By Michael Rifkin
Last season the Arizona Cardinals were 8-6 with two games left to play and secure a playoff spot; they lost both games, went 8-8, and are still searching for their first playoff appearance since 2015. The heat is on in the desert for third-year coach Kliff Kingsbury to make the playoffs. Here are five keys for the Cardinals to get back to the playoffs.
1. Consistency. The biggest thing for any team is to be consistent. In 2020 the Cardinals started the season 2-0, defeating the reigning NFC champion 49ers and the eventual NFC East champion Washington Football team. Then they lost back-to-back games to Detroit and Carolina, games like that the Cardinals are going to need to win to make the playoffs. This season they start with two challenging games, the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings, which they might have to battle out for a wild card spot.
2. Offseason additions. The Cardinals made some splashes this offseason adding a few veterans. Future Hall of Famer JJ Watt is at the top of the list. Watt signed a two-year contract with the Cards after ten seasons with the Houston Texans. Watt in 2020 had 52 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. But the most critical number for Watt in 2020 was 16. Watt played in every game for Houston. Watt has 531 tackles, 101 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, and 16 fumble recoveries in his career. Pairing Watt with Chandler Jones, who is coming off a biceps injury in 2020, gives the Cards a dynamic duo. They also drafted Zaven Collins out of Tulsa to help with the pass rush after losing pass rusher Hasson Reddick to the Panthers in free agency. On the offensive side, they added running back James Conner from the Steelers. In 2020 Conner ran for 721 and 4 touchdowns. Adding him to the backfield with Chase Edmonds can give the Cards thunder and Lightning. They also added receiver AJ Green from the Bengals. Over the last few seasons, Green’s production has slipped a bit. But playing opposite Deandre Hopkins, I expect Green to be prominent in the Red zone for the Cards.
3. Early season success. Before their Week 12 bye, the Cardinals will have played each team in their division at least once, with them finishing their season series with the 49ers in week 9. But as mentioned earlier, they play the Titans and Vikings to open and play the Browns and Packers. The Cardinals also play the Jaguars and Texans, so if they win the games they are supposed to and win a few more, they will be in the running for a playoff spot.
4. Rondale Moore, the rookie out of Purdue who was taken in the second round, gives the Cardinals an x-factor on offense. Moore gives the Cardinals some speed whether he lines up on the outside of the slot. He can also be utilized in the running game, so it will be interesting how Kliff Kingsbury uses his new toy.
5. Cornerbacks. With the recent news of Malcolm Butler thinking about retirement, and Patrick Peterson now playing for the Vikings, the Cardinals will need Byron Murphy, a second-round pick out of Washington in 2019, to step up. Murphy has 129 total tackles and one interception in his first two seasons in the NFL. The Cardinals should place a call for either a veteran cornerback to be opposite or call the Jaguars on CJ Henderson, a second-year player out of Florida. Each team in the NFC West has an excellent receiving duo, so the Cardinals must find someone opposite Murphy to compete.
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