They were the last NFL team to lose a game in 2021. And although the Arizona Cardinals reached the playoffs, the late-season slump is reason for concern.
They were one of the NFL’s biggest stories seven weeks into the season. Kliff Kingbury’s Arizona Cardinals owned a 7-0 record one year after finishing 8-8. The team dominated opponents, scoring 31-plus points in six of those games while winning five of those contests by double digits.
But a funny thing happened in Arizona’s quest for its first division title since 2015. The team dropped six of its final 10 contests and wound up settling for a wild card berth. But Kingsbury’s team was one and done after a 34-11 loss to the Rams at Los Angeles.
This is a talented team that has come a long way since finishing an NFL-worst 3-13 in 2018. What are some things the Cards can work on this offseason?
3. Arizona Cardinals must bolster the defensive front-seven
A year ago, outside linebacker Chandler Jones missed the vast majority of the season, Hasson Reddick filled the void and the Cardinals finished with 48 sacks. The latter signed with Carolina this offseason, Jones (10.5 sacks) returned to his star form and he and Markus Golden (11) combined for just over half of Arizona’s 41 quarterback traps. The Cards also came up with a more-than-respectable 27 takeaways in 17 regular-season outings.
But coordinator Vance Joseph’s unit finished 20th in the league against the run. And that unit gave up 140 yards rushing in the wild card loss to the Rams. Veteran J.J. Watt missed the final 10 regular-season games but returned for the playoffs.
General manager Steve Keim has used his last two first-round picks on linebackers Isaiah Simmons (2020) and Zaven Collins (2021) but more help is needed here.
2. Find a solution to Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams
When it was all said and done in 2021, the Arizona Cardinals still have some work to do when it comes to getting the edge on their biggest divisional nemesis. The team swept the playoff-bound San Francisco 49ers this year and once again split with the Seattle Seahawks. But it’s been a different story with another team ever since they hired a new coach in 2016.
When Kliff Kingsbury’s team came up with an impressive 37-20 win over the Rams at Los Angeles in Week 4, the team snapped an eight-game losing streak to Sean McVay’s club. In the previous eight meetings between the clubs – all losses – Arizona had been outscored a combined 251-91 in the process. Those 37 points felt like a turning point in the series.
But on a Monday night in the desert in Week 14, McVay’s club came away with an important 30-23 victory. And in last week’s wild card victory at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles came away with a dominating 34-11 triumph. So in 11 overall meetings with the Rams dating back to 2016 and with McVay at the helm, the Cardinals are a dismal 1-10 and have allowed at least 30 points in nine of those contests. Can you say ouch?
1. Learn how to close out a season
Kliff Kingsbury just finished his third year as the Cardinals’ head coach. During his debut campaign, the team owned a 3-3-1 record after seven outings. But the team would go on to drop seven of their last nine contests. A year ago, Kingsbury’s club owned a 6-3 record before losing five of their final seven games.
This year, the Cardinals were the last team in the league to lose a game. Their 7-0 start was the best by the franchise since 1974. And the club owned a 10-2 mark with five weeks to play.
But a Monday night home loss to the Rams was followed by an embarrassing setback at Detroit and then a Saturday night setback to the visiting Colts. All told and including the wild card loss at Los Angeles, Kingsbury’s squad was 1-5 in its last six outings.
Injuries were certainly a factor. Kyler Murray missed three games and never regained his early-season form. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins missed seven contests but still led the team with eight touchdown receptions. These issues were certainly a factor but it’s now been three straight years that this team has failed to close the deal.