Game-by-game predictions for Cardinals’ 2022 season

unseenaz

ASFN Addict
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Posts
6,533
Reaction score
4,944
Location
Gilbert
Chiefs - L
@ Raiders - L
Rams - L
@ Panthers - W
Eagles - L
@ Seahawks - W
Saints (Thursday Night Football) L
@ Vikings - L
Seahawks - W
@ Rams - L
49ers (Mexico City) W
Chargers - L
Bye
vs Patriots (Monday Night Football) L
@ Broncos - L
Buccaneers (Christmas) L
@ Falcons - W
@ 49ers - W

6-11, worse than what I previously thought. I could see it swinging maybe 2 more wins. I could also see splitting with the 49ers.
 

JosiahLee

Hall of Famer
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
Posts
1,971
Reaction score
3,476
Location
Gilbert
The schedule does look daunting, and they will miss Hop for six games…But with that said I think even if they take a step back record-wise they will still be good for at least 9 wins.

Kyler has legit gotten better every year as has Kliff (despite the late season collapses). They’re far from perfect but I think if they stay healthy they can certainly be a playoff team.
 

oaken1

Stone Cold
Supporting Member
Banned from P+R
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
Posts
16,360
Reaction score
12,717
Location
Modesto, California
The schedule does look daunting, and they will miss Hop for six games…But with that said I think even if they take a step back record-wise they will still be good for at least 9 wins.

Kyler has legit gotten better every year as has Kliff (despite the late season collapses). They’re far from perfect but I think if they stay healthy they can certainly be a playoff team.
I think 10 wins.
 

DVontel

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Posts
12,419
Reaction score
21,245
lol, this sad ass roster combined with that schedule & I see 7 wins.

I won’t even complain about Vance if he’s able to make this defense look like a top 15 unit.
 

cardpa

Have a Nice Day!
Joined
Mar 14, 2003
Posts
7,316
Reaction score
3,969
Location
Monroe NC
Things can go South pretty quick if they come out of the gate 0-3 to start the season and considering the first three opponents that is not inconceivable (thank you Vizzini). I can't imagine the noise if this team fail to win at least 10 games after giving extensions to Keim and Klingsbury and a $40 million a year contract extension to Murray.

Despite the additions to the offense during the off season, they are still trotting out the same offensive line as last season and the same, albeit probably worse, defensive line as last season and as we all know these two areas are still highly important factors as to how well a season can go.
 

JohnnyCakes

Miserables
Joined
Oct 28, 2020
Posts
3,350
Reaction score
2,641
Location
Phoenix
Chiefs - L
@ Raiders - L
Rams - L
@ Panthers - W
Eagles - L
@ Seahawks - W
Saints (Thursday Night Football) W
@ Vikings - W
Seahawks - W
@ Rams - W
49ers (Mexico City) W
Chargers - L
Bye
vs Patriots (Monday Night Football) W
@ Broncos - L
Buccaneers (Christmas) L
@ Falcons - W
@ 49ers - W

10-7 , WILD CARD
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
21,095
Reaction score
37,230
Location
UK
There are only 3 teams I feel are locks to have a winning record. Bills, Rams and Bucs.

I don't even feel the Chiefs are locks as their division got much tougher. Chiefs have been living high on owning their division every year, that's changed.

Then there are about 7 teams that I think are locks to have losing seasons. Panthers, Falcons, Texans, Seahawks, Bears, Steelers, Jets.

The 22 teams remaining could be anything from 6-11 to 11-6. Including the Cards. Too many in season variables to call.
 

oaken1

Stone Cold
Supporting Member
Banned from P+R
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
Posts
16,360
Reaction score
12,717
Location
Modesto, California
Chiefs - L
@ Raiders - L
Rams - L
@ Panthers - W
Eagles - L
@ Seahawks - W
Saints (Thursday Night Football) W
@ Vikings - W
Seahawks - W
@ Rams - W
49ers (Mexico City) W
Chargers - L
Bye
vs Patriots (Monday Night Football) W
@ Broncos - L
Buccaneers (Christmas) L
@ Falcons - W
@ 49ers - W

10-7 , WILD CARD
I would be shocked if the AFCWest swept us..
2-2
 

Cardsfan77

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 1, 2015
Posts
1,142
Reaction score
1,441
Chiefs - W
@ Raiders - L
Rams - L
@ Panthers - W
Eagles - L
@ Seahawks - W
Saints (Thursday Night Football) W
@ Vikings - L
Seahawks - W
@ Rams - L
49ers (Mexico City) W
Chargers - L
Bye
vs Patriots (Monday Night Football) W
@ Broncos - W
Buccaneers (Christmas) L
@ Falcons - W
@ 49ers - W

10-7

Going out on a limb with both prime time game wins and a strong finish.
 

Stout

Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Posts
38,087
Reaction score
20,741
Location
Pittsburgh, PA--Enemy territory!
I'm going with my same prediction of 7-11 wins.

I think people are underestimating how good, a focused, healthy Murray is. And as others have stated, the team has like 6 months to prep the offense for no Green.
You're giving yourself almost a quarter of a season in cushion with 7-11 wins. That's less a prediction, more a spread. Which is nice, examining the ceiling and floor in your view. On the other hand, how many do you actually predict them winning?

Myself, I see about 8 wins on that schedule. The floor may be 5 or 6, because that's worst-case, wheels fall off again with a lousy start to the season scenario. Best case is probably 11 or 12.
 

Krangodnzr

Captain of Team Murray
Joined
Jul 21, 2002
Posts
34,593
Reaction score
30,760
Location
Orange County, CA
You're giving yourself almost a quarter of a season in cushion with 7-11 wins. That's less a prediction, more a spread. Which is nice, examining the ceiling and floor in your view. On the other hand, how many do you actually predict them winning?

Myself, I see about 8 wins on that schedule. The floor may be 5 or 6, because that's worst-case, wheels fall off again with a lousy start to the season scenario. Best case is probably 11 or 12.
I've been watching football long enough to know that predicting a specific number is folly. Way to many factors.

I think the line of 8.5 games is about right. 8-9 wins. That's an average season from this team as it's constructed. The most positive outlooks are ignoring some faults (passrush? Murray's struggles with out DHop) and the most negative are not considering the strengths of the roster enough.

I think the defense is around league average, but could be better if one of the more unproven pass rushers or two step up.

The offensive line isn't good, but Murray avoids sacks others would take more often than not (even though Murray runs into sacks that he shouldn't).

The strength of the team other than at QB, is the skill positions. The Cardinals have a solid starter at RB and some hope that one of three players will step up (Eno, Ward, Ingram). Wide receiver even without Hopkins is pretty solid. Tight end went from a position that was a negative going into last year, into a position that should be a strength. The Cardinals can throw out Hollywood, Moore, Ertz, Green, and Conner on most plays and there is enough size and speed to cause defenses some problems. And when Murray is on his game and running around, the Cardinals will likely have three players on the field with 4.3ish speed at the same time. Few teams can boast that.

The offensive line isn't a great group, but as Cardinals fans, probably 80% of their lines throughout the Arizona Cardinals era. It's no the disaster that some portend, but it's definitely not a strength. The Cardinals do have some proven depth that have played in the NFL (Murray, Jones, and Harlow) and that's more than quite a few teams can say.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
88,349
Reaction score
60,965
I'm going with my same prediction of 7-11 wins.

I think people are underestimating how good, a focused, healthy Murray is. And as others have stated, the team has like 6 months to prep the offense for no Green.
Yeah… I didn’t mean to make it look like I think 7-8 is their ceiling. Just the most likely, IMO. There’s upside here if Kyler gets better, which that can happen.

That said, I expect the D to be dreadful.
 

Krangodnzr

Captain of Team Murray
Joined
Jul 21, 2002
Posts
34,593
Reaction score
30,760
Location
Orange County, CA
Yeah… I didn’t mean to make it look like I think 7-8 is their ceiling. Just the most likely, IMO. There’s upside here if Kyler gets better, which that can happen.
So we expect around the same.
That said, I expect the D to be dreadful.
I mean they lost Jones and Hicks...and Jones wasn't that great to begin with. Even in 2020 the defense wasn't dreadful.
 

unseenaz

ASFN Addict
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Posts
6,533
Reaction score
4,944
Location
Gilbert
I'm going with my same prediction of 7-11 wins.

I think people are underestimating how good, a focused, healthy Murray is. And as others have stated, the team has like 6 months to prep the offense for no Green.
:lol: Haven’t we heard that every offseason thus far early in his career? Believe it when I see it
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
88,349
Reaction score
60,965
So we expect around the same.

I mean they lost Jones and Hicks...and Jones wasn't that great to begin with. Even in 2020 the defense wasn't dreadful.
In 2020 the D had a Reddick constantly in the backfield. This D currently has no one that I see making much of an impact in the front 7.
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
21,095
Reaction score
37,230
Location
UK
So we expect around the same.

I mean they lost Jones and Hicks...and Jones wasn't that great to begin with. Even in 2020 the defense wasn't dreadful.

Yeah I don't get the hate.

We played most of a season without Chandler the year before last and the defence was fine and he did little last year outside game 1. And Hicks has been slandered for years on here.

Better than average chance Collins is better than Hicks and that the depth we have now at Edge and the ability to keep the rush fresh all game yields a better overall result than playing CJ 95% of snaps and Golden 75%.
 

Krangodnzr

Captain of Team Murray
Joined
Jul 21, 2002
Posts
34,593
Reaction score
30,760
Location
Orange County, CA
Yeah I don't get the hate.

We played most of a season without Chandler the year before last and the defence was fine and he did little last year outside game 1. And Hicks has been slandered for years on here.
I think there will be a net loss, but with a slew of guys contributing instead. The Cardinals have more talent at edge now, but lack the top sack guy in Jones. If Cam Thomas or Myjai Sanders can chip in 4-6 sacks and Gardeck can chip in a 4-6, are the Cardinals that far off? Even Kennard has a history of producing sacks too.
Better than average chance Collins is better than Hicks and that the depth we have now at Edge and the ability to keep the rush fresh all game yields a better overall result than playing CJ 95% of snaps and Golden 75%.
I think you'll see more mistakes from Collins, but less instances where he gets beat physically. Personally, I would have let him play through his mistakes LAST YEAR. During the first 10 games or so, even with mistakes from Collins, the Cardinals probably still have about the same results...and Collins would have gained experience.

And if Collins falters? Nick Vigil is pretty much Jordan Hicks caliber ILB.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
88,349
Reaction score
60,965
I think there will be a net loss, but with a slew of guys contributing instead. The Cardinals have more talent at edge now, but lack the top sack guy in Jones. If Cam Thomas or Myjai Sanders can chip in 4-6 sacks and Gardeck can chip in a 4-6, are the Cardinals that far off? Even Kennard has a history of producing sacks too.

I think you'll see more mistakes from Collins, but less instances where he gets beat physically. Personally, I would have let him play through his mistakes LAST YEAR. During the first 10 games or so, even with mistakes from Collins, the Cardinals probably still have about the same results...and Collins would have gained experience.

And if Collins falters? Nick Vigil is pretty much Jordan Hicks caliber ILB.
A) the above assumes Keim hit on those pass rushers taken in the draft. Considering how bad he’s been at the draft, I don’t know how realistic that is.

B) Vance doesn’t seem to like playing rookies and values veterans so those guys, even if Keim was right about them, might not see all that much time. Especially since Vance was the only major member of the staff and FO not to get extended so he might trust his rookies even less.
 

Krangodnzr

Captain of Team Murray
Joined
Jul 21, 2002
Posts
34,593
Reaction score
30,760
Location
Orange County, CA
A) the above assumes Keim hit on those pass rushers taken in the draft. Considering how bad he’s been at the draft, I don’t know how realistic that is.
Or maybe Dimukeje pans out. Or Gardeck can get back to his pass rushing prowess of 2020. There are options. Even Kennard has had success in the past, he just hasn't been used as much by Vance.
B) Vance doesn’t seem to like playing rookies and values veterans so those guys, even if Keim was right about them, might not see all that much time. Especially since Vance was the only major member of the staff and FO not to get extended so he might trust his rookies even less.
Better argument here.
 

Latest posts

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
536,538
Posts
5,258,936
Members
6,275
Latest member
PicksFromDave
Top