Cardinals: Three Storylines to Follow vs. 49ers

There are three things to watch for when the Arizona Cardinals go up against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18.

Author:
Ryan Sanudo
Publish date:
Jan 7, 2023 9:00 AM EST

In this story:

Heading into the final week of the NFL season, the Arizona Cardinals (4-12) will face an extremely tough task on the road against the San Francisco 49ers (12-4) on Sunday.

Arizona has lost its last six games and is overwhelming +14.5 point underdogs to the 49ers according to SI Sportsbook. The 49ers have won nine consecutive games and also have plenty to play for, unlike the Cardinals. San Francisco becomes the No. 1 in the NFC if they defeat Arizona and the Philadelphia Eagles lose to the New York Giants.

The playoffs aren't an option for the Cardinals with one game left in the season. They're down to their fourth quarterback option of the season in David Blough, who will make his second straight start on Sunday.

But there are three Cardinals storylines that are worth looking out for as the action unfolds in Week 18:

J.J. Watt's Final Game

The illustrious NFL career of J.J. Watt will come to an end in Week 18.

It's been one heck of a journey for the 33-year-old, who won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times with the Houston Texans.

Watt has played the last two years in Arizona and made a postseason appearance last season after missing 10 games due to a shoulder injury. This season, he's made the most out of a downward spiral situation in Arizona. In 15 games, Watt has posted 10.5 sacks, the most in a season since 2018. He also has 15 tackles for loss and 23 quarterback hits.

The five-time Pro Bowler had to miss games throughout his career due to injury. Yet, he played in an October game three days after having his heart shocked into rhythm.

Opposing 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has plenty of respect for Watt.

“He was just such a hard guy, whether it’s run or pass game, to kind of take out of the game because of where they could position him and how big and strong he was and how smart he played,” Shanahan said. "That’s why he is one of the best players I’ve seen.”

Have We Seen the Last of This Coaching Staff?

Arizona's disaster of a season has led to rumors that head coach Kliff Kingsbury may be fired, per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The rest of the coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, is also at risk of being let go after the season.

Coming off a playoff appearance in 2021 for the first time since 2015, head coach Kliff Kingsbury was given a contract extension through 2027. Joseph told reporters Thursday that he was given a contract extension as well.

It's up to team owner Michael Bidwill when it comes to relieving any coaching member's duties.

Does he take into account the fact that the team suffered a slew of injuries and suspensions? Or does he take action after seeing an underachieving offense, combined with a defense that is among the worst in the league?

A seven-game losing streak to end the season could leave a bad taste in Bidwill's mouth, regardless of the team's health situation.

Draft Order

The average Cardinals fan will definitely want to know about the team's potential draft order in the 2023 NFL draft.

Arizona currently holds the No. 4 pick in the upcoming draft. There isn't a chance that the Cards can pick at No. 1 overall due to the Texans' worse record, no matter what happens in Week 18.

But the Cardinals can still choose as high as No. 2. The lowest selection the Cardinals could end up with is No. 6, if they beat the 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams (the latter of whom are trading their pick to the Detroit Lions due to the Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff trade) both lose.

The Cardinals would jump ahead of the Chicago Bears if the Bears beat the Minnesota Vikings and the Cardinals lose. They move ahead of the Denver Broncos (who sent their pick to the Seattle Seahawks due to the Russell Wilson trade) if the Broncos beat the Chargers and the Cardinals lose.