Sunday's win was big for Jonah Williams, and no, it wasn't just because the right tackle scored his first touchdown since sixth grade. In each game Williams had started this season, the Cardinals hadn't been able to secure a victory.
That changed in Sunday's 30-17 win over the Patriots.
"When I was hurt and watching the guys win, it was great to come into the locker room after and everyone is real positive and happy, but it's obviously a lot more fun when you're a part of it too," Williams said Monday. "I love the culture of this team, and it's cool to see that paying off with a win."
Since the Cardinals came back after the bye -- and Williams made his return to the starting lineup after a knee injury found him on Injured Reserve -- the offense hadn't been able to find its rhythm.
Despite the challenges they've faced in previous weeks, the offense was able to chip away against the Patriots. Four trips to the red zone included a pair of James Conner rushing touchdowns and the aforementioned Williams score.
"I feel like we've come up short with a bunch of field goals in the last couple games and in this game, we were able to at least get in the end zone a couple of times which gives us a little bit of breathing room and puts them on their heels a little bit more," Williams said. "Getting in the red zone, it actually gets harder, not easier to score."
The Cardinals tried getting tight end Trey McBride his first receiving touchdown of the season on a shovel pass by the goal-line but to no avail. Instead, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing called up run plays that featured offensive lineman Jon Gaines II at fullback, paving a gap for Conner to reach the end zone.
Conner rushed for 110 yards on 16 attempts, while quarterback Kyler Murray finished the game 23-of-30 for 224 yards.
After the game, while happy with the win, Murray seemed unsatisfied with the performance.
"I thought it was efficient," he said. "I didn't think it was unbelievable, but I thought it was efficient.
"I think offensively, we could be better, but (it) definitely feels good to come out with a win. Especially a win where we felt like we should come here and do what we're supposed to do."
Murray credited the defense for having their back, while Williams said their goal-line stand in the third quarter swung the momentum in their direction.
With a critical game against the Panthers on deck, the Cardinals are hoping to use Sunday's victory as a steppingstone. While Williams said he's happy the offense was able to get back on track, as preparation begins, their approach remains the same.
"It's positive momentum for us," Williams said. "From here on out, we got to win them all and that's our mindset going into everything, but there's definitely a heightened sense of urgency."
