Playoff scenarios for Arizona Cardinals as Week 16 approaches
Dec 16, 2014, 8:54 PM | Updated: Dec 17, 2014, 8:06 pm
The Arizona Cardinals punched their ticket to the playoffs in Week 15 with their win over the St. Louis Rams and a loss by the Philadelphia Eagles.
On Sunday, the Cardinals have the opportunity to secure home field advantage for the duration of the playoffs — including the Super Bowl, which will be played in Glendale. They’ll need a win over the visiting Seattle Seahawks to clinch the NFC West and hold home field.
With a loss, however, the Cardinals would presumably need the Rams to beat the Seahawks in Seattle the following week along with a win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in order to clinch the division. If they fail to win the West, the Cardinals will be made a wild card team and will play on the road in the playoffs, visiting the winner of the NFC South first.
The Cardinals will be without backup quarterback Drew Stanton, who suffered a knee injury last week against the Rams. Recently re-signed third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley will get the start in his place.
Lindley completed four of his 10 passing attempts for 30 yards after entering the game early in the second half against the Rams.
When the Cardinals last faced the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks, they lost 19-3 in Seattle. They were held to 204 total yards of offense — fewer than Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson accrued through the air.
