PHOENIX — That one stings. The Arizona Cardinals were handed their first loss of the 2021 NFL season after a thrilling game against the Green Bay Packers.
It was a game that lived up to all of the hype as two of the hottest teams in the NFL laid it all on the field. Unfortunately for Arizona, they came up on the short end of this instant classic.
Arizona found themselves with a chance to tie or even take the lead with 15 seconds left in the game, but an interception by Packers cornerback (and former Cardinals practice squad member) Rasul Douglas in the endzone sealed their fate.
There's no question it was a devastating loss, but there's no reason to panic after one loss. Here are three reasons why you don't have to worry about this year's squad.
Leadership and experience
Kyler Murray is now in his third year in the NFL and he has shown great strides in his leadership and performance on the field. He's certainly in the MVP discussion and is still very much a force to be reckoned with.
In years past, a loss like this could really hurt the team's morale and send them into a tailspin, but with the addition of veterans like J.J. Watt and Zach Ertz, Arizona has the fortitude and leadership to keep everyone focused and moving forward.
It's just one loss
In the history of the NFL, no one has ever lost the championship in Week 8, so it is important to remember that this loss will not break Arizona's title hopes. An undefeated season is a great goal, but losses are expected to happen.
If someone told the Cardinals that they would go 7-1 through the first eight weeks of the season, they would for sure take that record. Besides, a loss now is a lot easier to take than in January.
The offense is still rolling
The Packers game aside, the Cardinals still have one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL. With receivers like Hopkins, Green, Kirk and Moore, along with tight end Zach Ertz, this team has shown they can produce points early and offense.
Along with the air weapons, running backs Chase Edmonds and James Connor are showing the Cardinals very much have a balanced attack.
While there's plenty to still be hopeful for the Cardinals, there's one glaring reason why the Packers game could be cause for concern.
See you in the playoffs
After Thursday, it's clear that the Cardinals and Packers are two of the top teams in the NFC. These two will certainly be fighting the rest of the season for the #1 seed and the much-desired playoff bye.
Since Green Bay won Thursday night, they now hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with Arizona, should it come down to that. This means Arizona could be playing a road game in Lambeau Field in the playoffs this year. A tough task for any team.
Now Arizona must learn from the loss, recoup and move forward. Next up for Arizona is a road matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9.
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