👋 GOOD MORNING - Happy Thursday! Almost to the end of the week.

I just wanted to offer a huge thanks to Alex D’Agostino, who stepped up and wrote today’s main story as I dealt with a tough situation at home yesterday (everything is fine). I really appreciate him stepping in to pinch hit for me as I got things sorted on the home front — being part of this PHNX community is truly something special.

On to the show!

— Patrick Brown, PHNX Sports Daily Editor

By Alex D’Agostino / PHNX Cardinals Contributor

The Arizona Cardinals have an opportunity to exact revenge on the very Carolina Panthers squad that dashed their playoff hopes a season ago. 

Carolina hasn’t given much reason to expect a massive improvement in the 2025 season, and that was reinforced by its ugly 26-10 loss to Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars in week one. 

The Cardinals have been expected to take a leap in year three of the Jonathan Gannon era, but their 20-13 opening week win over the Saints came down to the final play of the game, raising some questions.

And as weak as the Panthers have been in recent seasons, they’ve always seemed to have Arizona’s number.

The Cardinals are 5-13 all-time against Carolina dating back to 1995. That record is an even uglier 1-5 in the last decade, culminating with a devastating 36-30 overtime loss in week 16 of last season. 

The Panthers haven’t given much reason to expect a massive improvement in the 2025 season, and that was reinforced by their ugly 26-10 loss to Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars week one. 

With a (relatively) easy slate of opponents to begin the season, Arizona has a chance to begin stacking wins early and start 2-0 for the first time since the 2021 season while simultaneously taking a satisfying “revenge” win over a perennial thorn in their side.

But they’ll probably need a somewhat more convincing performance in week two. 

Cardinals Offense Has Chance to Make Statement

Many were hoping for a much more explosive Cardinals offense, but the fireworks simply weren’t there other than a 45-yard sideline pass to Marvin Harrison Jr. 

Not that explosive plays mean everything, but Arizona’s trademark running attack was also held relatively in check. James Conner had only 39 yards on the ground, and if not for a 52-yarder by Trey Benson, the Cardinals might have been under 100 yards rushing for the day.

If the improved defense can do enough to allow the Cardinals to win low-scoring games without splash plays, then so be it. All that really matters is the final score. But any amount of increased offensive production against a weak Carolina squad would be a significantly encouraging step.

A big day for Conner, Harrison, Kyler Murray or Trey McBride would go a long way to easing some anxious minds, even if a one-week sample size isn’t indicative of the season as a whole. 

Matchup to Watch: Tetairoa McMillan vs Will Johnson

The Cardinals’ second-round steal in Will Johnson looked every bit the part of a budding future star cornerback this past week. He hung with some of the speedier receivers in football and laid a massive hit on New Orleans WR Chris Olave off a well-recognized screen in the backfield.

Tetairoa McMillan, the former Arizona football star, had a somewhat modest debut, but still put forward 68 yards on five receptions — leading what was a somewhat anemic Panthers’ passing attack. McMillan accounted for nearly half of Bryce Young’s 154 passing yards.

Johnson may not follow McMillan, but any reps between two of the NFL’s more promising rookies will certainly warrant sitting back and grabbing some popcorn.

Giant Win: The D-backs topped San Francisco 5-3 yesterday, salvaging one game of the series while staying right in the thick of the NL Wild Card race. Arizona kicks off three games in Minnesota tomorrow before returning home for its final home stand of the season — three games each against the Giants, Phillies and Dodgers.

This can still happen!

Regular Season Wrap-Up: The Mercury play their final game of the regular season tonight, closing it out against the Wings in Dallas. Phoenix is currently in fourth place overall, and the way the Mercury have been playing, they have a real shot at making a run in the WNBA playoffs.

Hear from Kurt Warner!

Sending nothing but love today.