This team is GOOD!

JosiahLee

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Wasn't that long ago that the Cards couldn't buy a win at home. 4-2 so far this year...should be 5-1. Three more to go!
One of my favorite stats so far! And we are now top 10 in points scored (tied for 7th with Atlanta). Despite early struggles the offense is beginning to gel as we had hoped.
 

TheCardinal

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Mark Dalton
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1h

For the 3rd straight home game, the Cardinals did not allowed a TD (Chargers, Bears, Jets). The last time that happened for the franchise was almost a century ago: 9/19/1926 to 10/31/1926
Crazy stat! The Cardinals actually lost that 10/31/26 game to Green Bay, 3-0 despite extending the non-TD streak. I wonder if Rodgers started?

Had to look it up — that home streak without giving up a TD went six games, reaching back into 1925:

12/10/25: Milwaukee Badgers: 59-0
12/12/25: Hammond Pros: 13-0
9/19/26: Columbus Tigers: 14-0
9/26/26: Los Angeles Buccaneers: 15-0
10/3/26: Racine Tornadoes: 20-0
10/31/26: Green Bay Packers: 0-3 (loss)

The home game before the streak started? The infamous loss to the Pottsville Maroons (7-21) before Pottsville’s prematurely claimed title was “lost” and for which we are supposedly cursed. And, yes, the Cardinals did play those hastily scheduled December games two days apart (Thursday and Saturday) to get those two wins in under the gun before the official end of the 1925 season.
 

bankybruce

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You can see the impact on this team through the draft and UDAs.

2023
OT Paris Johnson Jr. - Starter and LT for years to come and is still getting better!
EDGE BJ Ojulari - Biggest Question Mark????
CB Garrett Williams - Above Average Starter and becoming better each week.
WR Michael Wilson - Solid #3, does lots of things.
OL Jon Gaines II - Back up center, meh so far.
QB Clayton Tune - Doing what a back up QB does.
LB Owen Pappoe - Back up/ ST player.
CB Kei’Trel Clark - Back up/ ST player.
DL Dante Stills - Late round gem!!

Clark and Gaines right now are the only two meh picks. BJ can still turn it around, but he is on his way to bust. I don't think Gaines or Clark are on the team next year.

2024
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. - Showing flashes of greatness, but still needs to become more consistent.
DL Darius Robinson - I hope the build up is real!
CB Max Melton - 100% snaps in three straight games and holding his own.
RB Trey Benson - The light appears to be coming on!
G Isaiah Adams - Might start by the end of the season, looks to be a potential starter next year.
TE Tip Reiman - Beast of a blocker!!
CB Elijah Jones - Red shirt year, who does he push out of the CB rotation next year? Clark?
S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson - Back up who has played well when given extended snaps!
Edge Xavier Thomas - Rotational player who has had a couple of moments.
OT Christian Jones - Back up who hopefully doesn't have to play this year.
WR Tejhaun Palmer - Practice Squad project probably doesn't ever make the active roster.
CB Jaden Davis - Practice Squad project, no clue here.

21 total draft picks
13 draft picks playing meaningful snaps on this team.
4 projects that are TBD.
2 high picks that are TBD
2 or 3 that probably are not on the team next year.


Others
Starling Thomas V - Claimed from Detroit before the season started in 2023 who was an UFA.
Elijah Higgins - 6th round pick in 2023 the Dolphins cut in training camp
Xavier Weaver - 2024 UFA who has stuck on the roster and is the next man up when other WRs miss.
 
OP
OP
Shane

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You can see the impact on this team through the draft and UDAs.

2023
OT Paris Johnson Jr. - Starter and LT for years to come and is still getting better!
EDGE BJ Ojulari - Biggest Question Mark????
CB Garrett Williams - Above Average Starter and becoming better each week.
WR Michael Wilson - Solid #3, does lots of things.
OL Jon Gaines II - Back up center, meh so far.
QB Clayton Tune - Doing what a back up QB does.
LB Owen Pappoe - Back up/ ST player.
CB Kei’Trel Clark - Back up/ ST player.
DL Dante Stills - Late round gem!!

Clark and Gaines right now are the only two meh picks. BJ can still turn it around, but he is on his way to bust. I don't think Gaines or Clark are on the team next year.

2024
WR Marvin Harrison Jr. - Showing flashes of greatness, but still needs to become more consistent.
DL Darius Robinson - I hope the build up is real!
CB Max Melton - 100% snaps in three straight games and holding his own.
RB Trey Benson - The light appears to be coming on!
G Isaiah Adams - Might start by the end of the season, looks to be a potential starter next year.
TE Tip Reiman - Beast of a blocker!!
CB Elijah Jones - Red shirt year, who does he push out of the CB rotation next year? Clark?
S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson - Back up who has played well when given extended snaps!
Edge Xavier Thomas - Rotational player who has had a couple of moments.
OT Christian Jones - Back up who hopefully doesn't have to play this year.
WR Tejhaun Palmer - Practice Squad project probably doesn't ever make the active roster.
CB Jaden Davis - Practice Squad project, no clue here.

21 total draft picks
13 draft picks playing meaningful snaps on this team.
4 projects that are TBD.
2 high picks that are TBD
2 or 3 that probably are not on the team next year.


Others
Starling Thomas V - Claimed from Detroit before the season started in 2023 who was an UFA.
Elijah Higgins - 6th round pick in 2023 the Dolphins cut in training camp
Xavier Weaver - 2024 UFA who has stuck on the roster and is the next man up when other WRs miss.
So far it shows he’s drafting rather well IMO
 

Crimson Warrior

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The offense played like the best in the league today! We were moving the ball at will against a good J-E-T-S defense!

And I love, but don't really understand what I'm seeing on defense! lol It's like when other teams get inside our 30, our D suddenly turns into the 85 bears! haha

Even special teams playing great!
 

Phrazbit

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Every aspect of the team is playing well, compared to preseason expectations, the defense is extremely impressive. We have not devoted a ton of resources to it, a fair portion of what they have devoted has been injured and yet, they've been good, in many games the defense has been excellent. In 3 of our last 4 games we have not allowed a touchdown. You cannot ask for much more than that.

McBride looks like an all-pro, Connor has been awesome and Murray's range of outcomes has narrowed significantly. Murray's wild swings between "MVP?" and "Do you even care?" are not there right now. He has cut back on his mistakes by at least half, while still busting out plays that few can pull off.

I still think the talent level is well below that of the other contenders, I think the Niners will likely overtake us for the division, but we're quite a bit better than I thought we'd be. A year ahead of schedule and perhaps more so that the QB situation seems far less pressing.
 

BritCard

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Two things I want to mention that I haven't seen mentioned much.

The O line has been awesome. All year. We moan about it non stop when it's bad so we need to give it props when it's good. It's been top 5 in the run game and top 10 in pass pro in my opinion.

Petzing, he had a rough start but he's been fire recently. His game plans have been spot of. Everyone expected this to be like the Bears game and run it down their throats, I'm sure the Jets practiced all week on stopping the run. And then he started the game with consecutive passes. I had an inkling he might do this but was surprised how he started out with heavy pass.
 

Totally_Red

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Two things I want to mention that I haven't seen mentioned much.

The O line has been awesome. All year. We moan about it non stop when it's bad so we need to give it props when it's good. It's been top 5 in the run game and top 10 in pass pro in my opinion.

Petzing, he had a rough start but he's been fire recently. His game plans have been spot of. Everyone expected this to be like the Bears game and run it down their throats, I'm sure the Jets practiced all week on stopping the run. And then he started the game with consecutive passes. I had an inkling he might do this but was surprised how he started out with heavy pass.
As a new coordinator and play caller, Petzing took a while to get up to speed. And don't forget he didn't have his QB for most of last season, and Kyler wasn't 100% last year imo.
 

Stout

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Very good! The D has holes but they are doing what they need to.

The rookies are coming along nicely! The draft class is starting to look like it was nailed imo!

This coaching staff is killing it including Petzing! We have 31 points on the board halfway through the 3rd Quarter against a top five defense in the NFL.

Kyler playing like the NFLs best QB today! MHJ!

We’re gonna be 2 games above .500 and I can’t be happier or more proud of this team at this moment!
Agree with everything, especially the bolded. Rallis getting the D to do this with that front 7 is absolutely amazing.
 

Stout

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Hey, they already won as many games as me, Nostradumbass, predicted. I am so happy to eat a big plate of dry, tough, chewy crow WITHOUT barbeque sauce.

The Little Team That Could.
I had the same prediction, and I am quite happy to eat that crow. Nomnomnomnomnom!
 

slanidrac16

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This coaching staff walks the walk. They believe in themselves and their process.
They believe in players we are saying lack talent. A hypothetical example is picking up a guy like Browning instead of paying for an older Zadarious Smith. They seem very good at finding players that fit their system with upside.
 

slanidrac16

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Offense helped the defense vs. NY, no doubt about it.

Opposing offenses start pressing when we score so much early like we did vs. LA and NY.
This is the offense I pictured ( before the slow start) stating they were going to have to carry this team.

But this defense. I have no explanation for their performance. Stunning.
 
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