Arizona Cardinals flushing MNF loss to Rams with sights set on Lions
Dec 15, 2021, 4:47 PM | Updated: 5:23 pm
Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury of the Arizona Cardinals looks on during the second quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Rams State Farm Stadium on December 13, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
The Arizona Cardinals did themselves no favors in their Monday Night Football loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Whether it be the penalties, costly turnovers or just simply not making plays, Arizona couldn’t find consistency in the one-score defeat.
The Cardinals know it wasn’t a clean effort on their part and are more than ready to turn the page to Detroit.
They’ve bounced back before, picking up wins after each of their first two losses this season. But after a loss in a playoff-clinching game to a divisional foe, a lot more eyes will be fixed on Arizona throughout the week.
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“We’ve responded well to this point,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Tuesday. “Hopefully we do that again on a short week. We flushed it (Monday night), discussed it, and talked about moving forward for this Detroit game and making sure we put our best foot forward all week in practice and play the best game we’ve played all year. That’s the goal every week.”
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, that MNF loss might be a hard one to forget for another reason after losing one of their top weapons offensively in wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who is reportedly done for the regular season with a sprained knee suffered in the matchup.
Running back James Conner’s and cornerback Robert Alford’s status remain murky at best with the duo dealing with an ankle and pectoral injury, respectively.
The quick turnaround might help Arizona get over the bad taste of the Rams loss, but it does the Cardinals no favors in the injury department. But it’s the NFL, ailments are a given at some point or another. It’s how those who are healthy answer the call.
“You wanna get better each and every week, so of course we’re watching a little bit more film, trying to get a little more plays out at practice that we may not be accustomed to seeing,” Cardinals safety Budda Baker said Wednesday when asked how his role as a leader changes after a loss. “Just trying to get better in those aspects and understanding the role that our coaches have us doing each and every week.
“These short weeks, you gotta kinda hone in as a pro. We’re pros for a reason. … Teams are gonna want to beat us no matter what. Guys know that and that’s why I love this crew because we go into work each and every day and we take it one game at a time. Guys want to get better, guys are asking questions if they don’t know things.”
EXTRA POINT
– Kingsbury on shaving his winning-streak beard:
“Yeah. I usually get rid of it post-loss. Hopefully we can start a new one.”
