NFL
By: Edwin Duodu
The Arizona Cardinals are in good shape as it stands in the conference. Currently, the team holds the No. 2 seed in the NFC, but for a team that many fans didn’t predict the level of success they would have this season, going into the playoffs with the No. 1 seed is a must. This issue is why Kyler Murray needs to be back into the lineup against their division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks. Murray is their only hope of having a shot at having home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs. If not, matters could only get worst as the rest of the season carries.
Colt McCoy is a serviceable backup. We can’t forget how he led the Cardinals to a blowout win on the road against their division foes, the San Francisco 49ers. Barely receiving any first-team reps in practice and traveling on the road isn’t an ideal place to start for a backup quarterback. Everything on offense clicked that day, and the Cardinals offense picked apart a solid defense.
However, all of that momentum quickly came crashing down, as the team was handed a thrashing loss to the Carolina Panthers this past Sunday. Circumstances can change rapidly. The offense looked out of sorts; the defense looked overmatched. It’s only the second loss of the season, but it may end up being a crucial loss if the Cardinals aren’t able to obtain home-field advantage.
Much of the team’s success has been because of the MVP form of Kyler Murray. His electrifying play has forced fans and pundits to think twice when it comes to how dominating Arizona has been this year. In a season where their rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, were expected to win the division this year, that may not be likely. It also bodes well for the Cardinals that they are undefeated in the division and have an upcoming home game against the Rams down the line. In addition to that, the Rams have three losses, and Arizona won the first matchup in Los Angeles. If they stay consistent, the division title is theirs.
The team has been playing great football all year long; however, Murray’s return to the starting lineup needs to come sooner than later. The Green Bay Packers have picked up the pace with Aaron Rodgers back, and the Dallas Cowboys are only one game behind the second seed in the conference. Green Bay also owns the tiebreaker over the Cardinals.
There are seven crucial games left to the season, and this is where the best football needs to be played for teams serious about their aspirations for the playoffs. The Cardinals will need some help along the way. They need the Packers to slip up a couple of times for Arizona to retake the lead in the conference and continue this feel-good story. There is little to no chance, however, if Kyler Murray isn’t starting this upcoming Sunday. Russell Wilson got shut out this past weekend against the Packers, 17-0. It’s unlikely that he’ll fail to score points back-to-back weeks, especially at home.[pickup_prop id=”15361″]
