Michael Wilson keeps his phone close, anticipating messages or calls from quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who often reaches out to discuss plays and strategies for the Arizona Cardinals’ passing game.
“You get a two-minute phone call,” Wilson said. “(He’ll say) ‘Go to play 56 when Jacksonville played the Bengals, I like how Ja’Marr Chase did this, I see you running it this way.'”
“He does that continuously,” he added.
Brissett aims not to disrupt his teammates but feels frequent communication is important.
“I try to (reach out) as little as I need to, but as much as I can just because I don’t want to interrupt other people’s day,” Brissett said. “I don’t even really care to be honest with you. I just do it. I apologize. I always say, ‘Hey, I’m sorry, but,’ then when it works out in the game, they’re like, ‘Alright, I see why it happens.'”
With Kyler Murray officially sidelined for the rest of the season—a decision confirmed by head coach Jonathan Gannon—Brissett will start at quarterback for the final five games. He maintains regular contact with receivers and tight ends such as Trey McBride.
“He’ll send me a clip from like, eight years ago, and be like, ‘Man this is a look we could get, this is something that could come up,'” McBride said.
Brissett credits his approach to time spent learning from quarterbacks Tom Brady and Philip Rivers about off-field communication with pass catchers.
Wilson appreciates Brissett’s preparation: “I’m a firm believer in preparation,” Wilson said, “and he’s on his ‘p’s and q’s.'”
Gannon declined to comment on Murray’s future beyond 2025. Murray’s contract includes $36.8 million guaranteed for 2026; if he remains on the roster into mid-March of that year another $19.5 million becomes guaranteed for 2027. The upcoming draft class of quarterbacks is reportedly not considered strong.
The Cardinals are set for two matchups against the Rams before season’s end. Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford has performed well this season with top receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams contributing significantly.
“You stick to what you have been doing,” cornerback Garrett Williams said about facing elite receivers. “There are tweaks because it’s a specific gameplan… But at the end of the day you have to run what you run and trust your guys.”
Earlier this season against Dallas Cowboys stars CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens—the pair combined for 13 catches and 164 yards—the Cardinals defense held them without touchdowns in a 27-17 win over Dallas.
“Two different teams, two different schemes,” Williams said regarding preparations for each opponent. “But the principal of it is the same – we gotta play ball.”
According to sportsinfosolutions.com, injuries have heavily impacted both Arizona and San Francisco this year based on key players’ missed games and lost “total points.” The Cardinals rank second behind only San Francisco in this metric since August 1st; their losses may increase further due to current injuries affecting multiple starters.
Tight end Trey McBride recently broke Jimmy Graham’s record for most receptions by a tight end in his first four NFL seasons; his jersey was sent to Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame after reaching 309 career catches last week. With five more receptions next game he would tie Travis Kelce’s NFL record for consecutive games (15) with at least five catches by a tight end.
Fox broadcaster Kenny Albert will call his 50th Cardinals game Sunday; his first came in 1994 when they were still known as Phoenix Cardinals.
Outside linebacker Josh Sweat has averaged getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks in just 2.55 seconds per play—fourth-best league-wide—and increased his pressure rate compared with last year while playing fewer snaps overall. Head coach Gannon credited OLB coach Matt Feeney with managing Sweat’s workload effectively: “I think (OLB coach) Matt’s (Feeney) done a good job with keeping him where we wanted… If he’s not [on big downs], there is a reason for it…”
Former Cardinal D.J. Humphries returns Sunday as part of the Rams after leaving Arizona following the 2023 season.
With several receivers injured—including Harrison Jr., Greg Dortch, and possibly Xavier Weaver—Michael Wilson will again serve as WR1 after posting career highs so far this year (50 receptions for 570 yards).
Gannon reflected on team motivation despite playoff elimination: “It’s pro football, so everybody in that locker room loves to play and we find joy in competing. I know I do.”
