After weeks of unnecessary build up, we finally have the real deal 2022 Arizona Cardinals football schedule.

Here is my first crack at game by game predictions before everything changes with training camp additions, injuries and trades in the next four months.

Week 1: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Talk about ripping the band aid off the offseason for Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. The Chiefs are a helluva draw in week 1. Even with the loss of Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs have a powerful offensive line and Patrick Mahomes which will be more than enough to test a Cardinals defense that has largely ignored the spotlight this offseason despite playing a big part in the late season collapse.
PREDICTION: WIN

Week 2: @ Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders imported Davante Adams and Josh McDaniels but otherwise still have just an average roster. This should be a game for Kyler Murray to eat, as long as Maxx Crosby doesn't eat him first.
PREDICTION: WIN

Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams

Last year the Cardinals announced their arrival with a Week 4 beatdown of the Rams in LA. I don't see the same thing happening this year. Barring injuries, the Cardinals still don't have an answer for the Rams.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 4: @ Carolina Panthers

Carolina has the Cardinals number having beaten them all three years of the Kingsbury/Kyler era. This Panthers team should break that streak and I expect the Cardinals to finally have their day against the Carolina Panthers, getting their first win over them since 2013.
PREDICTION: WIN

Week 5: vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Aside from quarterbacks, I think the Eagles have a better roster overall than the Arizona Cardinals. The question is how big of an advantage at QB do the Cardinals enjoy? Jalen Hurts has some Jekyll/Hyde to his game and if the right version shows up in the desert, this could be a tough home game for the Cardinals. This feels like a classic letdown game to me.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 6: @ Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks and Cardinals always have a weird season series but things should normalize now that Seattle made the absurd decision to not only trade 33 year old Russell Wilson but to replace him with Drew Lock. The Cardinals get a big road win and look for the sweep in a few weeks when they wrap the season series.
PREDICTION: WIN

Week 7: Thursday night vs. New Orleans Saints

The Saints are one of those coin toss games on the schedule. This will be the week the Cardinals get back DeAndre Hopkins, it will be a short week but it will be at home. I think that juice is enough to carry the Cardinals to an impressive 5-2 start to the season.
PREDICTION: WIN

Week 8: @ Minnesota

@Week 8:
Last season, the Vikings were 2-5 in games decided by 4 points or less, including Week 2 at State Farm Stadium. With a change in leadership, I'd expect the Vikings to have better luck and I consider them a real NFC dark horse. In Week 8, Patrick Peterson gets his long awaited revenge against his old team.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 9: vs. Seattle Seahawks

If its not Drew Lock in week 9, it will be Geno Smith in Week 9. It doesn't matter, the Cardinals finish off the sweep of the former NFC West mainstays.
PREDICTION: WIN

@Week 10: Week 10: @ Los Angeles

I think the Rams are done messing around with the Cardinals and will just pull off the season sweep in similarly predictable fashion as the Cardinals sweeping the Seahawks.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 11: MNF vs. San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City

This is where it gets a little tricky. There are so many variables with this 49ers team who were the NFC runner-ups a year ago. On paper, they are a more accomplished team with a track record of high end success that dwarfs the Cardinals modest gains but in reality this is a team with a huge question mark at QB in May. I think the Cardinals split the season series in some form or fashion against the 49ers. In a scheduling quirk, the Cardinals will have completed five of six NFC West games by mid-November.
PREDICTION: WIN

Week 12: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

This is where trouble really starts to begin for the Cardinals. Its hard to see the Cardinals and Kliff Kingsbury reversing his career-long trend of second half collapses with a final stretch that includes seven preseason Super Bowl contenders in their last eight games.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 13: BYE

Week 14: MNF vs. New England Patriots

The Patriots had one of the weirdest offseasons of any NFL team but as long as Bill Belichick has a pulse and maybe even when he doesn't, I'm taking Bill over Kliff.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 15: @ Denver

A December road game in Denver could be snowy, cold and miserable. That doesn't sound like Kyler's wheelhouse. Chalk up another loss for the fast-fading Arizona Cardinals.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 16: SNF vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This is a major stage for the Arizona Cardinals. I'd guess the Christmas Night version of Sunday Night Football would be the 2nd most watched SNF of the year after Week 1. Assuming TB12 hasn't bolted for the broadcast booth by now or Todd Bowles hasn't torn down everything TB12 built, this is another L from me.
PREDICTION: LOSS

Week 17: @ Atlanta Falcons

Finally, a bit of a reprieve from the gauntlet the Cardinals face down the stretch. The Falcons are kind of intriguing but in a vacuum, the Cardinals are just better in every way.
PREDICTION: WIN

Week 18: @ San Francisco

At this point of the season as I see it, it doesn't really matter what happens here but I'll stay true to my series split prediction and give the Cardinals their last L of the season.
PREDICTION: LOSS

FINAL RECORD: 8-9

TL;DR - As the old saying goes, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. The Cardinals are a quick start, big fade team and will be so again this year. Hopefully this time there are less back slaps and contract extensions for the Cardinals 2nd half collapse.

The Drive with Jody Oehler