With the NBA Finals wrapped up and the FIFA World Cup trundling toward its climax, Arizona sports fans will soon be turning their attention to the NFL preseason and the big kick-off in September
Cardinals fans will go into the new campaign hoping to see some improvement in a team that finished with a 3-14 record last term, which included nine losses in a row to close out a fairly miserable season.
How optimistic are fans? Well, there might be a little bit of hope that the Cards can start rebuilding around young players, not least new draftee Jeremiyah Love, but the reality is stark: Arizona sports betting companies make the Cardinals the rank outsiders to win the Super Bowl next year, with some offering odds of +50,000, which is higher than any other team in the NFL.
SoS is the toughest in the league
If the remit for head coach Mike LaFleur is to simply improve, then one of the issues is clearly the Cards’ SoS (strength of schedule). It is the strongest in the NFL, which feels like cruel and unusual punishment for a team that finished with the NFL’s joint-worst record last season.
Of course, one of the main reasons the SoS, which is measured at .571, is so tough for the Cards is that the NFC West is so brutal. It contains the Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, and the team that most sportsbooks have placed as the Super Bowl LXI favorite, the LA Rams. The division is rounded off by the 49ers, who many see as a Playoff-caliber team. It is – by a considerable distance – the toughest division in the NFL.
The Cards’ schedule will also see games against AFC West teams, meaning games against the Denver Broncos and LA Chargers, who combined for a 25-9 record last season, as well as a trip to face the wounded-but-dangerous Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. While some respite might be offered when facing the 3-14 Las Vegas Raiders, it’s going to be tough. Playing six of the opening nine games on the road is also a tough prospect for LaFleur to manage.
SoS can sometimes be misleading in hindsight
That said, not everyone believes that SoS is the best metric to gauge a season. The metric is predisposed to considering that teams are just as strong – or as weak – as the previous season. If you consider last season, the New England Patriots would have been considered an easy matchup in the SoS metric due to their 4-13 record in 2024, but the Pats made the Super Bowl after a turnaround season for the ages, so it somewhat highlights a metric that is based on previous and not always current stature.
Nonetheless, it still remains daunting for the Cardinals. The team went 0-6 against the NFC West last season, and something will likely have to give there for any hope of a turnaround to be solidified. In truth, the playoffs seem like a remote prospect, but the key is that LaFleur, his coaching staff, the players, and everyone involved with the Cardinals’ setup put down a marker that shows fans the team is on the right path.
