In the 2008 NFL season, the Arizona Cardinals, one of sports most star-crossed franchises, burst out of the water to win the NFC west division title, and make an incredible run to the Super Bowl before losing to Pittsburgh. One year later, the question is can they replicate that journey?
Let’s put some things into account:
Strength: Weak divisional opponents.
The Cardinals have the benefit of playing in the anemic NFC west. They were 6-0 against NFC west opponents last year, and their division foes, the Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers, don’t appear to be much this year.
Weakness: Aging quarterback
The castoff-turned-great-turned-castoff-turned-great again quarterback Kurt Warner was considering retirement at the end of last year, but decided to stay for another year. If Warner gets hurt during the season, the Cardinals are stuck with young QB Matt Leinart. The 2005 Heisman trophy winner has yet to live up to his expectations, thanks to only an average rookie season, and was injured in the 2007 season, and with Warner taking over, he has found himself the second string QB. Here’s one question I often ask myself: After Warner retires, what next?
Weakness: Running game
The Cardinals finished last in rushing offense with only 73.6 yards per game, and gone are running back Edgerrin James, and J.J. Arrington. They still have Tim Hightower, whose touchdown in the final minutes of the NFC championship game that brought the Cardinals to their first Super Bowl, and now have Chris Wells, their first round draft pick out of Ohio State, who The Sporting News Pro Football Preview said “He has the talent to be the bets of all the backs taken in the draft.”
Strength: Best wide receiver combo in the league (my opinion)
The Cards have Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, who combined 3475 yards receiving and 26 receiving TD’s last year. What more do you need?
Weakness: “Super Bowl Curse” to strike?
Eight times since 1999, the runner-up of the big show has failed to make the playoffs the next season, leading this trend to be dubbed the “Super Bowl Curse” (But in my opinion teams aren’t exactly cursed, their not winning!) But in my opinion, the Cardinals won’t be hung over from last year. What will their record be for 2009? I believe they will go 10-6, and easily win their division.
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