Cardinals have one of league’s easiest schedules in 2020
The Arizona Cardinals believe they can make big improvements in 2020 after their five-win 2019 season. While they play in one of the NFL’s most competitive divisions in the NFC West, their schedule should help them win more games than last season.
Touchdown Wire’s Mark Schofield ranked the 32 NFL teams based on their strength of schedule, as calculated using Football Outsiders’ DVOA.
Using these metrics, the Cardinals have the third-easiest schedule in the NFL.
Their average opponent DVOA is -1.7%.
Many football writers are pointing at the Arizona Cardinals to take a huge step forward in 2020. That likely stems from the idea that Kyler Murray takes a big developmental stride, perhaps that “year two quarterback leap” we have seen from other quarterbacks recently. Football Outsiders have the Cardinals as a team in the top half of the league, with a DVOA of -0.5% which places them 15th in the league. Their schedule? Arizona faces an average opponent DVOA that is relatively weak, putting them in position to take that step forward. Games against the Miami Dolphins, the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers stand out in that regard.
The Cardinals will open with a tough game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, but the four games that follow are against weak teams — the Washington Football Team, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers and New York Jets.
With games also against the Dolphins and Giants, the Cardinals have the opportunity to make hay against weaker opponents and show everyone they are no longer one of them.
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