TEMPE, Ariz. — Entering Sunday, did you believe the Arizona Cardinals were going to beat the San Francisco 49ers on the road? To quickly remind you, not that you need reminding, the Cardinals' optimistic "Valley Vibe" was eviscerated by the Commanders in a 42-14 loss just a week ago.
Well, the betting world sure didn't believe it. Most sites had the Cardinals projected to lose to San Francisco by more than a touchdown. At halftime it didn't appear the Cardinals would even beat the spread, as they trailed 23-10.
But the Cardinals did beat the odds with an iconic second-half comeback to beat the 49ers 24-23.
So now that you're a day removed from the rush of a thrilling victory, and have had time to reflect, where do you stand? Are you still in total belief? Or, is it a sense of unbelief? Feel free to let us know. You can send your comments to us on X (formerly known on Twitter) @12SportsAZ, you can email us at connect@12news.com or you can text your thoughts to us at (602) 444-1212.
Here's what Head Coach Jonathan Gannon and Linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. had to say a day after the unlikely, odds-defying comeback win over the 49ers.
On the Cardinals comeback win:
Gannon: "Good battle. Thought we showed resilience. All three phases had a hand in it. Made the corrections from the game and on to Green Bay."
Wilson: "It definitely felt like a boxing match. They had the upper hand the whole game. Second half we came out and threw some punches. We came out on top and that's what it comes down to. It's the NFL and these games are close so you just have to lock in."
On Kyler Murray pointing during his career-long 50-yard touchdown run:
Gannon: "If you do that, you better be the fastest human on the planet.
Reporter: "Did he back it up?"
Gannon: "He did. I think it was 22 miles per hour."
On leaning on James Conner:
Gannon: "I have full trust in James. I know (offensive coordinator) Drew (Petzing) does, and the offensive staff does, and the offense does. He's an asset that we have that not a lot of people have ... he goes about his business and he works. That's comforting."
On linebacker Jesse Luketa forcing a late fumble:
Wilson: "We were just thinking about getting the ball back to our offense and give ourselves a chance to win the game. Jesse told us he was going to punch it out. That's what he does. He does it in practice all the time. For him to do it I wasn't surprised. When I saw him punch it out, I made sure to go secure it."
On Chad Ryland's Game Winning Field Goal:
Wilson: "I was in New England with Chad last year, his rookie year. And we were playing the Giants. He missed that same kick he made yesterday vs the Giants last year. Once he made the kick yesterday, I ran up to him and obviously, he was super pumped. I was super excited for the kid ... he did a great job."
So, has your belief in the Cardinals now grown even stronger? Perhaps it has for the betting world too. Early lines are out and this time the Cardinals are "less" than a touchdown underdog as they head to Green Bay to face the Packers for an early 10 a.m. kickoff on Sunday.
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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