If you are going to a betting window this weekend, make sure to put a few dead presidents on the Cardinals in Week 6. Arizona is on the road against the NFC West these next two upcoming Sundays, with the Rams up first. The division is a runaway for the San Francisco 49ers, but Seattle, Los Angeles, and Arizona will make some noise.
Why the Cardinals Can Pull Off the Upset in Week 6
The Cardinals have been in every game this season, except Week 4 at San Francisco. The Rams have been blown out once this season 30-13 at Seattle, but competitive against the 49ers 30-23. The West will be a tough out inside the division for the three teams after the Niners. This week, Arizona will look to make a cellar mate out of the Rams – and Josh Dobbs will be the guy who makes it happen.
file this under things we absolutely love to see 🗃@josh_dobbs1 x @Primetime_jet pic.twitter.com/GICbc6hdPr
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 8, 2023
Josh Dobbs For The Win
Dobbs has been a solid starter for the Cardinals this season. While nobody will confuse him with Peyton Manning, he’s proven to be smart with a game plan that continues to open up to his strengths. Against the Rams, look for Gannon and especially offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to allow Dobbs to flourish.
One thing Dobbs has excelled at is moving out of the pocket and throwing to his receivers on the fly. For this reason alone, look for Dobbs to light up the stat line. A big Sunday is on deck for Marquise Brown, Michael Wilson, Rondale Moore, and possibly the tight end position. If they can soften the Rams’ secondary, a huge day could be had for running back Emari Demercardo.
First of his NFL Career 🙌@Money_E3 x #BirdGang pic.twitter.com/Fo42ZYbNkH
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 8, 2023
For the two franchises, the Rams lead the series 46-40-2. But Los Angeles and Arizona have some interesting parallels. One, while the Cardinals are amidst a rebuild, the Rams are flirting with one. The Cardinals sit at 1-4 while Los Angeles is 2-3. Stranger is that Arizona could just as easily be 3-2. Close contests at Washington, and against the Giants show Arizona has greater upside than the Rams. But will that mean a win on Sunday? The short answer is yes. If the Cardinals play the way they are capable, they can beat any non-elite team. If they take the handcuffs off of Dobbs, it’s a stone-cold lock.
Dobbs to Brown, Dobbs to Wilson, Dobbs to Moore, and Dobbs running will stun the Rams early and often. More weapons, more points. In a lot of ways, the Cardinals signal-caller is a poor man’s Dak Prescott. Historically, Dobbs can be compared to Randall Cunningham, but he is more like Doug Flutie. All acrobatic quarterbacks, and all with good arms.
The Cardinals have a golden opportunity to make a move up the division. With the Rams in Week 6 and the Seattle Seahawks in Week 7, Arizona can realize some of that potential they showed in three of their four losses. If Josh Dobbs realizes that same potential, moving out of the NFC West cellar is all but guaranteed.
Main Photo: Joe Rondone – USA Today Sports
