The Arizona Cardinals hired Kliff Kingsbury to be an offensive guru and make Kyler Murray a star.
What happened Monday night was the exact opposite of what the organization was looking for.
The Cardinals offense had 183 total yards and Murray had one of the worst pick-sixes ever seen in NFL history.
The game was realistically over at the half when the Los Angeles Rams took a 21-0 lead into the locker room.
Kingsbury’s team did not show any extra fight in the second half, even though 11 points were scored.
Some Cardinals fans may have saw this coming given the team’s recent history.
For Kingsbury, a late-season collapse has become an expectation.
Kliff Kingsbury's end to the season as a head coach…
Texas Tech:
• '13: lost 5 of 6
• '14: lost 4 of 6
• '15: lost 4 of 6
• '16: lost 6 of 8
• '17: lost 6 of 8
• '18: lost 5 of 5Cardinals:
• '19: lost 7 of 9
• '20: lost 5 of 7
• ‘21: lost 5 of 6 pic.twitter.com/t7e0C1rWC7— The Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) January 18, 2022
Kingsbury’s Cardinals lost five of six to end this season.
Similar collapses took place in 2020 and 2019 and his Texas Tech teams before that all did the exact same thing.
Remember, he even had Patrick Mahomes for a time.
So is the head coach on the hot seat?
Cardinals Must Be Thinking About A Change
Kingsbury has been the head coach for three seasons and the final record has improved every year since his arrival.
The Cardinals went 5-10-1, 8-8, and then 11-6 this season.
But they also started 7-0 this year and looked like the best team in football.
The Cardinals quite literally backed into the playoffs after losing their NFC West lead, so it was only fitting they lost against a division rival in the Rams.
What was Kliff Kingsbury hired to do? Elevate Kyler Murray and make the Cardinals an offensive force. Failed at both.
When the Cardinals needed a leader, Kliff always came up short. He's never won an important NFL game. STILL.
Fire Kliff Kingsbury. Fire Steve Keim. Start over.
— Alex Clancy (@ClancysCorner) January 18, 2022
The lack of offense is jarring and brings into question if Kingsbury is the right man for the job.
That is tough for fans to say and is going to lead to plenty of debates this offseason.
He has in fact improved the team’s overall record every season he has been in Arizona.
Yet a playoff loss like Monday’s was unacceptable for a team that got off to such a great start.
The likely scenario is Kingsbury getting more one shot since he did make the postseason this year.
But another collapse, which would follow his career trend, could ultimately end his tenure no matter the final record.
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