Cardinals Own Best Odds to Land No. 1 Pick

The Arizona Cardinals are currently 0-2 despite two hard-fought games that saw the team hold halftime leads in each matchup.

Plenty of people expected the Cardinals to be 0-2 at this point, though the fight and grit they displayed proved they might not be the pushover team they're believed to be.

Kyle Odegard pointed out on Twitter/X (whatever the cool kids call it) that Arizona's DVOA ranking of No. 18 in the league is second among 0-2 teams.

"This start couldn't have gone any better for those who want to see AZ compete but also be in the running for the No. 1 pick," he wrote.

The Cardinals are No. 18 overall in DVOA through two games, the second-best mark among all the 0-2 teams.

This start couldn't have gone any better for those who want to see AZ compete but also be in the running for the No. 1 pick.
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) September 19, 2023

There are currently nine teams without a win heading into Week 3, though the Cardinals still own the top percentage to own the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft:

Post-MNF odds to get the No. 1 overall pick, either through themselves or another first-rounder they own.

Cardinals: 39.1%
Bears: 33.2%
Vikings: 5.6%
Giants: 4.0%
Broncos: 3.8%

(via @FTNFantasy)
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) September 19, 2023

Arizona's percentage was combined with Houston's while Chicago's was combined with Carolina's. The Cardinals and Bears both traded down in the 2023 NFL Draft and picked up an extra first-round pick from their respective trade partners.

It appears to be a two-team race to the top of the draft board, as four total picks are in play - and that's easily seen as two teams occupy 72.3% of the probability. It's notable they play each other in Week 16 in Chicago.

Though Arizona was the only team in the NFL that wasn't favored in a single game heading into 2023, the Cardinals have shown they're simply not going to roll over, though they do have a tough slate of games ahead:

Week 3: Dallas
Week 4: AT San Francisco
Week 5: Cincinnati
Week 6: AT Los Angeles

All the aforementioned games will be without Budda Baker, who was recently placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

There's plenty of speculation about what Arizona will/won't do when they're eventually on the clock, though we still have plenty of football left ahead.