ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals at Raiders: Ignoring the records is imperative for Arizona

Oct 18, 2014, 7:30 PM | Updated: 7:30 pm

Follow @theAdamGreenPresented By...

TEMPE, Ariz. — The Oakland Raiders have yet to win a game this season, though if the Arizona Cardinals want to keep them winless, they say that fact needs to be ignored.

“If you let that seep in they’ll be 1-5 and we’ll be 4-2,” Cardinals defensive lineman and former Raider Tommy Kelly said. “We’ve just got to understand, they want to win. You think they’re going out there intentionally trying to lose games?

“That’s what I never understand sometimes about fans, they think the team stinks, but do you think those folks are playing bad on purpose? No, they want to win just as badly as we do.”

While the Raiders are winless for a reason, rare is the team that goes through its season without notching a ‘W’. And though the past has next-to-nothing to do with this year’s Cardinals, the franchise has been on the wrong side of the scoreboard before in games like this.

In 2004, Arizona lost to a 0-4 San Francisco team on the road. In fact, that season Arizona provided the 49ers’ only two wins of the season, with both coming down to overtime and both finishing with a 31-28 score. Going even farther back, the Cards provided the 1996 New York Jets with their only win of the season by way of a 31-21 decision in Week 9 .

While neither one of those Cardinals team was as good as this year’s, the point is in the NFL anyone can be beat on any given day. The Raiders have not been far off from pulling out some victories, as three of their five losses have come by seven points or less.

“It’s just the next opponent,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said, ignoring the Raiders’ record. “You look at the tape and you watch (linebacker) Khalil Mack fly around and those other guys on there, and (quarterback) Derek Carr is playing outstanding — he’s not a rookie anymore, he’s got five games under his belt, so this is a quality opponent.”

“It’s a very talented team,” Cardinals QB Carson Palmer added. “You can’t look at records; you have to look at the film. You look at the New England game and how they played in New England and the way they fought against the Chargers last week.

“This is a very talented group and a group we’ve got to be at our best at.”

If the Cardinals can play at their best, you’d have to think they have a good shot at leaving Oakland Alameda Coliseum with a victory.

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.

18 hours 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.

21 hours 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.

2 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.

2 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.

2 days ago

Cardinals at Raiders: Ignoring the records is imperative for Arizona