Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (left) is stopped by Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker on a fourth and one attempt in the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cardinals Defend Late-Game Gamble Despite Criticism

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 7:34 PM ET

The Arizona Cardinals have no regrets on a late-game play that shifted momentum in their Week 7 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

There's six minutes left and the Cardinals are up by three points, facing a fourth-and-short that was over a yard long at the Arizona 48-yard line.

A first down puts the Cardinals at the 50 and grinds at least a few more minutes of clock while a stop hands Jordan Love and the Packers' offense the ball with an opportunity to take the lead with a touchdown.

The result? A failed quarterback sneak with Jacoby Brissett.

#BirdGang Jacoby Brissett QB sneak on 4th and 1 gets stuffed by the Packers at midfield #AZCardinals pic.twitter.com/w7HgrqyWv6
— Az sports fan (@SameOlCardinals) October 19, 2025

The Packers would then drive down the field and take a four-point lead with under two minutes left. Arizona failed to score a touchdown, turned the ball over on downs and walked away as losers of their last five games.

That fourth-down stuff didn't win or lose the Cardinals the game, but it was a major decision and major play.

Arizona would do it all over again.

"I definitely wanted to go. I would've went for it a little more than that," Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters following the game.

“That's been a successful play for us. We have a couple of different plays in that situation, but we liked the call. We just have to execute a little bit better. It looked like to me - I have to watch the tape on that - but it looked like we might have muffed the snap.

"I don't know if you guys saw that or not. It didn't look exactly clean. It was a big mush pile, but we have to get a yard there. We have to surge and get a yard.”

Brissett took ownership of the botched snap.

“Yeah, that is on me. They put trust in me to get those. I have full trust in myself to get it. It was on me," Brissett said after the game.

Gannon has largely been criticized for his lack of aggressiveness in said scenarios, so the actual decision to go for it was commended - though the head coach admitted to media members on Monday the play-call might have changed with hindsight.

"Yeah, in hindsight because it didn't work, probably do something different. But I like the call there, we've been pretty good on those. It's a yard. It's unfortunate [and] they made a good play," said Gannon.