Arizona Cardinals Get Steamrolled In Houston: The Trey McBride Show Wasn’t Enough
If you’re an Arizona Cardinals fan, you might want to look away. Or maybe grab a beverage. A strong one. I’m not here to judge how you cope with a 3-11 season.
Sunday’s 40-20 drubbing at the hands of the Houston Texans was just another reminder of how long this season has felt. It’s been a year where the “L” column is getting a lot more love than the “W” column, and frankly, watching this team try to play complementary football is becoming a test of endurance for the Bird Gang.
The Cardinals rolled into NRG Stadium hoping to salvage some dignity in a lost season, but C.J. Stroud and the Texans had other plans. Houston essentially turned the game into a track meet, and Arizona pulled a hamstring in the first lap.
The Trey McBride Reality Check
Let’s start with the one thing that isn’t making Cardinals fans want to throw their remotes through the TV: Trey McBride.
At this point, McBride isn’t just a bright spot; he’s the entire lighthouse guiding this ship away from the rocks. The tight end was absolutely electric on Sunday, hauling in 12 catches for a massive 134 yards and 2 touchdowns.
But here is the kicker—he set an NFL record in the process. McBride has now gone 16 consecutive games with five or more catches. He passed Travis Kelce for the record among tight ends. That is not a small feat. When you are erasing names like “Kelce” from the record books, you are doing something right.
“I’m proud of him,” Head Coach Jonathan Gannon said. The Texans knew the ball was going to McBride. The fans knew it. The guy selling popcorn in section 405 knew it. And yet, Houston couldn’t stop him. If there is a silver lining to this stormy season, it’s knowing that No. 85 is going to be a problem for opposing defenses for a long time.
Houston, We Have a Major Problem
Now, let’s talk about everything else. The phrase “complementary football” gets thrown around press conferences like confetti, but we didn’t see much of it in Houston. The Cardinals dug themselves a hole so deep in the first half that they practically hit oil. Trailing 23-7 at the break, the team looked disjointed.
Defensively, Arizona made Texans Running Back Jawhar Jordan look like prime Barry Sanders. In his first NFL action, Jordan ripped off 101 yards on 15 carries. When a practice squad rookie is carving you up for triple digits, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
And then there is Stroud. The Texans QB looked comfortable in the pocket all day, tossing three touchdowns and racking up 260 yards. He connected with Nico Collins for two scores, and honestly, it rarely looked difficult.
Jacoby Brissett did what he could under center for Arizona, throwing for 249 yards and three scores, but that interception? It was a killer. You can’t turn the ball over when your defense is giving up 40 points. It’s just simple math.
The Injury Bug Is Now a Full-Blown Infestation
If the scoreboard wasn’t painful enough, the injury report is downright nauseating. It feels like the Cardinals are playing a game of survivor every week. We aren’t just talking about bumps and bruises; we are talking about scare-the-stadium moments. Kick returner and receiver Andy Baccellia had to be carted off the field, a sight that sucks the air out of the building regardless of which jersey you’re wearing.
Then you lose Running Back Bam Knight to an ankle injury on his only carry? Come on. At some point, you have to wonder if the training room is built on an ancient burial ground. With nearly 30 players hitting injured reserve this season, the depth chart is looking more like a “Help Wanted” ad.
What’s Next For the Arizona Cardinals?
The Cardinals are now 3-11. They have lost 11 of their last 12 games. The math is ugly, and the tape is uglier.
Coach Gannon talked about “digging a hole” against a good team, and he’s right. You can’t spot a playoff contender 17 points in the first quarter and expect to high-five your way to a comeback win.
Next week, the Atlanta Falcons come to town. Will the Cardinals figure out how to play four quarters of football? Will the defense stop making backup running backs look like hall of famers? Who knows. But hey, at least we get to watch Trey McBride catch footballs. Right now, that’s about the only price of admission worth paying.
