Top 5 most winnable games on the Arizona Cardinals 2023 schedule
By Jim Koch
Five particular matchups on the 2023 schedule look like potential victories for head coach Jonathan Gannon's Arizona Cardinals.
For anyone who hasn't noticed, our beloved Arizona Cardinals are going through one of those dreaded "rebuilding" stages. Jonathan Gannon, the franchise's first-year head coach, doesn't have a lot to work with. Monti Ossenfort was brought in to fix things in the desert, but it's going to take at least a year before the brand-new general manager can get Arizona back into playoff contention.
Taking all of that into consideration, the Cards aren't expected to be that competitive this coming season. Exactly how bad the squad will be is the burning question. Gannon didn't take the gig to lose, however, so the Redbirds could potentially surprise many of the naysayers in Year 1.
On the bright side, Arizona isn't the only bad team in professional football. In fact, there are a few clubs that could be just as lousy. The following are five matchups on the 2023 schedule that could potentially result in victories for this undermanned version of the Cardinals.
@ Houston Texans - Week 11
The Cards will have a huge incentive to defeat the Houston Texans when the two squads clash at NRG Stadium next November. During the first night of this past April's draft, Ossenfort orchestrated a trade that secured Houston's first-round pick in 2024. As a result, Arizona needs the Texans to be really bad this year, and Gannon's crew will get to increase the value of the selection during the week 11 clash.
Fortunately, Houston is projected to be just as poor or worse than the Cardinals in '23. Like Gannon, first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans is taking over a squad that needs a lot of help. Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud will almost certainly take his lumps, especially since the youngster will be throwing to a mediocre receiving corps consisting of Robert Woods, Nico Collins, and John Metchie III.
On defense, first-year edge-rusher Will Anderson Jr. will likely be a Ryans favorite, as will other productive defenders like Christian Kirksey, Jalen Pitre and free-agent acquisition Sheldon Rankins. Nevertheless, Kyler Murray will likely be back in time for the meeting with the Texans, and that factor alone will allow the Cards to triumph. Cardinals 20, Texans 10.