👋 GOOD MORNING
Monday, Dec. 30, 2024 — Good morning and happy Monday! Putting aside the struggles of the Cardinals and the Suns for a moment — happy Peach Bowl week!
It’s hard to believe the Sun Devils and Longhorns will square off in the College Football Playoff on Wednesday after all the build up, and make sure you follow our incredible PHNX Sun Devils team as they provide some of the best coverage from Atlanta.
If you’re not able to make the trip, come hang out with us at Gila River Resorts and Casinos — Wild Horse Pass on Wednesday morning. We’re taking over the Upper Deck Kitchen and the sportsbook, and the best part is you can RSVP for free. You can find more information below the main story, but I sure hope we see you then — it will be a great time to cheer on ASU while also shaking off any lingering cobwebs from your New Year’s Eve.
One final note – the PHNX Daily will not publish on Wednesday, however, make sure to check your inboxes on Thursday morning for reactions from the Sun Devils’ first-ever College Football Playoff appearance.
On to the show!
Cardinals’ Heartbreaker Leaves Players and Fans Wanting More
The win was right there for the Cardinals on Saturday. And then, poof, it was gone.
That feeling is nothing new for Arizona fans.
The heartbreaking ending in Los Angeles (It just had to be L.A., didn’t it?) felt like a microcosm of the season — one that showed promise and flashes of greatness — only to end with a staggering thud.
There’s one game left in the Cardinals’ 2024 campaign, but Sunday will feel more like a memorial service at State Farm Stadium, as opposed to a season finale.
So ‘Close,’ Yet So Far Away
Saturday’s 13-9 loss had plenty of good. Trey McBride caught his first touchdown of the season, and it was a well-deserved and long overdue reward for a tight end that ranks seventh among receivers (as of last night) with 1,081 receiving yards. The 25-year-old has already established himself as one of the most talented players at his position, and one can’t help but think there’s still another level to his game.
Arizona collectively put together 396 total yards of offense, rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was just four yards short of the century mark and the defense held Matthew Stafford and the Rams to just 257 total yards of offense.
Kyler Murray appeared to be creating yet another game-winning drive, leading the Cardinals to the Rams’ five yard line with just 42 seconds remaining. That had L.A. coach Sean McVay worried enough that he started burning his own timeouts with the hopes of preserving enough time to let Stafford lead the Rams down one last time, though those concerns were unfounded after Murray’s first-and-goal pass bounced off McBride’s helmet, popped up in the air, and was intercepted just millimeters off the ground.
It was yet another bad bounce in a season that’s been full of them.
“I know we’re close, and I know it’s hard to see that,” coach Jonathan Gannon said. “For me, it’s hard to take on the chin, but we’ll get better from it.”
The play soured the sentiment around an otherwise encouraging game from the Cardinals, and was a dagger in the hearts of fans who saw their team in command of the NFC West at 6-4 heading into a week 11 bye before dropping five of their next six games.
Murray didn’t mince words following the loss.
“At the end, kind of a shitty turn of events,” he said. “That’s just what it comes down to, right there. Just unlucky. Unlucky.”
Picking Up the Pieces
The Cardinals seemed destined to win it.
“When we got the ball there at the end, everyone thought we were going to win the game, and so did I,” Gannon said. “It stings, man, it does. We’re there, but we’re not there.”
Indeed, Arizona is close. Three of their last five losses came by six-or-fewer points, and one of those was in overtime. Another one, at Seattle, was a 10-point defeat. So, there’s plenty of reason for optimism, but fans are tired of the rose colored glasses during yet another losing season.
It has been four seasons since a playoff appearance (2021) for the Cardinals, and 10 since a postseason win, and it’s not just perpetual pain for fans — the players feel it too.
“We’re in every game,” McBride said. “We’re 5-10 plays away from being in the playoffs. We’re right there.”
Yet at 7-9 and 11th in the NFC, it feels pretty darn far away.
Reasons For Optimism As Another Long Offseason Approaches
It’s not all bad, it truly isn’t.
First, take a look at the team’s year-over-year improvement under Gannon. A win over the 49ers on Sunday would end the season 8-9, and sure, that’s not a terribly sexy win-loss total, but it does exceed the club’s combined victories over the past two seasons.
That’s progress, even if it’s tough to see that right now through the tears of another lost year.
“I’ve been on teams that have been out of it, and now we’ve been out of it the last two years,” Gannon said. “I’ve been on a lot of teams that don’t compete the way they compete, so I know we’ve got the right guys in the locker room.”
And those players are maturing before our very eyes.
Much was expected from Harrison Jr. this season, but the rookie’s numbers have been underwhelming to some. He showed massive improvement in the season’s second half, however, and he has amassed 822 yards and seven touchdowns on 57 receptions with one game to go.
It’s not going to win him rookie of the year honors, but his late-season surge offers plenty of hope for seasons to come.
“Everybody, they want to see it now. Everyone thinks it’s a disappointing season [for Harrison Jr.],” Murray said. “It’s not. He’s going to be great.”
McBride has taken an incredible step forward this season, and given the recent contract extensions for running back James Conner, safety Budda Baker and center Hjalte Froholdt, a solid core is in place to help the Cardinals take the next step.
Will Next Year Actually Be Different?
Murray said following Saturday’s loss that the 2024 NFL season has provided plenty to build upon.
“I’m going to choose to be positive about it,” he said. “I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think we’re a couple plays away. Couple plays away from being a 10-win team, or right where we want to be, going to the playoffs or winning the division. I don’t think anyone thought we would be in this position, not that it matters.
“I agree with what [Gannon] is saying, and what he’s preaching, and I’m excited.”
Given the story that’s been written over the past few seasons, it’s going to take more than a few reassuring words to build that excitement back up among the fan base.
“When we play our brand of ball,” Gannon said, “I think we can compete and beat anybody.”
Let’s hope we see that in Sunday’s finale, and into next season.
🧢 TIP OF THE HAT BY BRANDED BILLS
Kudos to all who showed up to give the Sun Devils a proper send off to Atlanta. Good luck, boys!
