ESPN’s John Clayton: Cardinals’ Todd Bowles will be a head coach for another team next season

Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has his unit rolling.

The Cardinals’ defense is sixth in the NFL, surrendering 19.5 points per game and is intercepting quarterbacks on 3.8 percent of passes, good for fourth in the league. This success could be the worst thing for Cardinals fans who have grown fond of Bowles, according to ESPN insider John Clayton.

Clayton was a guest Friday morning with Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM and he said that job done by Bowles has definitely warranted a head-coaching opportunity after the season.

“I would have to think he’s going to get a head coaching job,” said Clayton. “He was in the mix last year, now he’s really in the mix, so I would be stunned if he doesn’t get a head coaching job.”

Despite injuries across the board on defense, Bowles has the unit clicking much the same way as in 2013, and even improving in some areas. The Cardinals rank fourth in forced turnovers after ranking sixth last season.

Arizona’s only hope to hold onto the coordinator may be to extend their season deep into January and early February.

“The one thing that would prevent that from happening is going to a championship game or going to a Super Bowl,” said Clayton. The insider explained that teams like to make their new hires immediately after the regular season, when many assistant coaches are still aiding playoff teams.

“A lot of times the qualifications for who becomes a head coach who is an assistant, goes with the availability and if he’s not available until after the championship game, or at the championship game, then he’s probably not going to get a head coaching job,” said Clayton. “But just based on résumé and what he’s doing, he’s getting one.”

The Cardinals are currently 7-1 and hold a two-game lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West and a one-game advantage over the Philadelphia Eagles in the conference. With Arizona’s hot start, there is a significant chance that Bowles could be coaching a team deep in the postseason, with the Cardinals possibly hosting every playoff game, even the Super Bowl, which will be held Feb. 1 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

“I think that now everybody has to, in reality, (recognize) that this team is going to make the playoffs, very likely going to win the division, and very likely going to be a number-one seed,” said Clayton.

The insider credited Arizona’s excellent play in non-divisional games for their great position to win the NFC West and secure home-field in the playoffs. The Cardinals are currently 6-1 in games outside of the NFC West, with crucial victories over the Eagles (6-2) and Dallas Cowboys (6-3).

“You want to pile up as many non-division wins as you can,” said Clayton. “At this stage, with home games against Kansas City and also Detroit, those are winnable games, and the game at Atlanta is winnable. Even at the worst, if they go 2-1, that’s 8-2 in (non-division) games, that’s going to win the division.”

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