Arizona Cardinals won’t rise in NFL Power Rankings until they score a win in 2023
By Sion Fawkes
Despite the defense at least showing up in last week’s loss to the Washington Commanders, the Arizona Cardinals remain entrenched in the 32nd and final spot in both the NFL Network’s and ESPN’s power rankings. And don’t expect the Cards to rise until they prove that they can at least score an ugly win.
Maybe that win will come this week against the New York Giants, a team that let the Dallas Cowboys clobber them in a 40-0 beatdown. It’s definitely a winnable game, with the so-so Daniel Jones taking the reins as the starting quarterback for an offense that looked completely dysfunctional in all four quarters.
However, the Redbirds have their own problems offensively, thanks to the fact quarterback Josh Dobbs failed to lead his team into the end zone. Dobbs and the Cardinals offense had plenty of chances thanks to the defense keeping things close.
Arizona Cardinals can rise in the Power Rankings in Week 2
Things won’t get any easier for Dobbs and the offense this week, as the Giants, despite the final score, didn’t look half-bad defensively. The 265 yards they surrendered last Sunday night rank 12th in the league, and just four slots behind the Cardinals. They also held quarterback Dak Prescott in check, allowing just 143 yards through the air.
However, the Redbirds showed us last Sunday that their defense can be beyond stingy, and their six sacks rank second in the league thanks to, you guessed it, the Dallas Cowboys. Arizona also got to opposing ball carriers all afternoon before they did anything sensational on the ground, allowing just 3.3 yards per carry last Sunday.
Their three takeaways are also tied for second in the league after Week 1, and their defense’s 23.1% turnover percentage is currently sixth in the NFL. Long story short, if the Cardinals defense enjoys a repeat outing vs. the turnover-prone Daniel Jones, they might just claw their way to 31st in the rankings with a win.
However, another loss, even if the Redbirds lose this Sunday by a point, will keep them planted in their now-familiar 32nd-place ranking. From a statistical standpoint, they look like they should keep Jones in check, but the offense must find the end zone if they are interested in winning.
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(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)