A pair of 4-8 teams had a week off to regroup. So what kind of NFL 2022 has it been for the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers? This coming week will mark the end of the off-weeks for NFL teams. There are just 13 games on the Week 14 schedule as the Falcons, Bears, Packers, Colts, Saints, and Commanders get some rest.
But what about the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers? Neither team took the field in Week 13. How have they fared so far in 2022 and what kind of grade have they earned?
NFL 2022: Grades for teams coming off Week 13 Bye
Arizona Cardinals (4-8)
A year ago, this was the NFL’s hottest team in the league two months into the season as Kliff Kingsbury’s club won its first seven games. But the Cardinals faded and were rolled in the playoffs. This season, the team has struggled throughout.
Only the Lions have allowed more points per game. Kyler Murray has been inconsistent but DeAndre Hopkins has been solid after returning from his suspension. Defensively, J.J. Watt leads the team with 6.5 sacks.
Grade: C-
Carolina Panthers (4-8)
Over the past four seasons, the Panthers own a combined 26-51 mark. Carolina has won exactly five games each of the past three years and hopes to top that this year. In 2022, there have been two different head coaches (Matt Rhule and Steve Wilks) and three starting quarterbacks (Baker Mayfield, P.J. Walker, and Sam Darnold).
Mayfield is gone and Christian McCaffrey was dealt to the 49ers earlier this year. Brian Burns has 10 of Carolina’s 25 sacks.
Grade: C
Aftermath
Both the Cardinals and Panthers find themselves in third place in their respective divisions. This past week, the 49ers handled the Dolphins, 33-17, and the Seahawks beat the Rams on the road, 27-23. San Francisco routed Arizona in Mexico City this season while Kliff Kingsbury’s team split with Seattle. The Cardinals trail the Niners and ‘Hawks by four and three games, respectively.
As for the Panthers, the team has lost twice as many games as it has won. But no team in the NFC South has a better divisional record. Both Carolina and Tampa Bay are 3-1 vs. their rivals. On Monday night, the Buccaneers rallied to beat the Saints, 17-16. One day earlier, the Falcons fell at home to the Steelers, 19-16.