ARIZONA CARDINALS

SI writer: Cardinals need help to reach the playoffs

May 16, 2013, 5:52 PM | Updated: 6:30 pm

The Arizona Cardinals made a considerable amount of changes since their final game of the 2012 season, including in the coaching ranks as well as all over the roster.

But will it all be enough to lift a team that won just five games last season to the postseason in the next one?

According to Sports Illustrated writer Don Banks, no. But, he notes, it’s not necessarily due to a lack of effort or anything the Cardinals have done themselves.

You can like a lot of what the Cardinals accomplished this offseason on the coaching, front office and roster-building side and still not be able to make a legitimate case for them to leap-frog the 49ers, Seahawks or Rams in the NFC West standings. And therein lies the problem: You can’t make the playoffs as a last-place team in the NFL. It’s mathematically impossible because there are only two wild-card clubs in each conference.



I can see Arizona being obviously improved, finishing in the seven-win range, and playing its division mates tough. But the Cardinals don’t have the firepower to match what San Francisco, Seattle or St. Louis can put on the field this season, and adding the below average Carson Palmer at quarterback only rates as an upgrade because Arizona was almost comically outmatched at the game’s most crucial position last year.

Banks’ misgivings about Palmer notwithstanding, he is reiterating a general theme that seems to be surrounding the Cardinals heading into the 2013 season. Sure, they may be better, but their division is so tough their record may not reflect the improvement.

As for the team’s playoff chances? Banks writes, “It would require woeful underachievement by the rest of the NFC West to lift Arizona’s fortunes to wild-card contending status.”

Very well, then.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

17 hours ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

21 hours ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

2 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

2 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

2 days ago

SI writer: Cardinals need help to reach the playoffs