3 burning questions for the Arizona Cardinals heading into Week 16 against the Bears
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals have beaten more manageable competition since Kyler Murray returned in Week 10, evidenced by their win vs. the Atlanta Falcons and against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Neither team was incredibly bad either, with the Steelers in sound contention at the time and the Falcons being in the fight for the NFC South crown, despite that division being the league's weakest.
Therefore, facing a team like the Chicago Bears shouldn’t be as mounting of a task from what the Cardinals were forced to deal with last week vs. the San Francisco 49ers. But, there are a few factors the Cards must address as they head into their Week 16 outing in their original home, Chicago, Illinois.
As a warm weather team since 1988, weather could be a major factor in this one. The Bears also have one of the league’s best running games, and that’s something the Cardinals defense struggled against all year. Chicago also has a weak pass rush, so perhaps the offensive line can finally churn out a decent performance.
3 burning questions for the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16
1 - Will weather prove to be a factor?
The Arizona Cardinals are a warm-weather team that is also used to playing their games in a controlled climate. In December, Chicago can be quite a tough place for such teams to play in, but fortunately for the Cardinals, it doesn’t look like weather will be a factor at this time, with a projected high of 54 degrees.
There is a sound chance of showers, but if you remember correctly, the Cardinals got plenty of experience playing in inclement weather in their 24-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Winds also shouldn’t be much of an issue as they are slated to be in the 10 to 15 mph range, so at this time, the Redbirds should be just fine during their trip to Chicago.