Mike Sando is a Hall of Fame selector who has covered Super Bowls since Jonathan Gannon was a point guard at Saint Ignatius High School. So, when Sando compared franchise-turning corners taken by the Cardinals this season and the Lions two years ago, people listened.
Now a senior writer for The Athletic, Sando last week presented six reasons Gannon’s early coaching career is eerily similar to the road traveled by Dan Campbell in Detroit. And the simplest and most compelling reason Arizona (6-4) has hope that it could someday become the favorite to win the Super Bowl is the won-loss record. Gannon was 5-16 through his first 21 games at the reins of the Cardinals; he’s 5-1 since. Campbell was 4-16-1 over his first 21 games with the Lions; he’s 29-11 since turning his corner.
The Cardinals’ corner looked better last week. They didn’t even play but still got a win when Seattle beat San Francisco, preserving Arizona’s one-game lead in the NFC West before the Cardinals travel to face the Seahawks (5-5) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX). It’s only the third time in 10 seasons, since Carson Palmer led the Cardinals to the 2015 NFC Championship Game that Arizona enters a Week 12 game atop its division (also 2015 and 2021). And, for the first time in the realignment era (2002-present), all four teams in the NFC West have a .500-or-better record through Week 11.
“This is my first time since 2018 playing meaningful games in November,” said second-year receiver Michael Wilson, who has three touchdown receptions this season. “I keep saying it’s a breath of fresh air.”
Gannon, however, is breathing the same air he was inhaling when Arizona opened 1-3. Asked Monday about the NFC West standings, Gannon said, “Don’t care.” Since Week 5, only two NFC teams have a better record than Arizona (5-1), Campbell’s Lions (6-0) and the Eagles (6-0). Gannon’s wins over that stretch have come against the 49ers, Chargers, Jets, Bears and Tua Tagovailoa-led Dolphins. And since Week 7, Gannon’s defense ranks second in the NFL at 14.3 points allowed per game.
Sando also notes that the Cardinals have outscored their last two opponents 60-15. Plus, they capitalized on an extra day of preparation this week coming out of their bye.
“Attention to detail, focus, and enthusiasm,” Gannon said, describing his team’s mindset. “We’ve got to use the bonus day as a bonus day. Let’s pick up where we left off.”
Action Jaxon: Seattle has a proud history at the wide receiver position but Jaxon Smith-Njigba can do something Sunday none of them have accomplished: Reach 110 yards in three straight games. He had 110 on 10 catches in last week’s win at San Francisco and 180 with two touchdowns on seven receptions the previous week.
Murray racer: In Arizona’s last game, a Week 10 victory over the Jets, quarterback Kyler Murray reached 30 career rushing touchdowns and became only the fourth quarterback in NFL history with three-or-more in each of his first six seasons.
Marvelous: Rookie wideout Marvin Harrison leads NFL rookies with six touchdown receptions. He needs an additional four over the final seven games to become just the fourth rookie wide receiver over the last 10 seasons to reach double figures and join Jordan Addison (10 in 2023), Ja’Marr Chase (13 in 2020) and Calvin Ridley (10 in 2018).
For more information on the Cardinals and Seahawks, visit the Arizona and Seattle team pages at ProFootballPost.com.
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