The Ultimate Sports Blog's
2015-16 NFL Preview
2014-15 Record: 11-5
Last Playoff Win: 2009 Wild Card vs. Green Bay Packers
Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 Wild Card vs. Carolina Panthers
Last Super Bowl Win: None
Last Super Bowl Appearance: Super Bowl XLIII vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Head Coach:
Bruce Arians (21-11 all-time at Arizona; 0-1 in playoffs)
Assistant Head Coach: Tom Moore
Offensive Coordinator: Harold Goodwin
Defensive Coordinator: James Bettcher
2014-15 Team Leaders:
Passing Yards: Drew Stanton (1,711 yards, 55.0% completions, 7 TD's, 5 INT's, 78.7 QB rating)
Rushing Yards: Andre Ellington (201 attempts, 660 yards, 3 TD's)
Receiving Yards: Michael Floyd (47 receptions, 841 yards, 6 TD's)
Tackles: Rashad Johnson (93 tackles)
Interceptions: Rashad Johnson (4 interceptions)
2014-15 Team Rankings:
Passing Offense: 14th in NFL
Rushing Offense: 31st in NFL
Points Per Game: 24th in NFL
Least Points Allowed Per Game: 5th in NFL
2014-15 Potential Starters:
Player Guide:
Purpe - Elite Starter
Blue - Above Average Starter
Green - Average Starter
Orange - Below Average Starter
Grey - Rookie
Red - Disgusting, Awful, Horrible, E.J. Manuel
Offense:
QB: Carson Palmer
RB: Andre Ellington
WR: Larry Fitzgerald
WR: Michael Floyd
TE: Darren Fells
TE: Troy Niklas
C: Ted Larsen
OG: Jonathan Cooper
OG: Mike Iupati
OT: Jared Veldheer
OT: Bobby Massie
Defense:
DE: Calais Campbell
DE: Frostee Rucker
DT: Corey Peters
LB: Matt Shaughnessy
LB: Alex Okafor
LB: Kevin Minter
LB: Sean Weatherspoon
CB: Jerraud Powers
CB: Patrick Peterson
FS: Tyrann Mathieu
SS: Rashad Johnson
2014-15 Schedule:
(September 13) vs. New Orleans Saints
(September 20) vs. @ Chicago Bears
(September 27) vs. San Francisco 49ers
(October 4) vs. St. Louis Rams
(October 11) vs. @ Detroit Lions
(October 18) vs. @ Pittsburgh Steelers
(October 26) vs. Baltimore Ravens
(November 1) vs. @ Cleveland Cavaliers
(November 8) BYE WEEK
(November 15) vs. @ Seattle Seahawks
(November 22) vs. Cincinnati Bengals
(Novemebr 29) vs. @ San Francisco 49ers
(December 6) vs. @ St. Louis Rams
(December 10) vs. Minnesota Vikings
(December 20) vs. @ Philadelphia Eagles
(December 27) vs. Green Bay Packers
(January 3) vs. Seattle Seahawks
Final Prediction: 7-9
Overlook: The Arizona Cardinals were a bit of an anomaly last season. They were a playoff team when they really had no right to be a playoff team. Now, now, now. Settle down Cardinals fans. I'm not purposely trying to piss you off, I'm just spitting the truth. After Carson Palmer went down last year, the rest of the team should have followed suit. However...somehow, someway, Bruce Arians was able to rally the troops and turned the Cardinals into a formidable playoff team even though he was surrounded with mediocre talent on the offensive side of the ball. I'm still not exactly entirely sure how the Cardinals were able to muster up 10 wins last year with no QB, but more power to them. The thing is, if they are expecting the same result this year....they could be in for quite a rude awakening.
I expect the Cardinals to take a step back this year because the roster is just not that good from top-to-bottom. The defense played really well last year and were one of the big reasons the Cardinals were able to stay in the hunt all-year. I just don't expect them to play as good this year. Arizona is fine on the defensive line and in the secondary, but their linebackers are nothing to get excited about and are easily the weakest unit on the team and that could come back to haunt them. As for the offense, there's no real weaknesses outside of a few spots on the offensive line and tight end, but there are also no elite players on this side of the ball. Andre Ellington has been a disappointment in the backfield, Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer are 89 years old, and Michael Floyd isn't an NFL #1 wideout. This offense isn't going to be a fantasy players dream, let's just say that.
The division also isn't as good as it used to be with the San Francisco 49ers taking a huge step back and the St. Louis Rams still in the re-building process. The Seattle Seahawks are still world-beaters and are still the kings of the division and the Cardinals are in for a huge disappointment if they think they are going to take them down. Now, I wouldn't totally be surprised to see Arizona sneak into the playoffs as a wild card team with a 9-7 record or something like that, it's just my expectations for this team aren't that high this season. Maybe I'll be wrong....but that rarely happpens.
I expect the Cardinals to take a step back this year because the roster is just not that good from top-to-bottom. The defense played really well last year and were one of the big reasons the Cardinals were able to stay in the hunt all-year. I just don't expect them to play as good this year. Arizona is fine on the defensive line and in the secondary, but their linebackers are nothing to get excited about and are easily the weakest unit on the team and that could come back to haunt them. As for the offense, there's no real weaknesses outside of a few spots on the offensive line and tight end, but there are also no elite players on this side of the ball. Andre Ellington has been a disappointment in the backfield, Larry Fitzgerald and Carson Palmer are 89 years old, and Michael Floyd isn't an NFL #1 wideout. This offense isn't going to be a fantasy players dream, let's just say that.
The division also isn't as good as it used to be with the San Francisco 49ers taking a huge step back and the St. Louis Rams still in the re-building process. The Seattle Seahawks are still world-beaters and are still the kings of the division and the Cardinals are in for a huge disappointment if they think they are going to take them down. Now, I wouldn't totally be surprised to see Arizona sneak into the playoffs as a wild card team with a 9-7 record or something like that, it's just my expectations for this team aren't that high this season. Maybe I'll be wrong....but that rarely happpens.
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