• Somers, Bickley discuss Cardinals' loss to Cowboys

    Somers, Bickley discuss Cardinals’ loss to Cowboys

  • McLellan and McMananan discuss Cardinals loss to Cowboys

    McLellan and McMananan discuss Cardinals loss to Cowboys

  • Arians, Palmer and Fitzgerald talk on Cardinals' loss to Cowboys

    Arians, Palmer and Fitzgerald talk on Cardinals’ loss to Cowboys

  • Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on Cardinals vs. Cowboys

    Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on Cardinals vs. Cowboys

  • Shot Clock: Anthem, matchup questions surround MNF

    Shot Clock: Anthem, matchup questions surround MNF

  • Somers, McManaman preview Cards-Cowboys

    Somers, McManaman preview Cards-Cowboys

  • Arizona Cardinals Harold Goodwin and James Bettcher on prep for Cowboys

    Arizona Cardinals Harold Goodwin and James Bettcher on prep for Cowboys

  • Somers, McManaman report on Wednesday's practice

    Somers, McManaman report on Wednesday’s practice

  • David Johnson speaks for first time since injury

    David Johnson speaks for first time since injury

  • Cowboys are coming: don’t sell your tickets!

    Cowboys are coming: don’t sell your tickets!

  • azcentral sports' Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals victory over Colts

    azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals victory over Colts

  • Bruce Arians discusses his thoughts about Colts, Cowboys

    Bruce Arians discusses his thoughts about Colts, Cowboys

  • Kent Somers, Dan Bickley discuss Cardinals' win

    Kent Somers, Dan Bickley discuss Cardinals’ win

  • Shot Clock: Cards (eye) roll; ASU's 'real' player

    Shot Clock: Cards (eye) roll; ASU’s ‘real’ player

  • Cardinals game vs. Colts preview with Kent Somers and Dan Bickley

    Cardinals game vs. Colts preview with Kent Somers and Dan Bickley

  • Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

    Somers and McManaman on the state of the Cardinals

  • Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals running back D. J. Foster talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

    CJ2K mad at Cards; Palmer needs to get right

  • azcentral sports' Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

    azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss Cardinals practcie Wednesday

  • Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

    Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer talks after Wednesday practice in Tempe.

  • Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

    Shot Clock: Could the Cards recruit death stare Adrian Peterson?

  • David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

    David Johnson seeking a second opinion on wrist injury

  • Bruce Arians discusses loss to Lions

    Bruce Arians discusses loss to Lions

  • Bickley and Somers on Cardinals' season-opening loss

    Bickley and Somers on Cardinals’ season-opening loss

  • Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson's injury

    Kent Somers and Bob McManaman on David Johnson’s injury

  • Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

    Cardinals vs. Lions: Kent Somers and Dan Bickley preview the game

  • Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

    Bob McManaman wraps up Cardinals practice on Friday

  • Shot Clock: Chiefs-Patriots lessons for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Chiefs-Patriots lessons for Cardinals

  • Arizona Cardinals report: Thursday's practice

    Arizona Cardinals report: Thursday’s practice

  • Shot Clock: Cards a slim pick, what are the keys?

    Shot Clock: Cards a slim pick, what are the keys?

  • Cardinals report: How will Bucannon's absence affect team?

    Cardinals report: How will Bucannon’s absence affect team?

  • Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

    Shot Clock: Detroit Lions, Super Bowl champions?

  • Reaction to Cardinals' move at punter

    Reaction to Cardinals’ move at punter

  • Somers wraps up the Cardinals' preseason finale

    Somers wraps up the Cardinals’ preseason finale

  • Cardinals vs Broncos preview

    Cardinals vs Broncos preview

  • Somers and McManaman wrap up Cardinals' Tuesday practice

    Somers and McManaman wrap up Cardinals’ Tuesday practice

  • Shot Clock: CJ2K stays?; Drown out LA fans

    Shot Clock: CJ2K stays?; Drown out LA fans

  • Sights and sounds from 9th Annual Fitz's Supper Club

    Sights and sounds from 9th Annual Fitz’s Supper Club

  • Arizona Cardinals break camp

    Arizona Cardinals break camp

  • McLellan and McManaman wrap up Cardinals practice

    McLellan and McManaman wrap up Cardinals practice

  • Somers on Cardinals vs. Falcons

    Somers on Cardinals vs. Falcons

  • Cardinals treating final preseason game seriously

    Cardinals treating final preseason game seriously

  • Kent and Bob talk Cardinals game planning and remaining preseason games

    Kent and Bob talk Cardinals game planning and remaining preseason games

  • Bickley and Moore: Cardinals looked 'sluggish'

    Bickley and Moore: Cardinals looked ‘sluggish’

  • Shot Clock: Cards' Palmer, 'D' gotta get better

    Shot Clock: Cards’ Palmer, ‘D’ gotta get better

  • Kent and Bob break down Cards' preseason loss to Bears

    Kent and Bob break down Cards’ preseason loss to Bears

  • Somers, McManaman on the Cardinals' 'boring' camp

    Somers, McManaman on the Cardinals’ ‘boring’ camp

  • Somers, McManaman on Arians' anger, receiving issues

    Somers, McManaman on Arians’ anger, receiving issues

  • Shot Clock: Cards WRs stink; anthem issue solved

    Shot Clock: Cards WRs stink; anthem issue solved

  • Insider: Was Arians' criticism truth or motivational chatter?

    Insider: Was Arians’ criticism truth or motivational chatter?

  • Shot Clock: Stanton stands out for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Stanton stands out for Cardinals

  • Shot Clock: Cardinals protecting QB Palmer?

    Shot Clock: Cardinals protecting QB Palmer?

  • Greg Moore and Bruce Arians talk charities

    Greg Moore and Bruce Arians talk charities

  • Gabbert's big chance, special team auditions

    Gabbert’s big chance, special team auditions

  • Shot Clock: Arians changes tone with Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Arians changes tone with Cardinals

  • Greg Moore and Bob McManaman break down the Red-White practice

    Greg Moore and Bob McManaman break down the Red-White practice

  • Somers, McManaman on Gruden possibility, CB battle

    Somers, McManaman on Gruden possibility, CB battle

  • Shot Clock: Early hiccups for Cardinals

    Shot Clock: Early hiccups for Cardinals

  • Moore, McManaman wrap up opening day at Cardinals training camp

    Moore, McManaman wrap up opening day at Cardinals training camp

  • David Johnson's work load; D-Backs' head games

    David Johnson’s work load; D-Backs’ head games

  • Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

    Shot Clock: Cards kick off fan-friendly camp

  • Somers sits down with Cardinals rookie Budda Baker

    Somers sits down with Cardinals rookie Budda Baker

  • Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

    Shot Clock: Blaine Gabbert a keeper for Cardinals?

  • Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

    Kent and Bob talk new NFL rules and wide out depth

  • Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

    Arians Family Foundation Fundraiser at Top Golf

  • Report card on Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert

    Report card on Cardinals QB Blaine Gabbert

  • David Johnson No. 1 on NFL Players Association list

    David Johnson No. 1 on NFL Players Association list

  • Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers

    Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers

  • Keim, Arians striking gold in draft's third round

    Keim, Arians striking gold in draft’s third round

  • Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule

    Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule

If there was anything else Larry Fitzgerald could have done to lift the Cardinals over the Cowboys on “Monday Night Football,” he would have done it.

As it was, he probably did more than even he expected by tying his single-game career high with 13 receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown during Arizona’s 28-17 loss in its home opener at University of Phoenix Stadium.

“It’s demoralizing anytime you lose the game,” Fitzgerald said afterward, sporting a bandage on one forearm, a Band-Aid on his other hand, and a few black and blue marks that were covered by his street clothes.

“It was great energy, we had the home-field advantage, it was Monday Night Football – this would have been a great one to be able to get. But it didn’t come to fruition,. We’ve just got to get back to the drawing board and get back to the drawing board and get ready for San Francisco on a short week. But it stings. It definitely stings.”

Don’t think Fitzgerald’s aching body would feel any better Tuesday morning or Wednesday afternoon had the Cardinals found a way to pull out a victory. Fitzgerald was brutally honest when asked if the bruises, scrapes and cuts wouldn’t hurt so much of the Cardinals were 2-1 instead of 1-2.

McManaman: How Cardinals stars performed vs. Cowboys

“At 34, it hurts all the time,” he said. “It’ll hurt at practice. Everything hurts.”

Watching the 10-time Pro Bowl selection and future Hall of Famer perform the way he did yet again on the national stage, however, should take some of the sting out of the loss for Cardinals fans. The older this guy gets, the younger he seems to play.

Just go back to last season when at 33, he led the NFL in receptions with 107. With 13 on Monday night, including his acrobatic 15-yard touchdown grab on a post-corner route and his Gumby-like, one-handed grab downfield for a 37-yard gain, Fitzgerald’s well on his way to making a run at another reception crown.

“That’s Fitz. That’s Monday night. He’s a Monday player,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. “It was a great performance by him. It’s a shame we couldn’t play better around him.”

Report Card: Cardinals receive less-than-stellar grades in loss

The Cardinals are just starting to really realize how much they’re missing stud running back David Johnson, who is sidelined indefinitely following wrist surgery after getting injured in the season opener at Detroit. Oh, they knew it was going to be tough sledding trying to replace him. But it’s becoming tougher to do with each passing week.

Arians hinted Andre Ellington might become the team’s fourth starting running back in four weeks when the 49ers visit this Sunday.

Maybe that’s why Carson Palmer worked the underneath routes with Fitzgerald as often as he did early in Monday night’s game. It seemed as if using Fitzgerald on short, manageable routes could replicate what Johnson gave the team with his power running game.

Arians said if anyone was replicating Johnson, it was Ellington as a pass receiver, not Fitzgerald. OK, but let’s just do the math. Fitzgerald was targeted 15 times and caught 13 balls for almost half of Palmer’s 325 yards. Ellington caught five passes for 59 yards.

“I think he would be anybody’s target of choice,” Palmer said of Fitzgerald, adding, “It’s ‘Monday Night Football.’ I expect him to play the same way next week against a 0-3 San Francisco team. He is extremely consistent day in, day out and week in, week out.”

Like the pro he is, of course, Fitzgerald thought he could have done more for his team on this particular night. He said he could have blocked a little better and didn’t get open enough on a few big third-down situations.

“I left a few plays out there,” he said.

No you didn’t, Larry. Now please, get some rest and heal up before the 49ers get here. You might have to do it all over again come Sunday.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Reach McManaman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Wednesday night between 7-9 on Fox Sports 910-AM on The Freaks with Kenny and Crash.