The Consensus Week 15: SB Nation rankings save Cardinals from cellar
Dec 12, 2018, 6:00 AM
Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) is hit by Detroit Lions middle linebacker Jarrad Davis (40) for an incomplete pass during the first half of NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
One of the patterns of the Arizona Cardinals’ 2018 season is that every time the team accomplishes something (a win, a promising performance), it almost immediately negates the momentum.
Yeah, that was the case in Week 14, when the Cardinals “followed up” their rare road win in Green Bay by well, doing nothing, in a 17-3 loss to the almost-as-inept Detroit Lions.
In nine of the 10 NFL Power Rankings we track for The Consensus (including our own at ArizonaSports.com), the Cardinals rank dead last.
The only outlet to spare the Birdgang from the cellar was SB Nation, who inexplicably ranked them 28th — a rise of two spots over last week.
As writer Ryan Van Bibber explained, “…for this week, I ranked teams based on who you’d most trust to lead a fourth quarter comeback,” because, you know, that’s what people look for in an NFL Power Rankings piece.
One of the comments on the post asked “Why do you do troll rankings? I typically love SB nation content, but these just seem to be controversy baiting.”
Or “So the Bears smother the team with the best record in the league…and you drop them two spots? What gives?”
How about “Chiefs #4???”
You get the idea.
Anyway, here’s a rundown of where the Cardinals fall in this week’s NFL Power Rankings.
Low Ranking: #32 – Everyone else
Average Ranking: 31.6
| Outlet | Rankings | Cardinals’ Rank | Movement | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings Week 15: Chiefs rise; Cards plummet | Just when you thought they were out, they pull themselves back in (to the basement). | ||
 |
Week 15 Power Rankings: What’s No. 1 on every team’s wish list? | Top wish list item: Josh Rosen playing like a first-round pick. Rosen has yet to perform like the Cardinals expected him to after they traded up to draft him 10th overall. He’s last among qualifying quarterbacks in yards per dropback, yards per attempt, Total QBR and Raw QBR. Rosen can improve his decision-making and be more consistent with his accuracy. If he can play like a first-round pick in December, he’ll give the Cardinals the best gift they can think of: hope that their quarterback will make significant strides between his rookie and sophomore seasons. | ||
 |
NFL Power Rankings, Week 15: Bears rise, Steelers out of top 10 |
A week after knocking off the Packers, the Cardinals pulled the most Cardinals-esque move ever: flunking out against the visiting Lions. How could Arizona play that ugly — against Detroit, mind you — in front of the home crowd? Where were the warm vibes from Lambeau? The Cards generated enough heat to score three points. At least they made up for it by committing eight penalties. In an offensive game (not in a good way) so awful the XFL would have disowned it, Josh Rosen’s pick-six in the third quarter essentially decided the outcome. Rosen did complete eight balls to David Johnson. For 12 yards. Reason No. 6,937 that full-point PPR leagues are dumb. Full-pint leagues would go over much better, especially when it comes to games like this one. | ||
 |
NFL Power Rankings Poll: A Historic Drop for Washington While Bears Make Top-5 Debut | No comment. | ||
 |
NFL power rankings: Saints replace Rams at No. 1, Steelers tumble from Top 10 | Is Larry Fitzgerald best receiver to play whole career with one team? Numbers say yes. Debate says Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Megatron among those also in conversation. | ||
 |
NFL Power Rankings: What has happened to the Pittsburgh Steelers? | After watching them throw out an absolute dud at home against the Lions, one question lingers: How in the world did this team win at Lambeau Field? | ||
 |
NFL Week 15 Power Rankings: Dolphins are in the AFC playoff race thanks to Adam Gase’s coaching | With all the teams above them winning, they have taken over the bottom spot. It’s not good right now. | ||
 |
Week 15 power rankings | The NFC West basement could be this team’s place of residence for a while. | ||
 |
NFL Power Rankings: B/R’s Expert Consensus Rank for Every Team Entering Week 15 | If there was any question as to who the worst team in the NFL is in this topsy-turvy week, the Cardinals settled it. The call to be awful came, and the Cardinals answered…emphatically. | ||
 |
NFL power rankings, Week 15: Which teams do you trust most when the chips are down? | No comment. |
