Cardinals Enter Bye Week with NFL's Best Record

The Arizona Cardinals enter their bye week with the best record in the NFL as the only nine-win team. 

Arizona defeated the Seattle Seahawks 23-13 on the road Sunday to improve to 9-2. It did so despite not having quarterback Kyler Murray or receiver DeAndre Hopkins for the third straight game.

The Cardinals responded to the adversity with what linebacker Jordan Hicks called one of the most complementary games they have played this year. 

"We did a good job getting off the field and the offense did a good job staying on the field," Hicks said. "When you can do that, this is what it looks like."

The Cardinals went 2-1 after Murray and Hopkins went down, a testament to the depth, coaching and maturity of the team. 

Backup quarterback Colt McCoy came in and completed 35 of 44 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, both to tight end Zach Ertz.

The defense allowed only 266 net yards and one touchdown. Edge rusher Chandler Jones had two of the team's four sacks. 

"To walk off the field with the best record in NFL, it's an amazing feeling," Jones said. "It goes to show you that none of the work goes in vain that we put in throughout the week. In order for us to do it without Kyler and D-Hop, it goes to show you the strength of our depth."

The Cardinals have now won their first six road games of the season for the first time since 1948. 

They have won each game away from the desert by double digits, outscoring teams 32.8-16 on average.

Arizona also created more space in front of the pack in its division. 

The Cardinals are 4-0 in NFC West games and now lead the Los Angeles Rams by 1.5 games. Arizona has defeated L.A. and Seattle once and has two victories over the 49ers. 

The Cardinals face the Rams again at home on Monday night Dec. 13. The Rams travel to Green Bay next week and will host Jacksonville the week before Monday Night Football.

"The more you win, the bigger the games get," Ertz said. "I've been in this league a long time and when you're playing meaningful games at the end of November, December, January; that's what it's really about."

Arizona also clinched its first winning season since 2015 with Sunday's win. 

After the bye, the Cardinals go back on the road to face the Chicago Bears.