Failing to capitalize on a major opportunity will always sting, especially in the sporting world. That was the story for the Arizona Cardinals this past Sunday. Ahead of their Week 12 clash against the Seattle Seahawks, the Cardinals were fresh off a bye-week break and a four-game winning streak. Fully recharged, they had the chance to put some breathing room between themselves and the rest of the NFC West. It would've been an ideal time to separate from the pack, considering how only half a dozen games remain afterward.
However, the Cardinals weren't able to make the most out of their visit to Lumen Field. Losing in a low-scoring affair (the final score was 16-6), Arizona now holds a 6-5 record, putting them in a tie with Seattle for the division's top spot. The loss also adds another blow to the Cardinals' postseason hopes. Currently, NFL.com's playoff picture projects them to be just outside the top seven conference teams.
A number of things just didn't go well for the Cardinals in Week 12. From O-line struggles to a non-existent run attack — which is something Arizona usually excels at (140.3 rushing yards per game) — this all resulted in them being overwhelmed by the Seahawks' defense. A Coby Bryant pick-six in the third quarter gave Seattle a double-digit lead, and from there, the Seahawks held off the visiting team for the rest of the game.
Does this mean that the Cardinals are in trouble? Not quite. If anything, Arizona still has a good chance of claiming the NFC West crown and securing that playoff spot. Below are the reasons why.
The Cardinals have a manageable schedule moving forward
The Minnesota Vikings (9-2) await the Cardinals this coming weekend, so that's going to be a lot on Jonathan Gannon's plate. The thing is, Weeks 14 and onward won't be as taxing. Just look at the lined-up opponents. In no particular order, the last five games include rematches with the Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams (5-6) and San Francisco 49ers (5-6) in addition to non-division clashes against the New England Patriots (3-9) and the Carolina Panthers (3-8),
This isn't to underestimate these teams. After all, in a talented league such as the NFL, upsets are bound to happen at times. Nevertheless, basing things on track records puts plenty of favor toward the Cardinals. In addition to the Patriots' regressing defense, they hold the league's worst offense. As for the Panthers, they allow opponents an average of 160.5 rushing yards per game (a league-worst), so James Conner has a good chance of showing out.
Moving on to the Cardinals' NFC West rivals, Arizona absolutely dismantled the Rams back in Week 2 as Kyler Murray threw for 266 yards and three TD passes to spearhead the blowout. LA also struggles in general against the run, as seen in how the Cardinals rushed for a total of 231 yards that game. The Week 5 outing against San Francisco was a close call, but the fact that the Cardinals were able to rally and edge out their foes means that they're capable of doing it again.
And looking at last weekend's performance against the Seahawks, there were bright spots such as the Cardinals' defensive front. Arizona limited Seattle on the ground and tallied five sacks on Geno Smith. The secondary wasn't too bad as well, with Garrett Williams picking off Smith at one point during the game. If the Cardinals show the same amount of intensity while boasting their pre-bye week mojo on offense, a rematch win against Seattle is achievable.
What about the Vikings? Something to take note of is how the Vikings have a relatively easy schedule this season, which likely plays a part in their current record. Plus, three out of Minnesota's last four wins — which have all been against below .500 teams — have had a final score differential of no higher than eight points. Who knows, maybe the Cardinals pull off an upset here.
A resurging passing game
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As mentioned earlier, the Cardinals put up 140.3 rushing yards per game. This makes them the sixth-best running team in the NFL. While the same can't be said with their bottom-half-ranked passing attack (201.7 yards per game), things have been much better lately.
In the Cardinals' last four games, Kyler Murray has thrown for an average of 253 yards on a 72.65% completion rate and a 103.7 passer rating. His main target has been Trey McBride, who's tallied two 100-receiving-yard performances in that same span. Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8, Murray amassed a season-high 307 passing yards, carving up a top 10-ranked Miami pass defense that presently allows opponents just 197.5 yards per game in the air.
There are still things to work on, of course, such as endzone conversions (Arizona is 28th in passing TD percentage) and O-line protection. But overall, the Cardinals have the potential to shed that one-dimensional label that some have placed on them.
