Arizona Cardinals: Way-Too-Early Predictions for the 2012 Season

After a slow and disappointing start to the 2011 season, the Arizona Cardinals managed to turn things around to reach an 8-8 record. In fact, if not for a few late comeback drives by opponents early in the season, the Cardinals could have been a surprise playoff contender.

Often overshadowed by other NFC West teams that generate more press, the Cardinals have flown under the radar in the offseason.

Aside from trying to attract Peyton Manning during his brief stint as a free agent, the Cards didn’t make any major splashes in this year’s free agency period. They chose instead to take care of business at home by re-signing many of their own unrestricted free agents.

This year’s big influx of new, exciting talent will come from the new draft class, where the Cardinals’ success has also been understated, and from last year’s newcomers who will finally have the benefit of a full offseason program.

With the upcoming 2012 season still months away, it may seem a bit early for football predictions. On the other hand, with free agency and the draft out of the way and teams beginning to really take their new forms, isn’t it time to start generating some excitement?

To that end, here are some predictions—early as they may be—for the Cardinals in the 2012 season.

The Cardinals Will Have a Top-10 Defense

The Arizona Cardinals are on their third defensive coordinator in five years, and they finally might have found the missing piece of the puzzle in Ray Horton.

Due to the shortened offseason in 2011, Horton was not able to fully implement his new defensive scheme last season. That was clear as the Cardinals struggled to keep points off of the board in the first half of the season.

As the defensive unit meshed together, though, things started to improve. There were fewer late comebacks, and the team was able to make defensive stands when it mattered most.

Since the Cardinals were able to keep their defensive squad mostly intact, that growth as a team should continue into the 2012 season.

Even better, there’s a lot of up-and-coming talent like Sam Acho and Patrick Peterson who were fast becoming difference-makers on the field when the last season ended and who look prepared to pick up where they left off when the new season begins.

These are all of the necessary ingredients as a recipe for defensive success. This year will be the year when all of it comes together for great results.

Kevin Kolb Will Come Into His Own

There’s no way to sugarcoat the disappointment that Kevin Kolb brought to the desert during his first season as a Cardinal. He missed half of the season due to injury, and then looked like a lost puppy on the field for the majority of the time he did play.

The Cardinals front office must have seen something in Kolb to pay the price they did for him prior to the 2011 season, which means that something good could still come from that deal. It is plausible that 2011 was simply a bad statistical anomaly and not actually indicative of his actual capabilities on the field.  

Besides, Kolb will have more help and better tools than he did in the past. Getting running back Ryan Williams back from injured reserve will give the Cards a better ground attack, and Kolb will have another big target to throw to in rookie wide receiver Michael Floyd. There might even be some help for the league-worst offensive line from this year’s rookie draft class.

With an improved arsenal and the evidence that the coaching staff is willing to stick with him even after an awful year, Kolb has every opportunity to redeem himself in 2012.

Beanie Wells Will Rush for 1200 Yards

After a breakout year in 2011, Beanie Wells has nowhere to go but up in 2012.

There was some doubt that he would be able to handle the load of being an every-down running back after the departure of Tim Hightower, but Wells really stepped up to the task by chalking up 1047 yards and 10 touchdowns.

He accomplished all of this in 14 games with an injured knee and essentially no backup on the ground.

Imagine what he can do with an offseason of rest and some effective relief from Ryan Williams.

In fact, if Wells can stay healthy for the whole season there’s no reason to believe that he can’t compete with the best running backs in the league in terms of utility and production.

Patrick Peterson Will Tie His NFL Record

In 2011, rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson tied an NFL record for punt returns for touchdowns in a single season (four) shared by only three other players in NFL history.

There is no reason to believe that with a whole year of experience under his belt he won’t be able to remain just as dangerous.

Sure, the other three players who share this record with Peterson were never able to duplicate their success in their careers, but that may change this season.