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The Arizona Cardinals Week 1 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs could be full of fireworks. The Cardinals and Chiefs boast two of the most explosive offenses in the league, and it's clear that this will be one of the more entertaining games to watch during Week 1. With kickoff nearing, we are going to take a look at our Cardinals Week 1 predictions for their game with the Chiefs.
The Cardinals are hoping the 2022 season can be the year star quarterback Kyler Murray finally puts all of the pieces of the puzzle together. Murray has shown stretches where he's capable of being one of the best players in the league, but he's fallen apart down the stretch in each of the past two seasons, which is a worrying trend the Cardinals have picked up on.
Still, anytime Murray takes the field, the Cardinals have a chance to win. With a strong offensive cast around him, and an up-and-coming defense that could surprise this year, Arizona could be one of the teams to beat in the NFC. With that in mind, let's look at our four bold predictions for the Cardinals Week 1 matchup against the Chiefs.
4. Arizona Cardinals RB James Conner will fail to make an impact
James Conner was one of the biggest surprises in the NFL last season. He emerged from out of nowhere to become a touchdown machine, and his 18 trips to the endzone were most in the NFL. With all the weapons Arizona was missing down the stretch of the season, Conner's ability to score touchdowns was huge for the Cardinals.
When you take away Conner's touchdown numbers, though, his statline from last season was fairly pedestrian, and he won't get off to such a hot start on the 2022 campaign. Conner won't get much of anything going on the ground against the Chiefs, even though their run defense isn't all that great. Conner will finish with just 12 carries for 27 yards, and he will get phased out of the game plan as the contest turns into a shootout.
3. Arizona Cardinals FS Budda Baker will force two turnovers
Budda Baker has quietly emerged as one of the best all-around safeties in the NFL. He can tackle, he can cover, heck, he can even rush the passer. No matter what Baker is asked to do, he does it, and he does it right.
Baker is coming off his second straight All-Pro season, and he will begin his campaign for a third straight All-Pro season early against the Chiefs. Baker will force a fumble from Travis Kelce midway through the first quarter, and will intercept a deep shot from Patrick Mahomes intended for Mecole Hardman in the third quarter that changes the tide of the game. Baker's contributions help keep the Cardinals alive after a slow start to the game.
2. Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray will score five total touchdowns
Murray has some heightened expectations surrounding him now that he has a massive five-year, $230.5 million contract tied to his name. He will get tested right off the bat against the Chiefs here, and it will be interesting to see how he and the Cardinals offense hold up considering they will be without their top wide receiver in DeAndre Hopkins.
Murray will end up having an explosive opening performance in Week 1 against the Chiefs that involves him scoring five touchdowns on the day. He will find Marquise Brown in the end zone twice, Rondale Moore and Zach Ertz once apiece, and take home another score on the ground himself. Most of Murray's work will get done in the second half, and help the Cardinals pull off one of the comebacks of the season just one week into the season.
1. The Arizona Cardinals will stage a massive comeback against the Kansas City Chiefs and end up winning 45-41
Well if you want to talk about bold predictions, here you go. Not many folks are giving the Cardinals a chance against the Chiefs, but this game could be closer than many folks think. It won't look that way in the first half, where the Chiefs will race out to a quick 31-10 lead at halftime. Kansas City will extend their lead to 34-10 on their first drive of the second half before the Cardinals score 28 unanswered points to take a 38-34 lead with under five minutes left in the fourth.
Baker's aforementioned interception will prove to be the turning point, but he makes his lone mistake of the day on the Chiefs next drive when he blows a coverage on Kelce in the red zone to allows KC to retake the lead. Murray is hot by this point, though, and he effortlessly executes a perfect two-minute drill that ends with him finding Ertz in the end zone on a seam route. The Chiefs final drive will stall out at midfield, and the Cardinals will walk away from this game with a 1-0 record.
