👋 GOOD MORNING — Happy Friday! We made it through another week, and I hope yours was great!

Can you believe the NFL preseason is here? It’s honestly hard to even think about football as we continue to smash daily temperature records, but fortunately we’re built for this here in Arizona. Are you going to tomorrow’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs? If so, make sure to post your favorite experiences on social media and tag us so we can see and share!

You know the drill — if you need a joke to get you through today and into the weekend, I’ve got you covered: Why aren’t football players allowed to wear glasses? Because it’s a contact sport!

On to the show!

— Patrick Brown, PHNX Sports Daily Editor

Hang With The Gang!

Join Jonny, Bo, and the PHNX Cardinals Crew with NFL Diehards for the residency night at the Upper Deck! Cardinals Live Podcast starts at 4:30, followed by the NFL season preview at 6pm and the PHNX Staff Fantasy Football Draft at 7pm! All Diehards who attend will receive a free drink ticket for the event!

Cardinals Vs. Chiefs: What To Watch For

Photo credit: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tomorrow’s the day!

After what feels like an eternity, the Arizona Cardinals hit the field at State Farm Stadium to face-off against the Kansas City Chiefs in their first preseason game of the season. Adding to the excitement, coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed earlier this week the starters would get a look in the game, though for how long remains anyone’s guess.

One more note before we dive in: The Cardinals re-signed veteran right guard Will Hernandez yesterday, though he is still recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered last season, and exactly when he’ll play is not yet known.

With that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of things to be on the lookout for as the Cardinals kick off their 2025 season tomorrow!

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Harrison’s Hands (and Health), Defensive Dominance, & More

Offense:

  • Receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. has had a monster camp despite battling a minor injury, and it feels like every day a new clip is coming out of him making an absurd catch. Assuming he goes tomorrow, it’ll be interesting to see if he gets the opportunity to put his hands on display, or if it’ll be more of a walk-through as the team prepares for additional preseason games and the regular season.

  • Speaking of hands, how about Trey McBride? The fourth-year tight end caught 111 passes for 1,146 yards and two touchdowns, and he was a pivotal part of the team’s offense last season. Can he build upon that performance?

  • What other pass catchers are going to step up? It’s a given that Harrison Jr. and McBride will likely lead the charge in terms of targets and pressure, but is there anyone ready to step up and lighten that load?

  • James Conner has rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons, but can new arrival Trey Benson add a dual threat? Think: Gibbs and Montgomery. The former third-rounder rushed for 291 yards and one touchdown last year, and another step forward would add another element to the Cardinals’ offense.

Defense:

  • Will the defense be as good as advertised? The Cardinals addressed their defense following last year’s disappointing finish, drastically overhauling that side of the ball in just one offseason. GM Monti Ossenfort added players via free agency and the NFL Draft, though none was a bigger get than Super Bowl champion Josh Sweat. Given his familiarity with Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, he should fit right in.

  • The Cardinals’ first-round pick, Walter Nolen III, is still sidelined with an injury, but there’s another rookie who has been turning heads all camp — cornerback Will Johnson. The talented defender slipped all the way down to No. 47 overall — primarily due to injury concerns — but he brings true first-round talent and has the potential to be an impact player right away.

  • Who else steps up? It’s going to be exciting to get a peek at the starters, but once they hit the showers — whenever that happens during the game — pay attention to the effort level and playmaking ability of the backups and beyond. Injuries are a part of the game, and some of these players will have their numbers called throughout the season.

My Take: Just enjoy the day! Remember, the results mean absolutely nothing. I always remind myself that the 0-16 Lions (2008) were unbeaten in the preseason, and oddly enough, so were the 0-16 Browns (2017). Isn’t that wild?!

Simply The Best: Alyssa Thomas did it again, becoming the first player in WNBA history to record three consecutive triple-doubles after she notched 18 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in the Mercury’s 95-60 win over the Fever. Thomas was serenaded with “MVP” chants, and you can bet I’ll take a look at that possibility next week.

What a performance.

The Mercury continue their home stand against Atlanta on Sunday at 3 pm (3TV).

Rocky Season: The Diamondbacks were off last night, but opportunity knocks for the youngsters on the team as they welcome the 30-84 Rockies to town for a three-game set, beginning tonight. Colorado has been a bizarre team to watch this season, as they put up 17 runs against the Pirates on Aug. 1, but lost 20-1 to the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Can the D-backs get back on track this weekend?

Rise Up: Rising FC takes on Lexington SC on Saturday (3 pm, 3TV), looking to earn its first outright win since defeating Oakland Roots 2-1 on July 12. It has been an up-and-down season for Phoenix, which has slipped all the way down to sixth place in the USL Western Conference table.

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Keep your eyes on that offense…

Heading into the weekend like…

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