It’s only Week 13 and those four nightmarish words are creeping into the Arizona Cardinals’ 2025 campaign:
“Eliminated from playoff contention.”
By the time most of you fully come out of your self-induced Thanksgiving food coma on Sunday afternoon, the Cardinals could very well be among the first teams with the little “e” no one wants next to their name in the NFL standings.
So far, only the New York Giants, who currently hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft at 2-10, can claim that unceremonious honor.
If the Cardinals do in fact get eliminated this week, it would be the earliest they’ve been shut out of the postseason picture since 1986, when the franchise was still in St. Louis.
Cardinals’ path to elimination from playoff contention in Week 13
For Arizona to be officially eliminated, three things have to happen. Let’s start with a loss in Tampa Bay before getting to the others.
With a healthy Baker Mayfield quarterbacking the 6-5 Buccaneers, that’s a strong possibility. But after he missed Wednesday’s practice with a shoulder injury, his availability is seriously up in the air.
With quarterback Teddy “Two Gloves” Bridgewater potentially getting the rock — he saw QB1 reps during Wednesday’s practice — a Tampa Bay W isn’t the given many expected it to be just a week prior.
The unknown surrounding Tampa Bay’s QB situation has the Cardinals as 2.5-point road underdogs. If Mayfield finds his way back in the saddle, that number should increase.
That’s far from the only game to watch when it comes to the Cardinals’ fate, though. In order for the Cardinals to be eliminated, Arizona would need to lose, the Green Bay Packers have to win and the Chicago Bears need to either win or tie.
Much like the Cardinals, the Packers are 2.5-point underdogs on the road against the Detroit Lions. The Bears, on the other hand, are seven-point road underdogs against the Philadelphia Eagles.
And with the Packers (Thursday) and Bears (Friday) playing ahead of Sunday, Arizona is going to know where it stands heading into its game.
Arizona isn’t alone on being on the brink of elimination, either. Five other teams not named the Cardinals could also see their playoff hopes officially dashed this week:
– Tennessee Titans
– Las Vegas Raiders
– New York Jets
– New Orleans Saints
– Washington Commanders