Cam Newton threw for just 84 yards in New England's 20-17 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He was sacked three times. He turned the ball over twice.
One might argue that this isn't the Cam Newton of old, and that the Cardinals defensive accomplishments in this game ought not be overblown, but this is the same Cam Newton who threw for 365 yards at Houston the week before. This is the same Cam Newton who hadn't thrown an interception in four weeks. This was the same Cam Newton who hadn't taken 3+ sacks in a game in six weeks. This is the same Cam Newton who came into the game averaging one rushing touchdown per game on the season (He didn't score today).
Despite their offensive struggles, Newton and the Patriots still found a way to win, because the Cardinals offense failed to rise to the occasion and meet the effort of the defense.
And because of that, Arizona falls to 6-5 on the season, and are a miracle "Hail Murray" play away from digesting their fourth consecutive loss.
So what, if anything, needs to change?
Some of the Arizona Cardinals struggles are completely outside the realm of what the team can control. Kyler Murray was obviously not at full strength physically, which largely eliminated his ability to be a threat in the run game.
Coming into the game against New England, Murray had 18 straight contests of producing at least one passing and/or rushing touchdown. That streak ended, and it seemed to largely be related to whatever physical discomfort was left over from last Thursdays' loss to the Seahawks. It was evident that he'd be limited as a runner early in the game, when Patriots DB Stephon Gilmore successfully sealed the outside off on a Kyler Murray run, and Murray willingly ran out of bounds for a three yard loss. Once the Patriots didn't have to plan for Murray's explosive improvisation, nor Kliff Kingsbury game planning designed runs into his scheme, they were able to exploit a weakness within a more traditional offensive attack- Kyler Murray's size.
It wasn't just Kyler Murray having a batted pass turn into an interception, something that has happened on multiple occasions this year, but also the Cardinals inability to line up under center and attempt a sneak in goal line situations, which potentially cost the Cardinals when they elected to go for it as time expired in the first half.
While some may question Kliff Kingsbury's decision not to kick a field goal and take the easy points right before the half, it's easy to also make the argument that Kingsbury is reticent to make use of his kicker at all. Zane Gonzalez came into the game against the Patriots as one of only two kickers on a winning team to have 4+ misses from beyond 40 yards (Stephen Gostkowski is the other), and 26th in the league in overall accuracy. Gonzalez' coming up short on a 49 yard attempt in the final minutes against Miami cost the Cardinals an opportunity to tie the game, and now, Gonzalez pushing a field goal attempt wide right late in the game against New England might be the final straw for fans and the organization alike.
Kyler Murray's health and Zane Gonzalez' inability to make late field goals aren't alone as culprits of this loss. Christian Kirk dropping a late touchdown pass, Kliff Kingsbury's decision to take Kyler Murray out of the offense completely by running the ball on the Cardinals last three downs before the missed field goal, the misfortune of having no clear replay angle on Kenyan Drake's non-touchdown before the half, and Larry Fitzgerald missing the game due to a positive Covid-19 test all factored into the lack of functionality of the Cardinals offense.
While some of those issues are correctable, they may not get another defensive effort like the one they had against New England, and for that reason alone, the offensive shortcomings can't continue if this team expects to have success in the critical last third of the season.
