ARIZONA Cardinals running back Emari Demercado had a moment of madness against the Tennessee Titans.
The 26-year-old rusher dropped the ball on the goal line on what should have been a 72-yard fourth quarter touchdown.
Arizona Cardinals fans have demanded Emari Demercado (31) is suspended for a huge mistake[/caption]
The running back fumbled on the goal line after trying to celebrate a touchdown too early[/caption]
Demercado began his celebration too soon after a brilliant run to begin the fourth quarter.
On just his second rushing opportunity of the afternoon, the former TCU rusher burst through the Titans defense.
He ran 72 yards to the house – but began his celebrations too early.
On review, officials spotted that Demercado lost control of the ball on the 1-yard line.
He fumbled into the endzone, resulting in a touchback for the Titans.
A score would have put the Cardinals up 28-6, effectively icing the game late on.
Instead, the team would collapse to one of the most improbable losses of recent years.
“I made a mistake. There’s really no excuse,” Demercado said after the game.
“I was obviously emotional. It was a big play, but I just got to be smarter.”
“This should result in an automatic suspension. This is the definition of conduct determental[sic] to the league,” raged one fan on X.
“If I own the Arizona Cardinals I don’t wait until tomorrow morning,” added a second.
“I fire their Head Coach (Jonathan Gannon) immediately for his ultra conservative play calling on their last possession & release running their back (Emari Demercado) for this INEXCUSABLE play.
“Criticize Emari Demercado all you want but it looked cool how he slowed down right before the goal line and decided not to hold onto the ball. You cannot put a price on cool like that,” quipped a third.
“It’s not about being smarter. It’s called putting the team first. Why do you slowdown? To show off?” wrote a fourth.
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The Titans stormed back in a crazy fourth quarter thanks to a rushing TD from Tony Pollard and a bizarre touchdown from receiver Tyler Lockett.
Arizona picked off Cam Ward with four minutes remaining on the clock.
But safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson fumbled the INT, with Cardinals defenders failing to recover the ball and inadvertently kicking it into the endzone.
Tennessee then sealed the 22-21 win with a last-ditch field goal from Joey Slye.
Demercado got just three touches on the day and was almost the Cardinals’ hero[/caption]
“I don’t really know what to think about [the loss],” stunned Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray told reporters after the game.
“I don’t even know. I really don’t even know.
“I just think if you look at the mistakes, I think we played well enough to win the game.
“But crucial, bonehead mistakes just gave them a chance to stay in the game.
“I think they were literally a play away from quitting, but we left them, and we kept them in the game.”
