How Much Have the Arizona Cardinals Raised Your Expectations?

by cgolden on Oct 15, 2008 2:54 PM MDT in News Comment 6 comments

It's not often that the Arizona Cardinals exceed our expectations but through six games, that's what they've done. I think most rational (I'm not in that group, but still) fans thought that this was an 8-8 or, best case scenerio, 9-7 team and that they'd have an outside shot at sneeking into the playoffs. A 4-2 record and a two game lead (really a 2.5 game lead) has a way of raising the bar though, especially considering the state of the NFC West. When you consider that the Cardinals still have five games against division foes (who are a combined 4-12) and home games against the Giants and Vikings, there is certainly an opportunity to make some waves. There doesn't appear to be a dominant team in the entire league and the Cards have already beaten two of the better teams. So have the Cardinals raised your expecations for this season? Why?

Poll

Have the Arizona Cardinals raised your expectations?

Of course, I'm thinking about 11 or 12 wins and games deep into January

8 votes

They're higher but still tempered expectations, maybe 10 wins and one playoff game

30 votes

They're right where I expected, 8-8 or 9-7 is still they're fate

2 votes

We're still the Cardinals, the other shoe will drop eventually and we'll be below .500

3 votes

43 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Been a Cards fan for a long time, they’ve raised my expectations and then destroyed my hopes quite often. Therefore, I’m hopeful, but we’re not the best team in the NFC or anything.
In this bad division I thought .500 for the year, maybe 9-7, so I voted for 10 wins. That’s me being ridiculously optimistic.

by KDean75 on Oct 16, 2008 6:58 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I hear you

This could be just another year that ends in misery or this could finally be the year this becomes a respectable franchise. Only time will tell.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on Oct 16, 2008 8:16 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right on track with my initial prediction

Looking into the season, I was figuring 4-2 going into the bye as a minimum to reach the playoffs.(I figured we’d split both the eastcoast games and the Buffalo-Dallas games.) So, the Cardinals as a team are sitting right where I thought they would be.

What I didn’t expect was that the rest of the division would be as bad as they are, particularly Seattle. Minnesota and New England are not as good as expected either, but Carolina looks a little better than anticipated.

Bottom line is the division is the Cardinals to lose now as opposed to me expecting them to be fighting for it against a rough 2nd half of the schedule.

by AJ BirdWatcher on Oct 16, 2008 9:49 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Attitude is everything

They have the tools to run deep. In the games we have won they have played with cohesion and winning determination (Not including the Dallas game, we didn’t win the Cowgirls lost). If they can continue to exude that persona and really believe in themselves, especially on the road and in the face of adversity. Great things will happen. Oh and uhhh, stay healthy…PLEASE!

by badmatty53 on Oct 16, 2008 11:42 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Yea winning on the road has to be a key for the second half of the season. At some point, we’ll have to win a big road game to break through.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on Oct 16, 2008 12:18 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

History in the making

61 years. Last time the Cardinals hosted a playoff game. The rest of the West is really stinkin’ it up this year. 8-8 could take it for the Cards. I think they’re better. 10-6 was my preseason thought (okay, maybe 9-7, I think it’s somewhere in the site’s blog history) and the Cards are on track still.

We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!

by Hawkwind on Oct 16, 2008 4:45 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs