Change Is Coming As Always, And 49ers Aftermath

Greg Dortch was talking about how fun it is to play on the current version of the Cardinals, and how he scored his two touchdowns Sunday in the finale against the 49ers by working and knowing “I’m going to have my opportunity some day.”

But Dortch has always come across as a realist too, and he was ready when it was suggested that the Cardinals could turn the flourish of a finish into something more.

No, Dortch said. This team was done. Next year’s Cardinals will be totally different.

“This season,” Dortch said, “is over.”

That works on multiple levels. Jonathan Gannon likes to have a little fun about the momentum thing, but there is no way a game in January of 2025 carries over in any way to the season opener in September of 2025. Too many things happen.

That’s also the fun of the offseason, however. What any team does in free agency, who they draft – the Cardinals have the 16^th pick of the first round – and what it all looks like when the team does take the field in September.

Gannon noted the work starts Monday. There will be changes. There always are.

That’s the point, really.

— OK, without further delay, it was crazy to see those back-to-back plays in the first half. First cornerback Starling Thomas V and 49ers wideout Jajuan Jennings had a scuffle where each were grabbing and pushing facemasks well away and well after the play, earning both personal foul penalties.

Then Jennings lined up across from cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, and it felt like an NHL deal where the players basically agree to combat before the puck is even dropped. Those two got into it after the snap, well away from the play, and this time, both were ejected. Safety Budda Baker said you could tell it was going to happen before the play.

Murphy-Bunting was not available for comment. Said Jennings, “Just a normal pancake in a book of football. I took him to the ground and I tried to get up and he wouldn’t let me get up. (He) just kept grabbing my jersey, grabbing my face mask as much as he could. Anything to grab me and I was just trying to get him off of me.”

Jennings came into the game needing 77 yards receiving to reach 1,000 on the season. He was going to get there with college teammate Joshua Dobbs under center. Jennings had 52 before getting booted. He admitted missing that milestone “hurts a lot.”

Thomas said the Cardinals were just defending themselves.

“Instead of just playing…