Missed opportunities cost Cardinals in 27-24 overtime loss to Jaguars

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – The Arizona Cardinals responded the way coach Jonathan Gannon hoped they would following two blowout losses, putting themselves in position to pick up a rare win.

They found yet another way to lose instead.

The Cardinals rallied for a tying field goal at the end of regulation, but Cam Little kicked a 52-yard field goal in overtime for Jacksonville and Arizona turned the ball over on downs in Sunday’s 27-24 loss.

“Love the fight, love the resilience, we did some good things,” Gannon said. “But there’s no silver lining in losing.”

Arizona (3-8) had labored since two season-opening wins and seemed to regress the previous two weeks, losing to Seattle and San Francisco by a combined 41 points.

Gannon expected the Cardinals to bounce back against the Jaguars (7-4) and they did with a solid all-around game.

The defense forced four turnovers – one returned for a touchdown – and kept Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence in check much of the afternoon.

Jacoby Brissett threw for 317 yards with a touchdown and Michael Wilson had his second straight strong game with Marvin Harrison out, catching 10 passes for 118 yards.

But the Cardinals weren’t quite good enough in the biggest moments, losing for the eighth time in nine games.

“We’ve got to find a way to finish,” said Brissett, who completed 33 of 49 passes. “The defense gave us four turnovers and the pick-6. We’ve got to find a way to finish drives with touchdowns.”

Arizona intercepted Lawrence three times and defensive lineman Walter Nolen III had a spectacular 9-yard fumble return for a touchdown, snaring the ball one-handed while being blocked before rumbling into the end zone.

Outside of Nolen’s TD, the Cardinals had a hard time converting the turnovers into the points.

Garrett Williams had an interception in the end zone on a pass tipped by teammate Calais Campbell just before halftime and Arizona picked Lawrence off twice more in the second half. Budda Baker and Akeem Davis-Gaither each had interceptions in Jacksonville’s end, but negative plays and penalties backed the Cardinals out of field goal range both times.

“We’ve got to firm up, put them in the right spots and make sure we do a better job of putting points on the board,” Gannon said.

The Cardinals had their chances even after that.

Greg Dortch turned a slant into a 39-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, but the Jaguars marched quickly down the field to go up 24-21 on Parker Washington’s 9-yard TD catch.

Arizona’s defense came up with a huge stop, forcing a turnover on downs when the Jaguars opted to go for it on fourth-and-1 instead of trying for a field goal that would have put them up six. The Cardinals took their turn moving quickly down the field, setting up Chad Ryland’s tying 29-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in regulation.

Arizona reached Jacksonville’s 28 on the ensuing drive, only to fail on a fourth-and-4 when Brissett tried to hit Xavier Weaver over the middle and the Jaguars broke the pass up.

“We were trying to win the game,” Gannon said. “When you know they’re going to be in a certain coverage and have got to have it, you feel good about a one-on-one.”

The Cardinals are doing anything they can to try winning a game. They’re still trying to figure out how to get it done.