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Dec 28, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

3 Takeaways From the Arizona Cardinals’ Latest Brutal Loss

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Colin McMahon | Last updated Dec 28, 2025 7:58 PM ET

On the banks of the Ohio River, it was more of the same from the Arizona Cardinals, as they were dominated by the Cincinnati Bengals 37-14.

It’s Arizona’s eighth straight defeat and the Cardinals’ 12th in their last 13 games. A previously 2-0 team is now 3-13, as they’ve sunk further into the pit of despair that is this 2025 season.

Both sides of the ball were thoroughly outplayed, as Arizona made the previously 5-10 Bengals look like the same version of the team that made the Super Bowl. But that obviously isn’t reality, as Cincinnati is nothing special, but the Cardinals were so much worse on Sunday en route to another extremely brutal loss.

Jacoby Brissett wasn’t impressive at quarterback, throwing for just 212 yards on a poor 21 of 37 passing. But the rushing attack was much worse, totaling a mere 42 yards for the ballgame.

Cincinnati totaled 309 yards passing from Joe Burrow and 120 yards on the ground, dwarfing Arizona, with the final score being more than representative of how the two teams played.

With that, here are three more lessons from the latest Cardinals loss. No, there isn’t too much more to learn with this team, but there are still a few things that stood out from Week 17 in Cincinnati.

With little to play for, this is a lifeless football team

No, the players aren’t intentionally trying to lose, and yes, they still care about executing on the field, but the Cardinals looked defeated the minute they stepped onto the field Sunday. A lot of it comes from the subconscious due to having nothing to play for, but that’s still no excuse for what was seen against the Bengals.

Three of Arizona’s first four drives resulted in three-and-outs, while the Bengals scored with ease on their first two drives. With just a 13-7 deficit, the game was far from over in the second quarter, but the lack of energy made it feel like the Cardinals had absolutely no chance at winning.

And that feeling was correct, as Cincinnati ended up tacking on 10 more points before the half, making it a 23-7 ballgame at the break. At this point, it was basically over, even though 16 points isn’t an insurmountable lead.

It was just the way the Cardinals looked. Their body language was never there, and with the way the Bengals were dominating in the trenches, it was a true manhandling of Jonathan Gannon’s team.

You could make a strong argument that this has to do with coaching, and we’ll get into that in a bit, but at the very least, it was evident that the competitive spark was absent on the Cardinals’ side of the field all game long.

RECAP: From 2-0 to 3-13: Cardinals’ Season Hits New Low in Week 17 Loss to Bengals

Trey McBride and Michael Wilson are the clear silver linings

Whether or not the Cardinals decide to make a coaching change, Michael Wilson and Trey McBride should be on the roster for seasons to come. These two have proven to be great, even in a broken offensive system, as Arizona should build around them for the future.

You obviously don’t build around a wide receiver and tight end like you would a quarterback, but having two fantastic weapons opens up a lot of doors regarding what to do in the offseason. The Cardinals don’t need much help in the pass-catching department, meaning the organization can focus on its quarterback situation and offensive line.

Wilson caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown, as his 38-yard score was one of the only bright spots from this entire game. McBride caught a total of 10 passes for 76 yards and also found the end zone with a score in the fourth quarter.

McBride broke the single-season record for most receptions by a tight end in NFL history, while he also broke the Cardinals’ record for most passes caught by a tight end or receiver. He’s truly a generational talent, and he’s currently being wasted on a bad football team.

But he and Wilson could become the foundation for the future. It might seem far-fetched, but those two could certainly be top options on a playoff team, and it’s up to the rest of the roster to come together to begin competing at a high level.

There needs to be changes to the coaching staff

It’s been apparent all season that the Cardinals have been a dysfunctional team, but after the latest loss to the Bengals, it’s clear the coaching staff doesn’t have control of the team.

With a lack of urgency, Arizona appeared to be a doormat for a team that had just five wins coming into the ballgame. Two teams that aren’t competing for a playoff spot should at least have a somewhat competitive game, but it wasn’t.

And against a Bengals defense that had struggled mightily all year, totaling only four first downs in the first half is unacceptable. Some garbage-time yards made the final totals a bit more bearable, but it’s obvious the offense needs new leadership.

At the very least, Arizona should move off offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, but Jonathan Gannon is firmly on the hot seat. You could argue injuries have made it unfair to judge his coaching, but it’s not about the losses themselves — it’s how the Cardinals are losing.

They’re not competitive, even against a mediocre team like the Bengals, as Cincinnati made Arizona look like the bottom-feeder it’s grown to be throughout this abysmal 2025 campaign.