GLENDALE — Starting an NFL season 2-0 is a notable signal that a team is about to make that next jump.
Since the playoff format expanded to 14 teams in 2020, a whopping 78.6% of teams undefeated through two weeks have earned a postseason berth.
On the flip side, those starting out 0-2 sport a 12.2% mark.
As quarterback Kyler Murray said after the Cardinals’ 27-22 win over the Carolina Panthers, “It could always be worse, right?”
Kyler Murray’s message after his team’s finish over Carolina:
“We’ve got to be better. We’ve got to finish games.” pic.twitter.com/nPrEYcB7hq
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 15, 2025
Through two weeks, the Cardinals’ record looks exactly how many envisioned it would, given the opponents and roster talent.
As for what it looks like on the field? That’s a different story.
For a second straight week, the Cardinals struggled to close out a game that should never have been close to begin with. Arizona led 27-3 midway through the third quarter before allowing three consecutive touchdown drives of 76 yards and 12 plays or more.
The trend started with Arizona’s 20-13 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 1.
“I’m proud of them that they showed some resilience because the game was going the way we wanted it to, and then it turned quickly,” head coach Jonathan Gannon said Sunday. “Ultimately made enough plays to win the game there. I obviously have to do a much better job making sure our guys, all three phases, understand how to close games out because that’s two in a row now. We’re not doing a good enough job.
“That falls strictly on me. I got a lot of work to do, and that’s what we’ll do tonight and tomorrow because we got to do better. When we have a chance to put away games, we got to put them away. It’s hard to win in the NFL. I don’t want to take their joy away, and I’m glad we’re 2-0, but we got a long way to go.”
Undefeated Cardinals’ concerns start with the run game
In terms of the biggest issues two weeks in, the lack of a consistent run game is right there at the top.
Under offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Arizona’s rushing attack has been no worse than seventh and as high as fourth across the NFL in rushing yards since the new regime came to town in 2023. They haven’t been outside of the top 10 in touchdowns scored.
Two games in, that’s far from the case, with the Cardinals sitting 12th in the league at 114 yards per game. They are tied for 16th in touchdowns scored with one. Arizona is also one of just seven teams to record multiple fumbles (though it recovered all of them).
And it could be much, much worse had Trey Benson not popped for his 52-yard run in Week 1. Take out that chunk play and the Cardinals’ average yards per carry drops from 4.7 to 3.6.
Closing out games is a whole lot easier with an effective running game chewing up clock.
It’s been especially tough sledding for starter James Conner, who has just 73 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
It’s not just on him or Benson, either. The Cardinals’ offensive line hasn’t been as consistent as its been in recent years.
Jonah Williams struggled for a second game, while Isaiah Adams continues to work through some inconsistencies as Arizona’s newest starter in the trenches.
If something doesn’t shake out, guard Will Hernandez is still working back from a knee injury, and veteran tackle Kelvin Beachum gives Arizona another option.
Someone grab a hamper
Yes, there were some penalties over the past two weeks that could have gone the other way. Josh Sweat’s late, and consequential, roughing the passer call against the Panthers is a good example of that.
But even taking a few of those calls out of the equation, there’s been way too much laundry on the football field for the Cardinals.
Through two games, Arizona has been flagged 21 times for 150 yards. Twelve of those penalties and 96 yards came Sunday against Carolina.
And they’re a big reason why the Panthers managed to make it much closer than it needed to be.
In Carolina’s final drive alone, Arizona was flagged four times for 30 yards. Even with the Panthers’ own sloppiness on the possession, the Cardinals were giving up free yards that allowed Carolina to get all the way down to Arizona’s 38-yard line before Calais Campbell called game with a fourth-down sack to erase the comeback threat.
If the Cardinals want to live up to their 2025 expectations, cleaner football is imperative.
“I got to coach better. We got to make sure we’re educating our guys, putting them in those situations and practice, coaching the details of what the refs are looking for,” Gannon said. “Honestly, make sure that they know exactly what they’re thinking because I tell them exactly what to think, so they make their correct decisions.
“But we got to get it cleaned up because … penalties aren’t winning stats. You got to play cleaner than the other team to keep it in your favor.”
The big unknowns
Reaching back into their bag for an improved run game and cleaning up penalties can be done on the grass.
Dealing with injuries to key players? Not so much.
As of Monday morning, there have been no updates regarding the statuses of starting cornerbacks Max Melton (knee), Garrett Williams (knee) and Will Johnson (groin) after the trio left with their respective injuries.
The cornerbacks room has been susceptible to injury in 2025. It started with potential starters Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas V going down with their own knee issues before the season began.
If any of the trio has to miss time, Arizona’s cornerbacks situation gets that much thinner, with rookie Denzel Burke and Kei’Trel Clark the next men up.
The pair made the most of their added reps on Sunday behind a couple of impressive passes defensed and were key contributors to end the game.
“It’s high leverage snaps right there. A lot of confidence in Denzel,” Gannon said. “I’m sure he’s going to want some plays back. I thought he made some plays, too. Kei’Trel I got confidence in. He’s played a lot of ball for us. He had to come in and make some plays.
“I thought he lit it up on fourth down, too. They both stepped up to the plate and swung their bat, which we needed it.”
As for the depth to round out the room? It’s thin to say the least.
Elijah Jones has been a healthy scratch the past two games but could be called upon to step in next week.
Arizona also has practice squad options Darren Hall and Chigozie Anusiem. Hall has been around the organization for a couple of years now and has flashed in preseason action. He’s a likely elevation candidate if any injuries linger.
Against the Saints and Panthers, two teams likely circling the drain by the end of the year, the Cardinals had a little bit of leeway when it came to inconsistencies.
But now with the 49ers (2-0), Seahawks (1-1), Titans (0-2), Colts (2-0) and Packers (2-0) next up on the docket for the Cardinals, the margin for error gets thinner.