Cardinals still cannot beat Seahawks, as Minshew Mania bubble bursts

The Arizona Cardinals were choked out on Sunday. They were undermanned, overwhelmed and out of answers. After a 17-3 loss at Lumen Field in Seattle, this much remains clear:

They cannot lose to the Cowboys. And they cannot beat the Seahawks.

For the 11th consecutive time, Seattle hung an “L” on Arizona, a streak spanning three different head coaches. It’s one of two extremely embarrassing and unnerving streaks perpetuated by our NFL franchise.

The other is the 10-game losing streak at State Farm Stadium, where the Cardinals haven’t won a game in 420 days.

Hopes of a mid-season resurgence landed with a thud on Sunday. After a legendary performance against the Cowboys in Week 8, quarterback Gardner Minshew was grounded and pounded. The Cardinals offense could not find the end zone and was mostly impotent.

Unlike his magical season in Jacksonville seven years ago, Minshew Mania had no staying power this time around.

Apologists will say the Cardinals were paper thin at playmaker. After Michael Wilson, the wide receiver room featured Devin Duvernay, Semi Fehoko and Reggie Virgil. But the Seahawks were without their starting quarterback (Sam Darnold), their All-Pro offensive lineman (Quenton Nelson) and their game-wrecker on defense (Leonard Williams). And for the third time in the past four games, the Cardinals were playing a team coming off a short week due to an appearance on Monday Night Football.

This should’ve been a closer game, a better game. Especially with an upcoming schedule that has softened considerably over time and injury, the latest suffered by Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes in a victory against the Jets on Sunday.

The Cardinals defense was game and up to the task. It played fast and aggressive. The Seahawks’ longest play from scrimmage was 18 yards. Their second touchdown might’ve been a gift. The outcome marked the first time in 26 years Seattle won a game without an offensive play that covered 20 or more yards.

But Arizona’s offense posed little threat to Seattle’s vaunted defense. The Cardinals posted a solid opening drive that produced a field goal and then delivered an endless succession of punts. They forged a late drive that ended with numerous misses at the goal line, just like we witnessed with Jacoby Brissett. Mostly, there was a lot of darkness and very little hope.

The only real drama occurred when Minshew hyperextended his throwing hand on the final play of the first half, prompting many to wonder if Carson Beck would make his debut in the second half. That did not happen. But neither did a wild second-half comeback.

The Minshew bubble didn’t just burst on Sunday. It was blown away. There will be no winning streaks, improbable playoff runs or sustained bouts of excellence with our NFL team in 2026. And the time has come for the Cardinals to fire up the DeLorean and go Beck to the future.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7.

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