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After weeks of waiting, the Arizona Cardinals finally clinched a playoff spot.
Yet something feels off.
Maybe it’s because the team couldn’t seal the deal in each of their prior three attempts, instead punching their ticket via a Minnesota Vikings loss at the hands of divisional rival LA.
After such a strong start to the season, Sunday’s playoff announcement no longer felt earned. Gone was the 7-0 start to begin the season that has been famously washed away thanks to the team’s marginal 3-5 record since. Notable losses to the hapless Detroit Lions and the depleted Indianapolis Colts only fuel the notion that this Arizona Cardinal squad looks like anything but a playoff caliber team. Yet here they are, two weeks away from a first round postseason matchup for the first time in over seven years (2014).
Given everything, how should Arizona Cardinals fans really feel? This was, at one point, the betting favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Now they’ll be lucky if they’re able to advance post-Wild Card weekend in a matchup the Cardinals will undoubtedly be underdogs in.
For a quick reference point, maybe they can turn to their franchise quarterback for some much needed reassurance.
“It’s a great accomplishment organizationally and team-wise,” said quarterback Kyler Murray during Wednesday’s media availability. “It’s the ninth time since 2015. That was one of our goals to make the playoffs and that’s checked off.”
While it’s easy to appreciate Murray’s comments, especially as it relates to organizational success, there’s no disputing that this Arizona Cardinals team and the expectations that follow them were drastically changed after their early season surge. Now with only two regular season games remaining, despite those early successes, the Cardinals no longer control their own destiny. Should the LA Rams secure wins in Weeks 17 and 18, it’ll be Sean McVay’s squad that lays claim to yet another NFC West title.
Keep in mind that, up until last Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals had spent the entire season atop the NFC West standings. In fact, the organization was so confident that they’d host (at minimum) one playoff game that they opted to sell advanced tickets following their Week 13 victory at Chicago.
Whoops.
From a national perspective, the Cardinals are continually saddled with the notion that their head coach and quarterback are unable to close late in the year. Dating back to 2019, the Kliff Kingsbury/Kyler Murray pairing is a combined 8-18 following the first seven games of the season. Their most recent stretch of three consecutive defeats has given added merit to the fact that this team struggles when the lights are the brightest.
Murray, however, says otherwise.
“I don’t buy into the whole cloud over us…trying to get into the playoffs,”said Murray. “I think the guys mentality is we were already there. We already knew we were going to the playoffs.”
“No one has been looking forward to the playoffs.”
If you believe Murray’s comments, take solace in that no singular player on this team currently views the playoffs as “the bar” especially when you consider their record setting start. Similar to 2020, where the team famously flamed out despite improving their win total by +3, this Arizona Cardinals season will inevitably be determined by how they finish. Should the team rediscover it’s early season mojo that led to high levels of effort and efficiency, then they will have warranted their postseason ticket.
However, should the Cardinals continue to make a mockery of December football that it ends with a six-game losing streak, few should be proud of what this team accomplished in 2021.
Playoffs or not.
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