Arizona Cardinals Routes To The Playoffs
By Scott Allen
Dec 15, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) throws against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Cardinals are still alive in the NFC Playoff hunt. If the Cards beat the Seattle Seahawks today, then Cards fans must root for Carolina to lose at home to New Orleans. If they lose to the Seahawks, don’t fret, the Cards can still get in.
My preference is to just watch the Cards win out. Yeah, they finish 11-5 and a good chance they are on the outside looking in. It’s happened to others before and it’ll happen again. The Cards were 9-7 in 2008 when they won the NFC West and made their Super Bowl run. There were teams with better records that didn’t get into the playoffs.
If Arizona beats Seattle, then Cards need:
Panthers loss to the Saints
Niners loss to the Falcons
If Panthers win, then only way the Cards get in is if Niners lose both their last two games, one of which is against Arizona in week 17. If Niners beat the Falcons, the Cards are still alive but need Carolina to lose each of their last two games to the Saints and Falcons.
If Arizona loses to Seattle, then Cards need:
Panthers to lose both games and beat Niners in week 17.
It’s all crazy, I know. So many what if’s. Just win and see what happens. Of course the Panthers and Niners both losing each of their last two games doesn’t hurt my feelings at all. It’s not the most realistic scenario because the Falcons play heavily into the equation here having to play both the Niners and Panthers but this is why they play the games.