The Arizona Cardinals are now 1-2 following a narrow 36-30 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
The loss is one that stings, but there are reasons to believe it is a constructive one.
Head coach Mike LaFleur seems to prescribe to this mindset, as heard following the loss.
LaFleur Praises Cardinals’ Effort, Acknowledges Room to Improve
The Cardinals could have shrunk after trailing 14-0 early in the game. The game could have gone out of hand when San Francisco took a 23-6 lead in the third quarter.
Arizona refused to yield, fighting until the final 30 seconds of the game.
LaFleur recognized the effort his team put together in a talk with Cardinals radio team J.P. Shadrick and AQ Shipley following the loss.
“I don’t question the fight in these guys…got to clean some things up.”
This is the pragmatic approach to take. San Francisco remains the roster with more high-end talent despite missing EDGE Nick Bosa and others. The Cardinals should be lauded for keeping the game within striking distance, but there were several opportunities that Arizona had to swing the pendulum the other way.
Among these issues were penalties, which LaFleur admitted sunk the team in the first quarter of the game. The other major inflection point in the loss rests in defensive coordinator Nick Rallis calling a “safer” game in opposition of LaFleur’s bold offensive gameplan.
Positives Arizona Can Take Out of Loss
There are many positives to take out of the loss. The chief of which is running back Jeremiyah Love finally separating himself as Arizona’s leading back – or so it seems.
Love took 26 touches for 110 yards, including a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter to trim the 49ers lead to 23-20. This seems to be Love’s backfield now, barring any unforeseen changes in the future.
Another major positive resides in quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who went into this week facing substantial criticism for his week two showing.
The 33-year-old signal caller took time to settle into the game, but came alive and orchestrated three touchdown drives in the second half. The team captain was decisive, precise in the short game, and extended plays effectively.
This is exactly what LaFleur and his staff is looking for in Brissett. While there is a definite chance that Carson Beck receives starts by season’s end, Brissett is keeping the Cardinals competitive for the time being.
Lastly, the upcoming matchup against the New York Giants is a very winnable contest for LaFleur and Arizona. The Giants are coming off a messy 12-7 victory over the Tennessee Titans, who are far behind the Cardinals offensively at the moment.
This is a matchup in which Rallis can draw up an aggressive attack to force Giants QB Jameis Winston into bad decisions. It’s also a game where LaFleur has an opportunity to fully unleash Love.
Arizona and New York are playing at 1:00 P.M. EST on Oct. 3.
Mike LaFleur Praises Cardinals’ Resilience After Rallying vs. 49ers