As the NFL season enters its final stretch, the Arizona Cardinals find themselves in an enviable position atop the ultra-competitive NFC West. Fresh off a well-timed Week 11 bye, the Cardinals hope the midseason breather will provide the boost needed to fend off their division rivals and claim their first NFC West crown since 2015.
Refreshed and Refocused
The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for the Cardinals. Riding a four-game winning streak, Arizona used the time off to recharge both physically and mentally. The break allowed banged-up players to heal while the entire squad took a step back from the weekly grind.
“I feel refreshed,” said second-year wide receiver Michael Wilson, who used the downtime for mundane tasks like shopping. “I think it allows you to get away for a week and now you don’t have that mental fatigue, mental fog.”
Reinforcements Arriving
The Cardinals also expect to get key players back from injury after the bye. Starting right tackle Jonah Williams, who has been out since Week 1, and rookie defensive lineman Darius Robinson could make their returns as soon as this week against the Seattle Seahawks. Their presence would provide a major boost on both sides of the ball.
“It for sure does [feel like things are coming together], man,” said defensive lineman L.J. Collier. “We knew if we handled business, did what we had to do, we knew everything was going to come right when we needed to.”
Crucial Division Clashes
Arizona currently holds a slim one-game lead over their NFC West foes, who are locked in a three-way tie at 5-5. The Cardinals’ final seven games include four divisional matchups that will likely determine the NFC West champion. It starts with a crucial tilt against the Seahawks on Sunday.
“We have to maintain the level of play that we were playing at,” quarterback Kyler Murray said. “We have to continue to play at a high level. It doesn’t matter who’s in, we have to continue to do that.”
Focused on the Present
Despite their position atop the division, the Cardinals refuse to look too far ahead. Head coach Jonathan Gannon preaches a one-game-at-a-time mentality, not allowing his team to get caught up in playoff scenarios or let late-season games carry extra weight.
“I’m just taking it one game at a time,” Murray echoed. “I know that the guys are as well, so I think that’s the message that we’re preaching. No game’s bigger than the other. The one that we’ve got right now is the biggest one.”
The Cardinals hope the combination of rest, returning personnel, and a steadfast focus on the present will be the perfect formula to navigate a daunting final stretch and emerge as NFC West champions. With a playoff berth and potentially even a first-round bye on the line, Arizona knows there is little margin for error.
The road ahead is challenging, but if the Cardinals can maintain their winning ways, the well-timed bye week may prove to be the launching pad that propelled them back to the postseason promised land. The NFC West race promises to be a wild ride, and the Cardinals are primed to be right in the thick of it until the very end.
