What we learned in Arizona Cardinals' season-ending blowout of San Francisco 49ers
Jonathan Gannon stood in front of a crowd of reporters Sunday afternoon and admitted the obvious.
The Cardinals, he said, “didn’t accomplish what we wanted to accomplish this year.” There was no changing that fact by the time Week 18 arrived, their playoff hopes were gone. “And,” Gannon said, “that stings.”
The past two months — since their bye week — have not been kind to this team. A 6-4 start and a division lead gave way to another sub-.500 finish and more meaningless games to play out the string on a fruitless season.
But in their final chance together, these Cardinals produced one final dominant win, beating the 49ers, 47-24, to finish 8-9. It was their largest offensive output since a 48-23 win over the Bears in 2015 and their third-largest since moving to Arizona in 1988.
Here’s what we learned in the win:
Cardinals deliver an encouraging finish
For the past two weeks — since their elimination in Carolina — the Cardinals have insisted on the importance of winning games. No matter that they were eliminated from the playoffs, they saw each game as crucial. Coaches would not even assess the season, they said, because they were so focused on San Francisco.
Despite that focus, there was also an acknowledgment of what finishing the season strongly would mean. By beating the 49ers, the Cardinals could build some positive momentum entering the offseason — a good taste with which to associate 2024.
“That's the last thing I'll remember, the guys will remember, how did you play in the last game?” quarterback Kyler Murray said. “It doesn't matter but you still, individually, want to feel good about your last performance.”
They achieved that on Sunday, avoiding a 1-6 finish in the process.
Kyler Murray finished strongly
Last week in Los Angeles, Murray finished with 321 passing yards, his most in more than two years. This week, he followed up with one of his best all-around performances of the year.
By the end of the Cardinals’ win, he had completed 25 of 35 passes for 242 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. He added 22 yards on three carries.
“I thought he played extremely well,” Gannon said. “Some new guys in the lineup, that’s real for a quarterback. … He battled.”
Murray’s performance was about more than what the box score revealed. Benefiting from strong offensive line play, he repeatedly showed impressive patience in the pocket, working through his reads to find open receivers. He found Trey McBride on an out route in the end zone with a perfectly thrown ball.
With time ticking down in the first half, he layered a pass over a linebacker to Zay Jones across the middle to jumpstart a field goal drive. In the fourth quarter, he dropped in a touchdown pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. on an end zone fade.
All of those are plays that Murray has not made often enough this season, but his strong finish is encouraging heading into a crucial 2025 for him and the organization.
Greg Dortch made a case for more playing time
Much was anticipated for Dortch, the Cardinals’ slot receiver, entering the season. Back in training camp, coaches lauded him as one of the offense’s most impressive players and a weapon who could be maximized in coordinator Drew Petzing’s second year.
That did not turn into reality. Entering this week, Dortch had played just 39% of snaps as the Cardinals rarely used three-receiver sets.
On Sunday, Dortch made a case for that to change next year — if the restricted free agent returns to the Cardinals. He caught all four of his targets for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Afterward, Murray also made a case for that to change.
“Dortch is a playmaker,” Murray said. “Dortch needs the ball. The NFL is a revolving door so you never know who's gonna be here, who's not gonna be here but I love playing with Greg.”
His first touchdown showed the kind of explosive burst that this offense sometimes lacks, beating a defender in the open field and taking a middle screen to the house for a 23-yard touchdown. His second touchdown came on a play on which he motioned inside then broke back into the flat for a wide-open score.
Later, he showed his burst again, catching a short pass while breaking inside before turning around and beating multiple defenders to the sideline for a first down.
The Cardinals offense revolves around big-bodied playmakers, but Dortch’s skill set is often evident when he gets opportunities.
Zaven Collins cashed in
Collins’ big payday came earlier in the season when the former first-round pick signed a two-year, $14 million extension. He got another nice boost, though, on Sunday.
In the third quarter, he broke off the edge of the 49ers offensive line to hit quarterback Joshua Dobbs from behind, forcing a backward pass. The play was officially recorded as a sack, giving Collins a career-high five on the year — and a $300,000 bonus to come with it.
Collins hasn’t had the easiest career since being selected 16th overall in 2021. After two inconsistent years at inside linebacker, Jonathan Gannon moved him to edge rusher last season. Now, he’s found a home there.
“He's a very versatile piece that we value,” Gannon said. “We put a lot on his plate. He probably has to know more than almost anyone on the defense.”
Cardinals defensive inconsistency persisted
Sunday’s game served as a microcosm of the year for the Cardinals defense.
At times, they were excellent, forcing three turnovers. At other times, they struggled mightily, allowing far too much space to the 49ers’ reserve receivers and letting fifth-string running back Patrick Taylor Jr. average 6.4 yards per carry.
That’s fitting for a defense that made impressive strides but often allowed huge games. But getting a middling performance out of their 2024 defense was encouraging for the Cardinals' future.
This was a unit light on talent, with minimal financial investment. Over the next few months, they’ll be able to bolster that group with heavy investment through free agency and the draft.
The goal, after all, was always for this rebuild to culminate in 2025. That future is now here.