3 Questions Cardinals Must Answer Following Bye Week

With Murray returning to action this week, there have been mixed reactions from the fan base. It’s not because people think that Jacoby Brissett has a higher ceiling than Murray — we all know that when Murray is at his best, he’s much more capable than Arizona’s backup — but Murray tends to make head-scratching mistakes.

While Brissett doesn’t wow anyone with his arm talent or elusiveness, he was able to be relatively mistake-free in his two games under center for the Cardinals. In those two games, he had two solid performances — ones you could argue were far better than Murray’s five games to begin the season.

All the chatter is beside the point, though. Murray will be the starter, and it’s on him to lead the Cardinals’ offense. We all know that he can be one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL, but it’s also apparent that he can make some of the worst mistakes in the league.

This simply can’t happen if Arizona wants to get its first win since Week 2, and Murray needs to show the league that he can return to form after missing two games due to injury. He needs to respond — and respond well — answering the main question surrounding the Cardinals as they return from their bye week.

Can the defense play a full 60 minutes?

Throughout Arizona’s five straight losses, the offense has certainly been frustrating at times, but of late, it’s been the defense that has let the Cardinals down.

Arizona has allowed 78 total points in the first three quarters, which ranks fourth in the league, but if you look at the fourth quarter alone, the Cardinals rank dead last. They’ve given up 76 points in the final 15 minutes of each game — almost equaling the total from the first three quarters combined.

Another fascinating stat lies in the fact that the Cardinals were the first team in NFL history to lose three straight games after leading by seven or more points at the beginning of the fourth quarter. These kinds of collapses have been largely centered around the defense, as it has given up game-winning drives time and time again.

That brings us to another critical question ahead of Week 9: Will the defense endure another heartbreak, or will it step up in the fourth quarter?

If the Cardinals want to finally secure a victory, the defense needs to play well — and play well for the entirety of the ballgame. It’s something we haven’t seen this season, and with a 2-5 record, it’s now or never.

The Cowboys have one of the most potent passing offenses in the country, which will make it a unique challenge, but Arizona can’t afford another late-game collapse — even against an opponent that can score in bunches.

Playoff chances are slipping away, and a matchup with Dallas presents a perfect opportunity for Arizona to correct what has gone wrong throughout the beginning of the 2025 season. At the forefront of all those wrongs has been fourth-quarter defense, and it’s up to the defensive unit to turn the page and answer the question everyone around the Cardinals organization is asking.

Will Arizona be able to utilize its weapons?

Ahead of the season, it seemed like the Cardinals had one of the best offensive skill position groups in the NFL.

With a proven duo at running back, coupled with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson at receiver, and arguably the best tight end in the league, Trey McBride, you’ve got a stellar group of skill players.

While James Conner and Trey Benson are both on injured reserve, there are still plenty of weapons at Murray’s disposal, and a major question has arisen regarding whether they’ll be utilized to their full potential.

Drew Petzing’s play-calling has obviously been called into question, as has Murray’s decision-making — both contributing to whether the offense will be able to let its talented players show their skill.

Harrison has been the center of all this, but I’d add that McBride is the key to Arizona’s success. Murray wasn’t as successful in getting McBride the ball as Brissett was, sparking another question about whether the Cardinals’ starter will be able to get his star tight end the ball effectively.

Add it all up, and you have what might be the biggest question surrounding this Arizona team. If Murray can allow Harrison, Wilson, McBride and others to do their thing, they might have a shot at beating the Cowboys. And if they beat the Cowboys, maybe — just maybe — the Cardinals can turn their season around.