GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Arizona Cardinals entered their match against the Green Bay Packers with high hopes, believing that a flawless performance would be key to securing back-to-back victories for the first time since 2021. However, the reality proved far different as the Cardinals stumbled to a 34-13 defeat, littered with mistakes and penalties.
The Cardinals were significantly hindered by their inability to maintain discipline, racking up a total of 13 penalties throughout the game. They also faced challenging moments, fumbling the ball on three consecutive drives—a troubling trend following their previous week’s narrow victory over the San Francisco 49ers, where they had shown promise and resolve.
“It’s clear that we can’t afford to play like that if we expect to win,” lamented quarterback Kyler Murray, who completed 22 passes on 32 attempts for 214 yards, tossing one touchdown and suffering a fumble. “Against a strong team, we cannot consistently shoot ourselves in the foot.”
The fluidity of the Cardinals’ play was surprising, particularly given their disciplined approach throughout the initial games of the season. Heading into this contest, Arizona was notably the least penalized team in the league, averaging only 3.8 penalties per game, and even had only one minor penalty against the 49ers. By contrast, against the Packers, they were penalized for a staggering 100 yards, with game-changing infractions occurring at the worst possible moments.
For instance, after leading 7-0, Green Bay faced a crucial third-and-10 from the Cardinals’ 15-yard line when a neutral-zone violation by Zaven Collins allowed them to advance 5 yards. Shortly after, quarterback Jordan Love connected with receiver Romeo Doubs for a touchdown, marking a shift in the game’s momentum as the second quarter commenced.
Coach Jonathan Gannon expressed his disappointment regarding the pre-snap penalties, which he categorized as “non-negotiables” for his team. “These errors are uncharacteristic for us, and we need to analyze why they are occurring,” he stated. “It’s crucial to avoid going backward prior to the snap.”
Another significant turning point came midway through the second quarter when the Cardinals appeared poised to gain some momentum after recovering a muffed punt by Green Bay’s Jayden Reed, seemingly giving them possession on the Packers’ 23-yard line. Yet, the excitement was short-lived as several offsetting penalties, including a horse-collar tackle by DeeJay Dallas, nullified the recovery. This led to a missed opportunity for the Cardinals, allowing the Packers to respond swiftly with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Love to Doubs, extending their lead to 24-0.
Although Arizona managed to narrow the gap to 24-13 thanks to a Sean Murphy-Bunting interception that set up a field goal just before halftime, they quickly reverted to their previous errors once again. Following the Cardinals’ field goal, Murphy-Bunting incurred two holding penalties on Green Bay’s ensuing possession, negating a crucial third-down stop and contributing to another touchdown by the Packers.
To compound issues, the Cardinals suffered turnovers on three consecutive drives, with James Conner, Greg Dortch, and Murray each contributing a fumble. “When facing a strong opponent, you cannot allow mistakes to snowball,” Murray acknowledged. “It simply becomes too challenging.”
Sunday’s game also dealt the Cardinals several injury setbacks, as rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. exited the contest with a concussion due to a collision, while key defensive players and their starting kicker still remained sidelined.
Despite these challenges, Cardinal players recognized their need for improved play as they strive to break their pattern of inconsistency—something that has plagued them for years, with the last back-to-back victories recorded in November and December of 2021. Defensive tackle LJ Collier emphasized, “We have everything we need within this team; it’s all about executing better on the field.”