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Arizona Cardinals: 4 games that will make or break their NFL season

By Steve Rivera

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Running back Kenyan Drake #41 of the Arizona Cardinals carries the ball before he is stopped by linebacker Troy Reeder #51 of the Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter of the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 29: Running back Kenyan Drake #41 of the Arizona Cardinals carries the ball before he is stopped by linebacker Troy Reeder #51 of the Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter of the game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 29: Quarterback Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals avoids a tackle from outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney #90 of the Seattle Seahawks in the first half of the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Seahawks won 27 to 10. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – SEPTEMBER 29: Quarterback Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals avoids a tackle from outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney #90 of the Seattle Seahawks in the first half of the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on September 29, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. The Seahawks won 27 to 10. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

The NFC West won’t be complicated in 2020. Most are torn between either the Seattle Seahawks or San Francisco 49ers winning the division. Most in the NFL media like both teams to be in the playoffs. Most think Los Angeles is a .500 team. As for the Arizona Cardinals, seven wins seems to be the conventional wisdom.

That’s a fair assessment. Going from 5-10-1 to .500 or better means picking up some wins where most think you won’t. To get to that 8-8 mark, Arizona needs to find two of those wins in the division, and most likely at home. Week 7 against the Seahawks at State Farm Stadium is one game the Cardinals will need to help swing that pendulum.

Seattle will be at an interesting place in its schedule. Their only road game before the Cardinals is at the Miami Dolphins. That said, Arizona is sandwiched between home games against the Minnesota Vikings and the 49ers. In that respect, the Cardinals might be catching the Seahawks at just the right time.

Know this: Seattle may wind up being the best team in the NFC West. It’s not unlikely that San Francisco isn’t quite what they were a season ago. However, the Seahawks are a team that looks more ready to slide backward in the division given their long time prominence.

Stealing one against this team seems more logical than against San Francisco to open the season, or late when the Niners are in a fight for the NFC West title.

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