Vegas Just Exposed How Brutal 2026 Season Could Be for Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals move into the new season with not much expected... at all.

Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (22) attempts to stop a pass made by Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) in the fourth quarter of a NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati. Bengals won 37-14. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals have a dynamic duo approaching next season, in the worst way possible.

Arizona's 2026 roster isn't expected to be major players for a playoff spot after a slew of injuries and overall poor play derailed similar hopes last season. A head coaching change and parting ways with Kyler Murray leaves more questions than answers at this point in time.

The Cardinals also have one of the NFL's toughest schedules, no matter how you slice it. When using win projections for next season, Arizona has the hardest schedule while opponent win percentage from last season pushes them slightly down to third.

The almighty sportsbooks of Las Vegas have the Cardinals as underdogs in every single game for 2026. Arizona is the only NFL team to not be favored in any game.

The Arizona Cardinals are the only NFL team that is currently an underdog in all 17 games this season, including EIGHT as a double-digit 'dog

— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) May 15, 2026

On DraftKings, the Cardinals are double digit underdogs in eight of their matchups.

The Arizona Cardinals are underdogs in all 17 games on their 2026 schedule and projected double-digit dogs in 8 of them.

That includes being home underdogs to the Jets and Raiders. pic.twitter.com/bCFvZ8UrOP

— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) May 15, 2026

The Cardinals are coming off just a three-win season and haven't made the playoffs since 2021. They haven't won the NFC West since 2015.

None of those trends appear to be changing in 2026.

However, the currently-recovering-from-injury Walter Nolen III says to watch out for the Cardinals this season.

"Just expect us to shock a lot of people this year. They got us counted out."

That's certainly the hope, as the Cardinals will need new head coach Mike LaFleur to work his magic to have any chance of competing in a tough NFC West division that again looks like it will be the toughest in the NFL.

"The energy's high. We're excited. Schedule came out...they're dogging us right now, but we're underdogs and I love that position," said new Cardinals receiver Kendrick Bourne, who signed as a free agent from San Francisco (h/t PHNX).

Arizona doesn't quite have a favorable stretch until the final four weeks of the season, where the Cardinals could very well be out of the postseason once their Week 14 bye week arrives.

According to Warren Sharp, the Cardinals are facing six teams in their first seven games that are expected to have 10+ wins in 2026.

the Arizona Cardinals start the season with 6 of their first 7 games vs teams expected to win approx 10+ games

not only that, 5 of those 7 teams ranked top-11 vs the pass last year:

#4 DEN
#8 SEA
#9 LAC
#10 LAR
#11 DET pic.twitter.com/UPtMosAHYE

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) May 15, 2026

To call the sledding tough for the Cardinals would be a massive understatement, and oddsmakers are certainly putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to projecting Arizona's 2026 schedule.