Bubbles eventually burst. In Arizona, they get blown away.
We all received another harsh reminder on a sorry Sunday in Seattle.
The Cardinals lost 44-22 to the rival Seahawks, an embarrassing outcome that proved this team is going nowhere in 2025. They are not going to rally their way to the playoffs behind new incumbent quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who has been mostly stellar in the past four games. They are now 3-6 and too far gone, doormats in a division that features two elite teams.
The onslaught was stunning, even with key injuries to Arizona’s defense. The Cardinals had lost their previous five games by 13 points. They had always been competitive, even as losses mounted. They lived in the comfortable narrative of a team that was always close in defeat and thereby close to doing something special.
Those reassuring thoughts no longer exist.
The Seahawks led 35-0 after 21 minutes. They swarmed and smothered Brissett with relentless pass rushers. Seattle linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence couldn’t believe his good fortune, scoring two touchdowns in the first 16 minutes, both occurring after teammate Tyrice Knight knocked the ball loose just as Brissett was preparing to pass.
It was a strong condemnation of the Cardinals’ offensive line and a coaching staff that waited too long to adjust to Seattle’s jailbreak defense. Their running game was too frequently blown up in crucial short-yardage situations. It also illuminated the only downside of a quarterback willing to stand and deliver from the pocket at all times.
The lopsided contest arrived just as the Cardinals have seemingly embarked on a new path, about to cut ties with franchise quarterback Kyler Murray. Only the small number of remaining diehard Kyler Stans in the Valley felt good about Sunday’s thumping. They will ignore how Murray might’ve looked under such stifling pressure and how the Cardinals kept punching away with Brissett, closing the game on a 22-9 run.
Nevertheless, the Seahawks and Rams look like Super Bowl contenders. The Cardinals and 49ers are in steerage. And with Murray on injured reserve and doubtful to ever play a snap for Arizona again, the season has taken a hard left turn.
Fortunately, the Cardinals have a path out of darkness. They have Brissett signed for the 2026 season at a very reasonable rate ($7.2 million), and he’s proven to be an excellent mentor and a very capable starting quarterback. The Cardinals can leverage a lost season by selecting one of the top quarterbacks available in the upcoming NFL Draft. If they pick the right guy, it will look like genius maneuvering in hindsight. And all these losses will have been worth their weight in gold.
Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta mornings from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports.