by Ryan Mercier
Cardinals vs. Dolphins: Next Year’s Super Bowl?
Do not laugh. On Sunday, two young teams on the rise played the best game of the entire weekend. The strides the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins are making are clear to see and both could be a year away from a championship.
In Arizona, it’s all about Kyler Murray. He is a game-changer with undeniable talent and has the ability to beat any team essentially by himself. That applies to this season. What could happen next season when Chandler Jones returns and Murray has two years of experience under his belt? Frankly, it would not be absolutely shocking to see Arizona come out of the NFC this season, though not likely.
As for the team who won on Sunday, the Dolphins will be an even more well-rounded squad next season. Tua Tagovailoa has only played two games in his entire career but being bullish on Miami has more to do with the head coach, Brian Flores. Flores overachieved last season and has turned the Fins into a tough out, week after week. Insert Rookie Running Back X and some playmakers on defense in 2021 and look out.
Saints Come Marching
Wow. The New Orleans Saints have not looked like a real contender all season long. They accumulated some wins but have not felt like a top team in the NFC, bringing up more questions than answers. That is, until Sunday Night Football when the Saints absolutely crushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 38-3.
It cannot be overstated how badly the Bucs were beaten by their rival. Tampa had become the favorite in the NFC ready to take the league by storm. Instead, the Saints have now swept the season series in convincing fashion and are in the driver’s seat to win the NFC South. This is about as big as a regular season victory can be halfway through the year.
If the Saints can look like the team from last Sunday, and not the squad from their first seven games, they are easily the Super Bowl contenders many observers thought they would be in the offseason.
Final Notes
- Hey Bills, you haven’t been mentioned enough. You’re 7-2. No idea what the ceiling is for Buffalo, but being third in the AFC deserves mention.
- The Chicago Bears reckoning was predictable back in Week 3
- Chargers, you’re so good at what you do
Struggling Actor Sports 