The Cardinals' offense and defense must find a way to mesh better together in their production, quarterback Kyler Murray said, and that will go a long way in finding their way back into the win column.
"I don't think it's about moving the ball," Murray said. "We can we move the ball. I think for us as a team it's more about playing complementary football and we've got to do that a lot better. The defense will get a stop and we'll go three-and-out, (or) we'll score, we'll give up a touchdown. We've got be on the same accord, we got to play better complementary football to be where we want to be at the end of this thing."
The Cards didn't play consistently in Carolina, but that was just one game, Murray said. And the Cards did have 377 yards and 28 first downs in their only other loss.
Jets coach Adam Gase called the Cardinals' offense "problematic" and said the Jets better be ready for the Cards' tempo. That's the area wide receiver Christian Kirk said the Cards had been unable to capitalize on against the Panthers.
The big deficits the Cardinals faced during the game ate into run game attempts, and while Murray was able to complete 24 passes, the Cards only could get 133 yards out of them.
"When I watched their offensive film, I can see what he'd be thinking on a lot of the plays that he calls," Gase said. "I know we've got different styles of quarterbacks, but I can see what he was trying to do."
Murray has no concern about the Cardinals' passing game or its effectiveness.
"I feel like the first three weeks the ball was going downfield," Murray said. "Last week was one week. Like I said, we're not panicking over one week."
NO DARNOLD FOR JETS
The potential battle of young quarterbacks Sunday was scotched after the Jets ruled the No. 3 overall 2018 pick, quarterback Sam Darnold, out because of a shoulder injury. Veteran Joe Flacco will start in his place.
"He knows our playbook well," Gase said of Flacco. Gase had told New York reporters earlier in the day it wasn't worth risking Darnold's future to play through the injury suffered last Thursday against the Broncos.
Flacco has two career starts against the Cardinals when he was with the Ravens, beating the Cards in Baltimore in 2011 but losing to the Cards at State Farm Stadium in 2015.
HOPKINS ANKLE NO LONGER PART OF INJURY REPORT
Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins didn't practice Wednesday as is his pattern, but he is no longer listed with an ankle injury and said even last week – when he didn't practice at all -- he never doubted that he'd be on the field in Carolina.
"I don't miss games, unless I have one leg or something," Hopkins said.
Linebacker Devon Kennard (calf), tight end Darrell Daniels (thigh) and safety Chris Banjo (hamstring) did not practice, and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive lineman Corey Peters were each taking a vet's day off. Cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick (calf) was limited.
Besides Darnold, missing practice for the Jets were tackle Mekhi Becton (shoulder), cornerback Bless Austin (calf), linebacker Jordan Jenkins (shoulder/calf) and wide receiver Breshad Perriman (ankle). The Jets did activate running back Le'Veon Bell from IR, he practiced, and the Jets could in theory bring him back to play Sunday.
HOPKINS ON O'BRIEN FIRING
Hopkins and former Texans GM/coach Bill O'Brien will be forever intertwined not only because the two spent so much time together in Houston but also because O'Brien traded away the three-time All-Pro amid reports that he and Hopkins had disagreement on a number of subjects.
But after O'Brien was fired Tuesday, Hopkins on Wednesday took the high road.
"Of course I saw it," Hopkins said. "It was all over the internet, a lot of memes and stuff with me in it and my name, but I wish bad on no one. ... Hopefully he can have success somewhere else."
RILEY BACK ON PRACTICE SQUAD
The Cardinals re-signed safety Curtis Riley, who was cut Tuesday, to the practice squad and restored safety Kentrell Brice to the practice squad from the PS/Injured Reserve. The Cards had an extra practice squad spot because the Seahawks signed veteran defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard.
