Predicting 2016 Arizona Cardinals
By Jim Koch
With the Arizona Cardinals ready to embark on their 2016 campaign, it’s time for a game by game look at how they will fare
Training camp has arrived Arizona Cardinals’ fans. That means preseason games are just a couple of weeks away. The regular season will be here before we know it.
The bar was set pretty high in 2015 when the team won 13 games. Is it possible that they exceed that win total in 2016?
This article takes a quick glance at each matchup and includes predictions on the final scores of all 16 contests.
Week 1 vs New England Patriots– No Tom Brady so the Jimmy Garoppolo show will be heading to Glendale. Even with Brady not making the trip the home crowd will be well into this game and they will make it very difficult for the young Garoppolo. The contest is close but Carson Palmer and company prevail. Cards 23 Patriots 20
Week 2 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers– While QB Jameis Winston and some other talented Bucs have the team on the upswing, they’re not yet ready to travel cross-country and win in the desert. The Tampa defense won’t be able to deal with the Arizona playmakers. Cards 38 Buccaneers 21
Week 3 at Buffalo Bills– Normally this would be a tough spot for a West coast team, having to travel East and play an unfamiliar opponent. But while the Ryan brothers will bring a tough defense to the table, the fact remains that Tyrod Taylor stinks and should not be an NFL starting QB. Tricky but Cards get to 3-0. Cards 21 Bills 13
Week 4 vs Los Angeles Rams– Deja vu, it happens again. The Rams once again hand the Cards their first loss of the season in Arizona. Rookie Jared Goff plays just well enough to win and the Rams’ defense comes up big against Arizona’s dynamic offense. Palmer throws two picks and the running game never gets going. Rams 19 Cards 17
Week 5 at San Francisco 49ers– Chip Kelly’s 49ers will be embarrassingly bad this season. The Cardinals could rest Palmer and maybe even a couple more starters and still win going away. Not to mention Arizona will be coming off of a division loss at home. Cards 48 49ers 13
Week 6 vs New York Jets– The “Prodigal Son”, Jets’ head coach Todd Bowles, returns to the desert as a visitor. Bowles’ defense is very good but so is Cards d-coordinator James Bettcher’s. The difference is that the Arizona offense is way better than New York’s. Cards 22 Jets 16
Week 7 vs Seattle Seahawks– Cardinals finally get off the schneid and defeat the Seahawks in Arizona, the first time since Seattle QB Russell Wilson’s rookie debut in 2012. Palmer engineers a game-winning TD drive in the final minutes, finding RB David Johnson in the end zone with seconds to play. Cards 24 Seahawks 21
Week 8 at Carolina Panthers– Arizona once again has to travel to the home of the Panthers and once again comes up short. Palmer vindicates himself from his horrible NFC Championship performance by playing well. It’s the Cards defense that fails at the end, allowing QB Cam Newton to drive his team down for a late, game-winning field goal. Panthers 23 Cards 21
Week 9 Bye week
Week 10 vs San Francisco 49ers- Different field but same result against the lowly 49ers. Amazing that this team won 12 games just three seasons ago. Cards 41 49ers 9
Week 11 at Minnesota Vikings– The Vikings almost upended the Cards in Arizona last season, but this time Arizona wins a bit more comfortably. The defense once again stifles Adrian Peterson, newcomer Chandler Jones makes life hell for QB Teddy Bridgewater and the Cardinals never trail in the game. Cards 27 Vikings 16
Week 12 at Atlanta Falcons– The last time CB Patrick Peterson had to cover wideout Julio Jones was in 2014 and things did not go very well. Peterson’s diabetes was undiagnosed at the time, so he’ll do much better in this season’s showdown between the two. The remaining Cardinals roster will dominate the remaining Falcons roster en route to an easy Arizona victory. Cards 34 Falcons 17
Week 13 vs Washington Redskins– Redskins may be the best team in a weak NFC Eastern division. Josh Norman is a great addition for them but he can’t cover all the Cards’ receivers. Kirk Cousins won’t outplay Palmer either, especially in Arizona. Cards 26 Redskins 19
Week 14 at Miami Dolphins– Arizona at this point in the season is 10-2 and “smelling” themselves as head coach Bruce Arians likes to describe it. They take the Dolphins lightly, are listless from their trip to the East coast and the offensive line has trouble protecting Palmer. Yet, they win anyway in a squeaker. Cards 17 Dolphins 16
Week 15 vs New Orleans Saints– After 13 games the Saints are out of the playoff hunt but the Cards are trying to secure the #1 seed. QB Drew Brees makes the game interesting for awhile but it’s not enough to keep his teammates motivated. Cards 36 Saints 27
Week 16 at Seattle Seahawks- Arizona has already clinched the division but are still fighting for the top seed in the conference. Seattle needs the game to keep alive Wild Card hopes. It’s a battle but this time the Cardinals succumb to the “12th man”, the Seahawks’ home crowd. Seahawks 23 Cards 19
Week 17 at Los Angeles Rams- Like last season, the second game between the divisional rivals is a “revenge” game for the Cards. Also, there’s no resting of their starters, Arizona needs to win the game to secure the #1 seed in the NFC. This one isn’t even close. Cards 27 Rams 7
So there it is Cardinals fans. Like last season their final record is 13-3, but unlike last season it’s enough to get them the first seed in the conference. The road to Super Bowl LI will go through Arizona, and the home-field advantage is enough to get the Cards to the “big dance”.
Let the dream be realized.