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Are the Cardinals a playoff team after beating the Bears?

Posted on by Kennedy
Are the Cardinals a playoff team after beating the Bears?

For a month, the Cardinals' victories followed versions of the same script. They were close, intense affairs. Everything had to be right for them to get to the top.

That wasn't it. This was a show of force on both offense and defense. It looked like the Cardinals would get a fourth-down sack, give the ball back, and then sack Bears quarterback Caleb Williams again on his next snap.

It looked like Trey Benson and Emari Demercado were going to score back-to-back touchdowns when James Conner had to leave briefly. It just looked dominant.

And with a 29-9 win over Chicago, the Cardinals are now over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2021 season.

Here's what we learned from the win:

The Cardinals are playing like a playoff team

It won't be easy to make the playoffs in the NFC this year. The Wild Card race is full of strong teams, and if the 49ers get into form, winning the NFC West could require 10 or 11 wins.

Regardless of where their season ends, the Cardinals are currently playing like a playoff team. That wasn't always the case at the start of the year, even in their wins. The win over the 49ers required a series of turnovers and goal-line stalls. The win over the Chargers felt like an escape from a defense that wouldn't budge.

Last week, however, the Cardinals won with what appeared to be a sustainable strategy — solid defense and explosive offense — behind the arm of Kyler Murray. A full performance followed on Sunday. Their defense stifled Williams, they dominated with 213 yards on the ground and Murray threw the ball all over the field on the rare occasions he needed to.

This is a recipe that can last.

The defensive front strengthened

On paper, Sunday was a big opportunity for the Cardinals' pass rush. They faced a rookie quarterback with a penchant for sacks who was protected by a third-string left tackle.

However, the Cardinals have missed opportunities like this before. This time they took full advantage.

They brought down Williams six times and provided constant pressure throughout the afternoon. That was due in part to a blitz-heavy strategy from defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, but they also caused eight pressures on 24 four-man rushes. According to Pro Football Focus, 14 different Cardinals players generated pressure.

Last week, the Cardinals struggled to put pressure on Tua Tagovailoa with his quick passing game, but this balanced approach isn't entirely new. Two weeks ago, 12 players had pressure against Justin Herbert. The Cardinals lack high-end pass rushers, but they have occasionally been able to perform better than the sum of their parts.

The back end also helped with the pass rush on Sunday. Rookie Max Melton – who has struggled in recent weeks – allowed just two balls on seven targets. And nickel Garrett Williams continued to shine, allowing one reception on five targets.

The Cardinals dominated on the ground

At halftime, the Cardinals had 148 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries – without a single rush attempt from Murray. They finished the game with 213 yards on 34 carries.

Yes, for the Cardinals to beat good offenses – like they did in Miami last week – they need to strengthen their passing attack. But offensive coordinator Drew Petzing prefers a smash-mouth offense that runs the ball downhill early and often. This can provide advantageous looks in the passing game, but it can also be enough to win on its own.

Sunday was one of those days. Conner finished the game with 107 yards, Trey Benson continued his progression with 37 yards and Demercado scored a game-winning 53-yard touchdown just before halftime.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the longest rushing touchdown in the final 20 seconds of the first half since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. It was such a day for the Bears, and it was such a day for the Cardinals.

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