Arizona Cardinals making believers out of experts
By Scott Allen
The Arizona Cardinals have a lot of people believing in them this postseason
Take one look at SI.com’s experts playoff picks and you’ll see the Arizona Cardinals are getting some love and respect. Understanding many of us want the Cardinals to fly under the radar, that just isn’t going to be the case this NFL postseason.
Of the 11 experts on SI.com, five of them pick the Cardinals to win it all. Two of the six that didn’t still have them in the Super Bowl but losing to the New England Patriots.
One of the experts on SI.com, Don Banks, said the Cardinals are the “most well-balanced and consistently efficient team in the NFL this season”. I can’t say I’d argue with him. When you look at the overall picture, the Cardinals are one of the most well-balanced teams in the NFL.
Sporting News thinks the world of the Cardinals offense but not much about their pass rush on defense. They give the Cardinals a 14 percent chance at winning Super Bowl 50. That is tied with the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots.
Although they don’t think highly of the pass rush, which has improved over the second-half of the season with the addition of linebacker Dwight Freeney, they do note the Cardinals ability to create turnovers. The Cardinals were a plus nine on turnover ratio this season.
Over at USA Today, three of six panelists pick the Cardinals to win Super Bowl 50. Two of them have the Cardinals beating the Patriots and then one other beating the Denver Broncos. One of their writers also brings up the Cardinals pass rush as an x-factor. Again the Cardinals speed and efficiency on offense seems to win out with these folks.
Honestly though you can make a case for any of the 12 teams in the playoffs. You never know. This is why they play the games. Nobody has an easy road to Super Bowl 50 but it sure looks to possibly be a fun ride.