Can the Arizona Cardinals Become Playoff Contenders Again in 2010?

It's always a sad day whenever the NFL season is over. No more "Feeling Kinda Sundays." Yeah, I know we still have the Pro Bowl, but who really watches that? To bide the time until the next season, I like to monitor free-agent moves and the draft. Also, I think about how the next season will play out.

One of the interesting things to consider is the fate of the Arizona Cardinals. Will they prove to be a fluke, or will they become a powerhouse? 

There are some similarities between the Cards playoff run and the Giants run in 2008.  Both teams were underdogs that played well to reach the Super Bowl.  This season the Giants proved that they were not a fluke by posting 12 wins. 

They didn't do well in the playoffs but they didn't have Plaxico Burress and they ran into a hot Eagles team.

I think there are a couple things to consider before making a prediction about Arizona.

Will Kurt Warner Be Back?

Larry Fitzgerald is the best receiver on the planet, but Warner is the most important player on that team.  He was one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Don't think for a minute that Matt Leinart can come close to Warner's success anytime soon. 

I, for one, believe he will come back. He's already stated that if he does play next year, he will only play for Arizona. He likes the pass-oriented offense. And he can be more confident in his teammates now that they have some postseason experience.

High-Powered Offense

As long as Warner returns, I think the Cards offense will continue to put up big numbers. Boldin still wants out but Breaston is a suitable replacement. Fitzgerald improved before our eyes in the playoffs.

The running game was non-existent in the regular season, but Edge gave it some life in the postseason. He still wants out but if Tim Hightower can improve or they get a more productive back, the Cards could have the best offense in the league.

Improved Defense

Everyone knew about the Arizona offense.  The Cardinals were underestimated because of their defense. In the regular season, their defense was mediocre at best. They allowed only one less point than their offense scored!

However, the Cards defense did much better in the playoffs. They forced a lot of turnovers and made defensive stands when they needed to (except when Big Ben channeled his inner Elway). 

Truth is, your defense doesn't have to be that great if your offense can score a lot of points.

Experience

Experience is the big intangible.  With their deep playoff run, the Cardinals got a lot of playoff experience. They now know what it takes to do well in the postseason and they should be hungry to get back to the Super Bowl.

Verdict

The Cardinals have as good a shot as anyone in the NFC of repeating as NFC Champions. Remember, the NFC is much weaker than the AFC. Most of the best teams are in the AFC. The Cardinals have proven that they can beat three of the top NFC teams. Their offense should be mostly intact, and their defense will be improved.

They're probably going to make the playoffs as a division champ again since the NFC West is weak. Also, I think they'll be motivated to play well throughout the whole season since home-field advantage is important for them.

They won't take games off even if they get another big lead in their division race.

Check out my article on the Super Bowl: 7 Reasons Why Super Bowl XLIII is an Instant Classic.