Not so long ago, the Arizona Cardinals were still undisputed at the top of the NFC and Kyler Murray was the favourite in the MVP race. Now, in Week 15, it’s a very different story, with the Cardinals in a real slump.

Munich/Detroit – It was an afternoon to forget for the Arizona Cardinals.

After trailing 0:17 at one point, the Cardinals deservedly lost 12:30 at the Detroit Lions, the worst team according to their record before the game day.

Kliff Kingsbury: “I have to take my hat off to Detroit “

It was an embarrassing performance by the team from Kliff Kingsbury, who didn’t mince words at the press conference. “Obviously we’re mad at ourselves for going out there and then performing like that,” the 42-year-old said.

“That’s not who we want to be and not how we want to play,” Kingsbury continued. He did have praise for the opposition, however: “I have to take my hat off to Detroit. They had an outstanding gameplan.”

The loss dropped the Cardinals out of first place in the NFC to the Green Bay Packers (31-30 at the Baltimore Ravens) and, in a worst-case scenario, they could even lose the top spot in the NFC West to the Los Angeles Rams, who play the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday night

Kyler Murray: From MVP to bogeyman

While little was right in all parts of the team for the Cardinals, Kingsbury also indirectly criticized his quarterback, saying, “We force the turnover and then give it right back. We can’t do that if we want to win games,” said the head coach at the press conference after the game.

Meant, of course, was Kyler Murray and his hair-raising interception just two plays after a Lions fumble at 17-3. Momentum would have been on the visitors’ side, so the game was decided 24-3.

“That’s not who we are, I know that,” Murray said after the game. The first weeks prove “K1” right, not for nothing did the Cardinals start with eight wins in a row.

But the trend speaks against the men from Glendale and especially against the quarterback. Murray has lost three of his last four starts and has only managed three passing touchdowns to five interceptions in that period. Those interceptions all came while Murray was chasing a deficit.

Arizona Cardinals: memories of 2020

The current situation is reminiscent of last season. There, too, Kyler Murray was off to a great start, with the Cardinals picking up five wins from their first seven games, only to completely collapse with just three wins from their remaining nine games.

The Cardinals presented themselves similarly lifeless as in the past weeks of the 2020 season in the game against the Lions.

But Murray would have none of that: “Absolutely not,” Murray said when asked if there would be any parallels to last year. “We’re nowhere near where we were last year and we’re not going to allow that to happen,” the 24-year-old said confidently.

Tough remaining schedule – Bye Week in the playoffs already gone?

Self-confidence will also be needed by Murray with his Cardinals, given the tough remaining programme. Next week, the Indianapolis Colts come to “FirstEnergy” Stadium. The Colts, who recently defeated the New England Patriots, come with a broad chest.

After that, the Cardinals travel to Arlington to take on the Dallas Cowboys, and to finish off the season, the Seattle Seahawks are in Arizona.

The playoffs should be safe even with three losses in the remaining games, but first place in the NFC and the bye week is almost history.

That’s where the Green Bay Packers sit at the moment. They have only one win more, but they won the direct duel and would be in front if their record were equal. The Cardinals would therefore have to win two more games than the men around Aaron Rodgers – rather unlikely with three games left.

There is an old saying that you have to play your best football in December.

So the Cardinals’ crisis comes at the worst possible time – and the coming weeks will decide whether it will be de- or exacerbated.