The Cardinals put together one of the worst losses in recent memory on Sunday.
Through three quarters, the Cardinals held a 21-6 lead over the Titans, and were well on their way to their third win of the year. Instead, however, Arizona allowed previously winless Tennessee to score 16 unanswered points to win the game 22-21.
Among the blunders in the Cardinals' loss was running back Emari Demercado's fumble in the fourth quarter of the game. Demercado broke into the open field and was on his way to a 71-yard touchdown run that would have given the Cardinals a 28-6 lead. The only problem? Demercado let go of the football before crossing the goal line. He flicked the football out of his hand and it rolled out the back of the end zone, resulting in a touchback for the Titans and no points for the Cardinals.
“I just made a mistake. Really no excuse. ... Emotional, big play, but I just got to be smarter," Demercado said after the game.
"It's never about just one play," Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said after the game.
Quarterback Kyler Murray, who said this might be the frustrating loss of his career, noted, “I'm really close with Emari. I know his character, I know his IQ of the game. Never in a million years, I wouldn't think that Emari would do that, but obviously we all mistakes. He’s going to take that on the chin, he understands that. At the end of the day, we know we got to be better."
“He’s going to take that on the chin, he understands that.”
— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) October 6, 2025
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray on RB Emari Demercado fumbling the football at the goal line @PHNX_Cardinals pic.twitter.com/T6zo95clJQ
Following Demercado's fumble, the Titans drove down 80 yards for a touchdown. They then scored on an interception that improbably was fumbled and recovered in the end zone. After another Cardinals' punt, the Titans went down the field and scored the game-winning field goal.
The Cardinals have now dropped three straight and fall to 2-3 on the year. They head to Indianapolis to face the Colts next week.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Cardinals RB Emari Demercado Had Simple Response to Boneheaded Fumble in Loss to Titans.
