The Arizona Cardinals came through for their biggest win of the 2025 season on Monday night with a 27-17 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
It was the first time this season the Cardinals put together a complete game, and it came at the most crucial time of the season.
However, despite the win and best overall performance of the season, there were still some things the Cardinals could improve on. Here are three things that went wrong on Monday night.
What Went Wrong For the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night?
The Cardinals got another outstanding performance from quarterback Jacoby Brissett, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had his breakout game, and the defense played lights out.
However, there were still some low-lights from the game.
1) The Offensive Line
Brissett was sacked five times, and in the second half, the pressure on Brissett was what kept the Cowboys in the game.
In the first half, the Cardinals used an extra offensive lineman, Kelvin Beachum, in certain sets, but it was not working. Cowboys’ edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney beat Beachum twice to get pressure on Brissett.
Then, in the second half, Brissett was under pressure on what felt like every play. The Cowboys had a 5.3% sack rate coming into Monday night, which ranked 25th in the NFL, according to PFSN’s Defense Impact.
However, Brissett was sacked three times in the fourth quarter, including once on third down and once on second-and-long to set up a third-and-very-long situation.
Despite many positive developments on Monday night, the Cardinals’ offensive line struggled, leaving Brissett under pressure for much of the game.
2) The Health of Mack Wilson Sr.
In the second half, Wilson left the game with a rib injury and did not return.
The Cardinals’ linebacker was all over the field and collected seven tackles and a forced fumble before his injury, but he did not return to the game after his injury in the second half.
His replacement, linebacker Cody Simon, had two tackles and forced the game-sealing fumble, but Wilson’s health is paramount for the Cardinals’ future this season.
This is Wilson’s seventh year in the NFL, and his second with the Cardinals. The veteran linebacker had 53 tackles, six passes defended, and three TFLs through his first seven games this year. Wilson had also added an interception and a quarterback hit.
The Cardinals have not provided an update on Wilson’s health status since the game, but his injury reportedly involved his ribs.
3) The Cardinals Began To Let It Slip Again
It’s hard to consider this as a bad takeaway from the game, but anyone who’s watched the Cardinals this season had a gut in their stomach during the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals took a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter and looked to be in complete control. However, the Cowboys went down the field in just over two minutes and scored a touchdown, bringing the game within 10 points.
The following Cardinals possession included two sacks and a punt that gave Dallas the ball back down 10 points with more than seven minutes remaining.
The Cowboys began driving with ease once again, and any fan watching the game had seen this movie before for the Cardinals.
However, this time, once Dallas entered Arizona territory, the Cardinals’ defense came up big with a forced fumble, turning the Cowboys over and giving their offense the ball back with under five minutes remaining.
Cardinals’ fans would’ve liked for it not to get to that point, but it is an improvement from the rest of the season, and it’s something to build on going forward.
Now, the Cardinals will travel to Seattle in Week 10 to face the Seahawks in what could prove to be a crucial divisional game.
The Cardinals saved their playoff hopes on Monday night, but now Arizona will truly be tested to see if it can fight its way back all the way to the end of the season.
The Cardinals’ next five games are all against teams currently in the playoff picture, including three games against NFC West opponents.
