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NFL Power Rankings Roundup: The Cardinals move up heading into Week 2

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Detroit Lions v Arizona Cardinals Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The Arizona Cardinals found a way to snatch a tie from the jaws of defeat and that has made quite an impression on a number of the Power Rankings sites out there.

Let’s take a look.

Mile High Report

23. Arizona Cardinals - Sometimes, a tie is basically “not a loss,” which is almost a win. Other times it sure looks like you’re grasping mediocrity from the jaws of victory.

At halftime in the desert, Kliff Kingsbury’s revolution had run 29 offensive plays, scored three points, and managed 58 total yards. Kyler Murray had 41 yards and an interception while completing 37.5% of his passes. He was sacked three times. He ran the ball once for six yards.

They pulled out a tie.

Pro Football Talk

28. Cardinals (0-0-1; No. 31): If someone had told Tramaine Brock not to try to catch a pass with his face, they’d be 1-0.

Detroit Free Press

24. Cardinals (0-0-1)

Still don’t think Arizona wins more than four games, but at 0-0-1 they get nudged ahead of some others on this list.

Bleeding Green Nation

29 - Arizona Cardinals (LW: 31) - The Cards deserve some credit for fighting back against Detroit. Kliff Kingsbury also deserves to be ripped for PUNTING THE BALL FROM HIS OPPONENT’S 46-YARD LINE WITH 1:10 TO GO IN OVERTIME. What a coward. Remember how the Cards touted how Kingsbury is friends with Sean McVay after hiring him? I guess that’s where Kliff learned cowardice from.

Rick Gosselin

26. Arizona Cardinals. There have been 150 quarterbacks who made the NFL starting debuts as rookies since 1980. Kyler Murray became only the second to finish his debut start in a tie, passing for 308 yards in a 27-27 game with Detroit.

ESPN

29. Arizona Cardinals (0-0-1)

Preseason ranking: 30

NFL.com

30. Arizona Cardinals
Previous rank: No. 31

Pro Football Focus

27. ARIZONA CARDINALS
Week 1 Ranking: No. 30

MMQB

26 (T). ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-0-1)
Previous rank: 30

The Kyler Murray-to-Larry Fitzgerald connection might be one of the more fun things to watch this season.

Yahoo! Sports

28. Arizona Cardinals (0-0-1, LW: 31)

Kyler Murray was 9-of-25 for 70 yards through three quarters. He had 238 yards in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Cardinals rallied to salvage a tie. So, which Murray is it going to be moving forward?

Bleacher Report

25. Arizona Cardinals (0-0-1)
Last Week: 30

The Score

30. Arizona Cardinals (0-1)

The Cardinals came back in the fourth quarter to tie the Lions but find themselves 13.5-point dogs at Baltimore on Sunday. Oddsmakers still aren’t buying Kliff Kingsbury’s team but that could change as the season goes on.

Houston Chronicle

28. Arizona (0-0-1) | Last week: 32

Rallying to tie the Lions must have felt like a victory for first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury and rookie quarterback Kyler Murray.

CBS Sports

26. Arizona Cardinals - Last Week 30

Kyler Murray struggled for three quarters, but came alive in the fourth against the Lions. Did he figure it out? Or did coach Kilff Kingsbury figure it out?

USA Today

26. Arizona Cardinals - Last Week 28

Sporting News

25. Arizona Cardinals, 0-0-1 (31)

The Cardinals’ offensive line and pass defense will continue to haunt them. But they had to be pleased with how a fourth-quarter Kyler Murray can keep them in every game, not to mention coach Kliff Kingsbury’s ability to make the right adjustments.


Pretty impressive how much the Arizona Cardinals moved up just from a tie. This week, it feels like if they keep it close, people will continue to buy into this team.