Is Arizona Ready to Turn Last Season’s Promise into an Unstoppable Surge?

Is the NFC West really anyone’s to claim this year, or are we just playing a high-stakes coin toss under the desert sun? Sure, some divisions come with their predictable champions — the Chiefs cruising again in the AFC West, Eagles reigning over the NFC East — but the Cardinals? Well, they’re stuck in that maddening gray zone of almost but not quite, where last season’s 8-9 finish teeters on what-could-have-been. Kyler Murray’s run-and-gun magic remains their heartbeat, but which version will show up — the dazzler or the dizzied? With a shaky defense and a schedule that’s anything but forgiving, the question isn’t just how many games they’ll win… it’s if they can keep their footing long enough to make the over on 8.5 wins a reality. Buckle up; this might be one wild ride in the desert. LEARN MORE.

Arizona Cardinals Win Total

I feel like some divisions are more up in the air than others. I mean, we can assume that the Chiefs will win the AFC West again, and that the Eagles will win the NFC East again this year. Sure, injuries could cause a shift, or there could be a fall off that we weren’t expecting, but there are some divisions that are a bit more questionable in terms of the results that we can expect. One of those divisions that I feel like is up-for-grabs is the NFC West, a division with four solid teams, but none truly great. Let’s take a look at the Arizona Cardinals, their division chances, and their win total.

The Cardinals ended last season with an 8-9 record. That is fairly respectable, but looking at their schedule, it seems like there is very little rhyme or reason to why they won games vs. why they lost games. They were competitive against the Lions and Bills, but were blown out by the Commanders and Packers. They lost five of their final seven games after the Bye Week. In some games, their offense looked dynamic, and in others, it looked like they had no game plan whatsoever.Â

The offense this year, still rests on the right arm of quarterback Kyler Murray. At his best, he is scrambling around, extending plays, and eluding sacks. At his worst, he is inconsistent, unprepared, and making questionable decisions. The problem has been, over his career, you can’t always know which Murray to expect to show up. There have been some interesting theories about him and performance based on when Call of Duty is released, but some of it seems a bit coincidental. In any case, Murray needs to leverage the weapons he has – arguably the best he has ever had. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a great young receiver who was used inconsistently last season. Michael Wilson is a decent option, but seems like mostly a short-yardage receiver. Zay Jones and Trey McBride also offer decent options for Murray when he is extending plays. James Conner is a reliable running back, so this offense is good, but consistency will be key. Profootballnetwork.com ranks the Cardinals as the sixth best offensive line in football. That’s always a big bonus for a club. Last season they were great for a few games, and then fairly average the remainder. If they can keep up the greatness all season, this could be an explosive offense.

The defense does have some question marks. They allowed a lot of points in certain games last season. Some of that was due to the offense, but the big thing is that the defense also didn’t help them stay in certain games. Overall, they raked 21st last season. It doesn’t seem like this will be getting much better as pro football focus has ranked the Cardinals secondary as one of the worst going into 2025. Like their overall defense, they are ranked 21st in the NFL, or 20th depending on where you look, for defensive line ranking. I could see them improving a bit, but I don’t think we can classify them as a true stout defense.

I do like the over for this team on their win total of 8.5. Looking at their schedule, I think they can grab the first two games without too much pressure. By their Bye Week in Week 8, I think their record should be 4-3 or 5-2. That leaves four or five more wins in the final 10 games. They played very poorly after the Bye Week last season, but they have a few matchups I think they have the edge in already. I’m backing over 8.5 for the Cardinals. I’m not sure I want to back them for the division, and I don’t think they reach 10 wins, so there is a small margin here for getting this correct. Â

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter:Â @futureprez2024

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