Where are we?

Well…let me try and answer your question this way…in (10) games…we have won (6) and lost (2) by only (1) score…Bills (on the road 34-28) and Detroit (at home 20-13). Both of those teams are Super Bowl contenders…and those (2) loses make our 6-4 record look stronger than it does on paper. Now…the outliers are the blow-out loses to both the Commanders and the Packers…who…in all likelihood will be playoff bound teams in the NFC. However…I’d take my chances…being a Division Winner and playing any potential Wild-Card team at home in either the Wild Card Round or Divisional Round. That’s our best chance of winning a playoff game this year IMO. After that…it’s a crap shoot depending on whether we get a 2nd home game or if we travel. In the NFL…a strong run game and a good defense travels well in the playoffs…right now…our run game has been lights out and our defense has played better…however…against weaker offensive teams. Coming out of the bye…we need to see how we respond against Seattle and Minnesota on the road…to gauge if this team is only going to be a one trick pony come playoff time. But…hell…that's pretty fun to even think about isn't? I’m sure we’d all take a playoff appearance and a playoff win this year…but once you’re in the dance…you never know.

My honest answer, as I watch this relatively low scoring Eagles- Commanders game, is that I know we could have beat the Bills and the Lions, who are IMO two of the top four teams. The Commanders have struggled to put up 10 points and Daniels just threw a bad INT with 4 min left, and it appears Kliff Kingsbury’s offense and rookie QB may once again be struggling in the second half of a season. Kansas City seems incredibly lucky to be undefeated. I don’t think we are by any means better than any of the four teams I mentioned, but I think if we keep playing like we have been and build on that with additions of Jonah Williams and DRob, we certainly have a fair shot at anyone.

Can I see the AZ Cardinals play at least 5 games with DROB, Jonah Williams and Baron Browning getting 40+ snaps ? .... then I can better judge where the Cardinals are at.  Additionally I would like to note that ever since Kurt Warner went on air that he thought the AZ passing offense's timing was not right with receivers because KM1 was making his drop in the pocket and reads too fast.  WELL .. magically the Cards coaching staff that same week noticed the same thing (were they listening ?) and since then the offense has looked far better in the passing game.

DH is correct that the Cards even without any of the 3 players I list above (well Jonah Williams played one quarter) should or could have easily beat the Bills on the road if not for a bogus penalty of roughing the passer against Zaven or a no call pass interference at end of game OR even the fact that Kyler missed a wide open MHJ due to going thru his reads too fast (which has been corrected).    Similar issue vs. the Lions in which the refs took away a pick 6 at end of the first half by mistakenly blowing the whistle 2.5 seconds into the play (right before the hit on Goff) but citing they blew the play dead for the 2 minute warning at 2:00:6.

I remind Cardinal fans that the Front Office/Coaching Staff are trying to model themselves to the Lions and we must remember the following about the Lions under Dan Campbell.
2021 - 3-13-1 (Drafted Sewell at LT to begin rebuild - Cards draft PJJ to be future LT and begin their rebuild).
2022 - began year at 1-6 then went 8-2 to finish 9-8.  Cardinals were 2-4 before winning FOUR Straight and sitting 6-4 at the bye week.
2023 - Won 12 games (12-5)
2024 - Super Bowl ?

Cards are only thru about 35% of the journey of the Lions turnaround and so this off-season is the one with the 2nd most cap space in the NFL (something the Lions did NOT have entering 2023).

At home for a playoff game and DROB/J. Williams/Browning are significant contributors, I think the Cards could play well vs. any of the teams but I am rooting for the real possibility of the Vikings coming to SFS the first week of the playoffs and if Darnold is the recent "old version" of too many grievous mistakes, then I like our chances.  I also agree with DH about the Commanders who are now gong thru the entire K2 "experience" of defenses figuring out his offensive plays under certain formations and his offense being much more predictable in 2nd half of seasons.   So a rematch vs. K2 and the Commanders also doesn't worry me especially with the additions of DROB & Browning (along with development of X. Thomas) to put pressure on Daniels.

It should be noted that the 2 teams having the easiest strength of schedule in the entire NFL are .... the Commanders and Eagles !!!!   The Commanders miracle victory over the Bears -- I sure hope it isn't the difference between the Cards overtaking the Commanders to get in the playoffs.

Honestly we are in that super broad, vague range called "good enough".
We could beat anyone or we could fall on our face any given Sunday.
It may sound funny but I am extremely happy to be here.

I'll just watch the rest of the season on the edge of my seat feeling like anything could happen.
We have definitely gotten better and would do a lot better against the Commanders than last time.

Ha ha. Touche.  You know that when I've suggested tanking I suggested optimal tank jobs, early on, not half-axx mid season tankjobs.  But had we tanked several years ago when I did suggest it, we'd already be in the Super Bowl   Instead we suffered through how many disappointments, plus a Kyler injury, plus awful cap situation which took years to clean up.

I certainly didn't suggest it last two years.  Actually, wasn't my prediction of our record last year, pretty close?  And this year's as well?  I need to go back and look at my pre-season prediction this year because I thought I mentioned sneaking into playoffs as a wildcard.  Besides, we both know the reason we are winning this year is my superstition.  Remember me saying I was going to try NOT watching any of the games live?  Someone else on the board said it brought us luck so I've been doing it this year to.  And since we've kept winning, I've continued not watching until it's over.  The things I sacrifice for the RedBirds.  I wish I could recall which other board member was watching all the games tape delayed like me.