GLENDALE – Week 16 was a rough one for the Arizona Cardinals. Besides the 26-19 loss to the Atlanta Falcons to force their seventh straight loss and home loss, Arizona lost multiple key starters to significant lower body injuries. In the first quarter, cornerback Garrett Williams had an Achilles injury that had him carried out, while rookie defensive tackle Walter Nolen had a knee injury that had him carted off.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Sunday was an emotional day for the Cardinals, but head coach Jonathan Gannon was proud of how the guys competed afterwards and responded for their teammates.
Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon looks on from the sidelines during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Gannon the team needing to respond after injuries:
“We’ve had a lot of attrition, it’s hard,” Gannon said. “Guys went in there and fought their tail off and executed pretty well.
“The human side of me feels horrible for the guys on the ground. You got to refocus and go play football. We talked about that with out guys, and it doesn’t just happen to us, it happens to everybody. Obviously, they feel bad for their teammate, they feel down they’re not going to be out there, but you got to go play football.”
Nov 19, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon walks the sidelines as he coaches against the Houston Texans in the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Gannon doesn’t want to put the blame on the injuries because every NFL team has to deal with injures. However, he acknowledges how tough it is to his players to continue to play after losing their teammate. The third-year Cardinals coach states his staff always plan during the week for the next man up incase of injury and ensuring that the team is prepare for any scenario.
After the game, Gannon told the players in the locker room that they are on the team for the reason and anyone can step up and make an impact. For the franchise that has had the most games missed by players this season due to injury, that message rings true as Gannon and Arizona look to finish the final two weeks of the season.
Cardinals conservative approach leads to 26-19 loss to Falcons
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
