The Arizona Cardinals aren’t done yet. With a one-game winning streak giving them a little momentum, they head into a difficult stretch that starts with the Denver Broncos at home and then rolls into matchups with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
That sets the stage for a big test against a Denver team that has already shown plenty. The Broncos were the AFC’s top seed last season at 14-3-0, rode an 11-game win streak at one point, then beat the Buffalo Bills 33-30 in overtime in the divisional round before falling 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. This season, they’re 4-2-0 after six games and sitting second in the AFC West.
So how do the Cardinals pull this off?
The first opening is Denver’s road form. The Broncos are 3-0 at home, but just 1-2 away from it. Their losses on the road were lopsided: 31-10 to the undefeated Chiefs in Kansas City and 24-14 to another unbeaten team, the San Francisco 49ers.
Against San Francisco, Denver actually built a 17-6 lead before the game flipped. The Broncos punted five times, struggled to run the ball and leaned heavily on short throws from Bo Nix because the intermediate game never really showed up.
They finished with only 82 rushing yards. In Week 1 against Kansas City, the first half stayed competitive, but the game got away after halftime, and Denver went to the final quarter trailing 24-10.
Once again, the run game never got going, and the Broncos managed just 61 rushing yards.
For Arizona, the answer starts on offense: feed the playmakers. Denver’s defense has been a strength, and it showed again in a win over the Seattle Seahawks, who many believe are the best team in the NFC. But the Cardinals have weapons that demand volume.
Trey McBride leads the league with 49 receptions and has been a problem for opposing linebackers all season. Michael Wilson is ranked 11th in the league in receiving. Arizona has to keep putting the ball in those two players’ hands.
The Cardinals also have Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Brooks as options. Bourne can turn short and intermediate catches into sustained drives, while Brooks has the kind of big-play ability that can swing a game. In the Rams game, Brooks only had two catches, and the last one decided the outcome.
On the other side of the ball, the priority is simple: make Bo Nix uncomfortable.
Nix is at his best when he can sit in a clean pocket and pick apart a defense. He has a strong arm and accuracy, but his production drops when he has to move, scramble, or throw while under pressure. The Cardinals need to collapse the pocket and stay on him every time he drops back.
That matters because Denver’s passing game has been one of its weak spots. The Broncos are ranked 31st in passing offense, and that’s despite Nix sitting 21st in total passing yards with 1,049. His average yards per completion is only 5.6, he has six touchdown passes and three interceptions, and Denver’s line has allowed the fourth-most sacks even though it does well in run blocking.
Seattle held Nix to 107 passing yards last week, and that kind of result points to the obvious path: keep the pressure coming and force Denver to live on short gains. Right now, that dink-and-dunk approach is where the Broncos are vulnerable.
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Cowboys Interest Puts Cardinals Josh Sweat Situation Under A Harsh Light
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The interest from Dallas also puts a spotlight on how the Cardinals view a player who has been part of their plans and has publicly said he wanted to stay after Week 1. With Arizona already having turned away trade interest in him, the whole situation now sits at the intersection of roster stability and outside demand, which is never a comfortable place for a team trying to hold its edge together during the season. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals' Rams Win Came With Another Discipline Warning
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Mike LaFleur has already pointed to the teams growth while acknowledging there is still plenty to clean up, and the leagues latest fines fit that message neatly. The Cardinals have taken their share of discipline hits this season, and while the on-field result against Los Angeles was a positive one, the repeat warnings suggest Arizona still has work to do in keeping the whistle from becoming part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Fans Still Have One Big Question About The Marvin Harrison Jr. Trade
Marvin Harrison Jr.s brief stint in Arizona ended with a move that was always going to spark questions, especially for a fan base that had been waiting to see him become a central part of the offense. Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort addressed the decision publicly and framed it as one made with the bigger picture in mind, saying the organization believed the trade would benefit the team as it continues to move forward with its other receivers.
Still, the deal leaves plenty for Cardinals fans to sort through, because Harrison never got much traction before the move and the return immediately raised the bar on what Arizona expects to get out of the transaction. Ossenforts message was clear enough on intent, but the real test now is whether the Cardinals can turn that extra draft capital into something that justifies parting with a player they had hoped would be part of the long-term answer. [Read more 🡒]