ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals rank high in ESPN preseason power rankings

Aug 17, 2016, 8:15 AM | Updated: 11:24 am

Coach Bruce Arians watches during a training camp practice Aug. 14. (Photo by Adam Green/Arizona Sp...

Coach Bruce Arians watches during a training camp practice Aug. 14. (Photo by Adam Green/Arizona Sports)

(Photo by Adam Green/Arizona Sports)

Power rankings.

While they really don’t mean squat at the end of the day, people love them.

We’re guilty, too. Every week during the season, we publish our NFL Power Rankings Roundup, which gives our readers a thumbnail of what prominent national voices are saying about their favorite team.

After winning 13 games and earning a trip to the NFC Championship Game, the Arizona Cardinals ranked high in every power ranking last season. Heading into 2016, with the momentum of a record-setting season and a well-received offseason, the Cardinals are near the top again.

ESPN.com released their preseason power rankings Wednesday, and they’ve got Bruce Arians’ team ranked second in the league.

Arizona has gotten better each season under coach Bruce Arians. If that trend continues, expect big things from a Cardinals team that set franchise records in wins (13) and points (489) in 2015.

That’s the good news. The bad news is, a team in the Cardinals’ own division — the Seattle Seahawks — rank first. As the piece points out, this is the fourth straight season the Seahawks have topped the preseason pecking order.

The New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers round out the top five. The defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos rank eighth on the list.

The two other teams in the NFC West, the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, rank 29th and 32nd, respectively.

Presented By
Western Governors University

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

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

2 days ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

2 days ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

2 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

3 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

3 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

3 days ago

Cardinals rank high in ESPN preseason power rankings