The Consensus Week 11: Cardinals’ loss to Seahawks has little effect
Nov 15, 2017, 7:48 AM | Updated: Nov 16, 2017, 8:23 am
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton (5) look for a roughing call against the Seattle Seahawks during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The Arizona Cardinals continued their maddening, almost unbelievable pattern of alternating wins and losses in a Week 10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Bruce Arians’ team has now gone loss-win-loss-win for more than half the season, which bodes well for their Week 11 chances against Houston, but hasn’t really drummed up much belief that they’re any good in 2017.
However, the loss to the Seahawks didn’t affect the Cardinals too much in this week’s battery of NFL Power Rankings, but much of that is due to the fact that bottom-third of the league is hot garbage.
Each week in The Consensus, we’ll give you a look at where national outlets (and we here at ArizonaSports.com) are placing the Cardinals in their league pecking order.
Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Top teams stay put
Cardinals rank: #20 (▲1)
Very easily could win Sunday feeding delusionary dreams of a possible playoff berth. — Dave Burns
Week 11 NFL Power Rankings: Win projections for every team
Cardinals rank: #25 (▼2)
Drew Stanton is 7-4 as the starter since joining the team in 2013, so the Cardinals aren’t completely lost without Carson Palmer. But their upcoming schedule includes four games against teams currently 6-3 or better, so wins might not come easily.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 11: Patriots rise, Cowboys plummet
Cardinals rank: #24 (▼1)
It feels like the Cardinals are a worse team than they are, despite being viable in the playoff chase with a near-.500 record. That’s probably because their four wins came against the Colts, 49ers (twice) and Bucs. The combined record of those teams? Putrid. There was a tad bit of Twitter speculation that Carson Palmer would have pulled out that game against the Seahawks. Perhaps, but it’s not like Palmer was doing too well this season when healthy. Think Arizona misses David Johnson much more. Markus Golden, too.
NFL Power Rankings Poll: Saints Enter a Three-Team Race for No. 1
Cardinals rank: #24 (▲2)
No comment.
NFL Power Rankings: Upstart Rams, Vikings battle in potential playoff preview
Cardinals rank: #19 (▼1)
A team that couldn’t afford any more injuries had a bunch more last week. It might be Blaine Gabbert time at quarterback, which is an improvement over Drew Stanton.
NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand Heading into Week 11?
Cardinals rank: #23 (▲3)
Week 10 brought more of what we’ve seen from the Arizona Cardinals all year. Arizona beats the teams it is better than, but against a team on the same level or better, the Cardinals don’t have a chance.
Arizona’s offensive line still has issues, and Drew Stanton isn’t getting it done at quarterback. The game against the Seattle Seahawks was there for the taking, but Stanton couldn’t consistently make what should have been slam-dunk throws downfield.
The defense is still capable of making plays, especially against some of the lesser teams the Cardinals go up against. Ultimately, though, the Cardinals are an average team at best. Russell Wilson’s wild backyard scramble and throw to Doug Baldwin on 2nd-and-22 was a microcosm of the Cardinals’ season. That play won the game at a time when Arizona had all the momentum.
At times, the Cardinals look like playoff contenders, but they aren’t. They’re more dangerous right now than teams such as Cincinnati, Denver and Chicago, though.
NFL Power Rankings: The Vikings are actually the NFL’s biggest surprise
Cardinals rank: #22 (▼1)
I get why David Johnson would want to come back and play this season. But someone in charge needs to tell Johnson to just get ready for next season. This one is done for Arizona and there’s no need to put extra miles on his legs, especially since it appears he’ll be at less than 100 percent off a dislocated wrist.
USA Today Power Rankings – Week 11
Cardinals rank: #23 (▲1)
Woody Hayes would have loved Arizona’s new Adrian Peterson-centric offense – 3.6 yards and a cloud of desert dust.
Cardinals rank: #23 (▼1)
Yes, Blaine Gabbert remains employed by the NFL — and he apparently will be playing on Sunday.
NFL Week 11 Power Rankings: NFC cream is rising to the top
Cardinals rank: #21 (▼2)
It’s a shame to think what might be the final season for Hall of Famers Larry Fitzgerald and Adrian Peterson is being wasted because of an injury-plagued team.
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