focus on their job,” said Kingsbury. “With guys out, other guys are trying to do too much at one time.”

In the midst of a 3-5 free fall, the Cardinals will now travel to NFC East leading Dallas to take on the red hot Cowboys next Sunday. While the team can still clinch a playoff spot with a Saints loss on Monday, their recent meltdown all but confirms yet another division title for Sean McVay’s LA Rams.

“It is frustrating right now,” said Edmonds. “Leaders got to lead. We brought in these veterans leaders. We gotta ignore the noise and come in and find a way to become a better football player everyday.”

Quick Hits

• Matt Prater’s struggles remain a mystery despite the presence of new place holder Colt McCoy. Chalk it up to a veteran picking a bad night to have a bad night but Kingsbury couldn’t give rationale to his struggles.
• During his post game presser, Kingsbury confirmed that journeymen linebacker Joe Walker’s increased playing time was in-part due to Isaiah Simmons’ banged up shoulder. Rookie Zaven Collins, once again, logged zero snaps on defense.
• Josh Jones had a rough night at right guard. The second-year man out of Houston was up and down in pass protection while also committing an unprecedented three false start penalties on the evening. Rodney Hudson’s absence at center has a trickle down affect for the entire unit.
• Marco Wilson left Saturday’s action following a nasty shoulder injury late in the second quarter. With Robert Alford already on injured reserve, the Cardinals’ cornerback depth will once again be tested, especially against the Cowboys.
• Good to see Antoine Wesley net his first career touchdown reception early in the third quarter. With all of the inconsistencies currently taking place within the Cardinals’ receiving core, Wesley has warranted an extended look down the stretch. There is no current timetable on the return of Rondale Moore.
• The 59-yard run by Kyler Murray was the longest of his career. Despite the team’s struggles, Murray appears to be moving fine thanks largely to his time off earlier this season.
• Chase Edmonds was a bright spot for a Cardinal offense that was hard to watch most of the evening. The explosiveness that is so often on display with Edmonds is why the Cardinals are eager to once again pair him with James Conner down the stretch.
• Speaking of Conner, Edmonds mentioned post game that the team expects to have him back next week at Dallas.
• The Arizona Cardinals are now 1-3 since the report of Oklahoma’s potential interest in hiring Kliff Kingsbury as their next head coach.