ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals did the unthinkable and beat down the Los Angeles Rams in their home opener. There was always a chance for a win, but to blow out a team who you haven’t beaten in your home stadium in almost a decade?
That seemed out of the cards for sure. Instead, Jonathan Gannon and the Cardinals took the Rams behind the woodshed.
It was a performance that not only got us excited as fans but answered some questions we had after their week one loss to the Bills. It was an encouraging win in more ways than one.
We learned several things about this Cardinals team, perhaps none more than they won’t be an easy out this year. But there was more we learned from this game:
Remember when Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. connected for one pass on three attempts for just four yards against the Bills and the sky started falling? What a time to be alive.
The duo took no time hooking up against the Rams, with their first two connections hitting for touchdowns including a 60-yarder. There were a few other throws that the two could’ve connected on and maybe another touchdown, but we can’t expect perfection from the duo after two games.
Rather, this felt like a statement from the two that there’s no need to panic and overreact. Cardinals fans are getting exactly what they signed up for with the Murray-to-Harrison connection.
We had high hopes for this Cardinals offense heading into the year with the aforementioned Murray and Harrison joining James Conner, Trey McBride, and a host of other weapons. Through two games, we aren’t disappointed by the results.
Petzing called a masterful game on offense that resulted in 489 total yards, 7.9 yards per play, and four touchdowns. Murray made outstanding plays to post his fist career perfect passer rating game. Conner ran for 122 yards and scored on the ground. McBride made six catches for 67 yards and picked up a fumble from Conner in the end zone for a touchdown!
Honestly, when that happens you just know it’s your day.
From what we saw in week one to what came out of week two, the Cards appear to be capable of living up to that hype on offense and Petzing deserves his roses for calling up the game.
No B.J. Ojulari or Darius Robinson? Apparently, no problem for Gannon and Rallis. The two have forged seven sacks in two games against good if not great offenses and quarterbacks despite not having their top two edge rushes. Instead, the Cards have used a creative defense to dial up pressure despite the circumstances they’ve been given.
Dennis Gardeck, a local fan favorite at this point, got a hat trick with three sacks off Matthew Stafford including a late strip-sack to cap off his outstanding day. Zaven Collins also got a sack off the edge, and Krys Barnes contributed the fifth sack.
It’s not going to be an easy season for rushing the quarterback, but the Cardinals’ defense has shown that they’re going to find ways to produce no matter what they’re given.
After a sour week one loss to the Bills, we began to question if the Cardinals were going to be good enough to win games this season. After their beat down of the Rams, I think that question was answered cohesively.
It was a perfect performance in all three phases of the game plus coaching. The roster is talented enough to at least put up a fight with most teams and showed that against the Rams.
We’re all prone to overreacting after week one, but these Cardinals appear to be about where we expected them to be.
Arizona remains one of the fastest-growing states in the country, but new migration data suggests that growth is starting to level out.
According to the latest numbers from U-Haul, Arizona ranked number seven nationwide for growth in 2025. While that is down one spot from the year before, it marks the sixth consecutive year the state has remained in the top ten.
The rankings are based on more than 2.5 million one-way moving transactions for the Arizona-based company.
What stands out in the data is how close those numbers are.
In 2025, 50.3% of U-Haul’s one-way moves came into Arizona, while 49.7% moved out. In practical terms, that means for nearly every family moving into the state, there is another one packing up and leaving.
That does not mean Arizona is losing population. However, it does suggest the margin of growth is getting thinner than it has been in recent years.
Even with that shift, the greater Phoenix metro area continues to be a major driver of growth. Phoenix ranked fifth nationwide among U.S. metro areas, fueled by job creation and new housing across the Valley.
U-Haul leaders point to continued development tied to major employers, including chip manufacturing and data centers, as well as ongoing residential construction, as reasons Phoenix remains a top destination.
Experts who study migration trends say when in-migration and out-migration numbers get this close, it can be a sign that affordability pressures are starting to play a role, especially when it comes to housing.
The latest data does not point to a mass exodus, but it does show Arizona entering a period of transition, balancing opportunity and growth with affordability concerns.
The 2026 Arizona Legacy Races in Buckeye, Ariz., are ringing in a new year for futurity horses December 30 – January 6, at the Buckeye Equestrian & Events Center. Formerly known as the MVP Futurity and Greg Olson Futurity, these two races have been a staple in many professional trainers’ schedules for decades. This year, the two events boast $22,000 in added money.
Linzie Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola claimed the Round 1 win with a 17.577 for $1,959. Barbara Merrill rode TKW Eye Am Tess to the 2D win.
After finishing out of the 1D money in Round 1, Loralee Ward and Dark Honey ran the fastest time of the futurity with a 17.030 to claim the Round 2 win. The duo also earned the Futurity Reserve Championship for $1,652.
Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola finished second in Round 2 with a 17.164, adding $1,603 to their futurity earnings and claiming the Futurity Championship for another $2,019.
Jenna Duhon and PMC AintSheBeautiful earned the Round 2 2D win. In the 2D Average, it was Estella Martin and Quanahs Kingdom claiming the win.
Round 1 of a very tough Derby went to Jana Bean and Feature This Goodbye with a 17.268. 2025 futurity standout Blissful Version and Lora Nichols finished second in Round 1 with a 17.282, won Round 2 with a 17.032, and claimed the Average win.
“Buddy” and Nichols were in contention for the highest money-earning futurity horse of the previous season, before the cancellation of the last two major events of the season due to EHV-1. By $7 million sire Winners Version, Buddy banked over $300,000 in his futurity year.
Megan McLeod-Sprague and Seis Corona (“Jagger”) were hot off the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The duo won the Roohide Hot Rod with a 17.004 for $1,368. They also earned the Friday Open 1D win for $1,083.
With the first 16-second run of the weekend, Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame won the Saturday Open 1D with a 16.969.
Rita Cheeney and HP Dash Ta Fairfax ran the only other sub-17-second run of the weekend, with a 16.996 that took the top spot in Sunday’s Open 1D.
Nichols and Buddy doubled down on their derby earnings, placing deep in the Open 1D both days, as well as the Roohide Hot Rod, and Big Time Boss.
Youth competitor Tabitha Dyal also had an outstanding weekend, earning Open 1D money Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard Slym Shady. She swept the Youth 1D on Slym Shady and earned Open 1D, Open 2D, and Youth 1D checks on Promise Me Fame Guys and Smooth Operraider. Dyal wrapped up her weekend with several checks in the Big Time Boss.
Authorities say a prominent California agriculture heir is accused of traveling to Arizona to kill his estranged wife amid a bitter divorce, a case now drawing national attention for its cross-state trail and high-profile ties.
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