Written by: Tyler Deakin
The Arizona Cardinals are the NFL’s last remaining undefeated team with a 5-0 record heading into Week 6. They are a scrappy bunch led by MVP candidate Kyler Murray at QB. Their defense, led by veteran defensive linemen JJ Watt & Chandler Jones, has played well all year. Meanwhile, their offense features several veterans in WR Deandre Hopkins, WR AJ Green, & newly acquired TE Zach Ertz. Two close wins over the Vikings & 49ers have also helped the team keep their momentum going. Put all of these factors together and it’s easy to see why the Cardinals are one of the best teams in the NFC. Let’s take a look into their identity below.
MVP candidate Kyler Murray
QB Kyler Murray is having a spectacular year led by his 1,600+ total yards, 13 total TDs, & 9.2 yards per attempt. He’s completing 75 percent of his passes too, which is great. His ability to stress defenses as a passer & rusher keeps the Cardinals competitive in every game. The challenge with him is for the team to keep him healthy by prioritizing pass protection on the offensive line & encouraging him to slide when necessary to avoid big hits. Murray will win MVP & the Cardinals will make the playoffs if he keeps up this level of production all year.
Elder statesmen leading the defense
Like a fine wine, JJ Watt & Chandler Jones just keep getting better with age. Not that Watt (32) or Jones (31) are old, but they’ve both been in the NFL for a long time. Bringing these great players together has done wonders for their defense though, which ranks 3rd in the league in points allowed (83), 5th in passes defensed (25), & 10th in sacks (12). Compare this to last year when they ranked 10th, 24th, and 5th in these categories, and you can see the strides this unit has made. Opposing QBs should duck for cover when playing the Cardinals D, as it seems like positive regression in sacks could be forthcoming after the team finished in 5th last year.
Veteran renaissance on offense
Newly acquired TE Zach Ertz fell asleep as a member of the 2-4 Eagles & woke up the next morning to find himself a member of the 5-0 Cardinals! Him & WR AJ Green must’ve found the fountain of youth this year, because they’ve been playing well despite lackluster campaigns last year. Neither player is the type of dominant All-Pro they were in years past; however, their ability to complement Kyler Murray & WR Deandre Hopkins as role players adds to the depth & talent of this offense. Could these two guys be the missing ingredients on offense? I believe we’ll have our answer later this year if the Cardinals continue rolling along like this.
Just win, baby!
Legendary Raiders owner Al Davis famously coined the phrase “just win, baby!” after his team’s triumph in Super Bowl XVIII over Washington. The Cardinals are doing that so far, winning in blowout fashion over the Titans and nail biters over the Vikings & 49ers this year. An underrated aspect to NFL success is establishing & keeping momentum on your team’s side, and Arizona has done a great job with both aspects of their team’s success thus far. The real test for the Cardinals starts this week in playing the Browns without HC Kliff Kinsbury (COVID), and continues with matchups against the Packers, Rams, & Cowboys. Those 4 matchup results will likely determine whether this team is a title contender or playoff hopeful for the 2021 season.