Weird stat could have good fortunes for the Cardinals this season

As painful as the loss to the Detroit Lions was, there’s one quirky stat that could mean the Arizona Cardinals end this year with the ultimate prize.

So now that all Arizona Cardinals fans have had time to process their feelings over the uberly-embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions, there is one stat that is going to open your eyes. The NFL’s Research page on Twitter is a gold mine for finding the stats and facts that only they could.

The Cardinals are the third team since 1970 with the league’s best record to lose to a team that had the worst record in the league. As for the others and how they did, let’s take a look at the Tweet below.

That’s right, the last two times it happened, both teams ended up hoisting the Lombardi Trophy when all was said and done. Of course, there’s a long way to go, but it provides some perspective into this unique season Arizona has had.

Arizona Cardinals need to get in the big dance to have a chance

This year has been eerily similar to the last time the team made the Super Bowl in 2008. The team started 7-3 and clinched the NFC West in the first week of December after beating the Rams at home. They lost four of their next six games and limped into the playoffs with a 9-7 record, with some of the analysts declaring Arizona “the worst playoff team ever” (Steve Wyche, I’m looking at you).

All Arizona has to do is win out, and they win the division. One win gets them in the playoffs. This is that time that Kliff Kingsbury needs to have his “Ken Whisenhunt” moment like when Whiz made the team practice outside in the rain on Christmas eve as a way to motivate his team to recognize the extraordinary opportunity that they had.

Boy, did that ever work. So, Kingsbury, find a way to deliver that same message, and let’s go “shock the world” again.