Thursday, November 25, 2021

Arizona Cardinals Week 12 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

Throughout the 2021 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the Arizona Cardinals rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 1 (1st)
  • Best ranking: 1 (Multiple)
  • Worst ranking: 1 (Multiple)

Below you will find a Week 12 roundup for the Cardinals in our consensus 2021 NFL Power Rankings.

ESPN -- Rank: 1

Most memorable Thanksgiving game: Beating the Lions 28-14 on Nov. 25, 1948

This was the Cardinals' last win on Thanksgiving, and it helped the then-Chicago Cardinals continue a dominating season a year after winning the NFL title, which happens to be the most recent in franchise history. They lost a repeat bid in the 1948 championship game. Since beating the Lions in 1948, they've lost eight in a row on Thanksgiving but have played in only one game (2008) on the holiday since 1985 after being regular participants in the pre-merger days. -- Josh Weinfuss

NFL.com -- Rank: 1

Take a bow, Colt McCoy. The veteran quarterback put on a clinic in his third start in place of Kyler Murray, throwing for 328 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Cardinals to a 23-13 victory over the fading Seahawks at Lumen Field. The win prompted an existential crisis in Seattle (bonus!) and positioned Arizona alone atop the NFC as it hits a perfectly timed bye week. Murray (ankle) and DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) now get two more weeks to heal up before a favorable Week 13 matchup against the Bears. McCoy, meanwhile, probably bought himself another three years of lucrative backup work through his performance this month. Good gig.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 1

They won two games on the road against division teams without Kyler Murray. That's good enough to move them up to this spot. Colt McCoy played well.

USA Today -- Rank: 1

Give them their flowers as league's lone nine-win team reclaims top spot for second time in past four weeks. Give them a full bouquet as league's only 6-0 road team -- all those victories coming by double-digit margins. Yet if Arizona can maintain its current position, as QB Kyler Murray (ankle) and WR DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) continue to heal into the bye week, the Cards won't have to leave the desert after Jan. 2.

The Athletic -- Rank: 1

Best side dish: Even after losing J.J. Watt to injury, the Cardinals' defense keeps rolling. It's now No. 1 in the league, based on Expected Points Added per play. That's partly why Arizona has been able to win two of three games without Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins. When healthy, the offense is a ton of fun, but it's the defense that has been the surprise this season. The pass rush has led to 10 sacks for Markus Golden and eight sacks for Chandler Jones.

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