Raising Zona
FanSided

Arizona Cardinals playoff hopes hangs on the unknown

By Mark A. Hernandez

Oct 25, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Chris Streveler (15) spins a ball on the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hardiman-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Chris Streveler (15) spins a ball on the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hardiman-USA TODAY Sports /
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In what has to be the wildest year in recorded history, the 2020 regular season for the Arizona Cardinals will come down to their final game if they wish to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

Win and you’re in — it’s that simple for the Arizona Cardinals entering Week 17. After laying an egg against the San Francisco 49ers and their 3rd string QB, the Cardinals will have a chance to redeem themselves Sunday vs. the Los Angeles Rams.

After the Seattle Seahawks gifted the Cardinals a win against the Rams, the Redbirds now again control their playoff hopes. Get the win, and you’re in the dance. Lose, and once again we’re fooling ourselves with the same ole song of “maybe next year.”

With news of Rams’ QB Jared Goff injuring his finger on Sunday, and undergoing surgery, the Cardinals will now face back up QB John Wolford to close out the regular season. If that name rings a bell, it’s because Wolford is the former QB of the AAF’s Arizona Hotshots, who played their abbreviated season at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

With the Hotshots, Wolford threw for 1,617 yards, 14 TDs and 7 INTs. He has yet, however, to throw a pass during his time in the NFL. A very small sample size for Vance Joseph and his defense.

To make things even more dramatic for the case of the Cardinals making the playoffs, they also might be without their starting QB, Kyler Murray, who injured his leg late in the 4th quarter vs. the 49ers. With perhaps a bit of gamesmanship, head coach Kliff Kingsbury has kept his status close to the vest.

Should Murray not be able to go, Kingsbury has assured that Chris Streveler is indeed his backup and would get the nod for the final game. Streveler, like Wolford, has not thrown an NFL pass. He has 3 rushing yards in his NFL career.

The only sample size we have for Streveler was his time in the CFL, where he was a Grey Cup Champion with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. During his career in the CFL, he put up pedestrian numbers, accumulating 2,698 passing yards with 19 TDs and 19 INTs. A lot of unknowns, for both teams, as so much rides on the outcome of the game.

I can not think of a better way to end the 2020 season than having a pair of QBs who have not played an NFL game to be the starting quarterbacks. Keep the heart medicine handy, Cardinal fans — the Cardiac Cards are still alive and well.

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