The NFL regular season is off to a familiar start for the Arizona Cardinals , who sit at 0-1 for the third straight year. After finishing 4-13 in each of the past two seasons, their Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills raises questions about whether this year will be different or more of the same.
With 17 games in an NFL regular season, every matchup matters. The Cardinals face a win total of 6.5, according to most sportsbooks, and to beat that number, Kyler Murray & Co. must reach seven victories – something they haven’t achieved since their 11-6 campaign in 2021.
In the past decade, the Cardinals have never posted fewer than seven wins in three consecutive seasons. With a relatively easier schedule this season – they rank 24th in strength of schedule – Arizona plans to maintain its streak, starting with a much-needed victory Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
In the meantime, Cardinals fans also remain hopeful after the team relinquished a 17-3 lead in Buffalo during Week 1. Jason Garcia, a devoted fan, remains optimistic about the team going over 6.5 wins this season.
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“I think it’s plausible for the most part,” Garcia said. “I think they could do that at the very least, honestly. Week 1, I felt like they did pretty good. The offense is pretty stable, and they were making points.
“Kyler Murray does have to stay healthy, though. Also, their defense must do better because they have their moments. I’d say seven to nine games is their range this year.”
Despite the narrow defeat, there’s plenty of time to fix the miscues against the Bills, starting with Marvin Harrison Jr. receiving more targets. The first-round pick in April’s NFL draft, where he was the first receiver taken off the board, debuted with only one reception for four yards.
“I was very surprised, honestly, because, for the most part, watching that game, they relied heavily on James Connor,” Garcia said. “Kyler Murray didn’t throw Marvin Harrison the ball or really spread it out in general. They didn’t have any big passing plays, so I was surprised he didn’t just throw it up in the first place to give Marvin a chance.”
The Bills devised a successful game plan to limit Harrison’s production in his first game, Cardinals coach Jonathon Gannon said, before adding expectations remain high for the rookie. The Cardinals plan to utilize him more against the Rams and trust he will deliver, in large part because of his work ethic.
“(Harrison will be) fine,” Gannon said Monday. “He’ll get back at it and go to work. Nobody will put more expectation or pressure on him wanting to do well than himself, so he’ll be fine.”
Looking ahead, the Cardinals have two tough home matchups against the Rams and the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals were favored by one point as of Friday evening in their home opener, according to BetMGM and DraftKings, while FanDuel had Arizona favored by 1.5 points.
If Gannon’s team addresses its mistakes, capitalizes on opportunities and gains momentum, the Cardinals have a legitimate shot at surpassing the 6.5-win mark in his second season. However, an 0-2 start, or worse, could signal trouble and another challenging season in the Valley.
“I think they’re going to start 0-3,” said Andrew Wilsher, senior managing editor of Pickswise. “Then their schedule starts to get a lot soft. They’ve got the Commanders, and eventually the Packers on the road with Jordan Love potentially still out.
“They’re playing a Chargers team that didn’t look that great to me in week one. They get to take on the Vikings, the Patriots, the Panthers, so there are many winnable games.”
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Beat the total? Arizona Cardinals aim to top the 6.5-win over/under set by sportsbooks
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