Building out the Cardinals’ ideal 2026 schedule

NFL schedules drop this week for the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the league.

Pegged with one of the toughest strengths of schedule for the season ahead (based on last year’s results), Arizona’s roadmap will be filled with tough draws for first-year head coach Mike LaFleur and whoever ends up starting at quarterback.

But what does an ideal schedule look like for Arizona?

Factoring in weather, short- and long-term impact, the bye week and level of competition, here is a mad-scientist approach to building out the Cardinals’ 2026 schedule:

A good starting point

Getting that first win as an NFL head coach is a good monkey-off-the-back moment. And what a better way to do it than at home?

Step 1 is opening up the season at State Farm Stadium.

Step 2 is finding the right opponent.

Hello there, New York Jets.

One of the worst teams Arizona will face this season, New York also provides LaFleur with a revenge opportunity after the two sides parted ways in 2023.

There are also the Jets’ defensive deficiencies to capitalize on.

If LaFleur and the offense really want to hit their stride, getting a good draw Week 1 to work out the kinks isn’t a bad way to get into gear early on and give Cardinals fans a taste of what could come next.

A close second for the Week 1 matchup is the Washington Commanders thanks to its porous defense. Unlike the Jets, though, the Commanders are a threat offensively.

Still, pencil them in early, too.

Cold weather? What cold weather?

Last year, the Cardinals avoided the bad-weather games in a big way.

If Arizona hopes for a similar fortune, that means getting a trio of away games out of the way early on.

Of the Cardinals’ away opponents, only four have open-air stadiums:

– New York Giants
– Kansas City Chiefs
– Seattle Seahawks
– San Francisco 49ers

And three of the four teams reside in some seriously cold spots. And no, I’m not talking about the frigid Santa Clara air.

If not played at the right time, New York, Kansas City and Seattle can have the elements on their side.

The best way for Arizona to combat that is to get them on the schedule across the first six weeks of the season.

If anything, it’s one less thing to worry about for a coaching staff coming together for the first time under LaFleur’s direction.

Finding the right bye week

How the bye week lines up is big for the Cardinals in 2026.

First off, rookie quarterback Carson Beck is bound to start at some point this season. Arizona has some serious decisions to make from a franchise quarterback standpoint, and the more data they can go off, the better ahead of the 2027 draft.

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Secondly, giving LaFleur and his staff a week to reset and evaluate while still having a good amount of games left to implement any changes would be beneficial for the rest of the year and potentially down the line.

With 17 games on the schedule, it’s about splitting the middle as much as possible. That would give Beck plenty of time as a starter and allow the coaching staff more time to iron out the kinks elsewhere.

Coming out of the bye with a home tilt would only sweeten the pot.

There’s also the rest factor to take into account. Not too early and not too late is just right — or whatever Goldilocks said.

Finding the right level of competition

Just about the first eight weeks of the season are set.

Now, it’s about filling in the rest of the schedule and trying to avoid any gauntlet stretches, which is easier said than done despite Arizona sporting a last-place schedule.

When it comes to divisional games, it’s all about splitting those up as much as possible. Getting two in before the bye week means four across the final 10 games. That’s a good ratio to work with.

Then it’s about putting some padding in between the division foes. The New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers can help with that.

Lastly, let’s toss in a spoiler opportunity, with Arizona wrapping the season at home against the defending Super Bowl champions.

What about primetime games?

Giving Beck and LaFleur a primetime game (that isn’t a Thursday Night Football game) wouldn’t hurt. Turn on the bright lights and see who shows up and who doesn’t.

Dallas, anyone?

As for international games, let’s just avoid those altogether in 2026. This team already has more than enough on its plate without thinking of playing outside the states.

The Cardinals’ ideal 2026 schedule

Week 1: vs. New York Jets
Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 3: vs. Washington Commanders
Week 4: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 5: at New York Giants
Week 6: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 7: at San Francisco 49ers
Week 8: BYE
Week 9: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 10: at Dallas Cowboys
Week 11: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 12: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 13: at New Orleans Saints
Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Week 15: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 16: at Los Angeles Rams
Week 17: at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 18: vs. Seattle Seahawks

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