Arizona Cardinals defends Kliff Kingsbury as head coach after abysmal playoff loss to Los Angeles Rams

Kingsbury has been focused among NFL fans on social media and writers after Arizona dropped five of its final six games, including their season-finishing rout by NFC West adversary Los Angeles Rams, 34-11, in the wild-card playoff round.

Offensive lineman and co-captain D.J. Humphries quickly replied “yes” on the off chance that he feels Kingsbury is the right head coach for the team.

He was terminated from Texas Tech after he built a 35-40 record from 2013 to 2018 and went 19-30 during those season’s second halves.

In his three years with the Cardinals, he’s constructed a 15-5-1 record through the first seven weeks of each season, however, they’ve dwindled the stretch to 9-19.

That includes a 7-0 beginning this season. The Cardinals had the association’s best record in Weeks 4 through 12, then, at that point, dropped three sequential possibilities in December to clinch a playoff spot, losing to the Rams, Detroit Lions, and Indianapolis Colts. The Cardinals completed at 11-7 and arrived at their first postseason appearance starting around 2015.

Kingsbury attributed what Kyler Murray and J.J. Watt titled the team’s “massive failure” after losing in the playoffs to injuries suffered by their top players – DeAndre Hopkins, Murray, and Watt. They missed a combined 20 games after their Week 7 win over the Houston Texans on Oct. 24.

“We started hot, there’s no doubt,” Kingsbury said. “I think Week 7, 8, you lose Hop, you lose J.J., you lose K-1 (Murray), that obviously makes it tough. I thought we did a good job overcoming adversity there, going 2-1 with Colt (McCoy), winning two big road games in the division, and then later on when adversity struck we didn’t respond as well.”

Cardinals wideout Antoine Wesley, who played for Kingsbury at Texas Tech, supported him longtime coach who helped add him to the Cardinals list this season.

“It’s not a consistent issue. I feel that the team we get off track and we need to stay on track and make sure we have his back,” Wesley said. “So, I don’t think it’s a consistent thing. It’s more of an ‘us’ thing than a ‘him’ thing.”

“He’s been really good for me through that whole process, so it’s been a pleasure working for him and working with him,” Hicks said. “He’s a great coach. I love being around him, his intensity, his ability to lead. I’ve had nothing but awesome experiences with him.”

Kingsbury has one year left on his four-year contract.

Zach Ertz, who played 12 games for the Cardinals after he was exchanged from the Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 15, believes Kingsbury ought to hold should retain his post and not change what he’s been building.

“I think you’ve seen the progress the past three years, going from three wins before he got here to five wins, to eight wins to 11 wins,” Ertz said. “He’s so, so smart offensively, and I think he’s just continuing to get better, from what I’ve heard, in terms of leadership and just managing this football team. Every year it’s improved.

“And I think he’s one of the best offensive minds in this league. And he’s got a quarterback that’s perfect for him and his system, and they’re gonna win a lot of games together.”

The Cardinals uncovered through Twitter on Tuesday Budda Baker is safely back in Arizona after he suffered a concussion from a scary helmet-to-helmet collision with Rams running back Cam Akers in their playoff matchup Monday.