The last thing the Cardinals need after their unflattering 44-21 season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs is any form of finger-pointing between the offense and the defense. Neither side of the football played well enough on Sunday at State Farm Stadium to start any of that nonsense.

But don’t be surprised if it’s the offense that’s asked to take the lead from here and set the tone by scoring as many points as possible until the defense is ready to hold its own and start making game-changing differences on a regular basis.

After their collapse against Patrick Mahomes, it’s a wonder if the defense will ever be able get off the mat. The Chiefs had 33 first downs on just 66 total plays. They were 6 for 6 in red zone scoring percentage as it relates to touchdowns. They piled up 488 total yards of offense. Mahomes passed for five touchdowns without an interception and wasn’t sacked.

Those are devastating and real facts and something the Cardinals can’t sweep under the rug as they move on to this Sunday’s game in Las Vegas against the Raiders with the Rams looming a week later in Glendale, where the Cardinals have lost six straight dating back to last season.

But a possible solution was presented to coach Kliff Kingsbury during his Monday news conference. Is it reasonable to suggest that Arizona’s offense, given its many playmakers with a variety of skill sets, can take the lead and be entrusted with scoring enough points until the defense can get itself right?

“We have a bunch of playmakers and we should be able to play at a high level very quickly,” Kingsbury said. “We didn’t yesterday, there’s no doubt after watching the film. Had some things and just have to be cleaner. But you get playmakers like that, (tight end) Zach (Ertz) playing the full game, and (wide receiver) Rondale (Moore) and (receiver) Hollywood (Brown)  more comfortable, have to get (receiver) A.J. (Green) more involved, yeah, I feel like we can get it going on that side of the ball pretty quick.”

It might be unfair to ask the offense to carry the load, but it’s plausible. Besides, if Kyler Murray and the offense are on the field for extended periods of time, it means things are clicking and it’s giving the defense a break.

“We put them on the field way too much,” Kingsbury said, referring to his defense. “We had a bunch of three and outs and you get behind on a team like that and become one dimensional, it’s a wrap.”

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Arizona’s problems on defense were the same issues that were concerns heading into the offseason and the preseason. General Manager Steve Keim didn’t address the pass rush until the draft and then, it was on a pair of unproven third-round picks in Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders. He’s brought in an array of cornerbacks, but none that stick out as a bona fide starter that would allow Byron Murphy Jr. to stay inside as the nickel corner.

And the jury is still out on inside linebackers Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, the Cardinals’ two first-round picks from 2020 and 2021. They each had their share of problems against the Chiefs and like the rest of their defensive brethren, they’ll have to step up their game against another skilled offense in the Raiders, featuring quarterback Derek Carr, running back Josh Jacobs, receivers Devante Adams and Hunter Renfro and tight end Darren Waller.

“They’re really good. I mean the skill is tremendous,” Kingsbury said. “It’s some of the best players in the league with their tight end, running back, receivers and then (coach) Josh McDaniels. I know him really well. He’s one of the smartest offensive minds I’ve ever been around or known, so it’ll be a huge challenge.”

It’s uncertain if Arizona will get some of its injured starters back in time for that game, however. Kingsbury said left guard Justin Pugh (neck), defensive end J.J. Watt (calf strain) and Moore (hamstring) each remain day to day and he won’t know anything more until the team resumes practice on Wednesday.

“Hopefully, he can do something,” Kingsbury said of Pugh. “We’ll see if we can get him going, but I don’t know. We’ve got to see how he responds Wednesday at practice.”

Regarding Watt, Kingsbury said, “We’ll get him out there and see and hopefully he can give us something this week.”

The coach sounded less optimistic about Moore, who pulled his hamstring last Thursday in practice while running routes.

“Yeah, I’m not sure,” Kingsbury said. “That’s another guy that Wednesday we’ll see how he feels. Hopefully, he can do something, but we’ve got to get him out there. … It’s pretty much day-to-day at this point, but a guy like him that does that much running, I think we’ve got to be really smart with him.”

Kingsbury was asked if the Cardinals need to add a cornerback via free agency or a trade considering his light they are at that position in terms of depth.

“We’ll see,” he said. “I want to see where Trayvon (Mullen Jr.) is in the next couple days (after missing the opener with a toe issue) and then go from there. We have Ham (Antonio Hamilton) waiting in the wings (on the reserve/non-football injury list) and hopefully that is sooner than later, but yeah, Steve (Keim) is always looking to try and improve the roster and if someone is out there, we’ll make a move.”

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The most important thing the Cardinals can do for themselves is to practice better this week. Kingsbury said after the game he wasn’t happy with the energy and sense of urgency at times during last week’s workouts and he expects a much better effort beginning on Wednesday.

Some players agreed with Kingsbury when asked postgame if they could have practiced better leading up to Sunday.

“We lost to a good team,” Kingsbury said. “We didn’t play very well, they played very well. Nowhere to go but up at this point with that performance. I think our guys understood that and it starts with practice. I’m glad they recognize it. Now it’s a matter of doing something about it.”

Asked what he wants to see out of his players this week, Kingsbury said, “Treat every rep like a game. The intensity has to pick up across the board. … Each and every rep has to get better and you’ve got to play fast and get your work in during the week to expect to come out and play well on Sunday. I think collectively we know we’ve got to be better in that department and I expect it to be better this week.”

Kingsbury has already gone over and over the film from Sunday and upon further review, there was nothing positive he was able to glean from any of it. It isn’t going to look any better, either, when he and his coaching staff break it down with the players on Tuesday.

“No. We played a really good team that was rolling like a well-oiled machine and we looked like preseason game No.1 for whatever reason,” Kingsbury said. “We’ve got to be better, and we expect to make a big jump going into Week 2.”

Have an opinion on the Arizona Cardinals? Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com and follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac. Listen to him live on Fox Sports 910-AM every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch. 

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