Coming off a dominant Week 1 victory against the Tennessee Titans, the Arizona Cardinals took the entire football world by surprise and showed that they've been horribly overlooked as a title contender in 2021. Between the expanding game of Kyler Murray, the explosive receiving corps of DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green, and a smothering defense led by Chandler Jones, J.J. Watt, and Budda Baker, the Cardinals have proven that they can run with the best of them.
Even though it's only been one game, it was a very convincing win against a Titans team that's been widely considered a Super Bowl contender. After completely taking the Titans out of their element on Sunday and showing that they're not to be taken lightly, this deep and dynamic Cardinals team is a legit title contender that'll only get better with time. After witnessing the Cardinals' stunning beatdown of the Titans on Sunday, let's now look at three major takeaways from their Week 1 match-up.
Cardinals have the potential to lead the league in scoring. Thanks, Kyler Murray
After the blowout win where the Cardinals put up 38 points and shredded the Titans defense all game long, there's no doubt that this team could surpass the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the highest scoring team in the league during the 2021-22 NFL season.
Especially with Kyler Murray continually showcasing his mobility and deep arm threat and DeAndre Hopkins having the athleticism, footwork, and steady hands to catch any pass that comes his way. Not to mention A.J. Green, James Conner, Chase Edmonds, and Christian Kirk will continue to provide the Cards with offensive firepower that they'll continue to utilize as the season goes on.
Murray's ability to seamlessly move the ball around while continuously making one big play after another has elevated Arizona's offense to the next level. It has only been one game, but their dominance over an AFC powerhouse like the Tennessee Titans really gives us a glimpse into what this team is capable of on offense. It also proves that they have the personnel and assertion to become the league's most explosive offensive unit.
The Titans played well below expectations
During the 2021 NFL offseason, the Tennessee Titans acquired Julio Jones and formed an electric offensive quartet with Jones, Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill, and AJ Brown. Unfortunately, they were not able to live up to their potential during their lopsided loss to the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.
Granted it was their first regular season game together and they'll need more time to develop stronger team chemistry, but they played well below the team's expectations in Week 1 and need to do all they can to avoid starting off their season in an 0-2 hole. In dire need of a revival game in Week 2, their match-up against the Seattle Seahawks next Sunday will be a pivotal game and they'll need everybody to step up for them in a major way if they want to pull off an upset on the road.
The Cardinals will be a top-5 defense in 2021
The Arizona Cardinals frontline was an absolute force of nature and too overbearing for the Titans to hold off in Week 1. Especially with Chandler Jones leading the way for them on defense by tallying five sacks and six tackles. Isaiah Simmons, Budda Baker, and Byron Murphy also were major factors for them on defense with 16 combined tackles between them.
Although J.J. Watt was a non-factor in their big win, it can definitely be expected that he'll have a huge impact on their defense as they get deeper into the season. Fresh off a dominant performance in their regular season debut, this upstart Cardinals defense will undoubtedly boast a top five defensive unit and be dismantling opposing offenses on a weekly basis.
Follow Us
Subscribe