Cardinals eliminated from playoff contention with loss to Buccaneers

The Arizona Cardinals were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their 20-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.

It marks the team’s earliest exit from the playoff picture since 1986. The Cardinals were still playing in St. Louis at that point.

On top of the Cardinals loss, a Green Bay Packers win over the Detroit Lions and a Chicago Bears win against the Philadelphia Eagles sealed Arizona’s fate.

Miscues upend Cardinals in Tampa Bay

Turnovers and missed opportunities played a role in Arizona’s L in Tampa Bay.

Despite Arizona’s opening drive spanning 73 yards for 11 plays, the Cardinals came away with zero points after a Jacoby Brissett interception at the Buccaneers’ 20-yard line.

Brissett has helped the Cardinals offense take a step forward since taking over for the injured Kyler Murray in Week 6. He’s also coughed the ball up seven times after his fourth interception of the season. For the afternoon, the quarterback completed 72.5% of his throws for 301 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

The signal caller again was roughed up by the opposing defense behind two sacks and four QB hits. The offensive line continues to be an issue for the Cardinals in 2025.

It wasn’t just Brissett giving the ball up in Buccaneers territory, though. The Cardinals’ opening drive in the second half lasted just two plays before a Bam Knight fumble gave the rock right back to Tampa Bay.

Knight bounced back from the miscue, scoring a 15-yard touchdown later on in the third quarter. He finished with 11 carries for 62 yards. He also caught three passes for 36 yards and the score.

Arizona also missed out on some golden opportunities for putting points on the board.

Midway through the third quarter, Brissett had wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. down the sideline for a potential game-tying touchdown. The only problem? Brissett overthrew the open man.

Kicker Chad Ryland added insult to injury with a missed 43-yard field goal on the very next play.

A turnover on downs from their own 39-yard line early in the fourth quarter that resulted in Tampa Bay points on the ensuing drive only added to the woes.

“The game came down to the wire there, a lot of back and forth,” head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters postgame. “We (lost) the takeaway battle 2-0, and we knew it’s going to be tough sledding,” head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters postgame. “I just told them in the locker room, thought it comes down to a couple plays in all three phases.

“You’re going against a good football team and you (have) to make those plays. It starts with us coaches, making sure that we’re on the details and (we need to) start converting more of those plays so we can win a game.”

Even with the issues on their own end, the Cardinals still managed to take things down to the wire (much like they have all year).

But a four-play, eight-yard drive would spell the end of any sort of comeback on Arizona’s part.

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