Arizona Cardinals need to prove they can beat winning teams

Thursday night’s triumph was crucial, but it’s now time for the Arizona Cardinals to record a victory over a contending squad. 

The Arizona Cardinals were in desperate need of a victory when they hosted the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury salvaged his job (at least temporarily) after the team recorded a 42-34 win at State Farm Stadium.

Cards fans certainly breathed a sigh of relief as the squad avoided a horrific 2-5 start to the current campaign. The Redbirds are not in fantastic shape at 3-4, but that unimpressive record has the club smack dab in the middle of the race for the NFC West division title.

One way to make strides towards achieving that goal is to emerge victorious over a bona fide contender or two. That’s something that the Cardinals have failed to do thus far in 2022.

Arizona Cardinals recorded three wins against questionable competition

Arizona’s first win of the season occurred on September 18th, when they rallied to defeat a Las Vegas Raiders team that has amassed an ugly 1-4 mark. “Big Red” quarterback Kyler Murray engineered a 29-23 comeback victory that included 22 unanswered points late in the matchup.

Two weeks later, the Cards got their second win of the year over a Carolina Panthers group that has limped to a 1-5 record. Murray and company trailed 10-3 at halftime, but a productive final two quarters resulted in a 26-16 Arizona triumph.

The Cardinals’ win in Week 7 left the Saints reeling at 2-5. Kingsbury’s crew took control of the contest by scoring three touchdowns (including two pick-sixes) in the final 2:28 of the opening half.

Arizona has proven that they can take the starch out of the NFL’s cellar-dwellers. The time has come for the squad to show the league that they can also defeat franchises that are contending for playoff spots this year.

The first chance to do that will come on October 30th, when the Cards go on the road to meet a Minnesota Vikings team that currently leads the NFC North with a 5-1 mark. A high-powered offense that includes Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook will be a stern test for the Cardinals defensive unit.

There are a few more tough tests on Arizona’s upcoming schedule. Matchups with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers (twice), Los Angeles Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers will test the Cards mettle. Then, and only then will the “Red Sea” be able to determine if this year’s team has any shot of winning a Super Bowl championship.

(Information provided by azcardinals.com)