PHOENIX — Two wins in a row and first place in the NFC West should be cause for celebration for the Arizona Cardinals.
Instead, it's preparation that is top of mind for head coach Jonathan Gannon.
In his weekly Monday press conference, Gannon would not declare that his team has found a rhythm and said he still wants to see more out of quarterback Kyler Murray.
He labeled the mindset "winning behavior" and believes it will set Arizona up for long-term success.
"We weren't all on the same page for all 60 plays," he said. "And that hurt us at times."
Gannon added that certain plays from Sunday's win over the Miami Dolphins came to mind when he thought about winning behavior.
"I'm mad at Kyler today," he said. "The first third down, we didn't get in and out of the huddle quick enough. I had to (call) a timeout. I don't like that, he knows that."
Gannon believes he can demand excellence from the offense, and when they play sharp, he's convinced they are challenging to stop.
It was tough love on Monday despite the fact that the Cardinals ground out a tough win.
In Gannon's mind, it's all part of his plan for sustained growth and a sound culture.
"You can see I'm hard on the little guy, ain't I?" he said in regards to Murray. "This guy was elite yesterday and I'm talking about one play where he got the snap too quick. But that's how he wants to be coached anyhow."
The Arizona Cardinals will put their winning behavior to the test on Sunday when they host the Chicago Bears at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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