Cardinals move into top 10 in latest power rankings despite bye week
The Arizona Cardinals did not play a game in Week 8 but that didn’t stop them from gaining ground in the latest power rankings. In Mark Schofield’s latest set of rankings for Touchdown Wire, the Cardinals moved up one spot and into the top 10.
They are now No. 10.
Over the past week’s gamut of radio hits and podcast appearances, the Arizona Cardinals were a frequent topic of discussion. Fresh off their overtime victory over the Seattle Seahawks – where Vance Joseph’s nifty 0-6-5 sub defensive package played a big role in the extra frame – the Cardinals are generating some serious buzz.
So the question facing them is this: Are the Cardinals becoming a sleeper Super Bowl team in the NFC?
You could make a strong case in their favor. Their defense has been impressive over the past few weeks, from baiting Russell Wilson into some mistakes and shutting down a disastrous Dallas Cowboys offense. Over that same stretch of time, Kyler Murray and the Cardinals offense is showing some growth on that side of the football.
Now look at their remaining games. Sure they face the Rams twice, as well as both Seattle and San Francisco again (teams they have already beaten) but they face the Miami Dolphins coming out of their bye, a game against the New England Patriots – who could be a much different team come post-Thanksgiving – the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles.
I would not exactly be pricing flights to Tampa just yet as a Cardinals fan, but I might want to clear my calendar…
The Cardinals now have the league’s No. 1 offense. They are in the top 10 in points. Their defense has been surprisingly solid. Coming out of the bye, they have two home games they can certainly win against the Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, which could lead to a 7-2 record before a Thursday night battle in Seattle.
They have had a bit of a hiccup with two defensive starters contracting COVID-19, but things are going in the right direction for this team.
The Cardinals’ Week 9 opponent, the Dolphins, are 15th.
In terms of the NFC West, the Seahawks are No. 3, the L.A. Rams are No. 11 and the San Francisco 49ers are 17th.
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