Josh Weinfuss
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has lost 48 games in his seven-year NFL career but Sunday’s 22-21 defeat to the Tennessee Titans might have stung the most. And not because it was the most recent.
“I don’t really know what to think about that,” Murray said. “I don’t even know. I really don’t even know. That’s ‘How to Lose a Game 101.’ I don’t know. It was crazy.”
Arizona gave up a 21-3 lead to the worst team in football to become the first franchise since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger to lose three straight games on game-winning field goals.
Murray said he has never quite felt like he did after this loss: “This might be No. 1.”
He added: “That was bad. That was bad. Bad. All around, it was bad.”
In the first quarter, the Cardinals looked like they picked up where they left off from the fourth quarter of their Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, when their offensive woes finally dissolved. In the first 15 minutes Sunday, Arizona scored 14 points, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had three catches for 79 yards and Murray threw for 102 yards.
Arizona was, as coach Jonathan Gannon put it, able to “do whatever we want.”
Then the paralysis that has hampered Arizona’s offense in 10 of the past 12 quarters kicked in, coupled with a slew of gaffes and penalties. Despite gaining 224 yards in the final three quarters, Arizona didn’t produce a point after its final touchdown, which came with 10:49 left in the second quarter.
“Points are usually a good indicator of how well we executed,” Harrison said.
Arizona botched two plays in the fourth quarter that would’ve sealed the win. The first was when running back Emari Demercado dropped the football before crossing the goal line after breaking free for what would have been a 72-yard touchdown. The ball rolled out of the back of the end zone for a touchback, giving the ball to the Titans, who began their comeback with a touchdown drive.
“I just made a mistake,” Demercado said. “There’s really no excuse. Just let the ball go. Obviously emotional, big play, but I just got to be smarter.”
If Demercado had scored and the Cardinals hit the extra point, they would have been up by 22, likely putting the game out of reach, Murray said. Teams ahead by 22 in the fourth quarter are 1,276-1 over the past 25 seasons.
It was the sixth time since 2008 that a play went from a touchdown to a touchback. And Demercado’s 71-yard rush was the longest rushing play to end in a lost fumble since 1978. It also tied for the second-longest play from scrimmage to end in a lost fumble, behind Adonai Mitchell’s 75-yard reception last week, which he also dropped at the 1-yard line.
Gannon said Arizona teaches specific coaching points involving plays such as Demercado’s, but the coach declined to say what they are. Murray called Demercado one of his closest friends on the team and said he never expected that kind of play from him.
“I know his character. I know his IQ of the game. And never in a million years would I think that Emari would do that,” Murray said. “But obviously, we all make mistakes. He’s going to take that on the chin. He understands that.”
Later in the fourth quarter, safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted a pass from Titans quarterback Cam Ward that was deflected by Arizona linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. But Taylor-Demerson fumbled as he was going to the ground, and the ball ricocheted off cornerback Kei’Trel Clark’s foot and was recovered in the end zone by Tennessee wide receiver Tyler Lockett for a touchdown, which pulled the Titans within 21-19 with 4:39 left.
“Sometimes the ball takes funny bounces,” Gannon said. “Seen that happen, crazy bounces before. It’s unfortunate, but it happens.”
“I know his character. I know his IQ of the game. And never in a million years would I think that Emari would do that. But obviously we all make mistakes.”
Cardinals QB Kyler Murray on Emari Demercado’s goal-line fumble
Those were the two plays that could have prevented or ended the Titans’ comeback, but others — such as the snap that bounced off Murray’s facemask in the third quarter — also contributed. Murray said the snap issue was a miscommunication. He injured a foot on the play and missed two plays before returning, but the offense wasn’t right after. Murray had just six pass attempts and no rushing yards after returning.
Penalties also played a role. Arizona was flagged eight times, including for two pre-snap infractions. The Cardinals were also penalized twice for illegal formations. Late in the second quarter, as Arizona was running its two-minute offense, a holding penalty on right tackle Jonah Williams negated a 32-yard pass to tight end Trey McBride that would have moved the Cardinals close to midfield. Two plays later, Murray was flagged for intentional grounding. Instead of marching near the 50, Arizona punted from its own 3.
“I just think if you look at the mistakes, I think we played well enough to win the game, but crucial, bonehead mistakes just gave them a chance to stay in the game,” Murray said. “I think they were literally a play away from quitting, but we left them, and we kept them in the game.”
