2023 Arizona Cardinals Predictions with Season Win Total Odds
Call me in three years.
Three years ago, the Cardinals were loaded up for a push toward the Super Bowl as one of the NFC favorites. They were a Trendy Team, bursting with belief in Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray and swollen chested after their blockbuster trade for DeAndre Hopkins.
Today, the ruins of the Kingsbury regime are still smoldering. The former head coach is back in college as an offensive assistant at USC. Former general manager Steve Keim was allowed to resign and slide into the shadows. Hopkins was unceremoniously released and currently a free agent.
Only Murray, who has been injured and embarrassed, is still in Arizona. For now. But no one considers him a franchise staple, and Murray is surrounded by one of the grimmest rosters in the NFL.
The Cardinals are in the opening stages of what looks like a lengthy rebuilding phase. They brought in a new general manager, hired a new coach, former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, and have begun a roster purge that will guarantee Arizona is one of the worst teams in the league this fall.
The Cardinals draft also prioritized stockpiling picks for 2024, where they now own two first round picks and six selections in the first three rounds.
“Today the ruins of the Kingsbury regime are still smoldering.”
Arizona’s gaze toward the future will create some interesting subplots for the 2023 season.
The most important involves Murray’s future. The enigmatic quarterback had a strained relationship with the previous regime, due in part to bad blood from his contract negotiations. The new GM and new coach aren’t married to the little sprite, despite his five-year, $230.5 extension.
Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.
ARIZONA CARDINALS 2023 OFFENSE
Murray is still rehabbing from an ACL injury that limited him to 11 games last season. There is no clear timetable for his return. So that begs the question: how careful will Arizona handle their “franchise” quarterback this season?
From what I know about Murray, he isn’t likely to hurry back from injury to play on this dreadful team. Arizona brass may not want him to play. Since a Murray-less offense would increase their chances of losing games and getting the No. 1 overall pick.
Then again, the Cardinals also need Murray to show a little something if they have any hope of trading him and offloading his contract next offseason.
“Good luck with the former Cleveland Browns tight ends coach calling the plays.”
While Murray mends, Colt McCoy is penciled in as the starter. McCoy is as brittle as puddle ice and can’t be counted on for anything. That means that Cardinals fans could be treated to a hodgepodge of starts by guys like Jeff Driskel, David Blough or Clayton Tune.
The rest of the offense is replacement level. The line, buoyed by top pick Paris Johnson, is a strength. James Connor is an exceptional rotation back but not a true workhorse. Marquise Brown, a friend and former college teammate, was brought in from Baltimore as an olive branch to Murray. He isn’t a true No. 1 receiver, though, and isn’t good enough to pull coverage away from Rondale Moore and the rest of Arizona’s weak receiving corps.
Oh, and new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has never held this position at any level. So good luck with the former Cleveland Browns tight ends coach calling the plays.
ARIZONA CARDINALS 2023 DEFENSE
“There isn’t much to get excited about on D other than a linebacking group…most commonly referred to as ‘disappointing’.”
The defense has its own problems. A) They are going to be hung out to dry by a feeble offense. B) the defense has limited depth and talent.
Safety Budda Baker, one of the few Pro Bowl-caliber starters on the roster, has said he wants out. They will have as many as five rookies on the two-deep, and there isn’t much to get excited about on D other than a linebacking group – Isaiah Simmons, Zaven Collins and Kyzir White – that is most commonly referred to as “disappointing”.
Gannon’s defensive background, along with the fact that Arizona was No. 32 in the league in defensive yards per point last year, are rare signs of hope for the Cardinals stop unit. But I can tell you right now: it’s not going to be pretty.
ARIZONA CARDINALS 2023 SCHEDULE
Finally, Arizona’s schedule all but guarantees that they are aren’t going to top their meager 4.5 season win total.
The Cardinals get to play the Rams twice. Their next three easiest games are on the road, at Washington in Week 1, at Houston in Week 11 and at Chicago in Week 16. Beyond that, the Cardinals will be massive underdogs in their remaining 13 games.
They crossover with the AFC North, which for my money is the best division in football, and take on a deep NFC East. It is a gauntlet.
Week 1: 9/10 at Washington Commanders, 1 PM, FOX
Week 2: 9/17 vs. New York Giants, 4 PM, FOX
Week 3: 9/24 vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 PM, FOX
Week 4: 10/1 at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 PM, FOX
Week 5: 10/8 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 4 PM, FOX
Week 6: 10/15 at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 PM, FOX
Week 7: 10/22 at Seattle Seahawks, 4 PM, FOX
Week 8: 10/29 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 4:25 PM, CBS
Week 9: 11/5 at Cleveland Browns, 1 PM, CBS
Week 10: 11/12 vs. Atlanta Falcons, 4 PM, CBS
Week 11: 11/19 at Houston Texans, 1 PM, CBS
Week 12: 11/26 vs. Los Angeles Rams, 4 PM, FOX
Week 13: 12/3 at Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 PM, CBS
Week 14: Bye Week
Week 15: 12/17 vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4 PM, CBS
Week 16: 12/24 at Chicago Bears, 4:25 PM, FOX
Week 17: 12/31 at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 PM, FOX
Week 18: TBD vs. Seattle Seahawks, TBD, TBD
ARIZONA CARDINALS 2023 SEASON PICKS AND PREDICTIONS
It has been 21 years since the NFL adopted its current 32-team, eight-division format. In that time, there have been 45 teams that have won three or fewer games in a season. There have been 98 teams over that period – an average of 4.7 per season – that have won four or fewer games each year.
Now, these numbers are compromised a bit by the fact that the league now plays a 17-game schedule. However, the last quarter century of football history suggests that two teams are going to end this season with three wins or less. And I think it is clear that the Arizona Cardinals are going to be one of them.
The smart money has the Cardinals tanking this season for a shot at USC quarterback Caleb Williams, a larger, fresher version of Murray. The worse they do the more valuable their draft capital, and right now that’s all that matters to the front office.
In three years, we will know how the new general manager, new head coach, new coordinators and new plan worked out. Until proven otherwise, though, this is a team to bet against – hard.
Robert Ferringo has been the top football handicapper in the country the past 13 years, earning nearly $40,000 in total football profit (average profit: +$3,800) between 2010-2019 alone. He has posted 9 of 13 winning seasons (including five of seven winning years) and produced an amazing 64 of 100 winning football months over the past 16 years. Robert has hit at nearly 60 percent winners over his last 1,000 totals picks and has posted 14 of 17 winning Super Bowls. Robert is looking for another winning football year and wants more profit this fall. SIGN UP HERE TODAY AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR 3-FOR-1 FOOTBALL SPECIALS!
Get NFL picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bet premium picks by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.
Most Recent NFL Handicapping
- Who Will Be the Las Vegas Raiders Starting QB in Week 1? Odds and Betting Predictions
- Who Will Be the Minnesota Vikings Starting QB in Week 1? Odds and Betting Predictions
- Who Will Be the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Starting QB in Week 1? Odds and Betting Predictions
- NFL Free Agency Predictions: Odds and Betting Props for Key Players
- Handicapping the Super Bowl teams for Next Season: Chiefs and 49ers Prop Bets
- 2025 Super Bowl Predictions
- NFL Championship Weekend Prop Bet Predictions with Expert Analysis
- NFL Betting Predictions: Championship Week Opening Line Report and Picks
- Kansas City Chiefs Predictions for Playoffs and Best Bets with Super Bowl Odds
- Buffalo Bills Predictions for Playoffs and Best Bets with Super Bowl Odds