Cardinals have a losing record, but have an excellent coaching staff and talent.
Even with a losing record, Cardinals are a tough opponent.
Last season, the Arizona Cardinals appeared in the NFC Championship game against the Carolina Panthers. However, Carolina overpowered them in that game and ended up crushing them by a score of 49-15 on their way to the 2015 Superbowl.
Many of the best pay per head sportsbook in the world had the Cardinals pegged as one of the top 5 teams in the league and with a solid value to win the Super Bowl at +1000 in late July. At the time, it looked like a good pick considering that the Cardinals were returning most of their key starters. Most expected they’d be just as good as last year or maybe even better.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they had a disastrous start going 1-3 in their first 4 games. And even though they had to face a Brady-less Patriots team in their first game of the season, they were still no match for Bill Belichick. Then in their third game they got ‘out toughed’ by a hot Buffalo Bills team, and in their fourth game they got outlasted by an L.A. Rams team that has a very good defense.
Their other 3 losses were against the Panthers, Vikings, and Falcons, all talented teams. As a result the Cardinals are currently 5-6-1, and their biggest problem has been that they have played poorly on the road, going 1-4 so far this season.
This bodes well for the Dolphins who will have the luxury of playing the Cardinals in Miami, which appears to be one of the few advantages they have in this game.
Losing this game will sink either team’s season.
When one looks deeper into the stats, the Cardinals are playing like a top 10 football team.
On defense, the Cardinals are ranked 2nd best in the entire league in terms of yards allowed. Their pass defense is ranked 3rd best in the league allowing a stingy 199.3 yards per game, and their run defense is tied for 11th best in the league allowed 97.9 yards per game. These two stats combined make them tied for 11th best in the league in points allowed per game at 20.9.
Miami is ranked behind them in everyone of these categories.
On Offense, the Cardinals are ranked 9th best in overall yards per game. With a passing game ranked 9th best with 369.1 yards per game and a rushing game ranked 15th best with 105.3 yards per game, this is a balanced offense.
Running Back David Johnson is ranked 3rd in overall rushing with 1,005 yards and 11 touchdowns. He will be a nightmare match-up for Miami all afternoon. So even though Miami is ranked higher in terms of rushing yards per game, the Cardinals have a better chance to have more success on the ground when they play each other. And another issue is that they are banged up at the linebacker position and Johnson is going to be a big problem catching passes out of the backfield as well (he’s leading all running backs in receiving with 64 catches, for 704 yards and 4 touchdowns).
The losing culture in Miami needs to end this December.
This Cardinals team at 5-6-1 isn’t a typical sub .500 team, and frankly this match-up really is a tough one. But, it’s exactly what Miami needs at this point. Miami needs to face a good and desperate team, and they need to beat them. Miami must rise to the occasion and bring the type of intensity and prowess, by both coaches and players, that the Ravens brought last week — because that’s how good teams roll.
And it’s time for the Dolphins to prove the NFL, their fans, and themselves that they are a good team.
This Sunday will be put-up or shut-up. There will be nothing easy about this game. But, the truth is there is not short cuts to greatness and there never will be. Go Fins!!!