Arizona
Roundtable: What is a successful Arizona Cardinals season in 2022?
There’s star expertise on this Arizona Cardinals staff, for certain. Depth may very well be a problem, as may too few upgrades on the defensive aspect of the ball.
Rather a lot in 2022 relies on the Cardinals bettering internally, be it quarterback Kyler Murray, coach Kliff Kingsbury or younger first-round picks Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins.
So earlier than Arizona embarks on the season with a Week 1 recreation towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, we requested our Arizona Sports activities hosts, editors and reporters two questions on this 12 months’s staff. First up on this roundtable:
What would you think about a profitable season for the Cardinals, and do you assume they’ll obtain it?
Dan Bickley, co-host of Bickley & Marotta: To be deemed successful, the Cardinals have to make the playoffs. They don’t have to win a playoff recreation, however a reliable playoff efficiency is crucial. They get there on the again of Kyler Murray.
Vince Marotta, co-host of Bickley & Marotta: Coming off an 11-win season throughout which the Cardinals had a number of bizarre or painful losses (Inexperienced Bay, Carolina, Detroit, Seattle), something lower than a return to the playoffs could be a step again and a disappointment. Truly, examine that: A return postseason engagement ending in one other embarrassing loss that sticks with the fan base for 9 months wouldn’t be successful. Make the playoffs and present up … who is aware of? Perhaps win a recreation or two?
Heading into the season, there are such a lot of questions surrounding the personnel of this staff, I don’t assume they’ll attain that customary regardless of the NFC as an entire seeming much less daunting than final season heading into Week 1.
Ron Wolfley, co-host of Wolf & Luke: A playoff win will suffice. They’ve improved yearly beneath Kliff Kingsbury; they’ve made the playoffs. The one occasion that may proceed the momentum of the group is a playoff look by which they play properly … and win.
Luke Lapinski, co-host of Wolf & Luke: Enchancment and success are two various things. They may enhance on final 12 months by successful one other common season recreation, and even simply ending stronger in December. That’s probably not success at this level although. The bar has been raised and I believe the one method we — they usually, for that matter — are going to think about this successful is that if they win at the very least one playoff recreation. It’s 12 months 4 for Kyler and Kliff, they usually simply obtained large extensions.
We are able to’t name this an experiment anymore. They’re all in. And whenever you’re in win-now mode with a franchise quarterback and a younger coach you’ve dedicated to for years and years (and extra years), it’s time to begin making an influence within the playoffs. The NFC has some good groups, however it’s not on the extent of the AFC for the time being, so the chance is there.
Then once more, after seeing the primary damage report of the season, perhaps “success” is solely discovering a method to area a full lineup towards the Chiefs in Week 1.
Dave Burns, co-host of Burns & Gambo: A profitable season can solely be measured by development and enchancment over the season earlier than. And for that to occur the Cardinals should win a playoff recreation. It has solely occurred one season since Kurt Warner retired, and it’s lengthy overdue. Sadly for the Playing cards, I don’t assume it is going to occur. Too many questions and holes on protection. An excessive amount of uncertainty about how they’ll end.
John Gambadoro, co-host of Burns & Gambo: With a brutal schedule and a few apparent weaknesses on that protection at edge rusher and cornerback, I might say a profitable season is gaining a Wild Card spot and going again to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. I believe the ceiling for Arizona is 10 wins, however the ground is seven. The NFC is just not almost nearly as good because the AFC, so a playoff berth could also be had with a 9-8 file.
Tyler Drake, ArizonaSports.com Cardinals reporter and co-host of the Cardinals Nook podcast: The Cardinals cracked the postseason for the primary time in years in 2021, dismal exhibiting or not. They need to not solely return to the playoffs for a second straight 12 months, however they need to additionally appear to be they belong with the league’s greatest. They can’t lay one other egg like they did within the NFC Wild Card recreation towards the Los Angeles Rams.
Erik Ruby, Arizona Sports activities contributor and co-host of the Cardinals Nook podcast: A profitable season is just not one which has a sure variety of wins or requires Arizona to make the playoffs. A profitable season is one by which this staff reveals development. Win video games at dwelling, win video games within the again half of the season and begin the playoffs sturdy. If the Cardinals do exactly a few of that, then the season may very well be thought-about successful.
Kellan Olson, ArizonaSports.com editor: Ending above .500. It’s a brutal schedule and I believe there are far too many “if’s” throughout the board to have faith on this staff making noise within the playoffs. A breakdown of these qualifiers:
If Hollywood Brown is a seamless match and if a wholesome Zach Allen is a difference-maker and if changing Chandler Jones isn’t a problem and if Isaiah Simmons has a breakout season and if Zaven Collins and Nick Vigil are strong and if Byron Murphy Jr. performs like he did within the first half of final 12 months and if Marco Wilson can enhance and if Trayvon Mullen Jr. is a reliable NFL cornerback. That’s so much, so I’m going to say no.
Jake Anderson, ArizonaSports.com editor: Something wanting a playoff berth for the Cardinals in 2022 ought to be thought-about a failure, particularly after flaming out final season. That being stated, I believe attending to the divisional spherical could be gravy. However given the place the staff is heading into Week 1 and Kingsbury’s historical past within the second half of seasons, a aggressive playoff recreation ought to be each anticipated and achievable.
Kevin Zimmerman, ArizonaSports.com lead editor: Merely incomes a playoff berth could be successful for a staff that’s within the top-third of hardest schedules, in accordance with Sharp Soccer Evaluation. Past how far Arizona goes as soon as there, it’s vital to see how this factor seems with Murray locked right into a contract. If he takes one other step ahead, Kingsbury doesn’t finish the 12 months on the new seat and Vance Joseph stays a head-coaching candidate, it’ll be arduous to complain.
My expectations are comparatively low, however I nonetheless assume the Cardinals can examine all these packing containers. The offensive expertise among the many first-stringers is simply too good for Kingsbury to fail even when accidents hit, and Joseph all the time figures out methods to get probably the most out of his personnel. So far as successful within the postseason, I’m unsure.