Staff Predictions: Cardinals vs Commanders

The Arizona Cardinals look to notch their second win of the season.

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) celebrates his sack against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium Football in Glendale, Ariz., Sep 22, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals welcome the Washington Commanders in a Week 4 matchup that could sway early season momentum for either side at State Farm Stadium.

Who comes out on top?

Cardinals vs Commanders Predictions

Richie Bradshaw: "There’s going to be a lot of scoring in this game and not much defense going on. The Cardinals and Commanders both host top-five scoring offenses and each team has a dual threat quarterback, a superstar receiver, and a quality run game. This game should come down to whose defense stinks the least, and the Cardinals have that advantage. Jayden Daniels will have big plays for Washington, but I believe the Cardinals defense will get the better of him to close the deal."
AZ 38, WAS 31

Kevin Hicks: "The Cardinals’ defense has exceeded expectations (for the most part) this season. The Commanders’ defense has been among the three worst in the NFL through three weeks. However, the strengths that Washington possesses on offense could potentially exploit the weak spots of Arizona’s defense. Ultimately, this feels like a game that Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson can make their mark in - and the Cardinals will come away with a victory." AZ 35, WAS 27

Kyler Burd: "The loss to the Lions last week was disappointing, not because Detroit isn’t a quality opponent but because the Cardinals still had plenty of opportunities to pull out a win and came short. This week, the Cardinals have a great chance to bounce back and reach .500 again. In fact, the Cardinals have to beat the Commanders. While there are still missing pieces for this squad to be a true title contender, it should be expected for the Cardinals to beat the teams they are supposed to beat and the Commanders are a prime example of that. Kyler Murray will have a great opportunity against a relatively weak defense and on the flip side, the Cardinals defense needs to be able to take advantage of a rookie quarterback. Jonathan Gannon needs to show that his team can win the games they are supposed to win, anything else would be a major disappointment. I think the Cardinals bounce back big this week and show they are still in the hunt."
ARZ 38 - WAS 17

Jack London: "This game might make me more nervous than any of the previous three - because it's the first game that they really should win. But Washington looked really good on Monday against Cincinnati, and outside of Buffalo might be the best offense they faced. The good news is it's also by far the worst defense they have faced - and that includes the injury-riddled Rams. This won't be easy but I think they will win in a somewhat shootout." AZ 37 (in honor of Larry Centers), WAS 24

Alex D’Agostino: "The Cardinals might be just three weeks into year two of a rebuild, but they’re no longer the underdog in every game looking to pull off upsets. Now, they have to find a way to solidly win games they should win on paper, and this is one of them. The Commanders have some fireworks on offense--Jayden Daniels looks excellent thus far, but the Cardinals cannot allow Kliff Kingsbury to beat them. Unfortunately, this feels like a trap game for a Cardinals team that hasn’t been fundamentally sound outside of the blowout win against the Rams. Containing Daniels will be a major, major problem, and all the good will in the world might not mean anything if Kingsbury calls a game with a chip on his shoulder. This might be an against-the-grain pick, but the Cardinals are going to get punched in the face by an inferior team." WAS 31, AZ 24

Donnie Druin: "This has sneaky potential to be a game of the week, and there's storylines galore on both sides of the matchup. At the end of the day, I'll take Arizona's offense and the experienced quarterback at home in a close one."
AZ 28, WAS 24

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