Looking at the eight teams playing in the wild card round of the NFL playoffs this weekend, I'd have to say the team least likely to win the Super Bowl is the Arizona Cardinals. The sports books agree with that assessment; the Super Bowl odds provided by Bodog say the Cardinals are the longest of long shots at 40-1.But I'd argue that the Cardinals -- and the other 11 teams in the playoffs -- all have a better chance of winning the Super Bowl (based on what we know now) than the Giants had at the outset of last year's playoffs (based on what we knew then).
If I tell you the Cardinals are going to beat the Falcons this weekend, then win at the Giants and at the Panthers, and then go to the Super Bowl and beat the Steelers, you'll tell me I'm crazy. But not as crazy as you would have thought I was if I had told you a year ago that the Giants were going to win at Tampa Bay, at Dallas, at Green Bay and then on a neutral field against the undefeated Patriots.
The bottom line is that while it seems ridiculous to suggest that the 9-7 Cardinals would win four straight games, culminating with the Super Bowl, it's less ridiculous than the same suggestion about the Giants would have been last year. That's what makes these next three weekends so fun.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-02-2009 @ 11:42AM
JHawkey said...
Michael
Good post......but this isn't last years Giant team. I have seen absolutely no depth on this Ariz team. I hope you aren't comparing this Cardinal defense to the Giant defense last year? If Atlanta does get beat by these guys, then Spagnoulo or Fox will stunt and scheme Warner to the point of watching cloud formations while laying on his back. The Giants won during the last half of the season and continued onward with good coaching and consistant play. Have you seen the Cardinals play the last few weeks? I am still looking for that Momentem.....The Giants had it.
If it happens to snow in NJ or Carolina, then Warner will hide in an igaloo just like he did in NE.
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1-02-2009 @ 12:12PM
A.J. said...
The Cardinals might make it past the Falcons, but the Falcons won't make it easy on them for sure.
The real potential surprise team in the entire field might be the Dolphins. Everybody's written them off because their starting matchup is tough, but people forget about the defensive side of what they do - Joey Porter has been a sack machine this year, and if they're able to turn him loose against a rookie quarterback, it might have some interesting results.
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1-02-2009 @ 12:13PM
billh said...
The giants were 7-1 on the road entering the playoffs last year.
The cardinals our 3-5 on the road this year.
Oh yeah, and the Giants got the quarterback better than any other team in football. Not a great comparison.
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1-02-2009 @ 1:30PM
ken said...
The catch bye Teree was one in 1 billion it will never happen again it is the play that defined the super bowl that had to be the luckiest play start to finish I have ever seen in sports period but grant it they beat up the Patriots all game and deserved to win the game but all in all I would have loved to see a team goes undefeated to shut up the 72 Dolphins team that 72 team should shut up because they did not play any good teams they played I believe it was 4 teams with winning records that includes the playoff's the Patriots played the best the NFL had last year and beat them all until the Super bowl
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1-02-2009 @ 9:19PM
chris said...
Giants had a running game, the Cardinals do not.Giants had the best pass rush in the league,the Cards do not.The won on the road, the Cards do not.Sorry terrible comparison
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1-03-2009 @ 6:30PM
Lou D. said...
Whaaaaat?
No running game,
no defense,
and 3-7 record vs. real football teams (those 6 division games don't count).
But you gotta love Kurt Warner.
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1-11-2009 @ 4:20PM
Digital_Jedi said...
Giants just lost to the eagles, The cards might just have a chance. At this point I wouldnt rule anything out since it seems like no one knows what the hell they are talking about based on what has happened this week in football.
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1-12-2009 @ 7:42AM
CardsFan1213 said...
Man. I love this stuff. This is why the play the game, not just talk about it.
NO ONE outside of Arizona picked the cards to win 2 games. Here we are, hosting another game this postseason, while the Giants, and Pats, and Panthers, and Cowboys, and Dolphins, Titans and Colts... all watching. Who would've guessed that?
Room on the bandwagon, come on over!
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1-12-2009 @ 9:07AM
Brenda McConnell said...
Well, after the outcome of these post-season games, I am going to officially root for the Cards ;) As a fanatical 'Boys fan, I would love to see the Cards head to the Big Game ;) Warner is a class act and deserves to be there now !! So, GO CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have a great day all,
Brenda (for the 'Boys) there is always next year ;)
PS: CardsFan1213, I'm on your bandwagon for now!!
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1-18-2009 @ 8:16PM
rjpence81 said...
Well, if you had flat-out predicted the Cards to go to the Super Bowl in this article, MDS, you'd had been in the early running for best post of the year (and this was on Jan. 2nd no less). Regardless, its a good post none the less.
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1-25-2009 @ 1:01AM
black hunter said...
God I cant tell you how much I want the cardinals to run all over the stupid steelers with their moronic 'terrible towels' and their quarterback with The Worst Nickname In The NFL......
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