Category: Arizona Cardinals

3 reasons to pick the Chiefs to beat the 49ers in Super Bowl

We make the argument for picking the Chiefs ton win Super Bowl LVIII.

The Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers face off in Super Bowl LVIII Sunday at Allegiant Stadium, kicking off at 6:30 p.m. ET.

It is the fourth Super Bowl in five years for the Chiefs, who are 2-1 in the previous three.

The 49ers return to the big game for the first time in five years. They lost to the Chiefs in their last trip.

Both teams deserve to be there.

The Niners are favored.

Most of the editors of the NFL Wire sites pick the Chiefs to win.

Here are three reasons why you should pick the Chiefs.

NFL to play international game in Madrid in 2025

The NFL, preparing for as many as eight international games in 2025, have announced one new one – in Madrid, Spain.

The NFL has five international games scheduled in 2024 and announced it will have as many as eight in 2025. One of the new international games has been announced.

The league announced Friday that there will be an NFL regular-season game played in Madrid Spain in Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where Real Madrid C.F., an iconic Spanish soccer team, plays.

We are still a year away from knowing what team will be the designated home team and it won’t be until May 2025 when the specific matchup is announced.

It will be the first time the NFL plays a game in Spain. Games have been played in London for years and there are three scheduled in 2024 — one in Wembley Stadium and two in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. There is a game scheduled in Munich, Germany for the third consecutive year.

The NFL will play one game in Sao Paulo in 2024, the first-ever game in South America.

The Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears have international marketing rights in Spain, as part of the NFL’s Global Markets Program, an initiative that grants global marketing rights to clubs in markets outside of the U.S. to build brand awareness and fandom.

Assuming the Dolphins or Bears are the designated home team for the Madrid game in 2025, the Arizona Cardinals will not play in that game. They will not face the Bears or Dolphins on the road in 2025.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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PODCAST: Super Bowl picks, best bets and free agent fits for Cardinals

Jess Root and Seth talk about the Super Bowl, make predictions and free agent fits for the Cardinals on the Super Bowl teams.

Super Bowl LVIII between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers is this weekend. In this edition of the podcast, Seth Cox and I look at players on both teams who are scheduled to become free agents next month and would be good fits for the Arizona Cardinals.

After that, we naturally give our Super Bowl picks and the prop bets you should bet to win some money on Sunday.

Enjoy the show!

Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!

Times and topics:

(1:00) Free agents on the 49ers the Cardinals should target

(22:44) Free agents on the Chiefs the Cardinals should target

(39:24) Super Bowl picks, predictions and prop bets to make

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Dwight Freeney, Devin Hester, Andre Johnson highlight new Hall of Fame Class

Check out the new Pro Football Hall of Fame class, including former Cardinals LB Dwight Freeney.

Five modern-day players and two senior candidates were named the newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Thursday night at the NFL Honors award ceremony in Las Vegas.

The class includes one former Arizona Cardinals player.

They will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio in August leading up to the Hall of Fame Game.

Who are the newest members of the Hall of Fame?

Check them out below.

Full list of 2023 NFL awards from NFL Honors: MVP, players of the year, etc

See who won all the NFL awards for 2023.

The NFL Honors awards show was Thursday night in Las Vegas. The newest Pro Football Hall of Fame class was announced and so were the big NFL awards for players and coaches.

The Most Valuable Player, Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, the Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year were announced.

Who won the awards?

We have a full list below.

Najee Harris wins top ‘angry run’ of year over James Conner

Conner was a finalist for the “angriest run” of the season when he tossed Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson with a mean stiff-arm.

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner was a finalist for the top “angry run” of 2023. However, he did not win it. NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt awarded Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris the award and the scepter for the top “angry run” of the 2023 season for his stiff-arm against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen.

Conner’s stiff-arm on Pittsburgh Steelers (and former Arizona Cardinals) cornerback Patrick Peterson was a finalist.

Even though Conner did not win the scepter, it was a memorable part of the season in one of only four wins. The Cardinals won that game against the Steelers, thanks in large part to Conner’s big game.

Conner finished 2023 with his first-ever 1,000-yard season.

He averaged a career-high 5.0 yards per carry and finished with 1,040 rushing yards despite missing four games.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Former Cardinals LB Dwight Freeney makes Hall of Fame

Freeney played one season for the Cardinals in 2015 and led the team with eight sacks in 11 games.

At the NFL Honors awards show Thursday night in Las Vegas, the newest Pro Football Hall of Fame class was announced. One of the players who will be enshrined this year is pass rusher Dwight Freeney.

Freeney’s career was mostly spent with the Indianapolis Colts, but he did play one season for the Arizona Cardinals.

Freeney was an in-season free agent signing in 2015. He played in 11 games that season, collecting eight sacks and forcing three fumbles. His eight sacks led the team.

He was a key addition to the team. The Cardinals made it to the NFC Championship that season.

Freeney had 125.5 career sacks, including seven seasons with 10 or more.

He was a seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Kyler Murray received vote for Comeback Player of the Year

Joe Flacco won the award but Murray did receive a single third-place vote.

The NFL Comeback Player of the Year for 2023 was Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco. However, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray did receive consideration.

As revealed by the Associated Press’ Josh Dubow, Murray received a single third-place vote for the award.

Murray came back from a disappointing 2022 season that ended with a torn ACL in December.

He returned to play in the final eight games of the season. He led the Cardinals to a 3-5 record with two fourth-quarter comebacks and two game-winning drives.

His overall stats were pretty average to above average with 10 touchdown passes and five interceptions in eight games, averaging 224.9 passing yards per game, but he had a passer rating of 108.3 with six touchdown passes to only one pick over the final three games of the season.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Browns DC Jim Schwartz is NFL Assistant Coach of the year in 2023

Schwartz’ Browns defense was No. 1 in the league in 2023.

The Cleveland Browns were well represented at the NFL Honors awards ceremony Thursday night in Las Vegas. Myles Garrett won Defensive Player of the Year, Kevin Stefanski was Coach of the Year and Joe Flacco was Comeback Player of the Year.

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz can be added to that list as he was named the NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.

Schwartz, in his first year as the Browns’ defensive coordinator, led the Browns to having the No. 1 total defense in the league.

He received 25 of the 50 first-place votes for a total of 160 points. Mike Macdonald, now the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks but the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator in 2023, came in second with 94 total points and 11 first-place votes.

Schwartz’ Cleveland defense shut out the Arizona Cardinals and held them to 58 total yards in a 27-0 win at home.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Lamar Jackson is league MVP for 2nd time with nearly unanimous vote

Jackson received all but one of the 50 first-place votes to win his second MVP award.

While there was a lot of debate during the 2023 season as to who was the league’s Most Valuable Player, once votes were cast, there was no question. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was one vote shy of being a unanimous MVP.

He received 49 of the 50 first-place votes, running away with the win, his second MVP award of his career. His last win, in 2019, was unanimous. he was one vote short from being the first-ever two-time unanimous MVP in NFL history.

He is the 11th player in NFL history with multiple MVP awards.

Jackson led the Ravens to a league-best 13-3 record.

He completed 67.2% of his passes for a career-high 3,678 yards. He threw 24 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions.

He also rushed for 821 yards and five touchdowns, leading the NFL with a 5.5-yard per-carry average.

He faced the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, beating them 31-24 with 157 yards and a touchdown pass.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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