DAN BICKLEY

Arizona Cardinals seizing respect with each adversity-riddled win

Nov 7, 2021, 6:46 PM | Updated: 6:48 pm
Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, second from left, and defensive coordinator Vance Jos...

Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, second from left, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, foreground right, gesture from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Respect never comes easy for the Cardinals. But our NFL franchise just made a powerful statement with their weakest roster of the season:

If respect isn’t given, it will be taken.

The Cardinals thrashed the 49ers 31-17 Sunday in Santa Clara. They did so without Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, J.J. Watt and A.J. Green. They lost Chase Edmonds on the first play of Sunday’s game, which only set the stage for the greatest afternoon in James Conner’s career.

Meanwhile, backup quarterback Colt McCoy looked surprisingly poised, potent and prepared for the moment, engineering 437 yards of total offense.

The ramifications are huge. The Cardinals are clearly the NFL’s best road team. They are back atop the NFC standings. They effectively flushed any ill effects from their loss to the Packers on Thursday Night Football. And the 49ers will have a hard time recovering from this improbable outcome.

The Cardinals have now won a game without their head coach, who was watching from home with COVID-19. They have prevailed with Murray suffering from what is now being reported as a high ankle sprain, missing his first game after 40 consecutive starts. They are mocking adversity and the national pundits who refuse to see what is really happening in Arizona.

In the NFL, too much credit goes to those who do not play the game. But General Manager Steve Keim glows in the outcome of Sunday’s performance for the upgrades in leadership, talent, physicality and backup quarterback. He’s keeping all of his promises.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury is now firmly in the running for Coach of the Year, snapping Sean McVay’s winning streak against Arizona and beating Kyle Shanahan with two different quarterbacks. He called a masterful game on Sunday, helping the Cardinals dominate time of possessions (36:47 compared to 23:13 for the 49ers).

Both Keim and Kingsbury deserve a slice of this pie. So does a defense that has incorporated a new practice regimen called “Club, Punch and Rip.” It’s designed to force turnovers by hitting the football as if it were a punching bag, by showing the football the kind of violence you can no longer inflict on an opposing quarterback. The methodology is definitely working, with Byron Murphy Jr. and Isaiah Simmons both using the “CPR” method to force key fumbles against the 49ers.

But this game is about players, and on Sunday, the Cardinals would not surrender to the narrative. Conner scored three touchdowns. He shouldered the majority of the load after Edmonds’ injury. He proved he was more than just a power run capable of creating clouds of dust and bullying his way into the end zone. Conner also showed off his speed and athleticism on Sunday, the kind that will make Steelers fans wonder how they let him get away.

Markus Golden had three sacks. Jordan Hicks recovered a pair of fumbles. The collective vibe of this football team continues to shine, no matter how many individual pieces are missing. And the performance of McCoy cannot be overstated.

Starting only his 10th game since 2012, McCoy did everything you hoped and more. He played tough, absorbing plenty of hits along the way. He played smart, getting the ball to his best playmakers. He was dripping with professionalism and courage, and he never once looked rattled. He completed 22-of-26 for 249 yards.

Those numbers are stunning, and it’s beyond reassuring to see the Cardinals play at a high level without their MVP candidate and one of the most dynamic players in the game. That feeling reverberates even stronger inside the locker room, adding to the team’s sense of destiny and invulnerability.

McCoy did more than play well enough to beat the 49ers. He looked like he could win a playoff game, if necessary. And that’s good to know.

Just in case.

Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta Mornings from 6–10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) passes against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, left, is sacked by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Markus Golden during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers' Trenton Cannon, top, is tackled by Arizona Cardinals' Dennis Gardeck during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) fumbles in front of Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., hidden, and safety Budda Baker, bottom, during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. The Cardinals recovered the ball. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, top, jumps against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) and safety Budda Baker, bottom, before fumbling the ball, which was recovered by the Cardinals, during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) runs for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) San Francisco 49ers defensive back Tavon Wilson, left, and defensive back Emmanuel Moseley, right, defend a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals tight end Darrell Daniels during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy (12) passes against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy (12) is pressured by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead (91) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Inactive Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray throws a pass on the sideline before an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) James Conner #6 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates with Antoine Wesley #85 after running for a touchdown during the first quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on November 07, 2021 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) celebrates with guard Max Garcia (73) after scoring against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals middle linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) recovers a fumble by San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, rear, during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) San Francisco 49ers defensive back Tavon Wilson, left, and defensive back Emmanuel Moseley (4) defend a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals tight end Darrell Daniels (81) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) runs against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan watches from the sideline during the first half of his team's NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) fumbles the ball, which was recovered by the Arizona Cardinals, during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz, left, runs against San Francisco 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) Former San Francisco 49ers player Bryant Young waves during a ceremony for his induction into the team's Hall of Fame during halftime of an NFL football game between the 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner, middle, celebrates with teammates after scoring against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) An official gets between San Francisco 49ers cornerback Josh Norman, left, and Arizona Cardinals offensive tackle D.J. Humphries during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) runs toward the end zone to score against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) Inactive Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (97) sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) Arizona Cardinals running back Eno Benjamin (26) runs past San Francisco 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga, left, and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick to score during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner (6) runs against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) catches a touchdown pass against Arizona Cardinals cornerback Robert Alford, left, and free safety Jalen Thompson (34) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals running back Eno Benjamin, right, celebrates with quarterback Colt McCoy after scoring against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals running back Eno Benjamin (26) runs toward the end zone to score against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury watches from the sideline during the first half of his team's NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) runs against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton (33) celebrates with safety Budda Baker (3) and teammates after Baker intercepted a pass by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel sits on the bench during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar) Arizona Cardinals middle linebacker Jordan Hicks, left, tackles San Francisco 49ers running back JaMycal Hasty during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker, right, returns an interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) walks off the field after the 49ers were defeated by the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury, second from left, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, foreground right, gesture from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

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