Cardinals Cover 2

Ep. 943 - First, playing in Seattle is always difficult. Second, there may be no NFC team playing better than the Seahawks. So, yeah, it’s going to be a tough test on Sunday, which became much tougher with the Friday news that three defensive starters - Mack Wilson Sr., Max Melton and Will Johnson - will not play because of injury. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman, the award-winning Zach Gershman by the way - don’t worry it’s explained during the show - discuss how the Cardinals may handle the absence of Mack, Max and Will. Later, Craig and Zach head into enemy territory. They are joined by John Boyle, senior reporter for Seahawks-dot-com, to further break down the second matchup of the season between the two teams.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 942 - Breaking news on a Wednesday: The Arizona Cardinals placed starting quarterback Kyler Murry on injured reserve. Having already missed three games, Murray will now miss four more, at least four more as he deals with a foot issue. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss what the move means for Murray - he needs to get healthy, according to head coach Jonathan Gannon - as well as what the decision now means for Jacoby Brissett, who has operated the offense very well as the starter over the past three games. Also, Craig and Zach highlight the 2025 Draft Class, beginning with first-round pick Walter Nolen III, for their roles in the win over the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 941 - There may be no better place for Kyler Murray to make his return than AT&T Stadium, where he has never lost in eight games as a starting quarterback; and that covers high school, college, and the NFL. If Murray does start - head coach Jonathan Gannon said they’re preparing for just that - against the Dallas Cowboys on ‘Monday Night Football,’ then that may be just the shot in the arm the Cardinals need to begin to dig themselves out of their 2-5 hole. Murray’s return might not be the only return. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss the possibility of both Garrett Williams and Walter Nolen III playing this week. Also, Kyle Youmans, TV host/reporter for dallascowboys-dot-com, joins the show to further preview the matchup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 940 - Coming off the bye week, yes, changes have been made. Minor changes. Some tweaks. Nothing major or dramatically different. That’s what we’ve heard from coaches and players leading into the game at the Dallas Cowboys. And that’s about all we’ve heard. No specifics. That’s OK, because Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck did get into specifics; ideas that they have that may help the team dig itself out of a 2-5 hole. For example, a more efficient run game (which has been a season-long topic). And then Craig and Dani discuss what a soon-to-be returning Garrett Williams may mean for the defense. Following that discussion, stay tuned to hear what Dani and the Sureck Family are dressing up as for Halloween.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 939 - So, this Sunday is National Tight Ends Day. And because the Arizona Cardinals don’t play on Sunday - more on that in a moment - Trey McBride doesn’t get to celebrate the day. Not to worry, Bird Gang. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman do their best to celebrate both the player and the person. McBride is among the best tight ends in the league, something he’s shown over the past season-and-a-half. As the saying goes, the sky’s the limit for McBride. Also, Craig and Zach discuss where McBride and the Cardinals are heading into the bye week; what history might tell us about teams that start 2-5; and then detail Wednesday’s news about Larry Fitzgerald moving on to the next phase of Hall of Fame voting for the 2026 class.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 938 - Here we are again, Bird Gang. A one-score game. A one-score loss. Though say this for the Arizona Cardinals, they know how to make the end of games exciting. It’s just that they are on the wrong side of these end-of-game scenarios. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi look back at Sunday’s 27-23 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The offense, with Jacoby Brissett once again leading the charge, played well until the final two possessions; credit a lot of that to Packers linebacker Micah Parsons, who spent way too much time in the Cardinals’ backfield. Meanwhile, the Cardinals defense needed to make one more stop. Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs and Tucker Kraft made big plays down the stretch to help send the Cardinals to their fifth straight loss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 937 - OK, so nothing definitive as of Friday regarding QB1 for this week. Kyler Murray practiced on a limited basis with a foot injury, which would appear to keep the door open for Jacoby Brissett to get a second straight start. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss what they think might happen when the Cardinals host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Also, the guys go over the rest of the injury report, a rather lengthy one at that, going into Week 7. Plus, they head into enemy territory. Rob Demovsky joins the show. He covers the Packers for ESPN. At 2-4 and having lost four in a row, the Cardinals are badly in need of a win, especially with the bye week coming up. A win over the Packers - how ever it may look - would greatly change the narrative around the team.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 936 - It’s been a little while - OK, a long while - since Walter Nolen III has been on the field. The Cardinals’ first-round draft pick had his practice window opened on Wednesday, allowing him to be on the field with his teammates for the first time since the offseason. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss Nolen’s return, including when he might play. Craig and Zach also touch on Darius Robinson coming back to practice; Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. being limited participants at practice; and Kelvin Beachum’s role now that Travis Vokolek has joined Tip Reiman on injured reserve; plus, the Melton brothers, Max and Bo, get reunited on Sunday and Mack Wilson Sr. is doing something no other player is doing through six games.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 935 - New week. Same result. And same issue: The Arizona Cardinals have yet to find the answer in how to finish games. Sometimes it’s the offense and sometimes it’s the defense. On Sunday, it was both. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi look back at Sunday’s 31-27 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. The offense, with backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who earned the coveted Angry Bird Award, played well for large stretches of the game, but needed to make one more play. The defense, tough to move the football against in the first half, failed to get off the field in the fourth quarter. They, too, needed to make one more play, one more stop.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 934 - So, there’s Jonathan Gannon’s return, Jacoby Brissett’s return, but it’s the return of Marvin Harrison Jr. that has grabbed the most headlines this week. Harrison returns to Indianapolis on Sunday and plays his first regular season game at Lucas Oil Stadium, the place where his Hall of Fame father had so much success with the Colts. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman look ahead to the Week 6 matchup, including going into enemy territory. They speak with Stephen Holder, who covers the Colts for ESPN. But first, who will be QB1 for the Cardinals? Who will be throwing passes to Harrison? Will it be Kyler Murray, who has missed most of practice this week because of a foot injury, or will it be Jacoby Brissett?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 933 - It’s still early in the week, but it’s never good when your starting quarterback misses practice. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss Kyler Murray’s absence because of a foot injury; the confidence head coach Jonathan Gannon has in backup Jacoby Brissett; and what the offense might look like with Brissett under center. That’s all hypothetical right now. What will be an adjustment for the offense is not having Tip Reiman, who’s been placed on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. Also, Craig and Dani talk about Will Hernandez’s return to the lineup, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s return to Indianapolis, and just how well the Colts are playing both on offense and defense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 932 - It was a great start. In fact, the Cardinals couldn’t have started much better with three touchdowns on their first four possessions. And then the bottom fell out and the Cardinals couldn’t finish, the story of the last three weeks. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman try - and they try real hard - to make sense of what happened, or better said, what didn’t happen on Sunday as the Cardinals got walked off for the third straight game, 22-21, by the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium. Was it play calling or play execution? Regardless, it’s hard to win when, as both Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray said postgame, you keep shooting yourself in the foot. The Cardinals had the game won until they didn’t.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 931 - For fans and for media, yes, it’s easy to maybe look past an opponent. For coaches and for players, no, their focus must be what’s immediately in front of them and that’s the Tennessee Titans. And what we’ve heard from all parties this week is that the Titans’ winless record is not a reflection of the talent on the field. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman preview Sunday’s matchup, including going into enemy territory. They speak with Jim Wyatt, senior writer/editor for tennesseetitans-dot-com. But before that conversation, though, Craig and Zach give the latest on second-year defensive lineman Darius Robinson, who is dealing with a chest injury he suffered against Seattle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 930 - No James Conner. And now no Trey Benson. The running back room has taken another hit, and a significant one at that. The role of RB1 will now be played by Emari Demercado, Michael Carter, and Bam Knight. And it may just take all three. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss where the Cardinals go from here, who might be asked to carry the load and whether the run game - slow to get going through four games - may look a little different minus Conner and Benson. Also, Craig and Dani react to what Marvin Harrison Jr. had to say speaking to reporters on Wednesday. We had not heard from Harrison since his fourth-quarter performance against the Seahawks. Did something finally click? Let’s hope so.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 929 - Yes, the offense needs to be better. Head coach Jonathan Gannon made that clear after Thursday night’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and he has repeated the sentiment since. The question is what needs to “change and adapt” and, maybe more importantly, how much change is needed. Craig Grialou - back from a big ‘change’ in his own life - and Zach Gershman discuss what they think may change with the offense, though both agree that whatever may change that it will be minor; it’s too hard to make major changes midseason. Also, there was both good and not-so-good news at Monday’s bonus practice; a couple of players returned from injury but then there were a couple of players who were not seen during the open portion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 928 - In just five days, the Arizona Cardinals have suffered two heartbreaking losses that both came down to their opponents making last second field goals. Dani Sureck and Zach Gershman are here to break down what happened in the Cardinals' 23-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. The offense sputtered for the first three quarters; Marvin Harrison Jr. was able to rebound in the fourth quarter after more trouble with drops in the early stages of the game; the defense played well but weren't able to come up with that crucial stop late. Plus, some notes on Friday from the head coach Jonathan Gannon on what's working and not working after watching the tape and a bit of an update on players on the PUP list. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 927 - Lost the game. Lost James Conner. The Cardinals did not enjoy their weekend in the Bay Area. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi try and make sense of what happened on Sunday, a 16-15 loss to a 49ers team minus its starting quarterback, No. 1 wide receiver and tight end plus played without its best pass rusher for the final three quarters. There are a lot of concerns with the offense, from an inconsistent run game to inexplicable drops in the pass game. And now Conner is reportedly lost for the season? Ouch. The defense, meanwhile, did its part. Mack Wilson Sr., who earned Paul’s weekly Angry Bird Award, may have played his best game; Calais Campbell is defying Father Time; and Rabbit Taylor-Demerson recorded his first career interception.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 926 - After taking care of a pair of NFC South opponents in the first two weeks, the Cardinals play their first division opponent on Sunday. They hit the road to face the San Francisco 49ers, a team, like the Cardinals, that is 2-0 to begin the season. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss the NFC West matchup; their thoughts on what it’s going to take to win; how injuries, especially at the cornerback position, may affect the gameplan; and they also hear from Matt Barrows. That’s right, Craig and Zach venture into enemy territory and speak with Matt, who covers the 49ers for The Athletic; topics include who is playing quarterback, what a healthy Christian McCaffrey means for the offense and how Robert Saleh’s return has impacted the defense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 925 - So, first it was Sean Murphy-Bunting, then Starling Thomas and now Garrett Williams, who on Wednesday landed on injured reserve. On top of that, Will Johnson missed practice because of a groin injury. The cornerback depth is being tested. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss what the plan may be moving forward, beginning Sunday in San Francisco. Will that mean more opportunity for Kei’Trel Clark and Denzel Burke? What about Darren Hall, who was signed to the active roster from the practice squad? Or does the responsibility fall on the front seven? Also, Craig and Dani look ahead to the matchup against the 49ers - Is Brock Purdy going to play? How do you slow down Christian McCaffrey? - and explain why the NFC West is the best division in football.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ep. 924 - Offense wins games, defense wins championships, right? Well, at least to begin 2025, defense is wining games for the Arizona Cardinals. For the second straight week, it was the defense that finished the game, and if we’re being honest, it was a game that was a lot closer than it needed to be. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi look back at Sunday’s 27-22 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals win their home opener, and improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2021, behind a defense that yes, struggled to get off the field late but made the play(s) when needed - shout-out Calais Campbell, who earned this week’s Angry Bird Award - and an offense that remains a work in progress, especially in the run game.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.