TEMPE, Ariz. -- Every time Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork commences a meeting for his position group, the first thing he talks about is the football: how the offense can keep it safe and how the upcoming defense tries to take it away.
Woolfork hasn't always been so focused on the ball. It comes from coach Jonathan Gannon, whose phrase "the ball is a winning stat" has become a common refrain during his press conferences. Gannon talks about it privately even more and starts every team meeting by talking about it.
Which is why Sunday afternoon against the Seattle Seahawks was all the more frustrating for Gannon and the Cardinals.
With 7:12 remaining in the third quarter on fourth-and-1, Seahawks safety Coby Bryant intercepted an overthrown pass by quarterback Kyler Murray and returned it for a 69-yard touchdown. It put Seattle up 13-3 en route to a 16-6 win in a critical NFC West game.
Murray said he thought that play was the deciding factor in the game, along with not finishing touchdown drives in the red zone. It cost the Cardinals a shot at separating themselves from the rest of the NFC West.
"We just played uncharacteristic football," Murray said.
Had Arizona won Sunday, it would've been 7-4 with everyone else in the division at 5-6. Instead, the Cardinals are now tied for first place with Seattle at 6-5.
With six games left, including three more divisional games, the West is up for grabs.
Gannon's message during his postgame speech Sunday was that they were going to learn a lot from the loss. The biggest lesson?
"I think the value of the ball," Gannon said. "I felt like the interception was a big play. I think we got to protect the quarterback better. Seemed like the pocket was collapsing a little too much, and that goes on all 11. That's not just the o-line. It's the quarterback, the backs, the receivers, timing, rhythm.
"I thought that, defensively, I've got to do a better job when they start to play a certain style, we've got to have a couple more bullets. That was completely on me because I wanted a tight menu this week. That was not good by me. So, we'll just get back at it, fundamentals and everything that goes into winning and losing."
As with every rule in football, there are exceptions. As much as Gannon stresses protecting the football, he doesn't mind when Murray is ambitious in crucial moments.
"They happen, those plays," Gannon said. "That's a 'gotta have it,' so he's OK to put the ball at risk. We coach 'gotta have it' a little bit differently just because a 'gotta have it' is just that."
After the game, Murray explained that the play was one Arizona had successfully run before against Seattle. He tried to find the corner with the intention to turn upfield but Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon contained Murray.
Seeing a wide-open Michael Wilson, who was about 5 yards from the closest defender, Murray's pass sailed over Wilson and led to the pick-six.
"It's on me," Murray said. "Can't give up seven points, especially when our defense is playing the way that they're playing. I feel like if I don't do that, we're in the game."
Wilson felt like the offense couldn't find the same flow it had been experiencing during a four-game winning streak that was part of five wins in six weeks. He also felt like the receivers could've been in different positions to help Murray and the passing game, creating more separation and winning their one-on-ones better.
"We didn't do a good enough job of executing the little things," Wilson said. "And that turned into big things."
Wilson said he could've sold his role on the interception better and maintained outside leverage on the linebacker who was at the line of scrimmage, which would've given Murray a better throwing lane. But he also credited the Seahawks for playing their roles well.
"But the ball is everything," Wilson said. "You win the turnover battle, your chance of winning the game increases by a lot."
The Cardinals home stretch now includes a post-Thanksgiving trip to the Minnesota Vikings, who are 9-2, and then a rematch with Seattle a week later.
Despite how frustrating Sunday was, Murray said Arizona has no choice but to put Seattle out of its mind and continue looking ahead.
"If we want to go where we want to go to, we have to go win," Murray said.
During his postgame speech, Gannon said good teams find ways to win in December.
Gannon smirked on Monday when told that the Vikings game is on Dec. 1 and said Monday that "we're in playoff football right now."
Leaning into the theme of Thanksgiving week, Gannon said the Cardinals can be thankful they're playing meaningful games this time of year but added their focus is still on Minnesota.
But Arizona isn't shying away from the opportunity, even if Sunday's loss made their path to the playoffs a little more difficult.
"We found ourself in a foxhole fight and we didn't get it done this week," Wilson said. "But we have been getting it done weeks prior and it's just time on task.
"Pressure's on."