A new dawn may rise in Arizona, as the Cardinals still have something to say. After an abysmal start to the season with two losses out of two games, the worst may be over for the team, as it braces forward for a redemption series of matches.
We all love a good comeback story, and Arizona's chances lie between realistic and optimistic. To accurately place them anywhere on the leaderboard, we must cover some facts first…
1. Using potential at hand
First, it's running back Emari Demercado, also a star player at his college football back in Saddleback, who can fill the hole left by Eno Benjamin. He and other offensive linemen like James Conner and Keaontay Ingram have a lot of work to do to boost the Cardinals’ chances of success this season.
2. Home field raises the odds
As the team prepares for the game against the Dallas Cowboys on September 24th, the value and importance of home-field advantage has never been higher. With the crowd at their side, morals are high for the game, and the Cardinals have never lacked support from fans.
And the abundance of fans (the stadium can hold 63,400) might just be the right thing to break the team’s losing streak. With that said, the Cardinals are then playing the 49ers away, which will certainly be a difficult match. The 49ers are joint-favorites to win the Super Bowl this season, so those who bet on Arizona teams against opposition like this are unlikely to see success, but their chances against the Rams next month and the Texans in November will likely be much higher.
3. Handling of injuries by the new coach
The current season is for rebuilding, and the new coach Jonathan Gannon has his hands full. Turning over a new leaf requires bringing good rookies from the draft pick and keeping the players who deserve to be in the starting lineup. A comeback story can only happen with a solid foundation and winning home games.
The current injury report goes against the team as defensive end L.J. Collier, linebacker Josh Woods, tackle Kelvin Beachum, and nose tackle Leki Fotu are still recovering. Finding the best pick to cover for leaks, patch them up and keep going towards the upper half of the leaderboard will be the main task for Gannon.
4. External factors at play
Outside factors are also going in for Arizona because the opposition could perform poorly, and their score could open the way for the Cardinals. Arizona can also fall back on its new tactics implemented by Drew Petzing. Their offense shines best behind the revamped offensive line and shatters any established and standardized defenses, making Cardinals season games interesting, fun and creative.
5. Increasing the odds
If the Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray makes a quick recovery from his ACL injury, his star performance could lead the team towards a winning streak. Currently, it's hard to fill his shoes, and the battle started in preseason. Clayton Tune and Joshua Dobbs both tried their best, with Dobbs getting the approval. While his 132 yards and zero touchdowns so far have failed the Arizona offense in the end zone, his dry streak could be over, and he is possibly the best cover until Murray returns.
On the Arizona Cardinals offensive side is also James Conner. He's the focal point for the team, with 62 yards gained and 14 carries, making him the dynamic receiver in the backfield, able to make a change. Speaking of change, linebacker Cameron Thomas made a surprisingly good play resulting in his first touchdown for the Cardinals this season. Thus showing Arizona can make drastic changes to any game.
The experienced Greg Dortch is warming up with rookies Michael Wilson and Rondale Moore, making a slow start with 3 passes each and 61 receiving yards. With Zach Ertz turning 10 targets into 6 receptions and 21 yards with Wilson and McBride on his side, Arizona can still make wonderful plays happen.
Will this be enough to carry the team until their quarterback returns and buy them time for a comeback? It remains to be seen from the bleachers at every upcoming game!
