Running back Jeremiyah Love got hurt in the first half, quarterback Jacoby Brissett got benched in the second half and Chad Ryland missed a potential game-winning extra point in the final seconds of the fourth quarter.
asserted
Ryland → hurt → quarter
For much of Sunday, it looked like another frustrating day of Arizona Cardinal-ing for these Arizona Cardinals.
asserted
it → look → Cardinals
But during one of the more improbable afternoons in recent franchise history, a patchwork offense, led by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, clawed back from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter and persevered in overtime to beat the Dallas Cowboys 33-30.
asserted
offense → lead → Cowboys
“I don’t know if there’s any words that I can express about this team right now other than they’re resilient,” first-year coach Mike LaFleur said.
asserted
LaFleur → know → team
“They just keep fighting.
asserted
They → keep → ?
They’re always in the fight.
asserted
They → ’re → fight
The 30-year-old Minshew earned a reputation for dramatic wins early in his career and added another highlight against the Cowboys, throwing for 188 yards and three touchdowns in less than a half.
asserted
Minshew → earn → half
LaFleur said on Monday that Minshew will be team’s starter moving forward.
asserted
Minshew → say → Monday
Minshew’s emergence and the surprise win don’t really change the Cardinals’ season outlook — they have a 3-5 record and are still a beat-up bunch that lacks talent in key areas.
asserted
that → change → areas
Getting to seven or eight wins feels like the ceiling, and even that might be a stretch considering the avalanche of injuries the team has suffered in recent weeks.
uncertain
team → get → weeks
But the competitive spirit under LaFleur is a welcome sign for a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2021 and hasn’t won a postseason game since 2015.
asserted
that → win → 2015
It’s the second time in three weeks the Cardinals have pulled off an unexpected win; they beat the Rams 18-16 on the road on Oct. 18.
asserted
they → ’ → Oct.
Receiver Michael Wilson is one example of the culture LaFleur is trying to build.
asserted
LaFleur → try → culture
The 26-year-old played through the pain of two broken ribs on Sunday and finished with eight catches for 111 yards, including a 13-yard TD catch from Minshew that forced overtime.
asserted
that → play → overtime
“It’s easy to show up in the NFL when you’re winning, when you’re playing great, you’ll get every one’s best personality,” Wilson said.
asserted
Wilson → ’ → personality
“The true measure of yourself, your coaches, your teammates, is how do they respond with they’re not playing 100 percent because they’re hurt or they had a bad play or maybe coach isn’t calling the game the right way.
asserted
coach → respond → game
When stuff is (bad), that’s when you find out who your are as a person and as a man.
asserted
your → ’ → man
“I could not be more proud to be an Arizona Cardinal under a team led by Mike LaFleur.”
uncertain
I → lead → LaFleur
What’s working
Minshew wasn’t the only player who had a clutch performance on Sunday.
asserted
who → work → Sunday
The Cardinals showcased some depth, with third-string left tackle Josh Fryar, backup right guard Hayden Conner and running back Tyler Allgeier playing well in expanded roles.
asserted
Fryar → showcase → roles
Center Hjalte Froholdt — who had two pancake blocks on safety Caleb Downs during a long run by Allgeier — said the run of bad injury luck on Sunday made everyone just focus on their jobs.
asserted
everyone → have → jobs
“We were down so many guys and everyone’s just like, ‘OK, I don’t know where I’m going to be lined up, I don’t really know what position I’ll be at, but I know my playbook, I can trust my technique, I can trust what my rules are,’ and then guys just went out and executed,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → technique
What needs help
The defense played well when it needed to get stops in the fourth quarter and overtime, but the unit still gave up 30 points or more for the sixth time in seven games.
asserted
unit → need → games
Stock up
Allgeier has been a very good running back for the past 4 1/2 seasons, but he’s never had a game like Sunday.
asserted
he → have → Sunday
The 26-year-old set career highs with 191 yards from scrimmage and 147 yards rushing against the Cowboys, playing a huge chunk of the snaps because he was the team’s only healthy rusher for a big chunk of the game.
asserted
he → set → game
The Cardinals’ 2026 draft class is beat up.
asserted
class → beat → ?
Love was expected to give the team an elite offensive option after he was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in April, but ankle injuries have slowed his development.
asserted
injuries → expect → development
Second-round offensive lineman Chase Bisontis and fourth-round defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor were lost before the season because of knee injuries.
asserted
Bisontis → lose → injuries
Now fifth-round pick Reggie Virgil (back) and seventh-round left tackle Jayden Williams (knee) are also dealing with setbacks.
asserted
Virgil → deal → setbacks
Love has battled injuries to both ankles all season and LaFleur said that this was a new version of those problems.
asserted
this → battle → problems
He could be headed to injured reserve.
uncertain
He → head → reserve
WR Kendrick Bourne (ankle) could be out for the season while RB Bam Knight (concussion), WR Reggie Virgil (back) and OT Jayden Williams (knee) were still being evaluated.
uncertain
Knight → evaluate → season
Key number
1996 — The last year before Sunday’s game that a Cardinals QB threw three TD passes in the fourth quarter.
asserted
QB → throw → quarter
Boomer Esiason accomplished the feat in a win over the Eagles in ‘96 and 30 years later, Minshew did it again.
asserted
Minshew → accomplish → it
Next steps
The Cardinals visit the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
asserted
Cardinals → visit → Sunday
The Aporia
