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Are The Cardinals Ready To Contend For The Super Bowl?

Published

2 years ago

March 31, 2022

(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

In 2021, the Arizona Cardinals came blasting out of seemingly nowhere, winning their first seven games of the season and looking like the National Football League’s newest elite team.

After their hot start, however, they lost steam, dropping four of their last five games, which included inexcusable losses to the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks.

Once in the playoffs, the Cardinals didn’t even mount a challenge, as they were run off the field by the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams, 34-11.

The way their season ended was a reality check for them, and it was instructive in the sense that it taught them they weren’t quite ready to contend for the world championship.

The question is whether Arizona should be considered a legitimate title contender this coming season?

Championship Contenders Finish The Season Strong

A fluke team can get off to a good start, like the one the Cardinals had, but when the regular season is winding down and everyone is fighting for optimal playoff seeding, true contenders start to take flight.

Instead, the Cardinals played like they had their wings clipped.

After playing so well in September and October, quarterback Kyler Murray tailed off in the final six games of the campaign, posting a passer rating of at least 100 in only two of those contests.

That came in contrast to the first eight games, in which he had a passer rating of over 100 in all but two games.

Not coincidentally, Arizona’s offense also went south, as it failed to score over 30 points in any of its final five games after doing so seven times in its first nine contests.

Arizona Cardinals point totals this season
Week 1 – 38
Week 2 – 34
Week 3 – 31
Week 4 – 37
Week 5 – 17 (vs 49ers)
Week 6 – 37
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So far DeMeco Ryans and the 49ers defense have been the only unit that’s been able to slow down Arizona’s high powered offense
— Jordan Elliott (@JLeeElliott) October 17, 2021

On one hand, a bit of a drop-off in terms of wins and losses was expected after superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins missed the team’s last four games and star defensive end J.J. Watt was unable to play in Arizona’s final 10 games after a shoulder injury.

But how does a team with the weapons Arizona has lose to the Lions or even the Seahawks?

Good Health Will Help, But Arizona Has Lost Too Many Key Men

After Hopkins tore his MCL last season, the hope is that he’ll be good to go once the 2022 regular season starts.

Hopkins is considered one of the best wideouts in the NFL and perhaps Murray’s favorite target.

A healthy Watt, even though he’s not the monster pass rusher he used to be, will also help a defense that had pretty big problems down the stretch of the 2021 season.

However, the roster looks weaker than it did months ago.

In wideouts A.J. Green and Christian Kirk, the Cardinals also possessed other proven options for Murray to look to.

But Kirk opted to get paid more money with the Jacksonville Jaguars, while Green is currently a free agent.

In their absence, the team is counting on Zach Ertz and young wideout Rondale Moore to step up and carry more of the load.

But perhaps Arizona’s biggest loss was Chandler Jones, the team’s Pro Bowl linebacker.

March 15, 2016@chanjones55 became an Arizona Cardinal. pic.twitter.com/0n9dv7V4lQ
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) March 15, 2021

As a result, Super Bowl contention seems more remote for the Cardinals in 2022 and depending on when Hopkins returns, the team may have an uphill climb to simply reach the playoffs.

The post Are The Cardinals Ready To Contend For The Super Bowl? appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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Kel'el Ware hits the tough shot, plus a foul to extend Indiana's lead vs. Maryland

Published

4 mins ago

December 2, 2023

nigemord@gmail.com

The Indiana Hoosiers extended their lead vs. the Maryland Terrapins after Kel’el Ware hit a tough shot plus a foul.

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Insider Reveals Patriots’ Starting QB For Sunday

Published

8 mins ago

December 2, 2023

nigemord@gmail.com

(Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

During the Week 12 matchup with the New York Giants, the New England Patriots and their coaching staff decided to shake things up by making a change at quarterback after Mac Jones struggled early and threw two costly interceptions.

Even though he only got to throw 14 passes against the Giants, which resulted in nine completions for 54 yards and an interception, Bailey Zappe seems to have done enough to secure the starting job under center for at least one more week.

The Western Kentucky product clearly didn’t make a huge impression on Bill Belichick and company, but at this point, the team seems to be fed up with Jones’ lack of production and is looking for any boost they can get in the final stretch of the 2023 campaign.

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, Zappe will get the nod from the coaching staff for this week’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, with Malik Cunningham potentially getting some time on the field as well.

Patriots QB Bailey Zappe will indeed start Sunday against the Chargers, per sources. There’s also a package of plays for QB/WR Malik Cunningham. Mac Jones is unlikely to play, unless circumstances change during the game. https://t.co/BbTo4T67eN
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) December 1, 2023

With the rest of the season basically being a lost cause for the Patriots, with the team having won only two games up to this point, Belichick and company will likely be looking to see if Zappe can provide a spark and whether he’s worth keeping on beyond this season.

As for Jones, it appears he’s made his last start for the Patriots and likely won’t get another shot unless Zappe goes down with an injury in the final stretch.

The Chargers, as expected, are favored in this game on the road at Gillette Stadium.

The post Insider Reveals Patriots’ Starting QB For Sunday appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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Texans WR Makes Clear Statement On His Status For Sunday

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13 mins ago

December 2, 2023

nigemord@gmail.com

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)

Playoff positioning will be on the line this Sunday when the Houston Texans meet the Denver Broncos at NRG Stadium.

While a loss wouldn’t be a death knell for either team, it would be a major impediment toward reaching the postseason, which is something neither organization has done in several years.

The Texans have been able to surpass expectations so far this season not just because of the excellent play of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, but also thanks to another rookie by the name of Tank Dell.

The stud wide receiver says that despite a calf injury, he will be good to go on Sunday, per Aaron Wilson.

#Texans wide receiver Tank Dell said he's good to go for Sunday's game against #Broncos @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/Jo8EyD4HFz
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 1, 2023

Dell has collected 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season, and he has helped Houston rise to seventh in passing touchdowns and second in passing yards.

He has teamed with young and emerging wideout Nico Collins to give Stroud two reliable targets from the get-go.

The Texans have been a dangerous team, especially in crunch time, as Stroud has led multiple game-winning drives in the final moments of games in recent weeks.

The Broncos have also been clutch lately, and they currently hold a five-game winning streak after looking rather awful in September and early October.

The rest of Houston’s schedule is rather manageable other than a Christmas Eve game against the resilient Cleveland Browns, meaning that beating Denver this weekend could be almost tantamount to claiming a playoff spot in the AFC.

At the very least, it would be another statement to the rest of the NFL.

The post Texans WR Makes Clear Statement On His Status For Sunday appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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