3 reasons the Arizona Cardinals were smart to keep fighting until the final whistle in 2023

3 - Cardinals were good enough to hang with tougher competition

As bad as 4-13 looks on paper, the Arizona Cardinals showed us several times in 2023 they were more than willing to play far superior teams well. In fact, they beat two teams that nobody, not even someone with picture-perfect foresight, would have predicted them to beat. 

That said, it would have been a shame to hold back what we now know was a gritty football team in 2023. No, we won’t remember them for being a good football team, as 4-13 is exactly what we know it is, but they at least made most of their games entertaining sans perhaps their Week 9 meltdown against Cleveland and their Week 12 matchup vs. the Los Angeles Rams.

Because this team was entertaining enough to keep many fans interested, it also unveiled some hidden gems or at least halfway decent talent who were potential afterthoughts. Players like Dante Stills, Josh Woods, Roy Lopez, Krys Barnes, Michael Carter, Emari Demercado, and Elijah Higgins each benefited and should return as at least role players next season, as they all proved to be good system fits for this young group.