National NFL analysts are discombobulated by the 2021 Cardinals

Sports pundits are unsure what to do with the Arizona Cardinals in the last power rankings before the start of the 2021 NFL season. 

Just like fans, sportswriters around the NFL are a bit unsure what to make of the Arizona Cardinals heading into the upcoming 2021 season.

Ranging from No. 21 all the way up to No. 9, let’s take a look at what the sports world thinks of the Cardinals before their Week 1 bout with the Tennessee Titans.

USA Today – No. 21

Nate Davis of USA Today dropped the Cardinals from No. 17 to No. 21 based on the sudden retirement of cornerback Malcolm Butler. He believes that the secondary will struggle and have to rely too heavily on the pass rush created by J.J. Watt and Chandler Jones.

NFL.com – No. 18

Dan Hanzus of NFL.com is thinking in a similar vein to Davis. The departure of Butler, who was signed to replace Patrick Peterson, leaves Arizona in a bit of a mess. He believes that the defense, while promising, will put a lot of pressure on Kyler Murray to win shootouts throughout the year.

NBC Sports – No. 15

At least Nick Goss of NBC Sports has the Cardinals in the top half of the league with his ranking. His main reasoning for placing the team where he did is due to their inability to finish close games in 2020. If this very talented roster can make improvements in that area, Goss believes Arizona is a wild card team in 2021.

ESPN – No. 13

The ESPN panel placed the Red Birds at No. 13. Josh Weinfuss believes that 2021 is a make-it-or-break-it year for Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury and that if the Cardinals don’t improve and clinch a playoff berth, he will be gone at the end of the season.

CBS Sports – No. 9

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports is the most bullish on Arizona going into the season, placing them in the Top 10 of all NFL teams. He likes their offseason additions and believes that adding accomplished veterans like A.J. Green and Watt will only improve the team and push them into a playoff spot.

Tough Week 1 matchup against the Tennessee Titans could dramatically alter the Arizona Cardinals ranking

The Cardinals have their work cut out for them in Week 1, traveling to Nashville to take on Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, and Julio Jones.

Many think this could be a high-scoring game, maybe a shootout like Hanzus believes the Cards will face throughout the year. Regardless, the young Arizona secondary will undoubtedly be tested against a good receiving corps, and Cardinals rookie linebacker Zaven Collins could struggle in his first professional bout with King Henry.

A win against the AFC South favorites could push Arizona up a few spots in the national power rankings. But a road loss should not significantly impact the Cardinals’ ranking going into Week 2.

What do you think about these power rankings? Where would you place Arizona going into the 2021 season?