After a game-winning field goal victory over the Miami Dolphins, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to deny the Arizona Cardinals’ status as a legitimate contender in the NFC West.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Cardinals, 4-4 heading into Week 9, are undefeated against their NFC West opponents thus far, picking up a dominant win over the Rams, then a comeback win against the 49ers. Of Arizona’s four losses this year, all four have come against teams that have six wins, those being the Bills, Lions, Packers, and Commanders. What makes this stat all the more impressive is the fact that there are only seven teams in the NFL with six or more wins, meaning the Cardinals have gone head-to-head against some of the best talent in the league early on.
The remaining schedule reflects this, with only one team in the league having an easier path ahead. Their second-half opponents hold an average winning percentage of .420, including matchups against struggling teams like the Patriots, Panthers, and Jets.
With two games remaining before their bye, the Cardinals have a prime opportunity to enter the break atop the NFC West, a spot few would have anticipated. In his Week 8 “Overreactions” column, ESPN’s Dan Graziano argued that the Cardinals are indeed a threat in the division.
Graziano acknowledged the Rams’ similar potential but praised Arizona’s success, stating, “I don’t know how the Cardinals are doing it, either. But Kyler Murray is playing with a great deal of confidence, coach Jonathan Gannon is doing a nice job, and the team is 2-0 in the division with wins already against the Rams and 49ers.”
Assessing the rest of the division, Graziano highlighted both the Seahawks’ inconsistency and the 49ers’ injury woes, including the season-ending loss of Brandon Aiyuk and a defense struggling even when healthy. He concluded that the NFC West appears wide open, with no reason to rule out any team from the divisional race.
“Seattle has looked like the clear best team in the division for stretches but has been streaky, and it really hasn’t beaten a quality opponent other than Atlanta. The Niners, if they get it together, should probably still be considered the favorites due to their track record. But their health issues are brutal, Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is out for the season, and their defense looks leaky even when it is healthy. And if San Francisco doesn’t get it together, there is no reason to rule out any of the other teams in this division, no matter what you thought of them two months (or even two weeks) ago.”
Given their performance, schedule, and in-division success, are the Cardinals truly a dark horse to take the NFC West?
