The Arizona Cardinals had one of the most bizarre collapses you're likely to see in their surprise Week 5 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Having led 21-3 in the second quarter, the Cardinals gift-wrapped the Titans their first win of the season with a series of errors.
Arizona's miscues included a fumble recovery by the Titans with the Cardinals on the edge of the red zone after a shotgun snap hit Kyler Murray in the face, and a fumble by defensive back Dadrion Taylor-Demerson that followed his interception.
Taylor-Demerson's fumble was recovered in the endzone by Tyler Lockett for a Titans touchdown to cut the Arizona lead to two points.
Yet the Titans would never have been in a position to make it that close had running back Emari Demercado not committed the most egregious error of the bunch with the Cardinals up 21-6.
AGAIN. #Cardinals RB Emari Demercado just had a 76-yard TD — but he let go of the ball before crossing the goal line, and it’s a touchback.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 5, 2025
HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING?!
pic.twitter.com/EstLI9R4jW
Demercado broke free on a 72-yard rush up the middle that would have effectively iced the game for Arizona early in the fourth quarter, had he not inexplicably dropped the ball short of the goal-line. The ball rolled into the endzone for a touchback, with the Titans getting it at their own 20-yard line. They scored on their next possession.
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Having clearly thought he had already crossed the line, Demercado made no excuse for his error after Joey Slye's last-second field goal saw Tennessee complete the comeback and win 22-21.
Demercado's dismay
Defeat for the Cardinals dropped them to 2-3 on the season and, naturally, there were a lot of questions for Demercado afterwards.
"I just made a mistake. There’s really no excuse. Just let the ball go through," Demercado said.
"I’ve just got to be smarter. It’s as simple as that.
"I’ve just got to keep pushing. It’s the same thing. No matter which way you word it, it’s the same answer, I’ve just got to keep pushing. Holding onto it isn’t going to do anything for me."
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Murray, though, refused to put all the responsibility on Demercado's shoulders, pointing to a team-wide lack of execution that cost them.
"I'm really close with Emari," Murray said. "I know his character, I know his IQ of the game.
"Never in a million years I wouldn't think Emari would do that, but obviously we all make mistakes.
"He's going to take that on the chin. But at the end of the day, we all have to be better."
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