Some NFL teams perform better in the latter half of the season, once they are able to settle in and know what their team looks like.
Under Kliff Kingsbury, the Arizona Cardinals have proven to be a first-half team.
Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona by week
weeks 1-7:
18-9-1 (67%)
20-8 (71%) against the spreadweek 8+:
10-25 (29%)
13-22 (37%) against the spread— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) December 13, 2022
In his three-and-a-half seasons with the Cardinals, they have a 67% winning percentage in the first seven games of the year.
For whatever reason, the Cardinals have only won 29% of their games in the second half of the season during this time.
This begs the question: Who’s fault is it?
Is this the fault of the coaching staff, or is it the players?
What Can The Cardinals Do To Improve?
For starters, their defense has been a problem.
Let’s look at their performance this season.
The Cardinals’ defense is the worst in the league, at least from a points-allowed perspective.
They’re giving up 26.8 points per game this year, compared to 22.2 points per game in 2021.
The job of the defense is to give the offense more time on the field, allowing them ample opportunities to score.
Even though the defense has been giving up the NFL’s most points this season, their offense is actually seventh in time of possession throughout the league.
This has only resulted in the Cardinals’ offense garnering 21.3 points per game.
Neither the offense nor the defense is succeeding this year, and there has been much speculation about the future of the Cardinals.
Will Kingsbury be welcomed back for the 2023 NFL season?
With statistics like these, it’s looking less and less likely.
NEXT: Cardinals Analyst Calls Out Team Over Kyler Murray Tenure