Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams isn’t just another regular season matchup for the Arizona Cardinals, it’s a make-or-break moment for head coach Mike LaFleur. This is LaFleur’s “Super Bowl” in everything but name, as the Cardinals fight to shake off being the NFL’s punching bag, while the Rams try to right their ship in time to compete for the NFC West alongside the San Francisco 49ers and our own Seattle Seahawks.
Arizona’s Brutal Reality
Seriously, we all know the NFC West is the best division in the NFL. But for too long, it’s been a “three-team division” in most people’s eyes, with the Cardinals serving as two easy wins for everyone else. Lose to them? That spells doom and gloom for any NFC West squad, not to mention major ridicule. Remember that Week 1 “upset” when they beat the Chargers? Everyone was asking if Arizona was a sleeper. Turns out, everyone beats the Chargers now, who are a brutal 0-5. Since then, our NFC West ‘rivals’ in Arizona are 0-4, and they’ve been giving up a mind-boggling average of 37 points per game over the last four weeks. They’re losing by an average of 17 points, straight up the worst team in the league over the past month. Ouch.
LaFleur’s Hot Seat and a Quarterback Conundrum
It wasn’t like anyone expected the Cardinals to win the actual Super Bowl this year, or even make the playoffs, but being this bad has to have folks in Arizona worried about their jobs. The heat is definitely on Mike LaFleur. He was brought in from Sean McVay’s staff with one mission: build an acceptable offense. But he wasn’t exactly handed the keys to a Ferrari. LaFleur inherited Jacoby Brissett, Trey McBride, and Michael Wilson. They drafted Jeremiyah Love with their first pick, but then Marvin Harrison got traded to the Texans. Now, Love is having typical rookie struggles behind a “so-so” offensive line. And Brissett? He’s doing his usual thing, averaging just 5.6 yards per attempt and throwing picks at a 2.5% rate, which is just not good enough. They might be vying for the number one pick, but man, that Week 1 win is really messing up that plan.
Look, the Rams should absolutely win this game. If they don’t, it’s going to be L.A. with egg on their face, not Arizona. That’s why LaFleur and Brissett are going to do everything they can to keep this competitive. And defensive coordinator Nick Rallis? If he lets up another 40 points, he might not see next week. Arizona wants this win bad enough to save some jobs. But will that desperation actually matter on Sunday? We’ll find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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