2018 Arizona Cardinals Have No Chance

by DS Williamson

The injury ravaged Arizona Cardinals couldn’t do much last season. Their offense was absolutely atrocious. Have the 2018 Arizona Cardinals improved enough to battle for the NFC West Division? Or, will this be another long season of suffering in the desert?

Can Arizona rediscover it’s rushing attack? The Cardinals had one of the absolute worst offenses in the NFL last season. The reason is because 2016 superstar running back David Johnson got hurt early. Johnson never stepped back onto the football field which led to a pathetic showing in the backfield for the Cards. They ranked third-last in rushing yards and only scored six touchdowns from the ground.

Arizona is counting on Johnson to have a repeat 2016 performance where he scored 20 TDs. What’s the real chance of that happening, though? It’s a legitimate question because Johnson has suffered injuries the last few times he's been out on the field.

Not only that, but the Cardinals’ offensive line might not be where it must for DJ to thrive. Even if Johnson gets it going, there’s almost no chance that newly signed free agent QB Sam Bradford plays for an entire season. He never has before.

That means QB Josh Rosen is likely to start at least a few games this season. Heck, before the midway point, Rosen might be the starter for these 2018 Arizona Cardinals the rest of the way.

It all adds up to an offense that could have many more questions than what’s going on with its rushing attack.

Arziona’s defense might have some issues as well For all the talk about Patrick Peterson being one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, Peterson has had moments where his game has floundered. That’s often happened because Peterson’s broken down towards the end of the season. In other words, he’s been worn out like a welcome mat. To be fair, you try controlling an entire side of the football field!

The real problem for Arizona is that their best defensive-end, Marcus Golden, returns after suffering an ACL tear. If Golden doesn’t return at the same level he was at in 2016 when he recorded 12.5 sacks, it will be difficult for the Desert Birds to force plays back into the middle of the field.

Karlos Dansby is gone. So, is safety Tyrann Mathieu. Can Arizona’s defense continue to perform at a high-level without some of their biggest concerns? I doubt it.

NFC West is Loaded When the third best team in the division projects to be the consistent Seattle Seahawks, you know the group is loaded. The LA Rams are a legit Super Bowl contender while the San Francisco 49ers should challenge for a wildcard playoff spot.

That leaves Arizona to pick up the pieces. Some believe the Cardinals can win 9 games. Many feel they’re a lock to win at least 6 games. The schedule isn’t easy with non-division battles versus the AFC West and NFC North.

The 2018 Arizona Cardinals should shoot for 8 games this season. They’ll most likely win between 5 and 7. It’s going to be at least another season before the Cardinals challenge for a playoff spot. Any optimism should be peppered with caution.