The NFL is about attrition as much as anything else, and how a team can overcome issues as the season wears on. It was hard to get past that idea on Sunday, when the battered Cardinals tried to win on the road in a game they had to have and most assumed they were going to have and yet could not.

That they got to overtime did mean something. The way that game in Carolina played out, the Cards seemed dead a few times, only to CPR their chances back to life. Getting in a 17-point hole can't happen, though. That was the controllable part. Losing James Conner, among others? That's not controllable, and that probably was the crippling blow.

Jonathan Gannon won't say that. Nor should he. But Conner is Conner, and he was the reason the Cardinals got back in the game in the first place.

It's a short week to prepare for the surging Rams, and fewer days for a Conner, or a Jonah Williams, or a Paris Johnson, or a Mack Wilson to get healthy isn't ideal.

"We're going to come out and play hard these next two games," defensive lineman L.J. Collier said in the aftermath of playoff elimination. "We're not going to lay down, if that's what you're expecting."

That's what Gannon – even-keeled as always in his postgame comments – wants. That's the approach he needs from his team. Next year, expectations will be high. But there are two games left for this season first.

-- On Murray's third-down interception in the fourth quarter when, rolling right, he underthrew Michael Wilson. He also had tight end Trey McBride past the line to gain shorter. Murray acknowledged he saw McBride as well. He thought if he could get it to Wilson it would be a touchdown.

-- McBride wasn't a factor. He had three catches for 20 yards (although he had an 11-yard catch on the game's first play when Harrison was flagged for offensive offsides. Harrison said he checked with the official and usually would get a warning if he was in an offside position.) McBride did draw a pass interference call in the end zone, leading to the DeeJay Dallas TD.

-- The touchdown for Dallas was his first on offense since he scored two rushing TDs and had a receiving TD for the Seahawks in 2021. Dallas did score on a kickoff return in Week 1 for the Cardinals.

-- Harrison Jr. and Kyler Murray are still trying to find total chemistry. On the game's first drive, Murray threw deep on a pass that Harrison read as cutting short and out, another miscommunication that could've led to an interception. Harrison and Murray also couldn't hook up on an end zone fade. Harrison finished with four catches for 39 yards on eight targets.

-- Aside from losing right tackle Jonah Williams to a knee injury and running back James Conner to a knee injury, the Cardinals also had both special-teams ace Joey Blount (ribs) and outside linebacker Baron Browning (neck) leave the game.

Bryce Young wasn't spectacular by any means. But he had two TD passes, didn't turn the ball over, and had 68 yards rushing – an issue Gannon said was a problem in the first half especially.

-- Murray's TD run, 20 yards, was a designed run and looked beautiful. He ran the ball well multiple times. It makes a difference when he does.

-- Gannon said he really didn't think twice about going for it on fourth-and-2 at his own 19 in overtime. Michael Carter picked up four yards on the carry, although they stalled right after.

"I wanted to win the game," Gannon said. "I knew if we don't get it we lose the game. But we felt good about the play, and I thought if we got it we'd go down and kick a field goal to win the game."

-- The running back situation could get very interesting if Trey Benson's ankle isn't better and Conner can't go. Carter, Dallas and Tony Jones Jr. in L.A.?

-- The last word goes to savvy veteran Kelvin Beachum, who played left tackle for Johnson and with the injuries figures to need to start somewhere next week too.

"(Legendary coach) Bill Parcells says this, 'You are what your record says you are. Our record is what it says it is. I'm not going to try to sugarcoat it."

That's all for tonight. Time to fly home.