20. Arizona Cardinals
Nobody hates the NFL’s new landing zone rules on kickoffs more than the Arizona Cardinals right now. The Cardinals should not have been allowed to lose in Week 4 wearing those incredible NFL rivalries uniforms, but here we are. Arizona has now lost two straight tough divisional games in a row, and they’re facing a must-win situation against the Titans in Week 5.
Why is their game against the Titans a must-win? Well, after that, they face the Colts (on the road) and the Packers before their bye week, followed by the Cowboys, Seahawks, and 49ers. It’s a brutal middle of the season for the Cardinals, so getting that third win here in Week 5 will be critical. The one thing we really need to see the Cardinals do better going forward? They’ve got to get the connection between Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. more consistent.
19. Minnesota Vikings
I don’t know how much more you could have expected out of the Minnesota Vikings in their game against the Steelers in Dublin. The Vikings have Carson Wentz in the lineup, and they obviously were coming off of an absolutely dominant performance last week against the Bengals.
They didn’t have the same good fortune against the Steelers, and with the ball late in the game after a boneheaded mistake by the Steelers, the Vikings had a chance to at least tie, if not go and win the game. And with the offensive line playing the way it is right now, who really expected Carson Wentz to get the job done?
Wentz threw for over 300 yards and Kevin O’Connell continued to show his coaching brilliance. The Vikings are 2-2 in the first month of the season but injuries and the offensive line loom large over the team’s future.