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Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon watches from the sidelines as they play against the Las Vegas Raiders at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, on Aug. 23, 2025. Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How Cardinals Bye Week Offered Sliver of Playoff Hope

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 2:00 PM ET

If you're an Arizona Cardinals fans holding on to the sliver of hope of a postseason appearance in 2025, Week 8 was a solid week for you.

With the Cardinals at home on their bye week, more than a few NFC squads fell in their matchups, which bodes well for keeping Arizona in the hunt like Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro suggested:

Lot of NFC/AFC matchups today that went the AFC's way so if you are holding out hope the Cardinals can turn things around from 2-5 (I know most of you are not) this was a good day.
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) October 27, 2025

All of the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys lost over the course of the week. The Kansas City Chiefs are also favored over the Washington Commanders for tonight's Monday Night Football matchup as well.

Best of all, NFC West rivals in the San Francisco 49ers dropped their matchup as well. The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams were also on bye with Arizona in Week 8.

Where Cardinals Stand in NFC West

The Cardinals are still at the basement of the division with a 2-5 record, though they have four more matchups left in the second half of the season.

NFC West standings through Week 8:

1. Seattle Seahawks (5-2)
2. Los Angeles Rams (5-2)
3. San Francisco 49ers (5-2)
4. Arizona Cardinals (2-5)

According to The Athletic's NFL playoff simulator, the Cardinals have less than a 1% chance to win the division.

Where Cardinals Stand in NFC Conference

So, the NFC West appears to be a longshot with the high level of play. What about the conference?

Right now, all three teams above the Cardinals in the division are in the NFC playoff picture:

1. Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
4. Seattle Seahawks (5-2)
5. Detroit Lions (5-2)
6. Los Angeles Rams (5-2)
7. San Francisco 49ers (5-3)

In the top ten are the Chicago Bears (8), Carolina Panthers (9) and Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1).

The Cardinals find themselves at No. 14 in the NFC with their 2-5 record, sitting only above the Giants and Saints.

Arizona has a 2% chance to make the postseason, according to The Athletic's simulations.

Where Cardinals Stand in Current NFL Draft Order

With their poor record, Arizona currently owns a top ten pick in the 2026 NFL Draft with the ninth overall slot according to Tankathon:

1. New Orleans
2. NY Jets
3. Tennessee
4. Cleveland
5. Miami
6. NY Giants
7. Baltimore
8. Las Vegas
9. Arizona
10. Cincinnati

The top three teams all have just one win on the season while spots 4-9 are teams with two wins.

Can Cardinals Turn Things Around?

Head coach Jonathan Gannon certainly believes so.

"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," he told reporters last week.

"You don't dig yourself out of it. 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.”