The 2026 NFL season begins next week. The Arizona Cardinals open the season on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers.
They are not expected to be good this season, as they have the lowest projected win total in the league.
As such, in post-preseason power rankings from ESPN, it should be no surprise where they rank.
They dropped one spot to No. 30. They were 29th in their power rankings following the draft.
They are ahead of only the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins.
They are underdogs in every game this season and at least touchdown underdogs for their first 11 games.
The offense has some promise, but the same can't be said about the defense, which allowed over 30 points in three of their four preseason games. They don't have any pass rush
outside of Josh Sweat, who only recently started practicing.
They also have a very tough schedule, so it is no wonder why they are ranked so low. Could they be a little better? It is possible, especially if the offense is as smooth as it has looked, but until we see it and the defense is better than bad, it is a reasonable ranking.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL power rankings: Arizona Cardinals fall slight after preseason
