Everyone in the Arizona Cardinals organization knows what the team must do this coming season. They cannot have a second-half collapse like the last two seasons.
General manager Steve Keim spoke about it on the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday.
What do they have to do in 2022?
“I think it’s just putting the second half of the season and not playing with complacency,” he said. “Being able to play consistent football throughout the season.”
The Cardinals started the year 7-0 and got to 10-2, but then lost four of their final regular-season games and then were embarrassed in the first round of the playoffs.
“Down the stretch, we didn’t play well,” Keim explained. “It was a number of reasons, whether it was penalties, errors, guys that we missed being hurt.”
They did lose key guys. Receiver DeAndre Hopkins missed half the season. So did defensive lineman J.J. Watt. Cornerbacks Robert Alford and Marco Wilson suffered injuries. Running backs Chase Edmonds and James Conner were never healthy together in the second half of the season.
However, according to Keim, “you can’t make injuries an excuse.”
Every team does deal with injuries. That is a fact.
Keim explained what the Cardinals need to do in 2022. He is placing a lot on quarterback Kyler Murray.
“I would just say this: that we have to continue to put it together,” he said. “Every year, Kyler has continued to grow and get better as a quarterback and I don’t expect anything different.”
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