Three weeks ago, the Cardinals were 2-0 and flying high. On Sunday against the winless Titans, the Cardinals flew into a plate-glass window.
Leading 21-6 and facing third and one, running back Emari Demercado broke loose for what would have been a 72-yard touchdown run. After review, it became a 71-yard gain and a fumble at the goal line, with Demercado releasing the ball just before entering the end zone.
It resulted in a touchback. And the Titans went 80 yards in six plays, cutting the margin to 21-12. The Cardinals didn’t score again. The Titans won, 22-21.
During the game, Gannon got in Demercado’s face and aggressively chastised the player for his blunder. After the game, coach Jonathan Gannon downplayed the impact of the game-changing gaffe.
“It’s never about one play,” Gannon told reporters.
But it can be about one play. If Demercado simply holds the ball for a split-second longer, the score is 27-6 (pending the extra point) with only 12:40 remaining the game likely would have been over.
Still, it’s understandable that Gannon glossed over that moment, after the 21-6 lead became a 22-21 defeat. Given that the same thing happened a week ago to Colts receiver Adonai Mitchell, no player on any team should have repeated the miscue only seven days later.
While it’s always inexcusable for a player to drop the ball before crossing the front of the goal line, it’s beyond inexcusable for any coach to not use the fresh example of a player on another team doing it to hammer the point home to every player on his own team.
The fact that the Cardinals opened Week 4 on a Thursday night makes it even worse. They were off on Sunday. They had extra time to digest anything/everything that happened on the fourth Sunday of the 2025 season and apply those lessons moving forward.
Gannon slammed the door on any questions about the coaching of players on moments like this. “We have coaching points that I’m not gonna tell you guys now,” Gannon said.
There’s one person in particular who should be demanding answers today — team owner Michael Bidwill.
Here are the questions Bidwill should be asking Gannon:
1. Did you know about Mitchell’s fumble from Week 4?
2. Did you show the play to your players or your offensive coaching staff?
3. If not, why not?
4. If so, what did you say?
Given that it happened again on Sunday, there’s no good answer to any of those questions. But this is one of those situations where it’s very easy for a problem to be diagnosed and addressed. It also invites a fair question for Bidwill to ask himself about the current coaching staff.
If something that obvious was overlooked, what else is being missed?
No coach in the 127-year history of the Cardinals franchise has lasted more than six seasons. Gannon is in year three. That one moment from Sunday could be the thing that keeps him from getting a fourth.
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