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Arizona Cardinals’ moves make them great, as luck runs out

By Dan Salem

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The Arizona Cardinals have been good for two seasons, yet forgotten in a stacked NFC. Their free agent moves make them better, but enough to take down the champs? Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL TD Sports Debate. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate the NFL and sports.

DAN:

The Arizona Cardinals quietly added six players during free agency in early March, then slid smoothly into the shadows as other teams yelled and made headlines. Should Cardinals fans be happy with the team achieving its free agent goals, or worried that more wasn’t done to overtake the reigning conference champions?

Back to back seasons with double digit wins finally resulted in a playoff appearance last season, after a five year absence (since 2009). Coach Arians is doing an excellent job by all accounts, yet my overall feeling on the team is that they keep coming up short.

The entire NFC West division is obviously formidable, so I question whether adding two offensive lineman, two linebackers, and two defensive linemen is enough to push them past the competition. Strong line play is certainly the mark of championship clubs, but as with most teams, I worry about Arizona’s quarterback and offensive weapons.

Nov 9, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback

Carson Palmer

(3) calls a play as center

Lyle Sendlein

(63) prepares to snap the ball against the St. Louis Rams at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Rams 31-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

If Carson Palmer returns at a high level, the Cardinals can be scary good in 2015. But if I’m a fan of this team, they have to do more in the draft or free agency to overtake the Seahawks. This team needs a spark, a player that will light a fire under the entire roster. A big mouth that won’t shut up until the Lombardi trophy rides through town.

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TODD:

The Arizona Cardinals are in a funny state of flux. I say funny from the outside, not being a fan of the organization. From the sidelines or the sofa with a rooting interest, it must be frustrating beyond belief. In 2015, Arizona might have its best team of the last three seasons, but it might finish with the worst record of the bunch.

Each of the past two iterations of the Cardinals have overachieved. Whether you argue that’s a skill or not, the team has outplayed its Pythagorean projection, a mathematical prediction of NFL wins created by Football Outsiders. Arizona’s 2014 club who went 11-5 had an expected win total of just 8.34. The 2013 club who went 10-6 had an expected win total of 9.46. The team was “getting better” while actually projecting worse. This offseason the opposite may occur. The team may actually improve and thus project better, but the final record may not reach the heights of last year.

Jan 3, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver

Larry Fitzgerald

(11) catches a pass over Carolina Panthers middle linebacker

Luke Kuechly

(59) during the fourth quarter in the 2014 NFC Wild Card playoff football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

I say that because luck runs out, but I still like the moves being made. Line play is boring but mightily important. The Cardinals added one of the best run blockers in the NFL in Mike Iupati. They also added a great pass rusher in LaMarr Woodley as well as Cory Redding. The departure of Darnell Dockett is a blow, but the team’s defensive line found a new leader last year anyway in Calais Campbell. The trenches are in good hands assuming the loss of Todd Bowles doesn’t fracture the unit.

As for the skill players, Larry Fitzgerald is running it back, and he’s flanked by the Browns and Michael Floyd still, giving Arizona a formidable receiving corps. Andre Ellington is still a bit of a question at running back but a supremely talented question.

Carson Palmer’s future is in jeopardy, let alone his ability to play at a high level. If the team restarts at QB, it’ll take a dive in the standings. If Palmer is serviceable though, the team could improve its projection by upwards of two wins!…bringing them to an expected record of 10-6, worse than last year unfortunately. It’s hard to be both good and lucky.

Next: Trade predictions for the top of the 2015 NFL Draft

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