The Cardinals aren’t wasting any team; they are putting it all on the line Week 1 against the Titans.
When I say “all”, I mean “all”.
Their playoff chances, their draft class, their chemistry, their culture and the employment of their leadership is all going to be on the line in Nashville. Let me explain.
The Cardinals spent an entire offseason telling us with their actions they are in “win now” mode. Steve Keim confirmed it in a recent interview with the Arizona Republic’s Bob McManaman.
And now they are heading into a Week1 matchup against a team that Larry Fitzgerald picked to win the AFC with a rookie cornerback being asked to do some heavy lifting against AJ Brown and Julio Jones while another rookie, Zaven Collins, is tasked with slowing down the NFL’s two time defending rushing champ with some help from his second year teammate in Isaiah Simmons.
So to summarize, Steve Keim deliberately decided to risk everything on his rookie class after having the worst draft track record in the NFL over the last four years, per PFF.
Steve Keim either has the biggest brass ones amongst his GM brethern or the worst case of football beer goggles the world has ever seen.
This is a team with a razor thin margin for error in a division loaded with more accomplished head coaches and quarterbacks facing a do or die season for every major decision maker in the organization that appears comfortable betting the house on Marco Wilson not getting toasted by Julio Jones and/or AJ Brown.
Wow.
So here's what I propose for a Cardinals team that desperately needs a W to start the season in Nashville:
Win Week 1 against the Titans and Steve Keim gets a 1 year contract extension.
Lose to Tennessee and we stop delaying the inevitable and fire Keim after the loss.
Figuratively, the Cardinals season opener means everything for their season, why not make it official?
Let the games begin.