Are the Arizona Cardinals for Real?
Ken Whisenhunt's Squad is Hungry for a Division Crown
With the Seattle Seahawks in an unanticipated decline, a coaching shuffle in San Fransisco, and a loud cry for help in St. Louis, the Arizona Cardinals are 1st in the NFC West. The team has not appeared in the playoffs since the late 90s when they scored a stunning upset over Troy Aikman and the Dallas Cowboys. For Cardinals fans, this success seems too good to be true and some still find themselves proposing a difficult question: Will the Cardinals make the playoffs?
Considering some key factors, fans in Arizona might put their fears to rest, or continue to deny that it’s real until their playoff berth is secure.
Kurt Warner Starting QB for Cardinals
With Brad Johnson stepping up for the Dallas Cowboys, Kurt Warner is not the only aging, former Superbowl-winning quarterback, to start in the 2008 NFL season but, next to Kerry Collins, he has brought his team the most success.
Considered by some to be a ‘turnover machine’, he has shown himself to be a key figure in a high-powered offence that dethroned the undefeated Buffalo Bills in Week 5. Though some question Ken Whisenhunt’s decision to have Matt Leinart benched, Warner has proven that the team cannot throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Ken Whisenhunt Contract Extension?
Though he is only in his second season in Arizona, Ken Whisenhunt has already proven himself to be a very worthy head man. He posted an 8-8 record in his first season with the Cardinals, and is well on his way to either matching last year’s record, or even finishing out with a winning season. It should be noted that his predecessor, Dennis Green, never reached the 8-8 mark in his three years in Arizona.
For a team that has gone through its share of coaches, the Arizona faithful find themselves wondering: what comes next? If he leads the team to the playoffs, let alone to a division title, expect big things for Coach Whisenhunt.
Will the Arizona Cardinals Make the Playoffs?
At 5-3, the Arizona Cardinals have a comfortable lead over all other division opponents, but the stretch ahead might be slightly more challenging than the first half of the season. On Monday night, they will face a 49ers team that will be hungry for its first win under interim coach Mike Singletary. They also have the Giants, Eagles, Vikings and Patriots to contend with. Should they make it past even a few of these opponents, fans will be able to ask themselves a new question: can the Cardinals win a playoff game?
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