ARIZONA CARDINALS

NFL analyst: Cardinals are sleeper team in NFC West

Apr 19, 2013, 7:02 PM | Updated: 7:36 pm

It’s no secret that the Arizona Cardinals aren’t favored to win the NFC West.

With the seventh-toughest schedule in the league, head coach Bruce Arians and the Cardinals have a tough road ahead of them in 2013.

But NFL Network analyst Heath Evans believes Arizona is a sleeper team in the West.

“You get Bruce Arians … give them Carson Palmer, we know Larry Fitzgerald, (and) Rashard Mendenhall if he’s healthy — you can imagine a team that’s very physical,” Evans said. “I can see this team making a push inside that division.”

Evans acknowledged the team’s hiccups in 2012, but he said you can’t ignore the Cardinals defense.

“I know this team won four straight then lost a whole bunch with only one win down the stretch, but this team plays good defense,” Evans said. “You look at their record from last year, they only got blown out one time in Seattle — it was 58-0.

“But this defense, despite what was going on on the offensive side of the ball, kind of maintained their poise throughout the year.”

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Cardinals

Defensive back Cooper DeJean...

Arizona Sports

Cardinals NFL Draft Day 2 mock drafts roundup: McKinstry, DeJean on the board

At the conclusion of the first round, the Day 2 mock drafts come out, and there are a lot of ideas for whom the Cardinals will end up with.

3 hours ago

Kyler Murray...

Alex Weiner

Cardinals’ Monti Ossenfort feels good about options in 2nd round of NFL Draft

The Cardinals still see talented options on the board as they prepare to pick 35th overall at the NFL Draft.

4 hours ago

Korey Cunningham...

Arizona Sports

Former Cardinals OL Korey Cunningham found dead at age 28

Korey Cunningham, a former offensive lineman who played with the Arizona Cardinals, has died at the age of 28.

5 hours ago

Monti Ossenfort at the 2024 NFL Draft Combine...

Arizona Sports

Watch: Cardinals GM tells Marvin Harrison Jr. he has 3 jobs

In Monti Ossenfort's call to Marvin Harrison Jr. to tell him the Arizona Cardinals were picking him, the GM said the WR has just three jobs.

6 hours ago

Missouri defensive lineman Darius Robinson speaks at the 2024 NFL Draft after being selected by the...

Tyler Drake

Versatility, being a good teammate at forefront of Darius Robinson’s game

Darius Robinson brings versatility to the Arizona Cardinals' defensive front after he was selected 27th in the 2024 NFL Draft.

14 hours ago

Darius Robinson...

Alex Weiner

Cardinals took trade calls at NFL Draft, stood pat for Marvin Harrison Jr. and Darius Robinson

The Cardinals stood pat with their first-round picks at the NFL Draft, a difference from general manager Monti Ossenfort's strategy in 2023.

15 hours ago

NFL analyst: Cardinals are sleeper team in NFC West