The Arizona Cardinals will look to shake off what was a miserable end to their 2021 season when they lost 7 of their last 11 games after opening the year with seven straight wins. The collapse was especially disturbing for it was the second straight season Arizona started with great aspirations only to pulled a disappearing act later in the year. As bad as the end of the season was, the offseason brought even more bad vibes. Quarterback Kyler Murray was basically asked to return to college while erasing his social outlet of all things associated with the Cardinals. Plus, his agent pressured the team into getting a long-term deal for his client. Aside from the drama with their signal-caller, the Cardinals did practically nothing in free agency in the offseason while losing key players. This includes notable names such as DE Chandler Jones, WR Christian Kirk, RB Chase Edmonds and LB Jordan Hicks.
Their flashiest offseason move was a draft-day trade that sent them star WR Marquise Brown, who will be reunited with his former quarterback at Oklahoma. However, days after the trade, WR DeAndre Hopkins tested positive for PEDs and will miss the first six games of the 2022 season. Brown and 34-year-old A.J. Green figure to be Murray’s favorite targets while TE Zach Ertz, WR Rodale Moore and 2022 second-round pick TE Trey McBride should pick up the slack until Hopkins’ return. While Murray can certainly elude opposing defense with his running skill, he has lost two potent running backs the last two seasons with Edmonds in March and Kenyan Drake the year before. That leaves only James Conner as the main back. Eno Benjamin is the most notable holdover but his resume consists of only 34 touches and 118 yards on the ground.
The Cardinals did sign RB Darrell Williams back in May, but the former Chief has had pedestrian numbers in his four years in Kansas City. Sixth-round pick Keaontay Ingram could be a solution in the backfield after compiling 1,067 total yards and five scores for USC last season. Defensively, Jones has been one of the best top edge rushers in the NFL and he will be sorely missed. He and DE Markus Golden were the only two who logged more than four sacks last season. However, Jones drew so much attention from opposing offenses which allowed Golden to register 11 sacks. The linebacker will still produce but don’t expect the production he tallied in 2021. J.J. Watt could rejuvenate his career this season but injuries have piled up for the 33-year-old and there is no guarantee he can produce at a pro-bowl rate.
The Cardinals could easily start their season with three defeats in their first three games as they face the Chiefs, Raiders and the Rams right off the bat. The rest of their schedule is no picnic either with the Eagles, Vikings, Chargers, Buccaneers and twice against the 49ers on their slate.
Arizona Cardinals Offseason Moves:
Notable Additions: WR Marquise Brown, G Will Hernandez, LB Nick Vigil, RB Darrell Williams
Notable Departures: RB Chase Edmonds, WR Christian Kirk, DE Chandler Jones, DE Kylie Fitts, DT Corey Peters, CB Robert Alford
1st and 2nd Draft Picks: TE Trey McBride (55)
2022-23 Arizona Cardinals NFL Futures Odds
- Odds to win the 2023 Super Bowl LVII: 40/1
- Odds to win the 2022-23 NFC Conference: 20/1
- Odds to win the 2022-23 NFC West +400
- 2022-23 Regular Season Win Total: Under 8½ (-145)
- Odds to Make the Playoffs: Yes +120 | No -160
- Official website: azcardinals.com
- Twitter Account : @AZCardinals
The Bottom Line:
The Cardinals will drop games in what should be a tough early schedule and have struggled without Hopkins in the line-up. They are notoriously bad after Thanksgiving and I don’t expect them to be better this season especially if they enter the holiday with a losing record. It is entirely possible the Cardinals will either produce or stink up the place this season yet, I choose the latter.
Last year’s record: 11-6
My Prediction: 8-9
2022-23 Arizona Cardinals Stage of Elimination
- To Miss the Playoffs -190
- To Lose in Wildcard Round +275
- To Lose in Divisional Round +550
- To Lose in Conference Championship Game +1200
- To Lose in Super Bowl +2500
- To Win Super Bowl +3500
Odds According to Bovada as of September, 2022
2022-23 Arizona Cardinals Season Team Specials
Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz & Rondale Moore to combine for over 1995.5 Reg Season Receiving Yards -115
Kyler Murray over 3999.5 Reg season Passing yards & over 499.5 Reg season Rushing yards +210
James Conner & Zach Ertz over 17.5 combined Reg season TDs +325
Kyler Murray over 9.5 Reg season Rushing TDs & ARI Cardinals to make the playoffs +650
James Conner over 9.5 Reg season Rushing TDs & ARI Cardinals to win NFC West +750
ARI Cardinals to score over 410.5 Reg Season Points and to reach the NFC Conference Game +1000
Marquise Brown over 999.5 Reg season Receiving yards & over 9.5 Reg season Receiving TDs +1000
Kyler Murray over 4249.5 Reg season Passing yards & ARI Cardinals to win NFC Conference +3000
James Conner to break the Reg season Rushing TD record (over 28.5 Reg season Rushing TDs) +20000
Aengus NFL Season Special Prediction on Cardinals:
- Murray will go over 4,000 yards passing
- Brown will go over 1,000 yards receiving
- Conner will not go over 800 yards rushing
- Golden will not go over 8.5 sacks in 2022
- Cardinals will finish third in NFC West
- Cardinals will not make the playoffs in 2022
Season Props According to Bovada as of September, 2022
Bet on the Arizona Cardinals 2022-23 Season Props at Bovada Sportsbook.
Arizona Cardinals 2022-23 Schedule
| PRESEASON | |||||
| W. | Date | Time | Opponent | Game site | TV |
| 1 | 12-Aug | at Cincinnati Bengals | Paycor Stadium | ||
| 2 | 21-Aug | Baltimore Ravens | State Farm Stadium | ||
| 3 | 27-Aug | at Tennessee Titans | Nissan Stadium | ||
| REGULAR SEASON | |||||
| W. | Date | Time | Opponent | Game site | TV |
| 1 | 11-Sep | 4:25 p.m. | Kansas City Chiefs | State Farm Stadium | CBS |
| 2 | 18-Sep | 4:25 p.m. | at Las Vegas Raiders | Allegiant Stadium | CBS |
| 3 | 25-Sep | 4:25 p.m. | Los Angeles Rams | State Farm Stadium | Fox |
| 4 | 2-Oct | 4:05 p.m. | at Carolina Panthers | Bank of America Stadium | Fox |
| 5 | 9-Oct | 4:25 p.m. | Philadelphia Eagles | State Farm Stadium | Fox |
| 6 | 16-Oct | 4:05 p.m. | at Seattle Seahawks | Lumen Field | Fox |
| 7 | 20-Oct | 8:15 p.m. | New Orleans Saints | State Farm Stadium | Prime Video |
| 8 | 30-Oct | 1:00 p.m. | at Minnesota Vikings | U.S. Bank Stadium | Fox |
| 9 | 6-Nov | 4:05 p.m. | Seattle Seahawks | State Farm Stadium | Fox |
| 10 | 13-Nov | 4:25 p.m. | at Los Angeles Rams | SoFi Stadium | Fox |
| 11 | 21-Nov | 8:15 p.m. | San Francisco 49ers | Estadio Azteca (Mexico City) | ESPN |
| 12 | 27-Nov | 4:05 p.m. | Los Angeles Chargers | State Farm Stadium | CBS |
| 13 | Bye | ||||
| 14 | 12-Dec | 8:15 p.m. | New England Patriots | State Farm Stadium | ESPN |
| 15 | 18-Dec | 4:05 p.m. | at Denver Broncos | Empower Field at Mile High | Fox |
| 16 | 25-Dec | 8:20 p.m. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | State Farm Stadium | NBC |
| 17 | 1-Jan | 1:00 p.m. | at Atlanta Falcons | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Fox |
| 18 | Jan 7/8 | TBD | at San Francisco 49ers | Levi’s Stadium | TBD |
All Time EST
Bet on the Arizona Cardinals 2022-23 Season at Bovada Sportsbook.
