The Arizona Cardinals have lost seven games this season. The 36-26 loss they suffered to the San Francisco 49ers seemed to take more of a toll on the players than others.
They had a 26-23 lead with about six minutes left in the game and the 49ers scored the game-winning touchdown with 31 seconds left in the game.
Reporters said there were long faces. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray was visibly frustrated.
“I’m used to winning,” Murray told reporters after the game. “I’ve always won, and being in situations when you go up 16 or you’re in position to win and you should win, it’s disappointing.”
Murray experienced more losing in one year in the NFL than he did as a starter in all his years in high school in and in college.
This week was really the first time it appeared to weigh on him.
His resolve remains, though.
“I’m a competitor,” he said. “I love the game of football, so every time I touch the field, I’m going to do me. I’m going to go hard for the guys in the locker room so that’s really all I can do, leave it all on the field. We just came up short.”
The Cardinals get a week off and then have the chance to right things with three games in a row at home against teams they viably could beat — the Rams, Steelers and Browns.
It doesn’t make Murray feel any better.
“A loss is a loss. We’ve got to get better.”
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
