Cardinals' Biggest Loss Came Off The Field in Week 13

The biggest loser from Arizona's Week 13 loss came in their draft hopes.

Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay shakes hands with Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon after the game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals dropped their Week 13 contest against the Los Angeles Rams, which marked their tenth loss in eleven games.

The Cardinals' biggest loss didn't come on the scoreboard despite their 45-17 defeat. It didn't come with injuries that only continue to pile in the desert. It didn't come in the win/loss column that saw them drop to 3-10 on the season, either.

It came in their 2026 NFL Draft positioning, where they didn't gain any ground on a top-five pick despite establishing another five-game losing streak.

The Cardinals entered Week 13 with the eighth overall pick and the possibility of moving into the top five.

For that to happen, Arizona needed all of their fellow 3-9 teams in the Cleveland Browns, Washington Commanders and New York Jets to win.

None of the above happened, as all three teams managed to win their games.

Now, entering Week 14, the Cardinals are still at No. 8 in the pecking order -- though they're in a five-way tie for teams at 3-10. Yet thanks to Arizona's strength of schedule, they're fifth out of the bunch.

The Cardinals, who look to be moving on from Kyler Murray, will hope to be in the best position possible to nab one of the top quarterbacks in 2026's class.

Simply put, the eighth overall pick wont suffice if that's in Arizona's plans.

Tanking isn't a thing in the NFL regardless of how much fans want to believe it is, at least on a coach or player level. The Cardinals won't intentionally lose games, though they needed some help on Sunday and simply couldn't get it.

According to The Athletic's NFL Draft predictor, Arizona has a 98% chance to finish with a top ten pick with a 44% odds to finish in the top five.

The Cardinals have just four weeks left -- and they're only favored in one of those games (Atlanta) to finish 2025.

Arizona's staring the reality of another 4-13 season in the face, and while figures such as Jonathan Gannon hope to rally the troops, fans in the desert are now keeping a closer eye on their draft positioning.

“Everybody thinks about that a little bit different. No, not really because they know they're going to get tested again on Sunday – they're going to get measured on Sunday," said Gannon.

"The most important thing we do now is recover, get some rest and then get onto the next opponent. (It’s) as easy as that. It's not easy, but as easy as that. You have to move forward.”

There's still time for things to change in terms of where the Cardinals will be picking, though Arizona clearly emerged as losers in nearly every facet after Sunday.