Cards begin preseason with loss to Cowboys
After former Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner was recognized with other new members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the 2017 Cardinals kicked off their preseason schedule Thursday with a 20-18 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. Starters such as quarterback Carson Palmer, running back David Johnson and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald didn’t play, but QB Blaine Gabbert, vying for a backup spot, looked solid, completing 11 of his 14 passes.
CANTON, Ohio – Cut and paste in the fine print. Announce all the qualifiers in an auctioneer’s cadence, like they do at the end of car commercials.
It was one night. In August. Quarterback Blaine Gabbert, a sevenyear veteran, was playing against the Cowboys’ backups. And few will remember the outcome of the 2017 Hall of Fame Game (Cowboys 20, Cardinals 18).
All are valid. But the fact is, Gabbert’s Cardinals debut Thursday night could not have gone any better.
The Cardinals scored on long touchdown drives on their first two possessions, with Gabbert completing all seven of his attempts. He made a variety of throws: quick slants against pressure, crossing routes when he had time and seam throws to tight ends.
Gabbert didn’t throw for a touchdown, but he did sneak the ball over the goal line on a conversion try to give the Cardinals a 15-0 lead.
“I was really pleased with Blaine,” coach Bruce Arians said. “Good command, calm, poised. He was (coming) off his initial targets, finding guys, standing in the pocket and very calm, very accurate.”
Gabbert completed his first eight passes, but it should have been his first 10. Marquis Bundy dropped the ninth attempt and running back Andre Ellington the eighth.
Gabbert, who didn’t play in the second half, completed 11 of 14 passes for 185 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Rookie Trevor Knight took over for Gabbert in the second half.
“It was fun,” Gabbert said, “with this being the first training camp, the first preseason game in the system. We were clicking pretty well there for a few minutes.”
A first-round pick by Jacksonville in 2011, Gabbert is 9-31 as a starter in the NFL's regular season. He’s played with some bad teams and for six different offensive coordinators. But he also didn’t change the fortunes of those bad teams – the Jaguars and 49ers – which is why Gabbert was available to the Cardinals on the cheap this offseason
Gabbert helped his cause on Thursday, but it's impossible to say how much. Drew Stanton didn't play, and he remains the leading contender to back up Carson Palmer, who also didn't play.
At the very least, however, Gabbert made a case to be the No. 3 quarterback.
“Anytime you can get in game situations, the reps are invaluable,” Gabbert said. “You go out there and practice dayin and day-out against the same defense, but any time you can carry that over to the game … you can really see how this offense can get rolling.”
While pleased with his performance, Gabbert added his own asterisks to it.
“It’s the first preseason game, one of five this year,” Gabbert said. “Some mistakes were made that we have to learn from, but it’s a long training camp.”
Arians singled out a handful of other players for good performances, including running back T.J. Logan, linebacker Haason Reddick and defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche. Logan and Reddick are rookies, and Nkemdiche is in his second season. Logan suffered a wrist injury in the second half.
There were plenty of other areas that look like they need work.
The team’s lack of depth at cornerback was apparent. Harlan Miller and Brandon Williams, competing for backup jobs, were beaten deep in the first half.
Miller appeared to lose his man at the line of scrimmage, and only help from a safety prevented it from resulting in a touchdown.
In addition to giving up a long pass on third down, Williams also was called for pass interference.. Those obviously aren’t going to help his efforts to challenge starter Justin Bethel or to even participate in the nickel and dime defensive packages.
A third-round pick last year, Williams lost his starting job after two games. He had played cornerback only one year in college, and the Cardinals are hoping another year at the position will help Williams.
The Cowboys’ backup offense had nearly as much success as the Cardinals'. After trailing 15-0, the Cowboys scored 10 points on their next two possessions.
They were threatening on a third, but Williams bounced back to intercept a pass in the end zone.
The defensive struggles continued at the start of the second half. The Cowboys scored on their first possession when a protection breakdown on fourth down left receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu open in the middle of the field. He easily scored from 14 yards out to give the Cowboys their first lead, 17-15.
“That’s a game we should have won, don’t care about who was out there on the field,” Arians said. “I thought some young guys really showed up, really pleased with some of them, not so with some others.
“But it was a good first start.”