![Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) rushes back to the locker room after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]Browns Extras 10](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/954d021f769fef845fdf11f1b6e38fba1938440b3910b3d1749056b1111c073e.jpg "Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) rushes back to the locker room after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]Browns Extras 10")
One bold prediction for the Arizona Cardinals in 2021-22: NFC Championship Game
As we scanned the NFC landscape, we ran across a number of impressive teams.
The Los Angeles Rams are going to be a nightmare to deal with. The Green Bay Packers have Aaron Rodgers back in the mix and he’s itching for another Super Bowl. And of course, we have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Despite running out of finger space, Tom Brady still wants more rings.
While it won’t be easy, we believe the Arizona Cardinals are going to reign supreme over them all.
Kyler Murray’s name isn’t mentioned nearly as much as it should when we’re discussing the best young quarterbacks in the game. Everything is pointing in the right direction though, as all of his numbers went up from the prior season. Murray’s passing yards went from 3,722 to 3,971, his touchdowns went from 20 to 26, completion percentage took a nice jump from 64.4% to 67.2%, his rushing yards went from 544 to 819 and most importantly, the Cardinals went from five to eight wins.
Murray won’t be going to battle alone. He has arguably the best wide receiver in the game in DeAndre Hopkins and his ability to catch virtually every and anything. Losing running back Kenyan Drake will hurt but having the newly acquired J.J. Watt will help out big time on the defensive side of the ball and as long as Chandler Jones doesn’t decide to mail it in due to his wish to be elsewhere, the Cardinals can be just as good as anyone in the NFC.