Category: Rankings

After bye, Cardinals remain in same spot in new Week 12 NFL power rankings

Have a look where the Cardinals rank in USA TODAY’s latest NFL power rankings.

The Arizona Cardinals did not play in Week 11 and also did not move in their place in the NFC West, remaining in first place and even gaining a half-game because the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Cardinals are now one game ahead of every other team in the division because they are 6-4 and the 49ers, Seahawks and L.A. Rams are all 5-5.

And, guess what? They also didn’t move in the latest NFL power rankings from USA TODAY’s Nate Davis. They hold at No. 10 overall.

The NFC West leaders come out of their bye with a one-game lead but two of their next three contests against Seattle, which has beaten the Cards in five straight.

Who is ahead of them? The Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers. You know who the Cardinals lost to this season? Four of those teams — the Lions, Bills, Commanders and Packers.

Go figure.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals tumble in new week 7 NFL power rankings

After the Cardinals shot up to No. 12 following their win over the 49ers, they fell all the way to No. 20 this week.

The Arizona Cardinals saw their stock drop precipitously in new NFL power rankings after suffering a big road loss on Sunday to the Green Bay Packers. They lost 34-13, turning the ball over three time, drawing 13 penalties and allowing Packers quarterback Jordan Love to throw four touchdown passes.

In the latest NFL power rankings from USA TODAY’s Nate Davis, the Cardinals tumbled after shooting up the previous week.

After rising all the way to No. 12 following their 24-23 last-minute road win over the San Francisco 49ers, the loss to the Packers dropped them all the way back down to No. 20.

They entered Sunday with a league-low 19 penalties … then committed 13, along with three fumbles, in a 21-point loss at Lambeau.

The Cardinals have been frustratingly inconsistent on offense and defense. Defensively, they held powerhouse offenses like the Lions and 49ers scoreless in the second half of their games.

On Sunday, they couldn’t stop the run, pressure the quarterback or cover down the field. That’s a bad combination, especially when they punted four straight possessions to start the game on offense, going three-and-out three times.

But knowing their inconsistent nature, they probably will come back in Week 7 on Monday night and beat the Chargers in impressive fashion. We shall see.

The Chargers rank 17th in these power rankings.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals fly up power rankings after win over 49ers

They move up from No. 23 to No. 12 after their win over the Niners.

The Arizona Cardinals quickly changed their season’s narrative with one game. After it appeared people were already bailing on the general manager and coaching staff after an embarrassing 42-14 loss to the Washington Commanders, their come-from-behind 24-23 road win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday has regenerated belief.

In the latest NFL power rankings by USA TODAY’s Nate Davis, the Cardinals were catapulted from No. 23 to No. 12.

They’re 2-0 against NFC West foes and feature the best QB-RB rushing tandem (Kyler Murray, James Conner) west of Baltimore.

They even rank ahead of the Niners, sandwiched between them and the Buffalo Bills.

Now they need to follow up that win with a strong performance against the Green Bay Packers on the road, who rank 10th this week.

Putting together two straight strong wins could catapult them with confidence and go on a bit of a run.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals tumble in new power rankings after 2nd straight loss

They dropped nine spots in USA TODAY’s power rankings after a blowout loss to Washington.

After what were three weeks of positive vibes for the Arizona Cardinals, their Week 4 loss to the Washington Commanders ruined that. They look bad again.

They were competitive against the Buffalo Bills. They destroyed the Los Angeles Rams. They were able to hang tough with the Detroit Lions. But the 42-14 loss to Washington on Sunday threw all that out the window.

It shows in the latest NFL power rankings in Week 5 from USA TODAY’s Nate Davis.

They tumbled nine spots from No. 14 to No. 23.

Three of their next four outings will be on the road against 2023 playoff teams – so the Cards better find a way to stop surrendering an NFC-worst 22.3 first downs per game.

Arizona does have a tough stretch coming up. Most believed they would be 1-3 after four games, but losing to Washington in that fashion was concerning.

If they bounce back against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5 on the road, then things will shift again, as opinions and perspectives tend to go.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky ranks Sam Darnold pretty high heading into Week 4

ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky unveiled his top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL right now on Thursday, and Sam Darnold comes in at number 3.

The Minnesota Vikings have gotten off to a hot start this season, winning each of their first three games and doing so against some stiff competition. After a Week 1 victory over a poor New York Giants team, the Vikings backed it up with back-to-back wins over some of the NFL’s elite in the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans.

Now, as one of the league’s few unbeaten teams left, the Vikings head into a crucial division matchup against the Green Bay Packers, with many folks asking just how good this Vikings team really is. Most of that uncertainty circles around people waiting for the Sam Darnold Cinderella story to turn back into the pumpkin he’s been for much of his career.

However, some folks are on board with Darnold as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now, including ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky. Thursday morning on ESPN’s First Take, Orlovsky unveiled his top 5 quarterbacks right now, and the much-maligned Vikings’ quarterback comes in at number 3 for Orlovsky, just behind Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith round out Orlovsky’s top five. Suspiciously absent from Orlovsky’s list is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Also absent from that list is Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who could be back in the lineup this week after suffering a knee injury in Week 1.

Bills remain atop new Week 4 power rankings

The top of the league didn’t change. There were a lot of other changes.

Week 3 of the NFL season brought many surprises. The Carolina Panthers beat the Las Vegas Raiders, who beat the Baltimore Ravens last week. The Washington Commanders had a breakout game from rookie QB Jayden Daniels, while the Buffalo Bills look like a problem for the rest of the NFL.

In Cards Wire’s new Week 4 NFL power rankings, the top remained the same. There was a lot of moving around after that.

NFL power rankings entering Week 4

1. Buffalo Bills (no change)

They are 3-0 and put on a beatdown of the Jaguars.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (no change)

They are 3-0 and are winning close games, which will serve them later on.

3. Minnesota Vikings (+10)

OK, so maybe Sam Darnold can do this. Four TD passes? And luckily his knee injury isn’t serious.

4. Detroit Lions (+3)

They held the Cardinals to only 13 points after their 41-point explosion and won a tough game despite getting shut out in the second half. The offense looked better and the defense was fantastic.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (+9)

They are 3-0 under Mike Tomlin for the first time. The defense is great and Justin Fields is doing enough.

6. Seattle Seahawks (+9)

They blew out a decimated Dolphins team, but they are 3-0 and just keep beating the teams they face.

7. Los Angeles Chargers (+1)

They couldn’t beat the Steelers but that defense is still tremendous. We have to watch that ankle injury for Justin Herbert, though.

8. New York Jets (+4)

They made short work of the Pats, but was that really impressive? That said, they are headed in the right direction.

9. Houston Texans (-6)

They were beat down by the Vikings. They are still good but too many other teams looked better in Week 3.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)

Their much-maligned defense held the league’s top-scoring team to only 12 points.

11. San Francisco 49ers (-5)

They lost to the Rams, who had previously been awful. But they now lost DL Javon Hargrave for the season. TE George Kittle is hurt and QB Brock Purdy has a back injury. The injuries are piling up.

12. Green Bay Packers (+4)

Another win without Jordan Love, and Love might come back in Week 4.

13. Baltimore Ravens (+5)

They got their first win but almost gave it up in the fourth quarter. Derrick Henry was huge against the Cowboys with 151 yards and two scores.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (-10)

Their defense couldn’t stop Jayden Daniels. They are 0-3 in a division were the Steelers are 3-0.

15. New Orleans Saints (-10)

Their first two games made us believe too much in them.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7)

How do you go from beating the Lions to losing to the Broncos?

17. Atlanta Falcons (no change)

They were so close to knocking off the Chiefs. If they don’t lose too many games early, they will be a problem later on.

18. Dallas Cowboys (-7)

Their defense is something to worry about right now.

19. Indianapolis Colts (no change)

So they beat the Bears.

20. L.A. Rams (+3)

They found some life against the Niners to avoid an 0-3 start.

21. Arizona Cardinals (+1)

They struggled offensively against the Lions but the defense held them scoreless in the second half. They looked like how we expected them to be. Incredibly competitive but not quite able to hang with more polished teams.

22. Miami Dolphins (-2)

Now Skylar Thompson got hurt?

23. Cleveland Browns (-2)

They lost to the Giants? Deshaun Watson is looking more and more like a really bad decision.

24. Washington Commanders (+4)

Jayden Daniels had a coming out party on Monday night. The defense, though, still might be a problem.

25. Denver Broncos (+5)

Bo Nix was not terrible.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (-2)

They kind of look like the 2022 Cardinals how things are falling apart.

27. Las Vegas Raiders (-2)

How do you beat the Ravens and then go and lose to Andy Dalton?

28. Chicago Bears (-2)

Caleb Williams will be good. He will make a lot of mistakes this season.

29. New York Giants (+2)

Malik Nabers looks great. Imagine if they had kept Saquon Barkley.

30. Carolina Panthers (+2)

So Bryce Young was holding them back? Andy Dalton led a 36-point explosion.

31. New England Patriots (-4)

So that season-opening win might have said more about the Bengals than the Pats.

32. Tennessee Titans (-3)

They fired Mike Vrabel for this?

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals nearly jump into top half of new NFL power rankings

The Cardinals move up to No. 17 after their win over the Rams.

The Arizona Cardinals had a convincing win on Sunday in Week 2, demolishing the L.A. Rams 41-10 at home behind three touchdown passes by quarterback Kyler Murray.

The win propelled them upward in the latest NFL power rankings from USA TODAY’s Nate Davis. After coming in at No. 21 following their Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills, they almost cracked the top half of the league.

Entering Week 3, they are ranked 17th.

Their 69 points scored rank second only to the Saints. Given their weapons and the injuries plaguing the rest of the NFC West, the Cards are a squad to keep a close eye on.

They looked unstoppable offensively against the Rams, and they were great on defense, holding Kyren Williams to only 25 rushing yards and sacking Matthew Stafford five times.

The real test will be this week when they host the Detroit Lions. If they can repeat similar success, especially offensively, it will show the Cardinals really are a team to watch.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

NFL Week 2 power rankings: 49ers remain on top, Chiefs climb

We have new power rankings with Week 2 beginning.

We have a full week of games, the 2024 season is underway and some preseason expectations have been confirmed, at least early on.

Half the league is 1-0 and the other half is 0-1. Half are Super Bowl bound and the other half need to trade everyone.

It’s not that drastic, but we do have some changes to our power rankings, although the team at the top remains the same.

1. San Francisco 49ers (no change)

The Niners didn’t have Christian McCaffrey in the opener on Monday and Jordan Mason ran all over the Jets. They scored 32 points on that vaunted Jets defense.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (+1)

So adding the speed of Xavier Worthyt is a game-changer early on. Just wait till Hollywood Brown comes back.

3. Detroit Lions (-1)

The Lions held on and beat an injury-riddled Rams squad in overtime. David Montgomery was great and Jameson Williams might finally be who what the Lions hoped he would be.

4. Houston Texans (+2)

So Stefon Diggs makes the Texans even better.

5. Los Angeles Rams (+4)

Their offensive line is decimated by injuries and Puka Nacua got hurt but they still went toe-to-toe with the Lions

6. Baltimore Ravens (-2)

Lamar Jackson was great. They were inches from a win or overtime against the Chiefs.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)

Jalen Hurts was picked off twice, but, man, Saquon Barkley looked good in that offense.

8. Buffalo Bills (+2)

Josh Allen rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another two. They weathered early dominance by Arizona and basically did whatever they wanted offensively after that.

9. Miami Dolphins (+2)

They got a win the hard way, something that they didn’t do a lot of last year.

10. Indianapolis Colts (+4)

They went toe-to-toe with the Texans. Anthony Richardson is going to be a problem in the AFC.

11. Dallas Cowboys (+6)

The Dallas offense did whatever it wanted to Cleveland’s defense and Micah Parsons was unblockable.

12. New York Jets (no change)

Aaron Rodgers didn’t get hurt but the defense was unable to stop the Niners.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (+3)

Trevor Lawrence was efficient and they held the Dolphins to only 20 points despite giving up 400 yards.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (-6)

What exactly happened in Week 1? Only 10 points? Yes, Tee Higgins was hurt, but that was bad.

15. Los Angeles Chargers (+4)

A healthy J.K. Dobbins will be fun. The sackmaster duo of Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa is still great.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+4)

37 points in Week 1? OK, maybe they can keep things up in the NFC South, although it did come against Washington and their bad defense.

17. Minnesota Vikings (+6)

Sam Darnold was solid, but it was against the Giants.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (+4)

The offense with Justin Fields looked like the offense with Kenny Pickett. But they have a great kicker and a defense that keeps them in games.

19. Seattle Seahawks (+5)

They won, but it was against the Broncos in Bo Nix’s debut. They move up, but do we trust them?

20. New Orleans Saints (+5)

They moved up after a blowout win over the Panthers, but how much credit can we give them?

21. Green Bay Packers (-17)

Can they weather the next few games without Jordan Love?

22. Chicago Bears (-4)

Defense and special teams led the comeback over the Titans. Caleb Williams looked shaky.

23. Atlanta Falcons (-10)

So maybe I overestimated Atlanta and what Kirk Cousins would do for that offense. Or perhaps Pittsburgh’s defense is that good. We will see.

24. Cleveland Browns (-9)

That was an ugly game. Are we sure Deshaun Watson isn’t just a bad quarterback now?

25. Arizona Cardinals (-4)

Their first half looked so good and their second half looked so bad. Defensively, they definitely have question marks. They won’t win much with 34 combined receiving yards from Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison Jr.

26. New England Patriots (+5)

They held the Bengals to 10 points. But they won’t win much with Jacoby Brissett averaging 5.0 yards per passing attempt.

27. Denver Broncos (no change)

Bo Nix threw no touchdown passes and had a pair of picks in his debut.

28. Washington Commanders (-2)

The defense was just as bad as it was last season, at least after one week. At least Jayden Daniels looked like he will be fun to watch.

29. Tennessee Titans (-1)

Chicago’s offense didn’t do anything and the Titans still gave up a 17-point lead.

30. Las Vegas Raiders (-1)

They missed Josh Jacobs.

31. New York Giants (+1)

They only moved up because of how bad the Panthers played.

32. Carolina Panthers (-2)

Welcome back to the bottom.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Cardinals outside bottom 10 in Week 1 NFL power rankings

The Cardinals open the season ranked No. 22 by USA TODAY’s Nate Davis.

A year ago, NFL power rankings pretty much universally had the Arizona Cardinals in last place or second-to-last place to start the season. After winning only four games but having an improved roster and a healthy Kyler Murray, things start a little more optimistically in 2024.

USA TODAY power rankings by Nate Davis in Week 1 have the Cardinals sitting at No. 22 overall, which means they are out of the bottom 10 teams in the league, although they are the last team before the bottom 10.

So 106 catches and a shade shy of 1,500 receiving yards – those are the numbers that WR Marvin Harrison Jr. needs to elevate the constantly elevating rookie records for those categories. Honestly? Seems quite attainable for a talent of his caliber.

The Cardinals looked bad in the preseason, but Harrison was the only offensive starter to play at all and that was a total of three snaps.

The defensive starters are a much more talented group than last season’s unit, which was a bad defense. They only need to be not terrible if the offense is as good as many believe it can be.

Keep an eye on the Cardinals. This could be a team that surprises people.

Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

 

Josh Metellus absent from executives’ safety rankings for ESPN

Despite a very strong showing in 2023, Josh Metellus was not recognized by NFL executives in a leaguewide poll held by ESPN.

Despite a very strong showing in 2023, Josh Metellus was not recognized by NFL executives in a leaguewide poll held by ESPN.

The ESPN rankings went live on Thursday, and just one safety was named from the NFC North. Xavier McKinney of the Packers came in at No. 10, and no others even received honorable mention.

Metellus benefited from the presence of Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum’s breakout year, which allowed him to be used more creatively within Brian Flores’ defense.

Metellus saw the rankings and offered his reaction to them.

To say Metellus has some work to do is interesting. Of course, players want to keep improving, but when you look at his numbers from last year, Metellus ranked first among safeties in pressures (29), quarterback hits (7), hurries (19) and sacks (3).

Building on those numbers will be tough, but accomplishing that would make Metellus a star on defense in 2024.