The Arizona Cardinals begin their 2024-25 season this Sunday, Sept. 8, against the Buffalo Bills following a 4-13 campaign in the 2023-24 season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!With Arizona having a healthy Kyler Murray to begin the year, a dynamic rookie wide receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr. and a reloaded defense, take a look at the predictions the Burn City Sports staff has for the Cardinals in the upcoming season:
Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau/ X) – Suns and Cardinals Reporter
Record:Â 7-10
There is no doubt the Cardinals will improve this season if Kyler Murray stays healthy. Their offensive skill group positions are set pretty well and could lead to them having a top-10 offense in the league, depending on health and the performance of the offensive line. The question mark for this team is defense and if the new additions will be able to make a big impact, specifically on the defensive line. Even if the defense just plays decent, the offense will have to shoulder most of the load of how far this team can go this season.
With a couple surprisingly big wins last season under first-year coach Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals proved that they had a foundation in place to build on. Now that they have added new players and Gannon is entering his second year as head coach, Arizona should have a lot to look forward to, especially in terms of exciting play style, it might just not translate to making the playoffs this season or even competing for a Wild Card spot.
Michael McDermott (@MichaelMcDMLB/ X) – Diamondbacks and Cardinals Reporter
The Cardinals are moving in the right direction and have plenty of high-end talent, especially on the offensive side of the ball, but their depth is a major question mark. For this season, Kyler Murray and the offense will have to carry the load and outscore a defense that has very few difference-makers in their Front 7. In order for them to be competing for a Wild Card spot in December, the offense has to be Top 5 in scoring and time of possession to minimize the amount of exposure for their defense. Conversely, the defense can’t be bottom 5 in scoring either.
Alec Cipollini (@AlecCipollini/ X) – Mercury and Arizona State Reporter
Record: 6-11
Kyler Murray will be coming into his first full season since suffering an ACL injury and he will look to prove a point. The team struggled without him as they went 1-8 until he returned and picked up some gritty wins over the Eagles and Steelers. Losing Marquise Brown stings a tiny bit but between his health history and the Cardinals drafting Marvin Harrison Jr., Brown’s departure is not as catastrophic as some may think. Adding Mack Wilson, Bilal Nichols and Sean Murphy-Bunting through free agency could all help the defense improve. James Conner and Trey McBride had career years last season, but can they replicate or build on them even more? Jonathan Gannon is entering his second year as head coach and he will aim to help the Cardinals take another step.
Could the Cardinals win more than six games? It’s possible, but the NFC West is still a difficult division and there will surely be some bumps on the road.
Jacob Hardin (@JacobHardin_/X)– Diamondbacks and Suns Reporter
Record: 9-8
The Arizona Cardinals’ 2024-2025 season can be clearly divided into two distinct halves. They begin the year with a challenging stretch, facing five playoff teams from last season in their first six games, four of which reached at least the Divisional Round. After navigating this gauntlet, the schedule lightens significantly, with matchups against teams like the Vikings, Patriots, and Panthers. If the Cardinals can emerge from those first six games with at least two wins, there’s a real chance they could finish the season with a winning record. However, it won’t be the defense leading the charge—it’s the offense that will need to carry the load. To have a successful bounce-back year, the Cardinals will need to average at least 25 points per game, compensating for a defense that regressed in the offseason. While they flashed potential last season with impressive wins over the Cowboys and Eagles, the question now is whether they can sustain that level of performance for more than just a few weeks.
What is your prediction for the Cardinals this season?
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