Arizona Cardinals: 5 Games the Cardinals Must Win in 2012

Despite losing six games in a row at one point and finishing the 2011 season with an 8-8 record, the Arizona Cardinals were involved in a lot of close games that were fun to watch.

During the season, Arizona had half of their wins come in overtime and half of their losses come by four points or less.

With a tougher schedule than last season, the Cardinals have some work to do if they want to make the playoffs in 2012.

Highlighted over the next few slides are five must-win games for the Arizona Cardinals this coming season.

Week 1

Arizona will get to pick up right where they left off last season. They will host the Seattle Seahawks to start the year.

Seattle and Arizona are considered by many as the second and third best teams in the division. After splitting their games last season, though, it is hard to tell which team is better.

It is important for the Cardinals to start the season strong and prove that they are at least the second best team in the division. Furthermore, it would be great to see the look on some people’s faces if Arizona starts 1-0 and the rest of the division starts 0-1.

Week 3

After travelling to New England, the Cardinals will return home to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in week three. Despite beating the Eagles in Philadelphia last season, many people are saying that Arizona will not make the playoffs but have the Eagles pegged as a favorite in the NFC.

If Arizona can pull off the “upset,” then they will have a pretty solid record heading into the easiest part of their schedule (vs. Miami, at St. Louis, vs. Buffalo, at Minnesota).

In addition to this, if Kevin Kolb wins the starting quarterback job, then it will be important for him to pick up the win against his former team.

Week 8

The most important game of the year for Arizona comes in Week 8 when they will host the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.

Not too many people paid attention last season when the Cardinals beat the 49ers, due mainly to the fact that San Francisco already had the division pretty much wrapped up.

This season, however, the division will more than likely still be up for grabs, and the game will be in prime time.

The 49ers and Cardinals rivalry is one of the most underrated in the league, and it would mean a ton to both the fans and the players if Arizona is able to win this game.

Weeks 5 and 12

The Cardinals' two main division rivals have already been covered, and now it is time to look at the St. Louis Rams.

Arizona plays St. Louis in Week 5 and Week 12 this season, and these are two games that they must win.

If there is one thing that Arizona has to do if they want to make the playoffs, it is beat the teams that they are supposed to beat.

Splitting or being swept by a 2-14 team is not acceptable. The Cardinals must win these two games.

Week 16

The Chicago Bears are in town just two weeks prior to the postseason, and this matchup could wind up having huge wildcard implications. Both teams will likely be competing for the fifth and sixth seeds, and a loss this late in the year could put an end to that.

Arizona will have a very tough game in San Francisco the following week, so a loss against the Bears runs the risk of them losing two in a row heading into playoffs.

Unless the Cardinals are completely out of it or have already clinched, this is a game that they will have to win.