Week 14 Elimination Scenarios

[TheCardinal]

Going into Week 14, the Cardinals can be mathematically eliminated with:

ARI loss + SEA win + NYG win/tie

DETAILS: With a loss to NE, the best the Cardinals would be able to do is 8-9 and wouldn’t be able to catch PHI/DAL/MIN/SF and the South winner. That leaves two spots and we would have to catch at least two of NYG/SEA/WSH (as well as everyone one with 5 wins). We lose all tie-breakers to SEA, so should they get to 8 wins they would be out of reach. A NYG win puts them out of reach as well. A NYG tie puts the winner of Week 15’s WSH/NYG game out of reach (or NYG should they tie again).

An ARI loss + SEA win, even with a NYG loss pretty much knocks out the Cardinals, though not mathematically. Our only hope would be to win out and catch both NYG and WSH. They would both be 7-5-1 with a rematch the following week. Ties are half-wins/half-losses and so the winner of that game would have 8.5 wins and be out of reach. So we would need them to tie each other AGAIN and both finish 7-8-2 (which is equivalent to 8-9). The Commanders would have the tie-breaker over the Giants in divisional record and we would have the tie-breaker over Washington at 8-9 on conference record if our only remaining loss is to NE (or DEN).

 

[JohnnyCakes]

Going into Week 14, the Cardinals can be mathematically eliminated with:

ARI loss + SEA win + NYG win/tie

DETAILS: With a loss to NE, the best the Cardinals would be able to do is 8-9 and wouldn’t be able to catch PHI/DAL/MIN/SF and the South winner. That leaves two spots and we would have to catch at least two of NYG/SEA/WSH (as well as everyone one with 5 wins). We lose all tie-breakers to SEA, so should they get to 8 wins they would be out of reach. A NYG win puts them out of reach as well. A NYG tie puts the winner of Week 15’s WSH/NYG game out of reach (or NYG should they tie again).

An ARI loss + SEA win, even with a NYG loss pretty much knocks out the Cardinals, though not mathematically. Our only hope would be to win out and catch both NYG and WSH. They would both be 7-5-1 with a rematch the following week. Ties are half-wins/half-losses and so the winner of that game would have 8.5 wins and be out of reach. So we would need them to tie each other AGAIN and both finish 7-8-2 (which is equivalent to 8-9). The Commanders would have the tie-breaker over the Giants in divisional record and we would have the tie-breaker over Washington at 8-9 on conference record if our only remaining loss is to NE (or DEN).

Do you still run a Cardinals website?

 

[kerouac9]

It's surprising that the folks at Cardinals Underground are basically waiving the white flag on the season. We know it's basically over, but at least for another week you'd think they'd be pushing the "fighting chance" narrative.

 

[unseenaz]

It's surprising that the folks at Cardinals Underground are basically waiving the white flag on the season. We know it's basically over, but at least for another week you'd think they'd be pushing the "fighting chance" narrative.

Why would they? Silly.

 

[BurqueCardFan]

Anyone still holding out hope for a playoff run is crazy. This team already crapped the bed.
With as bad as the division and the NFC in general has been, this team should have been a shoe in for a playoff spot with any semblance of a competent coaching staff or front office. Not to mention our QB taking the money and running. They should have never paid him and maybe he would have played with a little more purpose.

 

[Metcalf Rules]

Well, if the Cardinals want to entertain any hopes of going to playoffs, I think its safe to say they have to win out. And even that might not do it. But if they were to do that, they would enter the playoffs on a five game win streak and might be that team no one wants to face. Now back to reality.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

arguably the most injured team in the league, who also has a rif between head coach and QB, who is 4-8.....

does not have a snowballs chance in hades. Season is over.

 

[TheCardinal]

Do you still run a Cardinals website?

I do, though at this point I keep it alive mostly just as a historical repository.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

Well, if the Cardinals want to entertain any hopes of going to playoffs, I think its safe to say they have to win out. And even that might not do it. But if they were to do that, they would enter the playoffs on a five game win streak and might be that team no one wants to face. Now back to reality.

this team hasnt won back to back games in over a year....

winning out is not happening.

 

[TheCardinal]

Anyone still holding out hope for a playoff run is crazy. This team already crapped the bed.
With as bad as the division and the NFC in general has been, this team should have been a shoe in for a playoff spot with any semblance of a competent coaching staff or front office. Not to mention our QB taking the money and running. They should have never paid him and maybe he would have played with a little more purpose.

Well, if the Cardinals want to entertain any hopes of going to playoffs, I think its safe to say they have to win out. And even that might not do it. But if they were to do that, they would enter the playoffs on a five game win streak and might be that team no one wants to face. Now back to reality.

Even with winning out at 9-8, it is extraordinarily unlikely that the Cardinals would qualify for the playoffs. This thread is just to note what has to happen for things to become “official.”

 

[RON_IN_OC]

this team hasnt won back to back games in over a year....

winning out is not happening.

It would be so Cardinals, though, to win the next 4 games only to lose the final game and miss the playoffs.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

I do the same thing, look at our record & keep close tabs on the team's above us, flip back & forth from our game to theirs on Sunday ticket. Yes we're not mathematically eliminated just yet but if the Giants, Lions, Falcons or Commanders get to 9 wins & we don't win out we are eliminated. Hell, if the Commanders & Giants win 2 more games each then we're done no matter what I believe? At the end of the day, I never root against my team, just can't bring myself to but it's like this. The only way change happens is if we lose & lose badly in some of those games, especially the last game. Even then Bidwill may have already decided to keep KK long before the end of the season, using injuries & film sessions with KK as an excuse.


Now that I think about it, when we lose the next game (which will eliminate us) I'm gonna want us to get blown out in every game so Bidwill will have no choice but to consider Sean Payton because of the heat the media will be bringing. I'm just tired of Keim & KK & the losing. I want a coach that can get the most out of Kyler & will avoid the things he doesn't do well or teach him how to do those things better, if Sean Payton can't get the most out of Kyler then no one will imo.

 

[AZ Native]

It would be so Cardinals, though, to win the next 4 games only to lose the final game and miss the playoffs.

True, but are not winning another game this season.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

True, but are not winning another game this season.

I think we could possibly beat Denver & the Falcons but lose the rest. 6-11 final record. Sadly enough, KK will keep his job & convince Bidwill if he hasn't already that 4 more wins could've been achieved if not for injuries? Fair enough, now who's to blame for the lack of depth? Steve ******* Keim. We all know how the buddy system works, Keim ain't going anywhere.

 

[slanidrac16]

We were eliminated 4 weeks ago.

 

[TJ]

I don’t even want to see this garbage team in the playoffs

 

[pemory09]

Even with winning out at 9-8, it is extraordinarily unlikely that the Cardinals would qualify for the playoffs. This thread is just to note what has to happen for things to become “official.”

News flash: we “officially” suck.

No disrespect to you Cardinal. Just can’t help myself.

 

[TheCardinal]

I think we could possibly beat Denver & the Falcons but lose the rest. 6-11 final record. Sadly enough, KK will keep his job & convince Bidwill if he hasn't already that 4 more wins could've been achieved if not for injuries? Fair enough, now who's to blame for the lack of depth? Steve ******* Keim. We all know how the buddy system works, Keim ain't going anywhere.

Those are the two games I hope we win since I’ll be traveling to both. I’ve seen the Cardinals win at 17 different teams, with 15 more to go to complete the league, and these two are on that list. We have never won at Denver and last won at Atlanta at the end of the 1993 season.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Those are the two games I hope we win since I’ll be traveling to both. I’ve seen the Cardinals win at 17 different teams, with 15 more to go to complete the league, and these two are on that list. We have never won at Denver and last won at Atlanta at the end of the 1993 season.

Pretty sure we won in Atlanta in the 2008 playoffs.

 

[daves]

I’ve seen the Cardinals win at 17 different teams, with 15 more to go to complete the league,

Umm... 14 more, right?

Personally, the Cardinals are 7-0 when I've attended home games, but 4-10 when I've attended away games. I did see them beat the Falcons at Fulton County Stadium in 1990... But seeing them win at all 32 teams sounds like an impossible dream to me! Good luck!

...dave

 

[pemory09]

Pretty sure we won in Atlanta in the 2008 playoffs.

IIRC this was a home game.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Thought we won in Carolina & Atlanta, then played the NFC championship at home?

 

[TheCardinal]

Pretty sure we won in Atlanta in the 2008 playoffs.

The Atlanta game was at home. We were division winners and got the 4-seed, hosting the 5th-seeded Falcons even though they had the better record.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

The Atlanta game was at home. We were division winners and got the 4-seed, hosting the 5th-seeded Falcons even though they had the better record.

IIRC one of the few games that Darnell Dockett actually had a big impact. Plus the iconic, all-time catch by Fitz in that game too I believe.

That playoff run was the single best time for me as Cardinals fan, and I'm coming up on 50 years with this team.

 

[TheCardinal]

Umm... 14 more, right?

Personally, the Cardinals are 7-0 when I've attended home games, but 4-10 when I've attended away games. I did see them beat the Falcons at Fulton County Stadium in 1990... But seeing them win at all 32 teams sounds like an impossible dream to me! Good luck!

...dave

I’ve never seen them win at home (0-1), so technically I score it as missing 15.

Many of the other ones I’m missing are not for lack of trying! We’ve never won at the Texans (0-2), Chiefs (0-5-1), and Broncos (0-5). Our last win at Pittsburgh (1969) was before the merger, our last wins at Buffalo and Minnesota were in the 1970s, as was the last attendable win at the Jets (the 2020 win was during COVID and no fans were allowed).