5 Things for Arizona Cardinals Fans To Be Thankful For

Sure, the 2011 NFL season has been a forgettable one for the Arizona Cardinals. However, with the Thanksgiving holiday upon us, it's time for Cardinals fans to reflect on what it is they have to be thankful for.

It’s always easier to focus on the negative, but there have been some positive things that have shown themselves this season. So gather around the turkey, hand in hand, and see the five things Cardinals fans have to be thankful for.

The NFC West Is Still Bad

Sure, at the present time the San Francisco 49ers are one of the best teams in the league, but as a whole the NFC West is still a bad division. It will still be a very realistic possibility that the Cardinals can win the division next season despite the 49ers' sudden rise.

There isn’t any indication the Seattle Seahawks or St. Louis Rams will be drastically improved in 2012, and the 49ers, like their baseball counterparts, do not have a great offense.

Daryl Washington

Daryl Washington has been a bright spot nearly every game this season. He gets to the quarterback, stops the run and leads the team in solo tackles and interceptions. If he didn’t have the hands of a linebacker, he’d probably have two or three more interceptions too.

Larry Fitzgerald Signed His Extension Before the Season

The Cardinals were adamant about signing Larry Fitzgerald to an extension before the season. Perhaps they knew if they didn’t there would be little chance of retaining the services of the face of the franchise if they were to have a second consecutive miserable, uncompetitive season.

The Cardinals Will Probably Have a Top-Five Draft Pick—Again

One of the advantages of having a lot of needs for a team is most likely the Cardinals will be able to get an elite draft pick for one of those positions, and whoever the best available player is will probably fill one of the Cardinals' many needs.

The Defense Is Making Progress

The implementation of a complex defensive system during a shortened offseason was an aggressive move, and one that was failing during the first few months of the season. The last few weeks the defensive play has improved dramatically and has been one of the strong points of the team.

The young players are developing, and with a full season in the system combined with a full offseason, the defensive unit should be ready to go in 2012.