Cardinals questions outweigh answers after brutal loss to Giants

Across four quarters of the Cardinals’ Week 4 loss to the New York Giants, Arizona went from looking like a team back on track to one with even more question marks and issues.

As the old saying goes, it’s not about how you start but how you finish.

A look at the biggest questions and takeaways from Arizona’s third-straight loss under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur:

What is up with Jeremiyah Love’s usage?

Love was chewing up yards on the regular to start Sunday’s game. In the first quarter alone, Love had six carries for 43 yards.

His career marks from last week suddenly looked like they were about to be eclipsed by the end of the first half. Finally, Arizona was using its No. 3 overall pick that is making more guaranteed money than any other running back in the league.

But by the end of the first half, Love sat at nine carries for 51 yards and one catch for -8 yards. He only saw five more touches for 13 yards the rest of the way.

He was not on the field for Arizona’s last gasp in the red zone that ended with a Jacoby Brissett pick-6.

What is going on?

LaFleur told reporters postgame that Tyler Allgeier was the move late in the game due to his third-down abilities and pass protection.

Love, however, has more than looked the part putting his face in the fan. He is also a big play waiting to happen. For a team trying to pull off a comeback, having him on the field seems like it should be the move. He’s done plenty to earn the trust of his coaches and teammates. A good amount of them — like Mack Wilson Sr. — don’t even see him as a rookie.

The transition has been that seamless for the rookie, but until he can earn the trust in late-game situations, the frustration around his usage is going to persist.

Is something else impacting Love? The rookie did come up hobbled after a Brissett interception in the second quarter. Multiple trainers tended to him on the sideline before he returned to action.

It’s the latest injury issue in the rookie’s NFL career after a high ankle sprain limited him to just one preseason game.

“It’s been a long year for me. The body sometimes is down. The body sometimes is tired,” Love told reporters postgame when talking about moving from college to the pros with little off time in between. “It’s just managing those things. Coaches know that. This is probably going to be the longest year of my life. I just want to manage that workload. Today, they were making sure they kept an eye on me.

“But I didn’t go out there and hurt anything or anything like that. They’re just doing what they need to do.”

Still, Love’s usage and health are going to be two big things to watch heading into next week and beyond.

Offensive line changes needed

Depending on the severity of Isaiah Adams’ ankle injury — he was carted off the field on Sunday — Arizona could be forced to turn to Jon Gaines II.

But even if Adams avoids any time on the shelf, that shouldn’t stop the Cardinals from trying something else at right guard. Give Gaines II another start and see what you really have there.

The Cardinals shouldn’t stop there when it comes to evaluating the right side of the line, either.

Veteran Elijah Wilkinson is not the long- or short-term answer at right tackle. Sunday’s showing was the latest example.

When pressure was on top of Brissett, more times than not it was coming from the right side.

Rookie offensive tackle Jayden Williams has gotten a lot of praise in recent weeks for his athleticism. His route-running and pass-catching abilities were a fun talking point this week of prep.

Let’s stop with the gimmicky stuff and let him show his worth at right tackle.

The left side could need some help, too, if Paris Johnson Jr. is expected to miss an extended amount of time with the biceps injury he picked up late in Sunday’s action.

Did Jacoby Brissett just speed up the Carson Beck timeline?

Brissett nor the offensive line did the veteran quarterback any favors on Sunday.

The veteran tossed three interceptions in the loss. Now, two were tipped at the line of scrimmage but it was still a rough stat line for the veteran quarterback.

Completing 21 of his 35 passes (60%) for 166 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions, Brissett is now 2-14 as the Cardinals starter dating back to last year.

It’s not all on Brissett, but as the losses continue to pile on and postseason hopes dwindling, it makes you wonder how much longer he’s got in the role.

He’s not getting any younger and is in no way the long-term solution for the franchise.

LaFleur was quick to dismiss any quarterback talk postgame, saying a change is not being considered.

A couple more losses like Sunday and that’s not going to be the case. And when it does, it needs to be rookie signal caller Carson Beck getting the rock.

If it’s going to be another season with no playoffs, why not get some concrete evidence on whether or not you have a franchise quarterback already on the roster?

Marvin Harrison Jr.’s inconsistent season continues

Harrison and the Cardinals quieted a lot of critics in the first quarter.

Not only was he involved early on, the wide receiver also found paydirt on a 12-yard touchdown strike from Brissett.

That, however, was the highlight of his afternoon as that represented Harrison’s only catch of the day on four targets.

From silencing the noise to adding to it all over again.

Ahead of Sunday’s matchup, Harrison was named as a potential trade candidate to watch by ESPN’s Adam Schefter given his start to the season and the wide receiver’s place among the Cardinals’ pecking order of playmakers.

Days like this are only going to fuel that fire.

Nick Rallis’ days feel even more numbered

As one of the only coaching holdovers from the previous regime, Rallis entered the season knowing he needed to put something better on tape defensively.

Aside from a Week 1 win, that hasn’t been the case.

Allowing at least 30 points to NFC West foes is one thing. Giving up 36 to a Jameis Winston-led Giants squad that put up just 12 points last week is glaring.

If the losses keep coming and changes are inevitably made, Rallis will be among the first to go. It feels more of a matter of when, not if at this rate.

Give Teryl Austin the interim title, get through the rest of the season and let LaFleur have his pick of defensive coordinators this offseason.

Related

NFL referee gets into it with Trey McBride over pass interference no-callRapid reactions: Cardinals falter vs. Giants for 3rd straight lossBickley: Same old Cardinals find a new way to loseCardinals unravel after strong start in loss to GiantsAndrew Wingard, Isaiah Adams carted off vs. GiantsShhh! Marvin Harrison Jr. quiets the noise with early TD vs. Giants