Cardinals return home still ALIVE for playoffs!

[AZCardsWin]

Cardinals return home still ALIVE for playoffs!
by Tim Pino
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On the heels of their second road win in a row, the Arizona Cardinals kept their faint playoff hopes alive entering this weeks huge showdown at Sun Devil Stadium with the Washington Redskins (6-6).

Lets take a look at the current NFC Playoff picture- Keep in mind the Top 4 seeds are the division leaders:

1. Seattle 10-2
2. Chicago 9-3
3. Carolina 9-3
4. NY Giants 8-4
5. Tampa Bay 8-4
6. Dallas 7-5
-------------------------------
7. Atlanta 7-5
8. Minnesota 7-5
9. Washington 6-6
10 St.Louis 5-7
11. Philadelphia 5-7
12. Detroit 4-8
13. Arizona 4-8

Eliminated:
New Orleans 3-9
San Francisco 2-10
Green Bay 2-10


The 4-8 Cardinals have little room for error in their quest for the post-season. There only chance to qualify for an NFC Wildcard spot will mean winning there remaining games to finish 8-8 and hope they get a ton help along the way.

There are millions of things that would have to happen for Arizona to pull this miracle off but for now we will take it week to week and look at what needs to happen to keep Arizona alive for one more week:

- Prior to the Cardinals 4pm EST kickoff, they will need to be scoreboard watching and rooting for the St. Louis Rams to beat (or tie) the Minnesota Vikings dropping them to 7-6 (Cardinals will not win any tie-breakers if they end the season tied with Vikings at 8-8

- The Cardinals then need to defeat the Redskins to get to 5-8.

- The Cardinals will also need the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Dallas Cowboys to drop them to 7-6 (like Minnesota, the Cardinals will not win any 8-8 tie-breakers with Dallas)

If these "3" things happen this week the Cardinals will remain alive entering Week 15. Its a long shot for sure but thats why they play the games!

* - Additional help for the Cardinals will be a New Orleans Saints win over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night dropping the Falcons to 7-6 (however if the Falcons and Cardinals ended up tied at 8-8 there is a tiebreaker that the Cardinals could win in difference in score of common opponents played)

 

[AzCards21]

Holy crap! We're still in it!

 

[Red Dawn]

I've already got my parking passes for 2 playoff games at SDS!!

 

[Duckjake]

I still can't believe that of the four wins only one came at SDS.

 

[BigDavis75]

It's still fun being alive for the playoffs, GO CARDINALS!!! Finishing 2nd in the division would be awesome also.

 

[arthurracoon]

I still believe!

 

[seesred]

Here we go Cardinals here we go!

GBR
40
Beat the Skins
8-8

 

[The Cardinal]

Hey, not so fast!!! I don't think we need the Cowboys to lose this week to stay alive. While it's true that they beat us in a face-to-face tie, they could win this week, then lose the rest, and finish at 8-8 with Washington (who would have swept them). This puts the Redskins in second place, and since division ties are broken before wild-card ties, we would not even face the Cowboys in a tie-breaker. Of course, at 8-8, the Cardinals would hold the two-way tie-breaker over Washington and could make the playoffs that way. But rooting for the Rams over Minnesota??? Hmmm, I'd almost rather see us eliminated this week but catch St. Louis for second place (we've clinched that tie-breaker).

 

[Treesquid PhD]

Funny that we are already in the we need help phase several weeks away from the final gun.

 

[phillycard]

Hey, not so fast!!! I don't think we need the Cowboys to lose this week to stay alive. While it's true that they beat us in a face-to-face tie, they could win this week, then lose the rest, and finish at 8-8 with Washington (who would have swept them). This puts the Redskins in second place, and since division ties are broken before wild-card ties, we would not even face the Cowboys in a tie-breaker. Of course, at 8-8, the Cardinals would hold the two-way tie-breaker over Washington and could make the playoffs that way. But rooting for the Rams over Minnesota??? Hmmm, I'd almost rather see us eliminated this week but catch St. Louis for second place (we've clinched that tie-breaker).

*expert at Cardinal math*

 

[KingofCards]

If we go 8-8, I will streak the 1st halftime meet at the new stadium.

 

[Shane]

If we go 8-8, I will streak the 1st halftime meet at the new stadium.

Do it at the 2nd game. That way you can finish watching the 1st game in the new stadium.

 

[okcardzona]

Hey, not so fast!!! I don't think we need the Cowboys to lose this week to stay alive. While it's true that they beat us in a face-to-face tie, they could win this week, then lose the rest, and finish at 8-8 with Washington (who would have swept them). This puts the Redskins in second place, and since division ties are broken before wild-card ties, we would not even face the Cowboys in a tie-breaker. Of course, at 8-8, the Cardinals would hold the two-way tie-breaker over Washington and could make the playoffs that way. But rooting for the Rams over Minnesota??? Hmmm, I'd almost rather see us eliminated this week but catch St. Louis for second place (we've clinched that tie-breaker).

Getting the job done!

 

[NEZCardsfan]

If we even finish 7-9 I'd be happy. Winning 5 of your final 7 would be huge for a team like this.

 

[phillycard]

If we even finish 7-9 I'd be happy. Winning 5 of your final 7 would be huge for a team like this.

good point NEZ. A nice little "Bengalesque" run to close out the season would be nice.

 

[NEZCardsfan]

good point NEZ. A nice little "Bengalesque" run to close out the season would be nice.

I'm a huge believer in building momentum for the next season. Next season is here baby.

Last year:
Cincy 6 of 9
Carolina 6 of 8
Jacksonville 3 of 4

This will be my last time at SDS......I'm going for broke this weekend. Big game....I'm ready!!

 

[AZCardsWin]

Hey, not so fast!!! I don't think we need the Cowboys to lose this week to stay alive. While it's true that they beat us in a face-to-face tie, they could win this week, then lose the rest, and finish at 8-8 with Washington (who would have swept them). This puts the Redskins in second place, and since division ties are broken before wild-card ties, we would not even face the Cowboys in a tie-breaker. Of course, at 8-8, the Cardinals would hold the two-way tie-breaker over Washington and could make the playoffs that way.

Seth,
Great work! We can only hope come next week we can "dream" of other playoff scenerios after a big Cardinals win!

Go Cards/America!
Tim

 

[AZCardsWin]

I'm a huge believer in building momentum for the next season. Next season is here baby.

Last year:
Cincy 6 of 9
Carolina 6 of 8
Jacksonville 3 of 4

This will be my last time at SDS......I'm going for broke this weekend. Big game....I'm ready!!

NEZ,
Great points how the end of one season carries over to the next!

Go Cards/ America!
Tim