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PHNX Daily: Cardinals Already Facing Elimination

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Alex D’Agostino Avatar

Arizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett

👋 GOOD MORNING – I hope you’re getting ready to enjoy some turkey, friends, family and football (okay, fine, those other things are good, too) this week!

We’ve got a pretty ominous matchup coming for the Cardinals, though it may still be of the winnable variety.

PHNX Daily will be off Thursday and Friday, so this will be the last you hear from me this week (for better or worse).

By the way, if you’re looking to score some PHNX merch for cheap, our Black Friday Sale will offer 30% off site-wide from Thursday-Monday!

Time for the latest!

— Alex D’Agostino, PHNX Sports Daily Editor

Cardinals May Face Elimination vs Buccaneers

Yeah, that’s not really what any of us had in mind before this season began. There were expectations of a playoff run, a division title, or even (gasp) a winning record?

Technically Arizona could still achieve that… if they were to win out and have about a million other improbable things happen. Never say never, I guess.

But in all reality, the Cardinals may very well be fighting for their playoff lives before even reaching the month of December.

If the Cardinals lose, and the Green Bay Packers win, and the Chicago Bears eitbeeher win or tie, that’s the end of Arizona’s playoff hopes, which were already practically zero (H/T Joe Ferreira on X/Twitter).

But let’s forget about all the hypotheticals for a moment. This team needs wins, and it doesn’t matter who their opponent is. This week, it’ll be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Cardinals Face Bucs in Need of a Win

The Cardinals are coming off yet another close, brutal loss (this time in overtime) to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bucs, meanwhile, were stomped by the NFC-West-leading Los Angeles Rams 34-7 — a fate that seems like it could be Arizona’s in the coming weeks.

In the process of that ugly loss, stud Bucs QB Baker Mayfield suffered an AC joint sprain in his non-throwing shoulder. He exited the game in favor of Teddy Bridgewater, who looked… less than prepared to be facing one of the best defenses in the NFL. I can’t say I blame him too much.

It looks like Mayfield still has a chance to suit up this weekend against Arizona, though he probably won’t be 100% regardless. Standout Bucs RB Bucky Irving, after a prolonged injury absence, will be returning this week, however.

That may end up being more important to you fantasy managers than the Cardinals, who seem to just find the most creative ways to lose every week.

But still, 4-8 is better than 3-9. The Cardinals’ key to ending the skid:

Get to the QB

It doesn’t matter if it’s Bridgewater or Mayfield, getting pressure on the QB will be huge for Arizona’s defense. The Cardinals’ defense showed out last week against Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars with four turnovers, and likely need another sturdy defensive performance to give their inconsistent offense some breathing room.

If it’s Mayfield under center, getting to him quickly and early could rattle him into some errant throws, especially if he’s playing banged-up. If it’s Bridgewater, the veteran backup might not even be able to escape.

The Rams were all over the two Tampa passers on Sunday night, with four sacks and six QB hits on the night. The Cardinals could use some of that. Which mean’s Arizona’s X-factor is…

OLB Josh Sweat

It’s truly a shame to see such a brilliant season go to waste. Sweat has been worth every penny of his massive free agent contract so far. He’s got nine sacks (on pace to smash his previous career-high of 11) and an immense 39 total pressures on the season.

Mayfield may not be at his most elusive state on Sunday, and Bridgewater was the opposite of mobile against the Rams. With Walter Nolen III’s status in question after tweaking his knee against Jacksonville, it should be Sweat flying off the edge that gives Arizona an, well… edge.

Quick Hits

Sac-Bound: The Suns look to rebound from a tough 114-92 loss to the banged-up Rockets with an NBA Cup road matchup against the Sacramento Kings tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Phoenix has not yet lost in Cup play, and sits in second place in their group, just behind the Thunder.

Island Life: ASU basketball sure seems to love Maui. Bobby Hurley’s guys took their third-straight win last night, taking down the WSU Cougars in a high-scoring 100-94 game. Senior Moe Odum, after his exciting game-winner over Texas, once again led the scoring with 26 points and five assists.

ASU Football, meanwhile, moves up to No. 20 in the CFP rankings ahead of the Territorial Cup on Friday night. What a late-season surge from Kenny Dillingham’s squad.

Cracking the Ranks: Wildcat football cracked the CFP committee’s top 25 for the first time this season, coming in at No. 25 on the dot. For the first time since 2014, both teams participating in the Territorial Cup are ranked. Get ready, Friday night might be a wild one.

Wildcat hoops, meanwhile, will play Norfolk State in McKale for a 2:00 p.m. afternoon game. The No. 2-ranked Cats are 6-0 to start the season.