For a week, optimism filled Arizona Cardinals land.

After the Cardinals beat the division-rival Los Angeles Rams ahead of their Week 7 matchup with Denver, there was hope they could beat a Broncos team that, despite its strong record, had some weaknesses.

However, that wasn't the case. The Broncos downed the Cardinals 30 to 16 at State Farm Stadium, pushing Arizona to 2-5 on the season.

Four big takeaways from their Week 7 loss:

Cardinals Defense Comes Back Down to Earth

Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis' unit was the main headline in the win over the Rams, as the defense played extremely well. Their defense again started strong for the Cardinals this week, with the defensive line pressuring Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix early in action, which included a sack by defensive end Darius Robinson.

At the end of the first quarter, the Cardinals held the Broncos to only two field goals and no touchdowns; however, that changed for the rest of the game.

Things went downhill for the Cardinals' defense when they made a struggling Bo Nix look like legendary scrambling San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young. Nix scrambled for a 62-yard Denver touchdown, going untouched to the end zone.

The big plays continued when Nix hit Broncos running back R.J. Harvey for a 52-yard touchdown on a screen pass. The Broncos blocked this screen well, but Arizona's defense saw Harvey weave in and out of traffic on his touchdown reception, which was dissapointing especially after they tackled so well against the Rams last week.

Simply put, this Cardinals defense was dissapointing. While they did have some good moments, it was erased by some horrendous defensive play.

Cardinals Need to Find a Receiver This Offseason

As awesome as tight end Trey McBride and wideout Michael Wilson are, the Cardinals still need another viable pass catcher. The Cardinals' pass game struggled heavily in this matchup despite quarterback Jacoby Brissett actually threading some nice deep passes that the Cardinals' pass-catchers couldn't haul in.

A big issue is that the Cardinals lack a speed threat on the outside. McBride and Wilson specialize more in strength and possession rather than being downfield burners, and such was even the case when Marvin Harrison Jr. was present.

The NFL's best offenses have great speed threats, such as Khalil Shakir on the Buffalo Bills and Luther Burden III on the Chicago Bears. Adding a player with that skillset could greatly help head coach Mike LaFleur's offense.

Bo Nix Showed Cardinals How an Offense Should Run

While Nix didn't have an amazing game, he played the kind of game Cardinals fans have wanted from their own signal caller. Nix moved the ball downfield without turning it over. On the day, Nix threw one touchdown pass, no interceptions, and finished with an 88.6 passer rating.

Going into the season, Arizona was expected to get these types of games from Brissett. However, that has not been the case. Brissett has turned the ball over more than expected and hasn't made the best reads. 

Cardinals fans aren't expecting Brissett to play at the level of an MVP like Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills or Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. The main issue is the simple stuff Brissett has struggled with.

I still don't think the Cardinals' infrastructure is great for any quarterback, but after this game, going with Gardner Minshew or Carson Beck is the right choice.

Cardinals' Red Zone Offense And Its Struggles Continue 

After a week where the Cardinals didn't score a touchdown and settled for six field goals in the red zone, their Week 7 red zone offense wasn't much better against Denver, going one for five on the day. The Cardinals' lone touchdown came when Brissett found McBride for a touchdown on a seven-yard pass.

Arizona's lack of red-zone execution over the past two weeks is very concerning. The Cardinals' more possession-heavy personnel should make for a better red-zone offense. However, that has not been the case.

Out of all the issues the Cardinals have, this is the one that will cost them the most games. Settling for field goals consistently can not win you a game every week. Hopefully, head coach Mike LaFleur can turn the red-zone offense around. If not, it's going to be a very long back half of the season.