It's been a rough few years to be a fan of the Arizona Cardinals. Truth be told, it's been a rough decade.
The Cardinals have not won a playoff game since their 2015 conference championship run. Outside of a brief glimmer of light in 2021, it's been a dark and dreary stretch for the team.
But things are starting to shift. For the first time in a while, the Cardinals are actually expected to make a push for a playoff spot. According to one NFL analyst, they should set their sights even higher.
Bleacher Report analyst has Cardinals winning the NFC West
In a recent article, Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon weighed in on each of the NFL teams hoping to end playoff droughts in the upcoming season. He was bullish on the Arizona Cardinals, to say the least.
Gagnon expects the Cardinals to make a return to the playoffs this season, saying, "The trajectory is there for Murray and Harrison to make strides as their supporting cast improves in an increasingly weak division."
But he took it a step further. Gagnon's bold prediction about the Cardinals is that "They'll pull off a sneaky division title for the first time since 2015."
This would be the dream outcome for the Cardinals in 2025. Of course, every team's ultimate goal is to win a Super Bowl, but a division title and a return to the playoffs would be more than satisfying.
Gagnon did offer a reason why some might be down on the Cardinals this year, saying, "Even with the NFC West playing soft, and with Kyler Murray healthy and complemented by a shiny new receiver in Marvin Harrison Jr., they finished 2024 in third place with a losing record. "
A division title sounds great, but is it actually realistic?
The NFC West is more open than it has been for most of the last decade. While the Los Angeles Rams are likely frontrunners to win the division, the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have taken major steps back from the dominance they have enjoyed for stretches in recent years.
That leaves space for the Cardinals to challenge the Rams for the division crown. The result will likely come down to the final six games of the season, where the Cardinals face many of their toughest matchups, including two games against the Rams.
Whether the Arizona Cardinals win the NFC West this season or not, a playoff appearance feels like an absolute necessity.