Arizona Cardinals will use injuries as excuse for the 2022 collapse
By Jim Koch
Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill will use injuries as an excuse to retain both Kliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim in 2023.
Many of us who love the Arizona Cardinals were stunned back in March when the club handed contract extensions to both Kliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim. It was a move by owner Michael Bidwill that didn’t have to be made, considering the fact that the Cards had suffered a humiliating postseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams just a few weeks before.
Arizona has compiled a 4-7 record thus far in 2022, and there are many who believe that Kingsbury and Keim need to go. At the same time, anyone who feels that’s going to happen may be setting themselves up for a huge disappointment.
Bidwill made the mistake of becoming too close to Keim. It’s difficult to fire your friend, even when there’s evidence that he deserves it. Keim has been the GM of the Cardinals since 2013, but has guided the team to just three playoff appearances.
Arizona Cardinals may have a legitimate reason to maintain status quo in 2023
Everyone who is associated with the NFL knows that injuries are a part of the game. At this point in the campaign, very few players in the league are completely healthy. While that is true, it’s also a fact that the Redbirds have added an inordinate amount of individuals to the injured-reserve list this fall.
On offense, the Cards have been without Kyler Murray, Marquise Brown, D.J. Humphries, Zach Ertz, Rodney Hudson, Rondale Moore, James Conner, Justin Pugh, Antoine Wesley, and Will Hernandez at various points of the campaign. Even placekicker Matt Prater has missed four matchups because of an issue with his hip.
Arizona’s defensive unit has been hit with the injury-bug as well. Byron Murphy, J.J. Watt, Antonio Hamilton, Dennis Gardeck, Rashard Lawrence and Nick Vigil have all been shelved at one time or another.
Justified or not, Bidwill has a legitimate excuse for bringing Kingsbury and Keim back in 2023. It seemed that each time the Cardinals would get someone back in ’22, another would be sidelined. It’s difficult to compete at the professional level when you constantly fall short of having your full complement of talent on the field together at the same time.
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A large portion of the “Red Sea” would jump for joy if former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton was brought in to coach the Cards. Don’t get your hopes up, however. There’s a very strong possibility that both Kingsbury and Keim will be given another chance to right the sinking ship in ’23.
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