Two years ago, the Arizona Cardinals arrived in Houston ready to spoil what had been a magical run to that point for the Houston Texans. QB Kyler Murray had the ball in his hands, down by five, driving for the potentially game winning touchdown. But, the Texans defense, as it has done many times before and since, held tight and kept Cardinals at bay for a hard fought 21-16 win
But, in that game, the Cardinals had Pro Bowl RB James Conner, WR Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and Murray in the lineup. They will have neither of those three in this contest, but they will have QB Jacoby Brissett slinging the rock all over NRG Stadium.
Brissett is 5-1 against the Texans in his career and he's beaten the Texans, as the starter, with three different teams. With a Cardinals win, he'd match Sam Darnold, who beat the Texans earlier this year as the starter for Seattle, his fourth team to beat the Texans. But, that one in the left hand column for Brissett was a Texans win over the Colts on Thursday Night Football six years ago and here's hoping it turns into a two late Sunday afternoon.
Coming up with win number nine won't be easy facing one of the Texans' biggest villains, who has one of the best pass catchers in the entire NFL - TE Trey McBride - on his side.
So, before Sunday arrives, let's get to Know the Texans' Week 15 Foe - The Arizona Cardinals.
2025 Arizona Cardinals Schedule (3-10)
- Week 1 - W @ New Orleans Saints 20-13
- Week 2 - W Carolina Panthers 27-22
- Week 3 - L @ San Francisco 49ers 16-15
- Week 4 - L Seattle Seahawks 23-20
- Week 5 - L Tennessee Titans 22-21
- Week 6 - L @ Indianapolis Colts 31-27
- Week 7 - L Green Bay Packers 27-23
- Week 8 - BYE WEEK
- Week 9 - W @ Dallas Cowboys 27-17
- Week 10 - L @ Seattle Seahawks 44-22
- Week 11 - L San Francisco 49ers 41-22
- Week 12 - L Jacksonville Jaguars 27-24
- Week 13 - L @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-17
- Week 14 - L Los Angeles Rams 45-17
- Week 15 - @ Houston Texans
- Week 16 - Atlanta Falcons
- Week 17 - @ Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 18 - @ Los Angeles Rams
Cardinals OFFENSE (in 2025 regular season)
- Rushing Yards Per game - 96.8 ypg (26th in the NFL)
- Passing Yards Per game - 238.7 ypg (7th)
- Total offense per game - 335.5 ypg (18th)
- Turnovers lost - 16 (8 INT, 8 Fumbles lost)
Expected Cardinals starting offense for Week 15
- QB - JACOBY BRISSETT
- RB - BAM KNIGHT
- WR - Michael Wilson
- WR - Andre Baccellia
- WR - Greg Dortch
- TE - Elijah Higgins
- TE - Trey McBride
- LT - JOSH FRYAR or DEMONTREY JACOBS
- LG - Evan Brown (injured) or Jon Gaines
- C - Hjalte Froholdt
- RG - Isaiah Adams
- RT - Kelvin Beachum
Other Key Offensive pieces
- QB - KEDON SLOVIS
- RB - Michael Carter
- WR - TRENT SHERFIELD (PS elevation last week)
- TE - PHARAOH BROWN
Italics - Rookie
ALL CAPS - New to team in 2025
Keys to winning v. the Cardinals Offense
- The Nemesis - During a Sunday game in Foxboro, MA on week two in 2016, yes, nine years ago, starting Patriots QB Jimmy Garoppolo left the game injured against the Miami Dolphins. Up next on the horizon for the Patriots, sans Tom Brady, was a visit from the 2-0 hot Houston Texans. However, Brady was suspended and Garoppolo was injured. I was convinced that was the night that the Texans would finally win in Foxboro. I mean, what…is rookie Jacoby Brissett going to beat us? YEP! Beating the Texans is exactly what he did that night and he's done it four other times with two other teams over his long and illustrious career. In Arizona, earlier this year, he gave the Cardinals life when Kyler Murray was injured and the grizzled veteran is probably throwing the ball as well as he has at any point in his career. The Texans aren't, more than likely, going to give up a designed run for a TD as they did in that 2016 game, but they also COULD get shredded through the air because of Brissett's big arm and high football IQ.
- The Emergence Continues - When Cardinals TE Trey McBride entered the draft in 2022, he was my highest rated TE in that group. But, after 16 games, 13 games as a starter, as a rookie, he was only targeted 39 times. Fast forward to his second season and his targets climbed to 106. Last year, he was targeted a whopping 147 times and is averaging even more targets per game than last year in 2025. But, what McBride is doing this year that he didn't last year? Scoring TDs. He found his way into the end zone EIGHT times this year. He's so good after the catch and he has vice grips for hands. He's such a difficult cover because of his strength and ability to get into open areas. Last week at Kansas City, the Texans held future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce to one catch and did so with a litany of coverage options on him throughout the game. McBride demands a similar coverage scheme this week if the Texans defense wants to have success. IF the Texans hold McBride to one catch, they'll win this one going away. I don't expect that, but the Texans must limit his impact greatly.
- Mike Willie! - Cardinals WR Michael Wilson was one of the more intriguing draft prospects that I studied a few years ago out of Stanford. He only played 14 games over his final three years in college, including just six games in his senior campaign. But, when I saw him in person at that year's Senior Bowl, I was highly impressed. Strong hands. Physical. Excellent route runner. I remember thinking that he was going to make a really solid #3 or even a low level #2. But, he's become a stud #1 wide receiver option in the passing game in Arizona, whether Marvin Harrison Jr is on the field or not. He has a great rapport with Brissett, so backshoulder fades, timing throws and deep shots are in play when Wilson is on the field. Harrison Jr. has been banged up, but even before he missed games, Wilson was the guy that Brissett targeted in the passing game. This Texans secondary will get tested by one heck of a competitor.
Cardinals DEFENSE (in 2025 regular season)
- Rushing Yards Allowed Per game - 123.1 ypg (19th in the NFL)
- Passing Yards Allowed Per game - 224.3 ypg (20th)
- Total offense Allowed per game - 347.4 ypg (24th)
- Turnovers generated - 17 (9 INT, 8 Fumble recoveries - Cardinals are +1 in TO margin)
Expected Cardinals starting defense for Week 15
- OLB - Zaven Collins
- DE - CALAIS CAMPBELL
- NT - DALVIN TOMLINSON
- DE - Darius Robinson
- OLB - JOSH SWEAT
- LB - CODY SIMON
- LB - Akeem Davis-Gaither
- CB - WILL JOHNSON
- S - Budda Baker
- S - Jalen Thompson
- Nickel - Garrett Williams
- CB - Max Melton/DENZEL BURKE
Key Defensive Non-Starters
- DE - Dante Stills
- OLB - Baron Browning
- DE - WALTER NOLEN
- OLB - B.J. Ojulari
- S - KITAN CRAWFORD
- LB - CHANNING TINDALL
ALL CAPS - New to team in 2025
Italics - Rookie
Keys to winning v. the Cardinals Defense
- Budda - It's often said to just throw on the tape or as I famously said "PUT THE FILM ON, BRO!" When I did that this week, I realized how much I really wanted the Cardinals to heed S Budda Baker's request to move on to a different team. Since deciding to stay with the Cardinals in 2023, Baker has been hell bent on leading from the front for this Cardinals squad. He might be the best safety in the league and he's one of my favorite players throughout the league. Why? He's relentless. He's all out. He pursues ball carriers as if they stole his bike. He strikes with venom. He's ALL OVER the field. He drives that defense with a fervor and a passion for football played the right way. The Texans must find him and account for him on both pass/run, similar to the way teams have to prepare for Texans S Jalen Pitre.
- The Youngster - At the Senior Bowl last year, the SEC defensive linemen stole the show. They dominated up and down the line of scrimmage, but one DL had everyone's attention - Ole Miss DT/DE Walter Nolen. His bounce off the snap? Insane. Strength? Unreal. His combination of skills, combined with a chip on his shoulder to prove the narratives were wrong about him, allowed him to win the week in Mobile. But, some off-the-field noise sent him down the draft boards until Arizona snapped him up at 16th overall. An injury slowed him down early in his career so he didn't get on the field until November but when he did, my goodness. Those same traits showed up on the field against NFL OL. He is the real deal and if he's fully healthy in this contest, he's going to be a menace for the Texans OL, if they don't handle him properly.
- Eclectically Driven - Talking to many people throughout the league, remembering 2023 and watching this defense again this year, it's clear that the Cardinals possess a unique defensive approach and scheme. Thinking back to that 2023 contest, Texans QB C.J. Stroud had early success, but the Cardinals unique disguises and approach forced him into three interceptions in that 21-16 win. He threw five the entire 2023 season. As such, the word that comes to mind is uncomfortable. I just don't feel totally comfortable on a down in/down out basis against this defense, but a strong Texans' run game performance certainly helps stop the Cardinals music, if you will. The Texans offense has a lot to still prove and they can grow nicely with a win on Sunday facing this uniquely built structure.
