NFL Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals’ 2014 Midseason Grade

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By @JordanWevers

Getty Images

Getty Images

The NFC West is a wild west of a division again in 2014. It’s not the fortunes of either of the two distinguished franchises that dwell along the Pacific coast making it of intrigue right now, but rather the one from the desert. The Arizona Cardinals are one of the NFL‘s finest teams at the midway mark of the 2014 season. A fair number of skeptics may still have them pegged as pretenders, but their 6-1 record in a division flush with contenders deserves attention.

Only Arizona, the Denver Broncos and Dallas Cowboys, who are yet to play their Week 8 game, have a single loss on the season. The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers have nine playoff wins between the two of them over the last three seasons, yet find themselves sitting at 4-3. Both are still strong teams with capable personnel, but neither of which have Bruce Arians as their head coach.

Arians is a 62-year-old offensive-minded soul who last held a head coaching gig with Temple University from 1983-88 before filling in as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts for Chuck Pagano in 2012. Arians has blossomed since moving onto Arizona last season, where he directed the Cardinals to an impressive 10-6 record in the ultra-competitive NFC West.

This year appears to be even better, as Arians is getting the most out of his players who are avid supporters of  his. Despite some road bumps, Arians trudges on and maintains a winning mentality in his locker room. The loss of veteran starters DL Darnell Dockett and OLB/DE John Abraham on defense early in the year has had a limited effect. Three-year starter and Pro Bowl linebacker Daryl Washington is also missing time due to his second consecutive suspension in as many years for substance abuse.

Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles deserves a lot of credit for keeping his unit intact despite those shortcomings. Signing free agent CB Antonio Cromartie and drafting FS Tyrann Mathieu in 2013, along with SS Deone Bucannon last May gives Arizona three great playmaking complements to their All-Pro corner Patrick Peterson in the secondary.

The Cards’ defense currently has the third most interceptions in the league, and is composed of fundamentally-sound tacklers who rarely let ball carriers break the point of contact.

Offensively, Arians managed to go 2-1 through a three-game stretch when backup quarterback Drew Stanton was called upon to fill in for starter Carson Palmer, who was dealing at the time with nerve irritation in his throwing shoulder. Andre Ellington has emerged as a sound running back who is both versatile in the pass and run game.

The threat of rookie WR John Brown and sophomore Michael Floyd in the aerial attack has allowed captain Larry Fitzgerald to find his Pro Bowl form at times with the help of Palmer’s strong arm. The organization also found a stellar kicker in undrafted rookie free agent Chandler Cataranzo, who is a perfect 16-for-16 in field goal attempts this year. Many of the vital keys to success appear to be clicking in Glendale.

The Cardinals only have one of their six division games out of the way at the season’s midpoint, so future challenges certainly exist. However, Arians’ positive belief that his team deserves to win any game has permeated throughout the clubhouse. In pro football, overcoming the mental barriers is half the battle, and sometimes would argue more.

Grade: B+

Jordan Wevers is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JordanWevers, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.

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