Playing in the NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals are in arguably the best division in the NFL. Every team in the division has viable postseason aspirations and the ceiling for all four franchises is a Super Bowl.
The Cardinals expect to build on their season a year ago and make it to the playoffs.
That doesn’t happen in USA TODAY’s Nate Davis’ projections for every team in the NFL in 2021. He projects the Cardinals will end up in last place in the division, finishing 7-10.
Pressure’s on coach Kliff Kingsbury after the Cards experienced major second-half fades (combined 5-11 record) during his first two years. Running the ball better – without being so reliant on QB Kyler Murray – and converting more third downs would theoretically keep this team fresher down the stretch … which includes showdowns with five 2020 playoff teams in the final seven weeks, a group that doesn’t include Dallas. Uh oh.
The Cardinals do have a tough schedule. They do have the longest odds in the NFC West.
But if the Cardinals finish under .500, this might mark the end of Kliff Kingsbury as head coach. Some feel he is on the hot seat after the team’s finish in 2020, going from 6-3 to finishing 8-8 and out of the playoffs.
However, Kingsbury has had the Cardinals on the exact trajectory most expected from him when he was hired.
He took a historically bad offense and made it productive and dangerous. After a historically bad defense in 2019, due in large part to injuries and suspensions in the secondary, they were respectable in 2020. Expectations were that they be in the playoff mix in 2020. They were and fell short.
They have improved the roster. There is not one position on the roster where they are weaker than a season ago.
Kyler Murray should still improve. The offensive line is better. The receiving corps is better. The pass rush and defensive line should be better.
They should be a better team in 2021 than they were in 2020.
7-10 feels like what would be the Cardinals’ floor for this coming season.
It certainly is possible, but it feels unlikely.
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