Arizona Cardinals: Breaking Down Schedule Weeks 5-8
By Scott Allen
Dec 1, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) scrambles as Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker John Abraham (55) chases him during the game at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won the game 24-21. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Cardinals start the second quarter of the season on the road in a very tough place. They will play week five against Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. The best news here is they will be coming off the bye, so they do have that working in their favor.
The Cards last played the Broncos in 2010 in Glendale in the game where kicker Jay Feely scored a touchdown. They beat the Broncos 43-13. That won’t be repeated. That was the pre-Manning era. This one will be much tougher. It is also on the road. The Cards are a much better team now than they were in 2010 but so is Denver. The Broncos will win running away. Broncos 31 Cardinals 20
In week six, the Cards return home to face the Washington Redskins. This will be the first regular season visit for the Skins to University of Phoenix Stadium since the building opened in 2006. The Skins are a team many are predicting to be a comeback team from 2013. They clearly underachieved in 2013 after making the playoffs in 2012. Robert Griffin III should be back at full strength. This could be one of those games we end up saying if only we had pulled that one out. However I think it’ll be one of those games in the end the Cards will be very thankful for winning. Cardinals 34 Redskins 32
Week seven the Cards are back on the road. This time it is off to the bay area and a visit to the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders just traded quarterback Terrelle Pryor to the Seattle Seahawks. They are almost a sure thing to draft a quarterback in May. This will most likely still be a team trying to build back up. I can’t see the Cards losing this one. Cardinals 20 Raiders 14
To end the second quarter of the season they have another good one at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles finally beat the Cards 24-21 last season after a few tough losses in a row to the Cards. I like Nick Foles and this should be a great re-match. Could go down to the wire. Can the Cards make enough big plays at the end. Quarterback Carson Palmer can not put the Cards in another big hole early though like he did in 2013 and expect to win, even though the game is at home. Cardinals 30 Eagles 28