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The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a 2020-2021 NFL season where they came within one game of making the playoffs. They will look to break their playoff drought during the upcoming season. The Cardinals haven't made the postseason since the 2015 campaign.
Kyler Murray has proven to be a leader for the Cardinals. The team has made some upgrades on the offensive side with the additions of James Conner at running back and A.J. Green at wide receiver. The Cardinals are also one of the many NFL franchises that are pursuing Julio Jones.
Winning the NFC West will be a challenge for the Cardinals, due to the presence of the Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks in the division. Murray will need to play almost flawless football to lead the Cardinals to the playoffs this season.
Arizona Cardinals 2021 Regular Season Game-By-Game Prediction
Here's a game-by-game analysis of the Arizona Cardinals' 2021 regular-season schedule:
Week 1: at Tennessee Titans
Prediction: L 35-28
Kyler Murray and company will travel to Tennessee to face the Titans in their season opener. One area the Cardinals haven't addressed is their defense. The Titans will lean heavily on their running back Derrick Henry to secure victory in a close contest.
Wee 2: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Prediction: W 24-10
Arizona will face last season's top two running backs in the opening couple of weeks of the 2021 season. The Cardinals will find out how their defense stacks up against the run when they take on Tennessee and Minnesota. Kyler Murray will have a big game on the ground and through the air for the Cardinals, leading them to their first win of the season.
Week 3: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Prediction: W 35-21
Two former number one overall picks will go head-to-head when the Cardinals travel to Jacksonville. The Arizona Cardinals defense will have trouble containing Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars' offense. Jacksonville will keep it close in the first half, but the Cardinals' experience will take over in the second to help them win on the road.
Week 4: at Los Angeles Rams
Prediction: L 31-24
Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals will have their first look at Matthew Stafford and the revamped Los Angeles Rams. The Rams finished with the number one ranked defense in the NFL last season. Arizona will keep the game close and have an opportunity to tie the game on their final drive. The Los Angeles Rams' defense will make a big play to seal the victory.
Week 5: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Prediction: W 24-21
Trey Lance will make the first start of his NFL career against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5. Arizona's offense will have trouble against the 49ers' front seven, but the elusiveness of Kyler Murray will help the Cardinals win. This will be their first victory over an NFC West rival.
Week 6: at Cleveland Browns
Prediction: L 42-17
Arizona will have issues moving the ball downfield against the Cleveland Browns' elite defense. Jadeveon Clowney and Myles Garrett will force Kyler Murray to be a pocket passer. By forcing Murray to stay in the pocket, the Browns will force turnovers and have the game wrapped up by halftime.
Week 7: vs. Houston Texans
Prediction: W 42-7
Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals offense will have a massive game against the Texans in Week 7. The Texans will start rookie quarterback Davis Mills for the first time this season against the Cardinals. Arizona's defense will make big plays that will ultimately set their offense up for success.
Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers
Prediction: W 24-21
Aaron Rodgers and company will come to town in Week 8 of the 2021 season. The Cardinals will have trouble moving the football in the first half. In the second half, the Arizona Cardinals will make a big play to defeat the Packers with a game-winning field goal.
Week 9: at San Francsico 49ers
Prediction: L 17-10
Arizona and San Francisco will meet for the second time during the 2021 season in Week 9. The Cardinals pulled off a victory over Trey Lance in his first NFL start as a rookie. However, San Francisco's defense will lead the 49ers to a close win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9.
Week 10: vs. Carolina Panthers
Prediction: L 31-17
Sam Darnold and the Carolina Panthers are going to be the NFC's surprise package in 2021. Darnold and Christian McCaffrey will come to Arizona and put on a show. The Cardinals will fall behind early, but their second-half comeback will fall just short.
Week 11: at Seattle Seahawks
Prediction: L 34-31
The Cardinals and Seahawks played some tough football against each other last season and split the two-game series. Arizona will keep the game close throughout the first and second half. Russell Wilson will lead the Seahawks downfield, setting up a game-winning field goal as time expires to defeat the Cardinals.
Week 12: Bye Week
The Arizona Cardinals will enter their bye week after losing three straight games. Two out of those three losses came against division rivals. The Cardinals will get a much-needed break and will need to regroup to tackle the rest of the 2021 season.
Week 13: at Chicago Bears
Prediction: W 17-10
Kyler Murray and Justin Fields will go head-to-head for the first time. The Cardinals will lean on their wide receivers to attack the Bears' secondary. Murray will execute a game-winning drive against Chicago to snap their three-game losing streak.
Week 14: vs. Los Angeles Rams
Prediction: W 28-21
The Arizona Cardinals will avenge their 31-24 loss in Week 4 against the Rams. The Cardinals' offense will make enough plays to pull off their second straight win. Arizona will come off their bye week showing much improvement on both sides of the ball.
Week 15: at Detroit Lions
Prediction: W 24-10
The Detroit Lions are going to have a tough time catching up to the Rams. Detroit's defense will have trouble stopping Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins. The score will deceive many of the fans, but the Cardinals will dominate the game.
Week 16: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Prediction: W 35-21
The Arizona Cardinals will host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16. Arizona will be entering this game against the Colts with little to no room for error. Kyler Murray and James Conner will have big plays on the ground for the Cardinals' offense to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Week 17: at Dallas Cowboys
Prediction: L 45-42
The game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals will be an old-fashioned shootout. Both teams will have good but not great defenses. Arizona and Dallas have many talented offensive players who will showcase their talents during this game. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense will be too much for the Cardinals' defense to handle.
Week 18: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Prediction: L 17-14
The Arizona Cardinals will enter the final week of the 2021-2022 season, fighting for their playoff lives. Arizona will be in a win-or-go-home scenario against the Seahawks. Russell Wilson is not the quarterback the Arizona Cardinals want to face in this situation. Wilson and the Seahawks offense will win a tight game and eliminate the Arizona Cardinals from the NFL playoffs.
Arizona Cardinals 2021 Season Prediction: 9-8
The Arizona Cardinals will finish above .500 but will miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
