INDIANAPOLIS -- During his postgame speech after the Arizona Cardinals' fourth-straight loss on Sunday, coach Jonathan Gannon stood in front of his team inside the visitor's locker room at Lucas Oil Stadium and told his players they're not as far off from winning as they think.
But, he added, they still have a lot of work to do.
Gannon's words weren't just that. They were words backed up by facts.
Following the Cardinals' 31-27 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Arizona has now lost its last four games by a combined nine points. That doesn't make Gannon feel better or worse about Arizona's slide, but it's proof that the Cardinals aren't far off from wins.
"It's hard," Gannon said. "That's why I just told them I'm proud of them. I thought they battled, but we're in a tough spot right now. Four in a row is tough, but we'll be resilient. I'm confident in those guys to have a good week."
The frustrations of losing four straight were evident around the Cardinals' locker room despite their best offensive performance of the season.
Arizona put up 400 total yards and backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett, playing in place of an injured Kyler Murray, threw for 320 yards, the first time a Cardinals quarterback has broken the 300-yard plateau this season. That helped the Cardinals take one of the best teams in the AFC down to the wire.
To tight end Trey McBride, it doesn't feel like the Cardinals have lost four in a row.
"They've all been close," he said. "It's just frustrating losing the close ones, to not get that win, but I'm really proud of the team, how they came out. Obviously the Colts are a great team on a really good run and I felt like we should have won that game.
Being as close as Arizona was Sunday, and their previous three losses, was a bright spot in an otherwise dark 21 days, Brissett said.
"It's a good thing that they're not blowouts," he said. "And that's the encouraging part."
Sunday's loss felt different, especially compared to the 22-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 5, McBride said.
He felt Arizona showed its resiliency and toughness. Gannon walked away from Sunday's game feeling encouraged that Arizona went back and forth with the Colts.
"We're a good team," Gannon said. "I know their record is what their record is and ours is what we are. So, I'm not discounting that because our record shows that we're not a good football team.
"But I do think the battle is there and we just keep sawing away. We'll just keep sawing away."
With the risk of a five-game losing streak on the line with the Green Bay Packers coming to Arizona next week, Brissett said the Cardinals have to try to figure out -- yet again -- what will help them get a win.
Arizona had what it's wanted for the last month: the ball in their hands with the game on the line, not the other way around. After becoming the first team since the NFL merger in 1970 to lose three straight games on walk-off field goals, the Cardinals held their destiny in their own hands. A 10-play drive, which started with Arizona down four with 4:26 left in the game, made it to the Colts 9-yard-line with 1:10 left.
And that's where Arizona's fourth-straight loss was left.
The Cardinals couldn't score on three straight plays, leading to a turnover on downs.
"We get to the end of the game, just got to find a way to make plays," running back Michael Carter said. "We have playmakers, literally. So, we just got to find a way. I know I sound like a broken record, but we got to find ways to make the plays to win the game."
Carter continued: "We are so close. We could have won every game this year and woulda, coulda, shoulda, but we are close and that's a fact. So, it's about just finishing late and we will find a way. Like, we're going to."
The Cardinals last won on Sept. 14.
"Losing sucks," a dejected McBride said.
Arizona's eyes are set on curtailing their losing streak, however they can do that.
"We got to do more to get back in the win column here, man," Gannon said. "That's our only focus when we get back to Arizona. We've got to put our best foot forward and win a game here."