The Arizona Cardinals offense has shown it can score points, but its inconsistency has cost them games through the season’s first four weeks.
The Cardinals’ defense has its fair share of problems, particularly when covering tight ends. But the offense also has a boatload of issues.
In Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants, the Jacoby Brissett-led group managed to start hot, sputter, briefly get back on track, and sputter again. Ultimately, the day ended with a pick-six that sealed the Cardinals’ fate.
Arizona’s performance on offense against the Giants was nothing new. The most startling stat was how in sync the unit was to open the game. In its first 14 plays, the Cardinals’ offense looked menacing with 132 yards and two scores.
Their final 50 plays resulted in just 138 yards, good for just 2.8 yards per play. When the defense is struggling and special teams is the only consistent unit out there, the offense simply can’t generate 2.8 yards per play after its first two drives.
Arizona Cardinals Offense Lacks Explosiveness Seen In The NFC West
The Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Los Angeles Rams had something in common heading into Week 4: they had a combined 63 explosive plays.
The day before the Cardinals faced the Giants, Zach Gershman wrote on the Cardinals’ team site that:
“Yet as much as people believe explosives, which are rushes of 10-plus yards and passes of 20-plus yards need to come through these highlight type of plays, there are simpler ways to gain those chunk plays. Exhibit A: YAC. The Cardinals rank 24th in the league with 279 yards after catch. The 49ers and Rams each have 23 explosives and the Seahawks have 17. The Cardinals have six.”
While explosive plays aren’t necessary to boast an outstanding offense, they are momentum-builders that defenses must account for. It shows the Cardinals aren’t doing enough to make defenders miss tackles, aren’t taking enough chances down the field, and aren’t finding the right lanes that lead to large gains.
Cardinals Allowed A Golden Opportunity To Slip Away In Week 4
Ironically, the Cardinals had four explosive plays in Sunday’s loss. But given their pedestrian play following the first two drives, the offense couldn’t keep the momentum. That was a golden opportunity the Cardinals’ offense won’t get often in 2026.
That said, they will get a mulligan in Week 5 vs. the Detroit Lions. Detroit’s defense clocks in at No. 32 prior to the Atlanta Falcons-New Orleans Saints showdown on Monday night. Detroit has given up 1,216 passing yards, which is the worst in the NFL.
Its rushing defense hasn’t been much better, with 479 yards allowed on the ground. The latter is the 11th-worst in the NFL heading into Monday night. By contrast, the Giants’ rushing defense now ranks in the middle of the pack, while their passing defense is 12th.
Despite the inconsistencies, the Cardinals showed they could be effective against a Giants defense that now ranks 10th in the league. But they can’t afford to miss out against the NFL’s worst defense.
Detroit is a playoff-caliber team looking to keep pace with its NFC North rivals, and they will be coming to play this weekend. Arizona must take advantage of Detroit’s poor defensive unit.
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