Cardinals slow starts are going to cost them in the future

Yes, the Arizona Cardinals are undefeated after the first seven games of the 2021 season. But their slow starts are becoming a problem.

First things first, yes it’s great that the Arizona Cardinals are 7-0 for the first time since 1974. However, their offense has started slowly in multiple games this year, a warning sign that cannot be ignored. It happened in Jacksonville when Kyler Murray said he didn’t believe in trap games, on the road in Cleveland, and then on Sunday at home against the Houston Texans.

The Cardinals had zero total yards after their first three drives. Meanwhile, the Texans had gotten a safety and then another field goal and led by the bizarre score of 5-0. Why has this been a thing for a team that’s undefeated?

In just a matter of days, the Cardinals are going to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at home on Thursday night. The Packers are as hot as any team right now, having a six-game winning streak. Arizona fans know that games against Rodgers bring hypertension and way too close for comfort results.

Arizona Cardinals offense will be left in the dust when playing real contenders

The Cardinals have scored six first-quarter touchdowns this year, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s fine.

Offenses from teams like Green Bay, the Los Angeles Rams, and Dallas Cowboys are going to smoke this Arizona team if they lay a goose egg as badly as they did in the first quarter against Houston on Sunday.

As for scoring later in the game to put the matchup away, it just is inexcusable for an undefeated team to play the way that they have. If the Cardinals want to be considered the best in the league, they can’t give up safeties and kick-sixes to losing teams.

It’s not unfathomable to see Arizona suffer a loss to Green Bay this Thursday night, as there’s a reason why the Packers made so many trips to the NFC Championship in the recent past. The Cardinals can’t afford any more slow starts and they have still yet to blow out an inferior team the way they should.

Sunday’s game against the Texans should have been over in the second quarter, but Arizona is still learning. Hopefully, they can self-correct before it ends up costing them the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.