Are the Cardinals ‘close’ to turning a corner?

[TheCardFan]

1 priority is a Pass Rusher via FA. Doesn't have to be an Elite guy but someone who can consistently get 8-10 sacks and make the QB feel uncomfortable.

Josh Sweat might be your guy.

 

[unseenaz]

What's brutal?

Cowboys sucked this year, even with Dak. We beat them in Dallas last time we played them and we were a worse team. Colts are meh and have no QB. Saints are bad and likely blow it up. Bengals didn't make the playoffs and will have a new defense to learn. We should have beat the Texans in Houston last year when we were bad and they were good. Had 3 picks but the offense blew.

Apart from division games Bucs is the matchup I like least for us. But it's not all that bad.

Maybe you have a higher opinion of our squad than I do, we were 2-6 on the road this year. I don't us going into Houston, Tampa, Dallas or Cinci and getting wins. Ya Dallas was atrocious this year but they did next to nothing last offseason, I can't imagine that being their status quo after the heat Jerry got and his history of revamping the team in the offseason. Colts who knows, Saints who knows.

 

[PDXChris]

Interesting as Seattle basically destroyed our offensive line at a time when our OL was rolling.

That was the blue print to get in Kyler's head. Bring the heavy pressure early, and take him out of his game. Two sacks on the first drive and Kyler was shell shocked.

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Then Kyler did something to him hamstring and had no trust in his legs in the second half.

Seattle was able to expose our OL and Kyler played panicked the rest of the game

 

[kerouac9]

Maybe you have a higher opinion of our squad than I do, we were 2-6 on the road this year. I don't us going into Houston, Tampa, Dallas or Cinci and getting wins. Ya Dallas was atrocious this year but they did next to nothing last offseason, I can't imagine that being their status quo after the heat Jerry got and his history of revamping the team in the offseason. Colts who knows, Saints who knows.

I fully expect us to be able to compete with Houston and Tampa on talent alone. Dallas has Kyler Magic at work. Cincy is maybe a loss, but with this schedule I fully expect a playoff spot with just moderate roster improvement.

A breakout rookie could mean a divisional championship and a 2-3 seed. There's no way to rationally look at the schedule and say you'd rather play the NFC North than the NFC South. While the AFC East was a little down this year, they still had 30 wins. The AFC South had just 25!

 

[Cheesebeef]

We were the better team in all those games.

We were the better team in the Dolphins game… which the Dolphins lead wire to wire, had a 9 point 4th quarter lead and lost on a walk off FG?

And against the Niners, we were the better team despite being down 13 at the half and the Niners having the lead from late 1st quarter to the last 1:37 of the 4th where we had to make a 13 point second half comeback?

How are you coming to that conclusion? Especially in light of saying we should have won against the Seahawks and Rams. I can’t simply because we won those games because the same argument can be made against us should have won against Seattle and LA.

 

[kerouac9]

We were the better team in the Dolphins game… which the Dolphins lead wire to wire, had a 9 point 4th quarter lead and lost on a walk off FG?

And against the Niners, we were the better team despite being down 13 at the half and the Niners having the lead from late 1st quarter to the last 1:37 of the 4th where we had to make a 13 point second half comeback?

How are you coming to that conclusion? Especially in light of saying we should have won against the Seahawks and Rams. I can’t simply because we won those games because the same argument can be made against us should have won against Seattle and LA.

Brit isn't thinking about it the right way. Break it up into games you should win (for us this year it would have been NEP, CAR, CHI, WAS, LAC), could win (LARx2, SFOx2, MIA, NYJ, MIN, SEA) and probably lose (BUF, DET, SEA, GB).

We went 3-2 in should win games, 5-3 in could win games, and 0-4 in probably lose games.

I would say the should wins are ATL, CAR, JAC, TEN, LAR, SFO, @IND, @NO. Could wins are @SFO, @LAR, @TB, @DAL, @HOU. Probably lose are GB, SEA, @SEA, @CIN. If we maintain our winning percentages from this season in those categories we should make the playoffs.

 

[CardNots]

Brit isn't thinking about it the right way. Break it up into games you should win (for us this year it would have been NEP, CAR, CHI, WAS, LAC), could win (LARx2, SFOx2, MIA, NYJ, MIN, SEA) and probably lose (BUF, DET, SEA, GB).

We went 3-2 in should win games, 5-3 in could win games, and 0-4 in probably lose games.

I would say the should wins are ATL, CAR, JAC, TEN, LAR, SFO, @IND, @NO. Could wins are @SFO, @LAR, @TB, @DAL, @HOU. Probably lose are GB, SEA, @SEA, @CIN. If we maintain our winning percentages from this season in those categories we should make the playoffs.

Excellent way to breakdown the schedule. Nice work!

 

[Card'em]

The challenge to making the playoffs next year will again be the NFC West. We got lucky to play the Rams in the first game and SF in the last game with their depleted rosters. Seattle handled us twice. I think the NFC West will be a dogfight next year.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Brit isn't thinking about it the right way. Break it up into games you should win (for us this year it would have been NEP, CAR, CHI, WAS, LAC), could win (LARx2, SFOx2, MIA, NYJ, MIN, SEA) and probably lose (BUF, DET, SEA, GB).

We went 3-2 in should win games, 5-3 in could win games, and 0-4 in probably lose games.

I would say the should wins are ATL, CAR, JAC, TEN, LAR, SFO, @IND, @NO. Could wins are @SFO, @LAR, @TB, @DAL, @HOU. Probably lose are GB, SEA, @SEA, @CIN. If we maintain our winning percentages from this season in those categories we should make the playoffs.

I don't know why SFO or the Rams at home would be considered "should" wins. Kyler's won twice against the Rams... i believe in six years. And SFO just had the season from hell and can come back healthier/reload next year.

@IND is a total toss-up. We've been a really bad road team under Gannon and they're the same 8-9 middling mess that we are.

eh... who cares. none of it will matter unless the schedule shakes out in a way that we come out of the gates with a bunch of Ws, because if we have to play important games down the stretch, it's only a matter of time before Kyler cradles into the fetal position like he always does.

 

[FB94]

Still a fringe playoff team at best right now to me. If, and it’s a big if, come away in the offseason with a true pass rush threat, two run stuffing pocket collapsing D linemen, speed YAC WR, and two upgrades on the Oline then yes we will turn that corner. But so much depends on KM to help with this process, especially when games carry more significance

 

[slanidrac16]

We held them to 16 in Seattle and our offense blew the game. That was a completely winnable game.

And scored 9 against the Rams. Just score 20 in those two games and we win the division.

 

[oaken1]

There's 4 teams there drafting in the top 10 and 7 teams in total that were worse than us this year. We beat the Rams this year, should have beat the Seahawks too.

I like this better than this years schedule.

yeah,...pretty easy to see 10 wins on that...can see 5 probable just in road games

 

[CardNots]

There's 4 teams there drafting in the top 10 and 7 teams in total that were worse than us this year. We beat the Rams this year, should have beat the Seahawks too.

I like this better than this years schedule.

Commodores, Chargers, Falcons and Vikings

Maybe add in the Broncos at pick 12 and your logic really doesn’t hold a drop of water.

 

[BritCard]

Commodores, Chargers, Falcons and Vikings

Maybe add in the Broncos at pick 12 and your logic really doesn’t hold a drop of water.

Wut?

I said we play 4 teams drafting in the top 10 this year. Titans, Jags, Panthers and Saints.

 

[CardNots]

Wut?

I said we play 4 teams drafting in the top 10 this year. Titans, Jags, Panthers and Saints.

Seriously?

I should have been a bit more clear in the point I tried to make.

Just because a team drafts early does not imply a poor season after said draft.

 

[BritCard]

Seriously?

I should have been a bit more clear in the point I tried to make.

Just because a team drafts early does not imply a poor season after said draft.

No, it does not mean they will, but it is more likely they are not good too. All those teams have weak QB's and the only one likely to change is the Titans, and this rookie class sucks so it's unlikely they are an immediate success.

The only one there that I see having a possibility to improve are the Jags, if they hire the right HC and everyone picks up the new system quickly. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[CardNots]

No, it does not mean they will, but it is more likely they are not good too. All those teams have weak QB's and the only one likely to change is the Titans, and this rookie class sucks so it's unlikely they are an immediate success.

The only one there that I see having a possibility to improve are the Jags, if they hire the right HC and everyone picks up the new system quickly. But I wouldn't hold my breath.

I need to add every season is mostly a box of chocolates always full of surprises.

Too many variables…

 

[BritCard]

I need to add every season is mostly a box of chocolates always full of surprises.

Too many variables…

I agree, but these teams all suck at QB and I don't see that changing. Colts too.

 

[CardNots]

I agree, but these teams all suck at QB and I don't see that changing. Colts too.

Its an excellent point I hadn’t considered.

 

[Harry]

I think the Cardinals are just a couple of key players away from making the playoffs.

#1 priority is a Pass Rusher via FA. Doesn't have to be an Elite guy but someone who can consistently get 8-10 sacks and make the QB feel uncomfortable. Then continue to draft young guys and hope one hits. Jalon Walker, Edge Georgia in the first round of the draft?

#2 priority is a WR #2 via FA/Trade. Someone who can stretch the field and complements MHJr, McBride and Wilson. I also continue to draft young WRs in the middle of the draft and hope you find a gem.

#3 priority is a NT/DT who can collapse the pocket and stuff the run. Mason Graham, DT Michigan in the first round of the draft?

#4 priority is better depth on the OL. Josh Simmons, OT Ohio St. in the first round of the draft as future RT?

Not sure you can get rusher in FA. Graham long gone before Cards’ pick. Got to go defense with first pick.