Cardinals Address Post-Bye Blues

The Arizona Cardinals haven't played their brand of football since their bye week, and they know it.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon watches from the sideline as his team plays the New England Patriots at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 15, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals' 2024 season can essentially be broken into two different parts: Pre-bye week and post-bye week.

Arizona was on a four-game winning streak entering their bye week with a 6-4 record and first place in the NFC West.

Since, the Cardinals are just 1-5 and have been out of postseason contention for weeks.

It's been a massive talking point for outsiders since the collapse, and recently head coach Jonathan Gannon was asked if he thought anything happened during the bye week to lead to their slide down the standings.

“No. I really don't. We treated the BYE Week this year like we did last year. It's something that we'll look into. I liked where it fell, honestly, and I know we won four games going into it, but it's something we'll take a look at because we haven't played exactly our brand of ball consistently from the BYE on. We're really getting into the past now, but I get it. I understand," said Gannon.

"I don't feel good where we've been after the BYE so I'm going to look at myself first. Not right now, but that's in the back of my mind that is something I need to address with myself.”

Gannon was also asked for his overall assessment of the season:

“Take me back before the winning streak, we got blown out by Green Bay, right? I thought the response of the team was really good. I think that for myself something that we're going to have to take a look at, which now is not the time, but you stress and distress of winning four and handling that. Because say what you want (but when) you're on a roll there that takes a little bit out of you. 

"Then the stress of losing three in a row, that takes something out of you too. I'll always look at our brain first. What does our brain look like with psychological prep, resilience, confidence, focus, behavioral things and emotions. I think we definitely have to improve. I have to help improve that part of our team of handling that, because no season really goes just like that. 

"That's something that we have to look at. How the schedule fell that's something that we'll look at, but ultimately we'll tweak our process a little bit and do it better. I think it'd be interesting to see if we are what our record says we are if it would've been wins and losses (alternating). You do that, you're not going to win enough to earn the right to get into January, but what would that have done to our energy levels and to our psyche? It’s different. Everyone handles it differently.

"Every year is going to kick out different, and it's my job to make sure that we're maximizing our resources, the players are getting what they need and making sure that we're even keel and ready to throw our fastball into each round. I feel I have to do a better job of that (of) making sure that we're prepped week to week to throw our fastball.”