The Arizona Cardinals fell vastly short of expectations versus the Washington Redskins in the 2018 NFL season opener. Head coach Steve Wilks thinks he may have pinpointed the problem.

There were some issues that factored into their 24-6 loss in Week 1. However, according to Katherine Fitzgerald of the Arizona Republic, Wilks feels players were trying to do too much.

“From what I was able to see, from watching the tape, I think guys are trying to do too much instead of just trying to do their job,” Wilks said on Monday.

Wilks indicated that this sentiment was especially true for the defense.

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“That’s what we talked about this morning, being one of 11, just trying to go out and do your job and trusting the man beside you. Guys trying to make plays when it’s not their play, and they’re getting out of their gaps.”

There is plenty of truth to Wilks' comments. Although Arizona welcomed a batch of new personnel this offseason, there was a sense of optimism surrounding the team. Unfortunately, it appears to have gotten the best of them out of the gate.

The Cardinals undoubtedly struggled on both sides of the ball. They mustered up just 213 yards of total offense en route to registering just six points on the day. Meanwhile, the defense allowed Washington to post 429 yards of total offense while dominating the time of possession. It is easy to see why the Cardinals fell short. Unfortunately, things will not get any easier when they square off against the high-powered Los Angeles Rams in Week 2.