To spike it or not to spike it? That is the question after Cardinals’ OT loss
There were plenty of questionable play calls across the Cardinals' loss to the Jaguars on Sunday. But it was the decision late that looms large.
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TEMPE — There were plenty of questionable play calls across the Arizona Cardinals’ overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
But it was the decision late in the fourth quarter deep in Jacksonville territory that looms large a day after the fact.
With precious time ticking off the clock in the one-score game, the Cardinals opted against spiking the ball in favor of putting pressure on the Jaguars’ defense by staying up tempo and not allowing Jacksonville to sub out.
Yes, a spike would have given the Jaguars a small reprieve with around 17 seconds to play. It also would have allowed the Cardinals enough time for two shots at winning the football game in regulation before turning to kicker Chad Ryland for the equalizing field goal.
For head coach Jonathan Gannon, it was much more about the execution leading up to the snap, more so than the play call.
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on the thought process behind not spiking the football late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to Jacksonville ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/hl4hVwG9Iz
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) November 24, 2025
“Looking back on it now where the clock was, I would have liked to see us get it off a little bit quicker,” Gannon said Monday. “Not that we were discombobulated, but when that ref starts backing out, you got to get that snapped if you’re going to have a chance for two plays down there. It can be preference, it can be always and never, what you do in those situations.
“We talk about those constantly. You see people around the league do different things. Felt comfortable about it. Would have liked to get off two there. When we ended up getting the first one up and down six seconds, my goal there is to kind of keep us out of harm’s way and go to overtime. A couple more seconds on the clock, maybe you can get off another play, although probably what the defense is doing, you’re going to end up having to sail it anyhow.”
In theory, not spiking the rock makes sense — if you know you’re going to have two shots at a touchdown.
And let’s be honest, if Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett would have found Michael Wilson in the end zone on the lone attempt, this would be a very different discussion.
But he didn’t, and if anything, the sense of urgency (or lack thereof) from the Cardinals to get up to the line and run a play as the clock whittled down stands out.
The idea was there. The little details were not.
What about Cardinals WR Michael Wilson’s ‘mental lapse?’
The whole sequence of events to end the fourth quarter stood out in its own right.
Wilson, however, didn’t help the optics.
After reeling in the catch to set Arizona up in prime scoring position, the wide receiver breifly celebrated by spinning the football.
He quickly realized what he had done, scooping up the ball and immediately running it back to the ref, but nonetheless, it was an uncharacteristic move for the pass catcher.
And although his mental flub was seen by many, in the grand scheme of things, the wide receiver wasn’t the reason why Arizona didn’t have enough time to get another play off.
“I don’t think it affected anything but it looks undisciplined. It looks sloppy.”
Cardinals WR Michael Wilson dives into the “mental lapse” of briefly spinning the ball in celebration after his big catch late in Sunday’s loss ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/59HXg72PZ4
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) November 24, 2025
“I made a big play and I hate to say it but truthfully I had a mental lapse. The optics of it looks undisciplined. It looks bad. That’s not indicative of who I am as a player and how we coach things.
“It was just a bad moment for me. I just got to get up and hand the ball to the ref. I don’t think it affected anything, but it just looks undisciplined. It looks sloppy.”
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Comments
44 Comments
J_Unit - I think we need to kind, he was probably bullied as a child. Somebody, somewhere, stole his ice cream cone once and he is scarred for life. Big scary men frighten him, or strangely, he is drawn to them, as if though they were calling to him... telling him to do unspeakable things with them.. Which is cool.
Dude has been here 3 years. He has only 'blown up; because MHJ is hurt AND they threw the ball 57 and 47 times the last 2 games. Somebody gotcha catch and he is basically the last guy standing. He is a solid Z, I would like to see him at the Y in the slot more, he has shown he can catch the hard over the middle passes.
I rule the Ninja Turtles, Mr. Oblivious. Sicilian, eh. Like Othello. Run, ladies, run.