Weekly power rankings in the NFL are normal. The Arizona Cardinals have been all over different rankings, as they are expected to be competitive in the NFC this season, although how competitive is still yet to be determined.
In a new set of power rankings based on preseason DVOA, the Cardinals rank 15th overall at -0.5%, or just barely below average.
If you believe that 2020 is the Year of Kyler Murray — the next second-year quarterback to make a major leap following Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, you are not alone. The addition of DeAndre Hopkins certainly helps, and FO projects an improvement in Arizona’s defense from “meh” to above average. It won’t be enough to climb near the top in the insanely competitive NFC West, but Arizona’s projected DVOA of -0.5% and Average Wins total of 8.1 indicate positive steps to the Cardinals becoming a real competitive force.
They are, though, ranked below the rest of the NFC West.
They have made tremendous upgrades in talent on defense and added a big-time playmaker for Murray in DeAndre Hopkins, so they should, at minimum, be a middling team.
Eight wins is even on the conservative side. They are probably somewhere between a seven-win team if they progress minimumally to an 11-win team if all goes well.
The Cardinals have not been above .500 since 2015 at any point. This hopefully is the year that happens.
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