Eric SorensonDuring the Arizona Cardinals losing streak many wondered when the team would hit rock bottom.
It appears Sunday afternoon we got the answer following the Cards ninth-straight setback, an embarrassing 58-0 drubbing at the hands of the Seahawks in Seattle.
Does the most lopsided loss in franchise history mean the end of head coach Ken Whisenhunt in the desert? It appears his job is safe for now, but the end could be near.
“A lot of people are saying he’s [going to be fired],” CBSSports.com Senior NFL Columnist Clark Judge told Brad Cesmat Monday on ‘Big Guy on Sports.’ “An owner won’t tolerate embarrassment and that was an embarrassing game [Sunday]. You’re ninth-straight loss is bad enough…owners don’t like to be made fun of.”
This year’s current nine-game skid comes just one season after the Red Birds (4-9) dropped six in a row last season before rallying to win five of their final six. Some outside of the organization wonder if the lopsided loss to the Seahawks was simply a carryover from last week’s close loss to the Jets where defensive tackle Darnell Dockett refused to let New York score in the closing seconds so the Cards offense could get the ball back. Dockett was fined a six-figure amount and didn’t start against the Seattle.
Monday he was asked if the players quit against the Seahawks.
“I can’t speak for everybody,” Dockett told the assembled media Monday afternoon in Tempe. “Everybody’s got their own personalities. I can only speak for myself. I didn’t quit…I just hope that everybody has some pride in themselves and try to finish these last three games out.”
Judge believes the culmination of losses and apparent growing dis-connect between the players and coaches equates to a nasty tricks down effect for the entire organization moving forward until the culture is radically changed.
“Not only is the team not winning, but there’s a disinterest in them,” Judge explained to Cesmat. “You’re going to find empty seats in the stands. All that has an accumulation. Ken has done a great job there, but there’s no way to get out of the [tailspin]. It’s getting worse. It’s not getting better. You look at Arizona and ask, ‘when are they going to win the next game?’ It’s not going to be until next year.”
During his weekly Monday morning press conference a stoic, confident Whisenhunt is only concerned about living in the now and not the future.
“I control things that I can control…I understand this business,” he said. “I have a job to do. I feel disappointed that we haven’t done it. I feel like we’ve let [our fans] down…but it’s not from lack of effort.”
The Cards return home the next two weeks before ending season against the 49ers in San Francisco. Sunday they host the Detroit Lions (4-9) with kickoff set for 2:05.
