Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw three interceptions into the bread basket of Arizona Cardinals‘ defenders, and somehow his team still escaped State Farm Stadium with a win in Week 12. The 27-24 defeat has to sting severely for Cardinals fans, and head coach Jonathan Gannon has entered into an emotional despair that words can barely explain.
The game seemed manageable, the Cardinals held a 14-10 lead with an opportunity to push the advantage to 17-10. Of course, that is until kicker Chad Ryland missed a relatively easy 33-yard field goal in the second quarter.
The Jaguars pushed the envelope by establishing a 17-14 lead and moved the ball up and down the field with little resistance in the third quarter. The 16-play drive of vanity by the Cardinals in the second quarter turned out to be the most pivotal of the game as the following four possessions ended in punts, allowing the Jaguars’ defense impeccable rest in the 2nd half. This may particularly be the reason the Jaguars seemed to be more energized in the games latter minutes, when the outcome was still in jeopardy.
Enthusiasm is the missing element from the Cardinals, and indifference is written all over Gannon’s countenance, whether he attempts to posture in hope or not. After consecutive blowout losses, Week 12 was Gannon’s opportunity to defend home field versus a Jags team that was without their main two wide receivers. Still, there’s a cleave to mediocrity that begs for a change in command and that implication is made even more exclamatory when we assess the way in which Lawrence and the opposition struggled. Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis did everything he could to keep the team within striking distance in the third quarter, but the final fate tells a story of letdown, one that has been recurring for the Cardinals franchise in 2025.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Trevor Lawrence was ultra jive, but the Cardinals let the Jags survive
