On the surface they appear to be the least likely 5-1 team in recent memory.
The Arizona Cardinals have used three quarterbacks in six games, rank second last in the league in pass defence and third last in both rushing and total offense.
Before the regular season started, the Cardinals lost key members of their defence to injury and suspension.
Dominant run-stopper Darnell Docket tore his ACL in August, outside linebacker John Abraham joined him on injured reserve in September with a chronic concussion problem and linebacker Daryl Washington was suspended for the year for violating the league’s substance abuse problem.
Since then quarterback Carson Palmer has missed three games with a nerve issue that was affecting his throwing arm and monster defensive end Calais Campbell has been sidelined for two games after straining his MCL against the Broncos.
But the Cardinals have won every match-up this season, save for a Week 5 loss against the highflying Broncos in Denver. Admittedly, their schedule hasn’t been the league’s most grueling, but they have beaten the Chargers and 49ers at home and the Giants in New York.
One surprising aspect of their successful season is that it has been achieved despite the poor play of the Cardinals defensive backs. With the defensive line and linebacker core banged up, the 5-1 Cardinals had to have received reinforcement from one of the league’s best cornerbacks, Patrick Peterson, right?
Nope. Peterson has been awful. Before last week’s game against the winless Raiders, Peterson had given up an opposing passer rating of 132.4 when targeted this season, which was 12th highest among corners. He had allowed four touchdowns in coverage, tied for third most, and Pro Football Focus had him rated as their 77th ranked corner out of a possible 103.
And Peterson isn’t getting much help from his fellow starting corner Antonio Cromartie, either. Before playing the struggling Raiders, the Cardinals ranked dead last in passing defence (309 yards per game). The statistics are mindboggling, especially when you consider the Cardinals’ record.
On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals offense has been below average. They rank 21st in passing yards and 26th in rushing yards. Once the premier wide receiver in the NFL, Larry Fitzgerald has struggled just to get targets in the often confusing Cardinals offense this season. Palmer can still hurl the ball down the field and Michael Floyd (19 catches, 353 yards and two touchdowns) and rookie John Brown (17 catches, 197 yards and three touchdowns) have been impressive at times.
But it’s not as if the Cardinals offensive has been setting the world on fire, or like the team can turn to their offense to out-duel an opponent in a high-scoring shoot-out. When the Broncos skipped a few touchdowns ahead late in Week 5, the Cardinals offense couldn’t go with them.
Second-year running back Andre Ellington has been steady, if not spectacular. He is getting plenty of touches, but his 3.7 yards per carry average is a far cry from the league best 5.5 he enjoyed in his rookie season. Ellington has scored two touchdowns, both in the loss to the Broncos, but has only two runs of 20 yards or more on 105 carries.
So what is the Cardinals’ secret? A simple formula of old fashioned football.
The Cardinals boast the best rushing defence in the NFL, an exceptional turnover ratio, a good kicker and a solid special teams unit. Despite the quarterback carousel, the Cardinals hadn’t thrown an interception until Raiders defensive back Charles Woodson picked off Palmer in Oakland last week.
Their turnover differential is third in the league, with 11 takeaways and just four giveaways.
Rookie kicker Chandler Catanzaro has been flawless to date, kicking 15-15 field goals, including a 51-yarder and five goals between 40 and 49 yards. In Week 2 the Cardinals won a game across three time zones without their starting quarterback thanks largely to their special teams.
Return man Ted Ginn Jr had a 71-yard punt return for touchdown in the fourth quarter, undrafted free agent Robert Hughes recovered a fumble on the ensuing kick-off and the Cardinals scored 15 unanswered points to win the game.
But the rushing defence and the Cardinals’ “next man up” attitude has been the story of their season. Removing Campbell, Dockett, Washington and Abraham from the Cardinals line-up should have left enormous holes in their defence. Instead the Cardinals depth has stepped up to fill the void.
They are allowing only 72.5 yards a game on the ground for a total of 435 yards on 138 attempts. They have given up four touchdowns, but just one run of more than 20 yards. Imagine how good they would be with the colossus size and strength of Dockett in the middle of the defensive line.
So far the Cardinals have walked a fine line in their five wins – averaging 23 points a game while holding their opponents to 19 – and are typically coming up with a big play or turnover to ice the match. But can they keep it up?
If the Cardinals stick to the formula and a few of their guys get healthy, then they should provide the upset of the season by edging both the Seahawks and 49ers for the NFC West division title. The next five weeks will make or break their season.
They play NFC East powerhouses Philadelphia and Dallas then a division match-up against the Rams, before games against the Lions and Seahawks. Win three out of five and they will be a playoff team in 2014.
If they win the division and get home field advantage throughout the playoffs then the Cardinals could provide a few surprises. They are not flashy like a few other teams, but they are consistent. They keep teams under 20 points, win the turnover battle and play good defence, and, as they say, defence wins championships.
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