What is an acceptable 2026 season?

[ASUCHRIS]

Man I dunno. I’m willing to accept the judgement of the nfl on this one.

I'm pretty sure many of us watch a lot more of Budda Baker snaps than your average media member/broadcaster. What makes you think he's elite? His numbers certainly don't show it. (Unless you're going to bring up tackles ala Ronald McKinnon)

The production hasn't matched the reputation for awhile, especially last season. His physical profile doesn't lend itself to longevity either. He simply isn't one of the top safeties in football.

 

[kerouac9]

I'm pretty sure many of us watch a lot more of Budda Baker snaps than your average media member/broadcaster. What makes you think he's elite? His numbers certainly don't show it. (Unless you're going to bring up tackles ala Ronald McKinnon)

The production hasn't matched the reputation for awhile, especially last season. His physical profile doesn't lend itself to longevity either. He simply isn't one of the top safeties in football.

I think he might be a top 3 run-defending safety in the NFL.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I'm not expecting much success in the win/loss column this season for the Cardinals.

For me success this season would be more about MLF and how his offense grows this season:

I want to see a smart offense that isn't always behind the sticks like the Cardinals were most of last season. I hope to see vast improvement with the running game compared to the dreadful one that the Cardinals had last season. I hope to see much more pre snap motion and play action used in MLFs new offense compared to last year. I hope to see the Offensive line grow more unified throughout the season as they implement MLF new zone scheme. I hope to see the Cardinals early investment in Love put to good use early in his NFL career. If you draft a RB at #3 overall he needs to be a major contributor on day one.

On the defensive side of the ball I want to see them step up and make critical stops late in the 4th quarter.

 

[Cheesebeef]

7 wins. If MLF is an actual offensive wiz kid, he's got A LOT of weapons to play with and only one hole on the offensive line and with Brissett, a caretaker QB... man, I say all these things and then remember, this defense is likely going to be all time awful.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

7 wins. If MLF is an actual offensive wiz kid, he's got A LOT of weapons to play with and only one hole on the offensive line and with Brissett, a caretaker QB... man, I say all these things and then remember, this defense is likely going to be all time awful.

You think this team is going to allow an average of 34 points a game? I could easily see them being bottom 10. I don't see them being all time awful.

 

[Cheesebeef]

You think this team is going to allow an average of 34 points a game? I could easily see them being bottom 10. I don't see them being all time awful.

I meant all time for the Cardinals… but I wouldn’t put it past this defense. I think they are Darth Jax-era talent-deficient.

 

[Outerlimits]

Hell, during the Warner years the defense was a raging dumpster fire. If Warner had an off game, the Cards usually lost in embarrassing fashion. They did play unexpectedly well in the Carolina playoff game.

I voted 6/7 this year being acceptable because expecting more wins than that in this brutal division just isn't realistic. Going 6-11 or 7-10 plus the team being competitive in some loses(and improving as the year unfolds) would at least not make me overly pessimistic about 2027.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I meant all time for the Cardinals… but I wouldn’t put it past this defense. I think they are Darth Jax-era talent-deficient.

I see. Darth Jax bomb, ouch lol.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Hell, during the Warner years the defense was a raging dumpster fire.

Uh, what? Bert Barry/Calais/Dansby/Dockett/DRC/Antrell/A-Dub...hell even Antonio Smith was a decent starter. Calling this group a "raging dumpster fire" is just wild.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Uh, what? Bert Barry/Calais/Dansby/Dockett/DRC/Antrell/A-Dub...hell even Antonio Smith was a decent starter. Calling this group a "raging dumpster fire" is just wild.

You could argue it was a top 3 defense for us during the AZ tenure...

 

[cardpa]

Lies, nothing but lies...don't believe the man behind the curtain..
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with some dumb guy....???

That really doesn't work, does it? LOL
but much appreciated

So a Jim Croce Fan I assume. Love his music, gone way too early.

 

[Outerlimits]

Uh, what? Bert Barry/Calais/Dansby/Dockett/DRC/Antrell/A-Dub...hell even Antonio Smith was a decent starter. Calling this group a "raging dumpster fire" is just wild.

They had some good players but the team often had to win shootouts to prevail. The Cards were barely above .500 in a garbage division. The Super Bowl Year the defense gave up 400+ points and was not good during the regular season especially. The DCs during the Warner years were terrible.(Clancy P, and Bill Davis i think)

The only reason the Cards beat GB the following year was due to Warner playing insanely well

 

[THESMEL]

Beat the poop out of the nfcw, I don’t think cards are as bad as media says, get a run game and compete for the nfcw -always and forever the first goal.

 

[THESMEL]

They had some good players but the team often had to win shootouts to prevail. The Cards were barely above .500 in a garbage division. The Super Bowl Year the defense gave up 400+ points and was not good during the regular season especially. The DCs during the Warner years were terrible.(Clancy P, and Bill Davis i think)

The only reason the Cards beat GB the following year was due to Warner playing insanely well

That’s bs beanie ran first and hard - got a 3 score lead on the packers - before the pass fest took over - rewriting history

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't get this kind of optimism. How have we gotten so better that you expect 4 wins?

Young guys improve, a draft pick here or there adds talent, brissett is QB from beginning of season, new coach, and general NFL parity. We are talking about one to three more wins. Not unheard of in the nfl. And we are the Cardinals, if we can snatch defeat (getting a worse draft pick) from victory (being bad enough to get the best QB in the draft) we will.

 

[CardNots]

3-3 in divisional games

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

C'mon people. This is a 4 win team at most. This is the NFL. They're not playing 3-4 cupcakes like in college.

New HC but same GM, same DC. same Owner, Why would you expect different?

 

[some dumb guy]

C'mon people. This is a 4 win team at most. This is the NFL. They're not playing 3-4 cupcakes like in college.

New HC but same GM, same DC. same Owner, Why would you expect different?

It's the heat, over 100 days of over 100 degrees of heat, every year...year after year after year.....wait, what were we talking about??

 

[kerouac9]

Young guys improve, a draft pick here or there adds talent, brissett is QB from beginning of season, new coach, and general NFL parity. We are talking about one to three more wins. Not unheard of in the nfl. And we are the Cardinals, if we can snatch defeat (getting a worse draft pick) from victory (being bad enough to get the best QB in the draft) we will.

C'mon people. This is a 4 win team at most. This is the NFL. They're not playing 3-4 cupcakes like in college.

New HC but same GM, same DC. same Owner, Why would you expect different?

Honestly reversion to the mean on health is the biggest reason to expect a better season. That and better luck in one-score games.

The NFL is designed for every team to win at least seven games.

That said, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the Cards go 1-11 against the conference either.

 

[Phrazbit]

I hope they come out like they look prepared and are consistently competitive.

If this QB room is the one we actually enter the season with, I can't see us winning 6 or more, but I really don't want us to look like we did in over the last 9 games of last season where we typically trailed by 20 at halftime.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I hope they come out like they look prepared and are consistently competitive.

If this QB room is the one we actually enter the season with, I can't see us winning 6 or more, but I really don't want us to look like we did in over the last 9 games of last season where we typically trailed by 20 at halftime.

I think brissett is just good enough to look competitive and then lose at the end. That’s what he showed us consistently in the early going. I’m fine with that.

 

[oaken1]

I think brissett is just good enough to look competitive and then lose at the end. That’s what he showed us consistently in the early going. I’m fine with that.

Best case scenario...we end the season with a high draft pick and clear evidence that "we just need a QB"

 

[kerouac9]

Best case scenario...we end the season with a high draft pick and clear evidence that "we just need a QB"

How does this work? What previous example would you point to? Having a bad QB drags down the entire offense.

The closest thing I can think of are the Falcons of the past few seasons, but I don’t think a 7-10 season is going to make people hoping for this outcome very happy.

When was the last time you saw a five-win team where you thought this?

 

[Cardiac]

How does this work? What previous example would you point to? Having a bad QB drags down the entire offense.

The closest thing I can think of are the Falcons of the past few seasons, but I don’t think a 7-10 season is going to make people hoping for this outcome very happy.

When was the last time you saw a five-win team where you thought this?

Patriots?

 

[Harry]

The Cardinals’ Schedule Is So Ridiculous the Entire NFL Is Talking About It

The Arizona Cardinals have a schedule so hard it's borderline laughable.

www.si.com