Mike Lafleur - Head Coach, cardinals Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-20 | Full transcript (primary source).
Mike Lafleur, Head Coach of the Cardinals, addressed the media during a press conference following a challenging game on September 20, 2026. The discussion focused on the team's performance, particularly the contrasting dynamics between the first and second halves of the match.
Transcript
Lafleur: Yeah, weird one. Tough one, obviously, the process. Second half was so different than the first half. I think we, in itself, induced. I mean, we had 12 plays, basically, until the last two runs there. And I can't remember a time that was. So credit to them. They're a really good team, obviously, in all phases. First half, we didn't have the points, per se. Obviously, it was 7-7 going in. But I felt like we had a good grasp of the game in all phases. And we were, I want to say, 2-for-8 or something like that and third down on the first half. But we were all in third and manageables. And we were just doing some uncharacteristic stuff, just little detail stuff that, like I told the guys, when you play really good teams, you don't got to do the extra ordinary. But you got to do the ordinary extra. And we certainly didn't do that, particularly on offense.
Lafleur: Yeah, I mean, it's just what I just said. I mean, we had some opportunities, particularly in the first half, where I thought there was points to be had out there. And I thought we had good control of it. I mean, time of possession and all that kind of stuff. And then the second half, I mean, there was no fluidity. I mean, the 3-and-out, 6-and-out, 3-and-out. And I mean, when that happens, you're not going to have yards.
Lafleur: Yeah, I mean, you could easily say that. I know that's going to be somewhat of a narrative. But like, OK, so they got it. It's like, hey, you know what? Tip of the cap, great. They end up hitting, you know, we call it coverage zero. I like the call. And I thought Drew made an incredible play to get the touchdown right there. But we have a chance. We're down 7. And then we end up going 3-and-out. I thought it was kind of the next drive when they got up 10, where it really started to turn for us. And again, going 6-and-out. Again, it's not like there's like a wholesale change need, by any means. We're not hitting any panic button. But when you play the best defensive ball, you got to do all the little things right. And we did not today. But again, like, any time there's an execution issue, to me, that starts with coaching. So we need to provide better clarity for them, and then put them in better positions to be successful.
Lafleur: Yeah, no, I think you're right. I mean, it's whether they're bringing the pressure, bringing four-man, Mike's as good as anyone in the world at changing it up, giving you a four-man, overloading it, stuff like that. Like, you're never going to have a beat on him, because, I mean, he basically just kind of Rolodexes it. And he does a great job with it, obviously. Whether it was a four-man rush, and just getting a little bit edge, or something like that. So you don't got to look at the tape, and obviously improve from all this.
Lafleur: Yeah, I mean, obviously, it was probably a long shot, being down 17 at that point. If it's a 16-point game, then you feel a little bit different about, hey, get a quick stop. Our guys were battling out there. I'm not going to question them battling. They did battle in that last drive. For it to get down to fourth and inches, I told them I do appreciate that. They didn't back down. Took everything Seattle had right there. Because I've been on the other side of that, too, where you want to stomp one in right there on offense. And our guys made it hard. But again, credit to them, but a lot to clean up from our end.
Lafleur: Yeah, just what I just said. I mean, you come in there at halftime. And again, we didn't have the points on offense. But there were some good things. I thought we were doing some decent things on first and second down against a really good defense. But when you're in those third manageables, you've got to move the sticks. And the momentum you get from third down conversions. And we didn't do that. But I thought our defense was playing excellent, obviously. They get us on the second play of the game. OK, great. Our second play of the game, we have an opportunity. And we were just a little bit off in terms of our execution. And they get a big touchdown. We thought we should have had one on the second play. Instead, we don't. We have to kind of dirt it right there. So a lot to clean up. I'm excited to get back to work with these guys tomorrow.
Lafleur: I mean, I wouldn't look into too much. Obviously, Trey had some. But I wouldn't look into too much of anything right now, because we didn't throw the ball for crap anyway. So again, schematically, it wasn't good, you know?
Lafleur: I think some of it was, obviously, being in 13 big. And so you only end up having one receiver in there. We're in what we call 13Z. And that's where Mike's our receiver on that when we're in 13X, which we had a couple snaps of that. Marv's our receiver on that.
Lafleur: Not concerned, no. I'm concerned with, obviously, our execution on offense today. But I think it's all stuff that we know we can do better. We know we can coach it better. And we have a better standard in that.
Lafleur: Yeah, he's a dang good receiver. I mean, the second play of the game, that's one. Obviously, you want back, because it doesn't matter really who that is. We can be better in that just from, obviously, execution standpoint. But he's a dang good receiver. He's already going to be the best one. I'm always going to tell you guys, I know you're not going to love it. But I got to wash the tape with the defense. I see the strain. I see all those kind of things. You see kind of the splash plays, if you will. But I'm more focused on, obviously, getting our series together and all those kind of things, making sure that the fluidity of what's going on there on defense. But I got to wash the tape on that a little more.
Lafleur: Just not good enough across the board. The scheme wasn't good enough clearly. Anytime you have 127 yards going into that last drive, I mean, that's not good at all. So we knew it was going to be tough. Again, if I want to be half glass full, I thought there was some things in the first half that we were doing pretty well. I thought we were grinding out some yards against a good front. But again, you don't have to be extraordinary. But you got to do the ordinary stuff that we hang our hat on really well. And we did not do that.
Lafleur: Yeah, I mean, you don't want to, let me word this the correct way. You don't want to sacrifice stopping the run and stuff too, just because of that. So you're mixing, matching it. But I'm not necessarily where I don't even know what his stats were. I'm not worried about schematically in terms of what he was doing. He's going to get his at times. He got to limit it and help our guys out. But I don't think that was the case. I thought we were playing really good defense really up until probably that last 20 minutes. And they kind of just took over from there.
Lafleur: Yeah, it's a good one. I mean, that's the gold standard right now. And it doesn't get any easier next week. This team that we're about to play next week is going to be dang good. And they're rolling right now, and they're healthy. And you guys see when they're healthy how good that team can be. What cannot happen is we can't let Seattle beat us twice. Not necessarily the second time we play them. I don't care. I don't even know when we play them again. But we can't let this go into next week. And I don't think we will. I love the guys in that locker room. We have great leadership. And again, I think an hour and a half, two hours ago, you guys are probably sitting there at halftime like, well, we got a nice little game right here. But it's 60 minutes. And against a great team, you got to go 60 minutes with them. And again, we didn't do it, and it starts with us as coaches.
Lafleur: Max, I'll have more information for you guys tomorrow. Max has a foot, and then Will has a neck. So I'm serious initially. I don't think so. I don't think so. But we'll find out a little bit tomorrow. So both said they looked at me in the eye and said, I'm good. But sometimes the adrenaline's rolling, and then you wake up the next morning. They see the trainers right now as it's going down. And sometimes you feel some type of way.
