Sep 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on the sidelines during the first half against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Even Cardinals Might Be Too High in Week 8 NFL Power Rankings

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Oct 22, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Arizona Cardinals ranked 25th in our new NFL power rankings ahead of Week 8 action.

Admittedly so, that feels a bit too high.

Sure, the Cardinals have fought tooth and nail with every opponent they've encountered - yet in a year where playoffs were the goal, Arizona is falling drastically short of that.

Cardinals Rank 25th in Week 8 Power Rankings

When prompted with answering what we've learned about our teams thus far, we offered the following:

"Arizona is a good but not great team. Sure, the Cardinals have been in every single game and are truly just a handful of plays away from being 7-0. On the other side of the coin, the Cardinals are a couple plays from being 0-7. Great teams find ways to win those close games, and while Arizona has played with every opponent, they simply can’t get it done when it matters. You are what your record says you are, and the Cardinals are 2-5 for a reason."

It feels like a stretch to say the Cardinals are a good team when glancing only at their 2-5 record, but the talent and level of coaching is clearly there.

Cardinals Have Bye Week to Turn Season Around

For whatever reason, it's just not clicking.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon knows it, too.

"If we didn't have good dudes, high football character guys, team first guys, I'll tell you flat out, we'd be in trouble. We would. I've had some experiences (where) we don't have the fabric of what we have here, and it doesn't go well. It doesn't. You don't dig yourself out of it," Gannon told reporters on Monday.

"I've also had the experience where we had, and it really starts with the people. The players first, the coaches, the staff—everybody that's in that building right now. You have to stay fully committed to what we're doing. Do it a little bit better but continue to have high football character. not skip steps, stick to your process, do everything a little bit better and punch your way out.”

Arizona, from their starting quarterback dilemma to end-game schematics on defense, have plenty of questions to answer over their week off if they're going to reach their desired heights.

While a playoff push seems like a massive stretch, the Cardinals will keep plugging away. They've shown that fight, but unfortunately their record doesn't reflect that.