For fans, players, coaches, and everyone involved with the National Football League (and really any team sport) the goal is obvious. It isn’t to possess the best point differential, to have the best regular season record, or the best roster of players. 

 

Truly, the only relevant achievement in sports is to win it all. In the NFL that means hoisting the Lombardi on Super Bowl Sunday. Period. This is an achievement that many teams in the NFL can boast - 24 of them. These 24 teams can always look back at that Lombardi and know that they did what they set out to do. Even after years of humiliation and losing, if a team has a Lombardi in the trophy case, they can always look back with pride. The legitimacy of these 24 teams’ place in the NFL cannot be questioned, no matter what disaster ensues after winning. There are twelve teams that do not have this luxury. Seven from the AFC and five from the NFC. These twelve teams have yet to cement their place in the world's most prestigious and talented football league. After countless rebuilds, philosophies, and regimes these twelve franchises have not been able to figure out a winning formula. Why have these teams failed again and again? What will it take? 

 

Originally based in Chicago, the Cardinals were established in 1898 and were added to the NFL as a charter team in 1920. Although the franchise holds two league championships (1925, 1947), they have not won since the 1966 merger between the AFL and the NFL, and the start of the Super Bowl era. Having been in the league since the Super Bowl started, and to not have won a ring definitely increases the sense of urgency the Cardinals feel - that each of these teams feel. In the 58 years the Cardinals have played in the merged NFL, the closest they ever got to winning a title was in 2008. With a team led by Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals ended up losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the last minute 23-27. Flashback to the present day, and the Cardinals haven't won a playoff game in ten years. Looking back over the past 60 years, a trend has made itself clear as the root cause of the franchise’s lack of success. The Cardinals have had fragments - glimpses - of a Super Bowl contender. They have had tremendous offenses, but it was their defense that ultimately let them down, failing at the last second in ‘08. They have had amazing regular seasons (11-5, second-best in franchise history) but failed to capitalize in the playoffs (NFC Championship loss to Carolina, 7 turnovers, 2015). This is a team that has had the offense, the defense, the coaching, the leadership, and the grit to win a Super Bowl. The problem has been assembling all of these pieces together in one season. 

 

Coming off of a disappointing 8-9 season, the Cardinals have a chance to start putting some of these pieces together. With new head coach Johnathan Gannon, dual-threat QB and former Heisman winner Kyler Murray, and even with the imposing 6’4” WR Marvin Harrison coming off of a solid rookie campaign, the Cardinals have some pieces to build around. Through the draft, Jonathan Gannan and GM Monti Ossenfort bolstered the Cardinals 21st ranked defense with the additions of DT Walter Nolen III (16th overall), CB Will Johnson (47th overall), DE Jordan Burch (78th overall), as well as several other late round additions. Ultimately, though, as is the case with every team, the Cards will need to figure out a way to create success and sustain it through the postseason if they want to earn their first title.