NFL Executives Rank Cardinals as Fringe NFC Playoff Team
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When it comes to 2022 predictions, the Arizona Cardinals typically find themselves on the fringe of making the playoffs.
That was again the scene after The Athletic polled five anonymous NFL executives to rank all the teams in the NFC heading into the regular season.
To nobody's surprise, the Los Angeles Rams found themselves at No. 1 in the compiled list. Four executives put them as the top team, while one had them drastically slide all the way to No. 2 (gasp).
Fellow NFC West rivals in the San Francisco 49ers finished with a composite ranking of No. 4 following behind Green Bay and Tampa Bay.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys occupy the next respective spots for the Arizona slides in for the final playoff spot.
Image used in The Athletic's article
7. Arizona Cardinals
Votes: 7-7-10-8-7 | Avg: 7.8 | Median: 7
"The Cardinals check in two spots higher than last summer as New Orleans and Minnesota slipped.
"'I think Washington, Arizona and Dallas will be battling for the final two playoff spots in the NFC,' one voter said.
"I asked another voter whether his No. 7 ranking for Arizona was a seven that could become a four, or a seven that could become a 12.
"'I think it's a seven that could be a 12,' he said. 'I don't believe in the quarterback as a leader, and a lot of the things that have played out in the media have shown it.'"
Its fairly clear that while Arizona is believed to be a talented team, the Cardinals still carry several doubts heading into the regular season.
After consecutive collapses towards the end of the year, the onus now falls on head coach Kliff Kingsbury to ensure his guys finish strong and grab their first postseason win since 2015.
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