The subject of perception has been a point of conversation as the Arizona Cardinals prepare for opening day in the NFL.
What will the season look like? Can the Cardinals compete for a playoff spot? Will they be able to navigate an eight-week gauntlet to start the season that includes games against the Bills, Rams, Lions, 49ers, Packers, Chargers and Dolphins; teams that combined for a 65-37 regular-season record in 2023?
While there are those outside Arizona who believe the Cardinals have the makings of a playoff team, many don’t. Dart-board guessers list them anywhere from 27 to 30 in preseason power rankings with some ranking the defense as potentially the worst in the NFL.
How will it play out? Truthfully, no one really knows even if they think they do. What’s also true is that in the current chatter and outside noise world defined by social media, players can’t help but notice.
As quarterback Kyler Murray said when asked if there is the proverbial chip on the team’s shoulders, “I believe so. It’s hard not to hear what’s said. It’s hard not to see what’s said. Everybody’s got their projections for every team going into the season, but none of that really matters.”
That is also true and recalls the mantra of former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick who repeated ad nauseum, “Ignore the noise.”
Sometimes that’s hard to do.
Linebacker and team captain Kyzir White couldn’t help but launch into it Monday when he was asked what he expects from the defense this season.
“I’m expecting us to go out there, have fun, fly around, make a lot of plays, turnovers,” he said.
OK; that’s the obvious blueprint. However, he followed that with, “I see they got us; we’re going to be ranked last in the NFL. All that’s just motivation for us, fuel to the fire. We don’t really care about what nobody has got to say, but we definitely hear it, so it will definitely be fuel to the fire for us.
“Everybody on their phone, social media, you see a lot pop up. As much as you want to say you don’t see it, you definitely see it. Just got to tunnel that and put it in the right type of motivation or fuel. Whatever you need to do for yourself to just prove them people wrong.”
Do players talk about it much?
“Sometimes,” White said. “But it ain’t nothing like we go, ‘My God, they said this about us.’ Everybody got something to say. We gotta go out there and play. We get paid just like those guys and we’re gonna see what’s gonna happen Sunday.”
That was the message head coach Jonathan Gannon sent when he addressed the subject.
“They’re pros,” Gannon said. “They’ll block out what they need to block out. I’m not on social media. I don’t use my phone. I got an iPhone 2, so I don’t even know if I get that feed. Good or bad, I’m really not worried about the opinions of others, but with saying that, we have to go out and play.”
Which they will do, beginning Sunday in Buffalo.
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