Arizona Cardinals fans are heading into 2026 with more belief than the outside market is showing.
In the first confidence poll of the season, 67% of fans said they’re confident the Cardinals are moving in the right direction. That comes at a time when FanDuel Sportsbook has the team at a 4.5 win total and lists Arizona with the longest playoff odds in the NFL at +1600.
The Cardinals get a chance to start shifting that conversation right away. They open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, with the game set in Inglewood.
There’s still a split between optimism and concern around the roster and the organization. One view inside the fan base is cautious optimism: the growth of LaFleur as a play caller is a reason for excitement, while the biggest worry is Nick Rallis, with Michael Bidwill also part of that concern. The organization itself remains the bigger issue than the head coach for that perspective.
The most interesting part of the survey came with the “X-Factor” question. Fans largely picked Walter Nolen, and that’s where the debate really sharpens.
That choice doesn’t match everyone’s read on the roster. One argument is that Jacoby Brissett has to be the X-Factor because he needs to find a way to win close games after going 0-6 and making no plays when he had the ball in his hands last year.
Marv also sits near the center of the discussion, with the idea that he needs to be a threat anywhere on the field.
As for Nolen, the case is tied to both his talent and the situation around him. The belief is that if the Cardinals defense had shown more over the last several seasons, he would be the obvious answer because he could be a top 7 defensive tackle in the NFL if he stays on the field this year. The hesitation is simple: there may not be enough help around him for him to make that kind of impact.
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Loves availability gives Arizona another option in a backfield that already includes Tyler Allgeier and Bam Knight, and the coaches had signaled he would share the workload once he was ready. For a team trying to settle its rotation early in the season, getting the rookie on the field removes at least one bit of uncertainty, even if the exact division of touches remains to be seen. [Read more 🡒]