SI NFL writer: Don’t sleep on the Arizona Cardinals

Sports Illustrated NFL writer Jim Trotter has a message for people who are trying to predict what will happen in the 2013 season.

“I really like the Cardinals, and I’ve said this,” he told Arizona Sports 620’s Bickley with Marotta Friday. “I think anyone who sleeps on them is going to regret it.

“That is a good team that is going to win games and is going to be competitive in every game.”

Neat.

The Cardinals won just five games last season, but a coaching change as well as substantial turnover on the roster has led many to believe they’ll be a much-improved squad.

But, just like with seemingly everyone else who thinks the Cardinals will be better in 2013 than the were in 2012, there is the pretty standard caveat.

“The only thing that bothers me about the Cardinals is the division,” Trotter added. “I think those teams are all going to beat up on each other, which is going to make it very difficult for Arizona to make a playoff push.”

Yes, the NFC West appears to be incredibly difficult, with Super Bowl favorites San Francisco and Seattle joined by rising St. Louis.

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians has said that he doesn’t “see dominance” in the division, and no matter what projections are the games themselves must be played.

So if the Cardinals are competitive, just as Trotter believes they will be, then perhaps they’ll be able to surprise the folks who already think they’ll be a surprise team.

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