Takeaways: Cardinals Win, But Questions Remain

The Arizona Cardinals still have some figuring out to do after defeating the New England Patriots.

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 -- Three games remain, and the Arizona Cardinals must win each of them to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Business was handled on Sunday in 30-17 fashion against the New England Patriots, though the score doesn't properly tell the story of how Week 15 went.

For starters, the Cardinals led the game 23-3 until halfway through the fourth quarter, so it wasn't close on the scoreboard. However, if you watched the game yourself, you'd recognize that there were several missed opportunities and some that made fans' hearts drop into their stomach.

A win is a win, but there is plenty of concern following this game.

Takeaways from the performance:

Trey McBride is cursed

There's no other explanation for McBride's inability to score touchdowns through the air. McBride did something this offseason... I'm not sure if he disturbed a burial ground, shattered every mirror he saw after walking under ladders with his open umbrella inside, or maybe he was hexed by a scorned lover.

Whatever it is, it's kept McBride out of the endzone via the air.

The Cardinals' stud tight end has found pay dirt as a runner and a crazy fumble recovery, but that's it... nothing via the passing game and it isn't for a lack of trying as of late. McBride caught nine of his 10 targets for 87 yards including a shovel pass inside the five-yard line... but he was stopped at the one-yard line. James Conner scored on the next play.

McBride now owns the NFL record for most receptions in a season without a touchdown at 89 and I'm getting worried with every passing week that he's only going to pad that stat.

Arizona is not using Marvin Harrison Jr to his maximum potential

I saw a lot of discourse from Cardinals fans today about their frustrations with Marvin Harrison Jr.'s performance this season. Most criticisms have some backing to it and have understandable feelings attached with them.

However, some of the things I read are out of Harrison's control and it must be adjusted by the coaching and the play designs specifically for him.

It's no secret that I have been critical of Drew Petzing this season but the more I watch the usage of Harrison the more frustrated I get. Petzing is using Harrison as a deep threat more often than not and we aren't seeing enough creativity with his routes to get him open. With his ability to make plays after the catch, it's puzzling why they insist on making a rookie a one-trick, jump-ball receiver.

There's no doubt that MHJ has plenty to improve on with the disappointing and underwhelming start to his career, but the sky is not remotely falling here. An adjustment to his usage could really turn things around for the fourth overall pick, but I don't expect that to happen with the season wrapping up.

The defense can still make plays, but they give up a lot of big plays, too

Holding the Patriots to three points up until the game was sealed away is impressive even with New England being as bad of a football team as they are. they also managed some big plays that you'll see on highlight reels, including first-rounder Darius Robinson's first career sack.

With that being said, the Pats carved up the defense way too many big plays and it was alarming. Eight different players, rushing or receiving, recorded a play of at least 15-yards. Drake Maye also managed some improvisation for big plays including a late touchdown to Pop Douglas.

Don't get it twisted, the defense wasn't horrible... but it needed to be a lot better to instill confidence following last week's beatdown by the Seahawks.

There was a point in time where this defense was red-hot and played above their competition. They're getting exposed the last two weeks and they won't win man, if any games if they keep up this level of inconsistency.

The season may not be over... but this game wasn't what we wanted

Look, wins are wins and in the NFL it's all that matters. That's especially true this time of the year when you're in the playoff hunt. One-point wins are the same as 20-point wins.

But with that being said, the way you play in your wins determines how much faith you should have in that team to not just be worthy of making the playoffs and having a run, but flat out if they even have a chance with the remainder of games they have.

The Cardinals are 7-7 with an outside shot to make the playoffs, but they need lots of help. They also have three tough games remaining on their schedule, including two NFC West division games that likely determine their postseason odds.

Arizona almost definitively need to finish the year perfect, and they got the first win they needed. The game wasn't as close as the box score indicated, but it should've been much better and too many mistakes were made that better teams will capitalize on.