The Arizona Cardinals allowed a third win this season to slip through their finger in the most literal way in the Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans, 22-21.
With just under 13 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on Sunday, the Cardinals had a chance to nearly seal the game with a 76-yard run by running back Emari Demercado, which initially appeared to be a touchdown that would have put them up 27-6. However, after review, it was determined that Demercado released the football before fully crossing the goal line, resulting in a touchback. Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon was seen on the sideline after the play going off on Demercado for the mistake.
Demercado had 81 yards rushing in the game, but had that touchdown wiped away. Gannon wasted little time letting the third-year running back out of TCU know he’s in the dog house. After starting the season 2-0, the Cardinals are now moving in the wrong direction, having lost three in a row after Sunday’s loss to the Titans.
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Gannon’s team is competing, but has lost three consecutive games now by a total of five points. They’ve played well enough to be in these games late, but haven’t been able to put teams away for the win. In Week 3, Arizona lost at San Francisco 16-15. Over the last two weeks at home, the Cardinals fell to the Seahawks, 23-20, and then the Titans on Sunday, 22-21.
Though the Cardinals are yet to finish with a winning record under Gannon, the team did improve from year one to two. In Gannon’s first season (2023) as head coach in Arizona, they finished 4-13. Last season, the Cardinals were able to double that win total and finish 8-9. Despite the improvement, there have already been whispers about Gannon’s job security with this season being a pivotal one.
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After losing three straight games and that sideline tirade after Demercado’s slip-up, Gannon’s coaching seat could continue to get hotter by the week. Arizona’s schedule doesn’t get any easier as they’ll visit Indianapolis next, for a Week 6 showdown with the 4-1 Colts on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. on FOX.
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