Arizona Cardinals will meet former division rivals in 2020

The four games against the NFC East in 2020 could remind Arizona Cardinals fans of the days their team spent in that division

Once upon a time, the Arizona Cardinals organization made their home in the NFL’s NFC Eastern division. Over several decades, the team formed bitter rivalries with the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins. The matchups with the Cowboys were especially intriguing, especially the Cards riveting playoff victory over “America’s Team” that followed the 1998 campaign.

In 2002, the league decided to realign, forcing Arizona to take up residence in the NFC West. Geographically, the move to the West made a whole lot of sense for the franchise. Unfortunately, the twice a year matchups with the squads that Cardinals followers had grown to hate would sadly come to an end.

For Cards enthusiasts who revel in nostalgia, however, there’s reason to rejoice. The NFL revealed on Thursday night that Arizona will face the Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, and Redskins this coming season. How will Kliff Kingsbury’s group fare against the former divisional foes of their predecessors?

New Washington head coach Ron Rivera will bring his troops to the desert on September 20th, which just happens to be the day of the Cardinals home opener. On paper, this one smells like a blowout. The Cards simply have a much more talented roster than the Redskins at the present time and should be able to win this one going away.

On October 19th, Arizona will travel to Texas to face Dallas on Monday Night Football. Both clubs are loaded with offensive talent, which may mean that a high-scoring affair could be in order. The Cowboys will likely be a home favorite, but the Cardinals are certainly capable of emerging from AT&T Stadium with a win.

Two months later, the Cards will visit the Giants in northern New Jersey. Quarterback Kyler Murray and his teammates made the same trip in 2019 and came away with a 27-21 triumph. It would not be surprising in the least to see Arizona defeat New York again, perhaps by a significantly wider margin this time around.

The following Sunday, the Cardinals will return home for a Christmas week tussle with Philadelphia. Signal-caller Carson Wentz and a stout Eagles defensive front could present some problems for Kingsbury’s squad. It’s an interesting matchup and one that could potentially have Wild Card implications for both organizations.

Eighteen seasons have come and gone now since the Arizona Cardinals were a part of the NFC East. Every four years, thanks to the league’s scheduling system, the team gets to face their former adversaries. Each of the ex-rivals is on the docket in 2020, so nostalgic Cardinals fanatics may get to experience a slight case of deja vu this coming fall.