Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week!
I’ll get to the Cardinals below, but first, there’s so much ground to cover today, I’m going to get right to the Friday joke in case you need a laugh to carry you through to the weekend: You should never trust stairs. They’re always up to something!
On Deck: Monday’s edition of the PHNX Sports Daily will recap the Sun Devils and Wildcats’ action over the weekend — both have ranked opponents looming, but hey, more on that below!
Let’s run it back next week. On to the show!
Cardinals Fall to 2-2 as Fourth Quarter Rally Falls Short
Ouch.
The Cardinals rallied for 14 fourth-quarter points to tie the game with under a minute to go, but the defense was unable to hold Seattle in check, and the Seahawks ultimately won 23-20 on a game-winning field goal as time expired.
Arizona’s offense struggled for much of the game, managing just six points over the first three quarters before their late-game rally. But it was not meant to be.
Arizona is now 0-2 against NFC West opponents, with losses to the 49ers and Seahawks, but the banged-up defense will have a little over a week to rest up before hosting the Titans next Sunday.
Miscues, Early Offensive Struggles Doom Cardinals
It was tough to watch at times.
Arizona was never truly out of the game, especially when the offense started to click in the fourth quarter. But, in the end, it dug far too deep of a hole to come away with a win. Here’s what we learned last night:
- Miscues spoil the night
The two interceptions were painful enough (though they got the first one back), especially after Marvin Harrison Jr. dropped a pass at the Seattle 22 yard line that ended up right in the hands of a defender. Perhaps the most damaging, though, came with just 28 seconds left. The Cardinals had just tied the game — rallying from 14 points down — but Chad Ryland kicked short of the landing zone on the ensuing kickoff, giving Seattle the ball at the 40 yard line.
Four plays later, Jason Myers won the game with a 52-yarder as time expired.
- Marvin Harrison Jr. struggled early, but did he figure it out?
Credit MHJ for turning it on when the team really needed him to, but it was clear early in the game that he was not on the same page as Kyler Murray. There were two early occasions of Harrison running a route that differed from what Murray expected, and then the interception that bounced off his hands was a ball that should have been caught.
He did finish the game as the Cardinals’ leading receiver, catching six of his 10 targets for 66 yards and one critical touchdown, so hopefully that’s something to build upon.
- Rushing attack was virtually non-existent
The Cardinals managed just 89 total yards on the ground, and Murray accounted for 41 of them. Trey Benson took over full-time duties after James Conner went down for the season, but he recorded 35 yards on eight carries, and added five receptions for 19 yards.
The loss of Conner hurts, but this team has got to figure it out on the ground, ASAP.
Leap Frog: The Sun Devils host No. 24 TCU tonight for a little Friday night lights action, fresh off a big win over Baylor in Waco. A win tonight would solidify Arizona State’s standing as one of the teams to beat in the Big 12, and would be one heck of a way to head into its bye week.
Arizona State (3-1) vs. No. 24 TCU (3-0)
Game info: Tonight, 6 pm, FOX
bet365 odds: ASU -3.0
Last Meeting: TCU 10, ASU 33 (Sept. 20, 1975)
The Sun Devils are 2-0 all-time against the Horned Frogs, but to be fair, they haven’t played since 1975. If ASU is going to emerge victorious tonight, here’s what they should set their sights on:
- Leavitt and Tyson need to keep rolling
Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson should have a pretty long leash tonight, because TCU has the worst pass defense in the Big 12, allowing 246 yards per game through the air.
- Can the defense stand tall?
TCU brings one of the top offenses in the league to the table, as it averages 516 yards of offense per game — 341.3 passing and 174.7 rushing. The Sun Devils’ defense hasn’t exactly been lights out, as it ranks 11th in the Big 12 in both yards allowed per game (334.0) and points allowed per game (20.5)
Storm Brewing: The Wildcats come off a bye with a tough opponent, traveling to Ames to face No. 14 Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones have two wins over Power 5 opponents already (Kansas State and Iowa), so Arizona has its work cut out for it. But a win over the Cyclones would be a huge step forward, and would mark the school’s first 4-0 start since 2014.
Arizona (3-0) at No. 14 Iowa State (4-0, 1-0 Big 12)
Game info: Saturday, 4 pm, ESPN
bet365 odds: Arizona +6.0
Last Meeting: Arizona 21, Iowa State 12 (Sept. 21, 1968)
The Wildcats are actually 4-1-1 against the Cyclones all-time (yes, they tied 0-0 in 1964!) but it has been quite a while since these two met on the football field.
- Defense needs to continue to stand tall
Arizona has the second-best defense in terms of points allowed per game (8.7), and that includes a win over Kansas State. They’re also second in yards allowed per game (222.3), and will need to keep quarterback Rocco Becht in check
- Strike early and often
The Cyclones play a bend-don’t-break style defense, so if the Wildcats can capitalize on their offensive opportunities, they can create some separation early. Iowa State was less-than-impressive in a 24-16 win over Arkansas State, but will also be well-rested while coming off a bye week.
Tough Loss: The D-backs took a damaging 8-0 loss to the Dodgers yesterday, and while L.A. clinched the NL West title with the win, Arizona’s playoff hopes took a huge hit after wins by both the Mets and the Reds. Three games to go, and Arizona is two games back — it’s not looking terribly likely.
Catch the Postgame Show: This may be game over for the D-backs, but hey, it was a heck of a run all things considered.
Hockey Belongs: There’s been a lot of buzz over the newly-formed committee that’s tasked with bringing the NHL back to Arizona, led by Tom Galvin, Andrea Doan and Lyndsey Fry. Check out everything they had to say yesterday at a press conference held at Ice Den Scottsdale:
The pain. It hurts.
