Of the Cardinals, Buccaneers, Giants, and the Lions, who has the best chance at national victory?
What tips the scales for me is just a matter of one name: Kyler Murray.
I would have to side with the Arizona Cardinals. They made smart draft decisions this offseason to maximize their offensive power. Led by Kyler Murray, the Heisman winner and first-round pick in both baseball and football, this team can easily be unstoppable. This dude is a star in the making, and someday he is going to be the best in the NFL.
As for receivers, the Cardinals still have Larry Fitzgerald. Last year, he led the Cardinals in receiving yards (734) and receptions (69). They also find depth in the form of Christian Kirk who is about to start his sophomore season. If the Cardinals use him productively, he can easily become one of Kyler Murray’s top targets.
As for rushing, the team was led by David Johnson’s 940 rushing yards. The Cardinals made sure to restock the receiving end of their team, drafting three receivers with their 11 picks.
The Cardinals’ defensive side is led by Chandler Jones, who had 13 sacks this previous year. They have strong roots in defensive back, highlighted by Antoine Bethea who led the team with 99 solo tackles and 120 total.
The Cardinals still need to step up their game as they held a 3-13 losing record last season. During games, they were almost doubled by teams in rushing yards. The Cardinals averaged 180.3 yards a game, while their opponents averaged 224.7 against them.
Plus: new season, new coaches
The Cardinals are trying their hand with a new head coach, Kliff Kingsbury. The former Texas Tech coach is gearing up for his first season by bringing in Vance Joseph as his defensive coordinator.
The Cardinals’ entire front office has done a great job making trades that haven’t cost Arizona too much. The draft, too, was a standout moment for the Cardinals organization.
If they can get their act back together and let Kyler Murray put on a good rookie show, the Arizona Cardinals can definitely make the playoffs.
