GLENDALE, Ariz. — Josh Sweat was not aware of the streak. Or maybe the length of it. And that’s fine. Some things are best left unmonitored.
The Arizona Cardinals lost their 10th consecutive home game Sunday, a skid that dates to last season and perfectly reflects their struggles. They have not won in State Farm Stadium in 407 days. That’s an eternity in professional sports. Especially for an organization striving for better moments, trying to become relevant.
“S—, I ain’t even know it was that many, f—,” Sweat, an outside linebacker, said, standing at his locker after the Denver Broncos beat the Cardinals, 30-16. “It’s never good, obviously. I feel like we owe it to ourselves to get it done at home, especially, man, we’ve been playing pretty good on the road. I just don’t know what it is …”
At different times the Cardinals this season have had to overcome offensive issues and defensive issues. Against Denver, it was both, the walls crumbling on all sides, an avalanche that let a winnable game slip from reach.
In times such as these, a team can use extra support, but that’s a complicated issue in the desert. Opposing fans have had a significant presence in State Farm Stadium for so many years, it often blends with the stadium decor. But this season, with the Cardinals again slipping to the bottom of the NFC West, it’s become a storyline difficult to overlook.
Maybe what made Sunday different was the occasion. At halftime, the Cardinals inducted Larry Fitzgerald into the Ring of Honor and retired Fitzgerald’s No. 11. During a short speech, Fitzgerald discussed how much it meant to him to spend his entire 17-year career in one place, most of it in this building.
“Arizona, you gave me so much more than a career,” Fitzgerald said. “You gave me a home.”
What made it so strange: While half the crowd wore Fitzgerald jerseys, the other half wore Denver sunset orange. After the Fitzgerald ceremony, a chant rang out in the stadium. Larry! Larry! Larry! Later, after the Broncos scored a touchdown, another chant took its place. Let’s go, Broncos! Let’s go, Broncos!
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