Cardinals Cover 2

Ep. 713 - And here’s hoping the Cardinals deliver what every fan wants: a win. The Cardinals will be spending Christmas Eve day in Chicago, the first of back-to-back road games to close out the calendar year. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss the matchup. Who is and who isn’t available? Plus, the guys get the Chicago perspective. Kevin Fishbain, Bears beat writer for The Athletic, joins the...

Ep. 712 - The number is zero. As in zero sacks over the past three weeks. And it’s not just about the sacks. The Cardinals aren’t doing enough to affect the quarterback, and the defense has suffered as a result. The solution? Find what the Chicago Bears, this week’s opponent, found with the acquisition of Montez Sweat. He has almost single-handily turned around that defense. Craig Grialou and Dani...

Ep. 711 - One thing is guaranteed about the 2023 Arizona Cardinals: They will compete. And they will compete until the clock shows triple zeros. Unfortunately, when that happened on Sunday, the Cardinals were on the wrong end of a 45-29 decision to the visiting San Francisco 49ers. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi - yes, he’s back - look back at the Week 15 loss. The offense was good, at times, i.e....

Ep. 710 - To be honest, it’s a very good offense that Brock Purdy - valley native - is leading. And that is the challenge facing the Cardinals on Sunday. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman preview the Week 15 matchup at State Farm Stadium. It’s the second time the Cardinals will face the 49ers, though the first time with Kyler Murray, who missed the Week 4 game. The Cardinals are 2-2 since Murray’s r...

Ep. 709 - Four games left. Two at home. Two on the road. Two against the division. And all are important for a number of players, when we start looking ahead to next season. The coaches won’t look ahead, but Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck will. Who, outside of Kyler Murray, are these final four games most important for, both on offense and defense? Also, the latest from Wednesday’s practice. Hollyw...

Ep. 708 - After a few days off, it was back to work for coaches and players on Monday. And it appeared that the bye week was beneficial for a handful of players who had been missing in action. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman speak to who was - Michael Wilson - and who wasn’t - Hollywood Brown - on the practice field. Other topics of discussion included what a returning Antonio Hamilton may mean at...

Ep. 707 - In the end, the weather was not a factor. It just delayed the outcome; and maybe even made the result even more impressive. The Cardinals went into Pittsburgh, braved the elements, and left Acrisure Stadium with a 24-10 win and their first road victory of the season. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi look back at all that went right for the Cardinals, highlighted by the homecoming performan...

Ep. 706 - It has been three years since James Conner left Pittsburgh, his home both in college and the start of his NFL career, for Arizona. Sunday marks his return. And hopefully marks his return to being the focal point of the offense. James was not last week against the Rams. This week, though, that should change. It needs to change. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss the game with the Ste...

Ep. 705 - Six carries is not enough. James Conner needs to be featured more, and this may be the perfect week to get him the football. He’s going back to Pittsburgh. Plus, weather may be a factor. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck look ahead to Sunday’s game against the Steelers, the team Conner played his first four seasons in the league with. Other topics discussed: Dante Stills’ play along the defe...

Ep. 704 - Three games. Seven weeks of practice. Kyler Murray is just getting started, while the rest of his teammates are nearing the end. So, yes, there are going to be games like Sunday, especially on offense. But what separated Week 12 from the previous weeks was that it wasn’t just the offense. It was the defense. It was special teams. It was the entire team. And as a result, the Cardinals los...

Ep. 703 - For the first time this season, the Cardinals will see a team for a second time. It was six weeks ago when the Cardinals and Rams last played. It did not go well for the Cardinals, especially in the second half. The difference this time around? Well, for one, Kyler Murray will be on the field and in action. He was a spectator during the first meeting. Also, James Conner, Budda Baker and...

Ep. 702 – Happy Thanksgiving, Birdgang! There may not be a better day on the calendar. A day that combines three of our favorite things. Before the holiday, Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck begin to look ahead to the Week 12 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Who will be available? Who might not be available? And should we be concerned about Michael Wilson’s shoulder injury? Plus, Kyzir White was...

Ep. 701 - There was a lack of complimentary football played on Sunday in Houston. The offense and the defense never could get on the same page. The offense started well and then sputtered, while the defense got off to a slow start before pitching a shutout in the second half. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman look back at the 21-16 loss to the Texans. “Frustrating” is the word Kyler Murray used to d...

Ep. 700 - Yes, a lot of eyes will be on Kyler Murray on Sunday. He’s making his second straight start and first start on the road. How does he follow up his season debut? Well, a similar question can be asked about Trey McBride. After a career day a week ago, what does the second-year tight end do for an encore? Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss both Murray and McBride as it relates to this...

Ep. 699 - Game one was good. Very good. Kyler Murray checked off a lot of boxes in his return. Another box will be checked this week when he plays in his first road game. Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck discuss both Murray’s performance against the Atlanta Falcons and what awaits against the Houston Texans. Also, there are good conversations about how the Cardinals are getting healthier – D.J. Humph...

Ep. 698 - It was like he was never hurt. Kyler Murray looked like Kyler Murray on Sunday. In other words, he showed no signs of a knee injury that had kept him sidelined for the past 11 months. Murray’s return helped the Cardinals return to the win column for the first time since Week 3. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss what they saw from Murray in a 25-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons. In a...

Ep. 697 - When Kyler Murray takes the field on Sunday, it will have been 335 days since he last played in a game. In other words, a long time ago. There is excitement. There is curiosity. There is a lot of unknown. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman look ahead to Murray’s return and the matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The Cardinals also are expected to have the services of James Conner. But what...

Ep. 696 - Activated off PUP. Taking first-team reps. All signs are pointing to Kyler Murray making his season debut as the Arizona Cardinals starting quarterback on Sunday. So, what do we want to see; what do we hope to see? Also, who benefits the most from Murray’s return? All questions Craig Grialou and Dani Sureck tackle on Wednesday’s show. And Murray may not be the only player back this week....

Ep. 695 - Not a good homecoming for the head coach. Not a good first impression by the rookie quarterback. Almost nothing went right for the Cardinals on Sunday. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi look back at the 27-0 loss in Cleveland, the hometown of Jonathan Gannon. Meanwhile, fifth-round draft pick Clayton Tune did not play well in his first career start. Then, again, the entire offense did not p...

Ep. 694 - Will it be Kyler Murray or will it be Clayton Tune who gets the start in Cleveland on Sunday? Head coach Jonathan Gannon said Friday he’d know in the “next 24 hours” who will be QB1. The expectation, though, is that Tune will get the nod. Craig Grialou and Zach Gershman discuss what the offense might look like with the fifth-round draft pick out of Houston under center. And, more importa...

Ep. 693 - New week, same question. Is this the week we see Kyler Murray make his season debut? There is a possibility, though Dani Sureck is done making predictions on the subject. She - wrongfully - thought Murray would play against the Baltimore Ravens. Sureck and Craig Grialou are in agreement in their belief that it will be Clayton Tune, the rookie out of Houston, who will be QB1 in Cleveland....

Ep. 692 - Turnovers. Turnovers on downs. The Cardinals did themselves no favors on Sunday. The loss to the Baltimore Ravens was not as close as the final score would indicate. Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi look back at the 31-24 defeat. Joshua Dobbs did not play well. He hasn’t played well now for a good four games, yet he will remain the starter according to Jonathan Gannon. Should he? Is Clayto...

Ep. 691 - For the first time, Hollywood Brown faces his former team. The reunion takes place on Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens visit State Farm Stadium. Brown leads the Cardinals in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. In other words, he’s having a good year. Now, will he have his good friend Kyler Murray throwing him the football here in Week 8? That is an excellent question. C...

Ep. 690 – Is two weeks of practice enough for Kyler Murray to make his return? Dani Sureck believes it is, and she has been steadfast in her belief ever since Murray was designated to return. Craig Grialou, meanwhile, thinks Murray would benefit from more practice time before making his season debut. Who’s right? We’ll see. But it should be noted that Murray was listed as a full participant on Wed...

Ep. 689 - It’s a passing league and right now, the Cardinals don’t have a passing game. At least not a successful passing game. Is that on the quarterback, the offensive line, the receivers, or a combination of all of the above? Whatever the reason, the Cardinals need to get it fixed. That is the backdrop as Craig Grialou and Paul Calvisi discuss Sunday’s 20-10 loss at the Seattle Seahawks. While...