They probably could have won without wide receiver Christian Kirk, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Saturday. They probably could have won without veteran receiver Larry Fitzgerald, too, after it was determined Sunday he would be inactive because of a lingering groin injury.
But beat the Rams and the NFL’s top-ranked defense without quarterback Kyler Murray?
The Cardinals were doomed from the start, even facing a Rams team that was more depleted than they were in a do-or-die scenario at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles. That was obvious the moment Murray left the field with a right ankle injury during Arizona’s first possession of the game following an 8-yard sack on third down.