As a wise man once said (repeatedly), “That’s why they play the games.”
At a time when many are ready to pencil in the Rams for Super Bowl LXI, not everyone is willing to concede anything to the Rams.
That includes Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson. Asked earlier this week for his thoughts on Myles Garrett joining the Rams, Wilson said, “They’ve got to deal with us. At the end of the day, they’ve got to deal with us.”
It’s the right attitude. Even if the Cardinals finished 3-14 last year and, entering 2026, are considered to be a distant fourth to the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers in the NFC West, Arizona shouldn’t surrender.
The mindset may not alter the outcome, but it’s the only mindset they can have.
Whether that mindset should be kept internal or declared to the world is a different issue. To the extent the Cardinals hope to catch the Rams napping in Week 6 or Week 10, it’s better to not give them something to which coach Sean McVay can point in the days before they play.
“They said we have to deal with them. We will.”
There’s also a chance that Wilson’s attitude doesn’t extend to the top of the organization. The failure to pursue a clear-cut veteran starter at quarterback invites speculation as to whether the Cardinals are willing to accept their fate for 2026, in the hopes of parlaying that into the first overall pick in 2027.
Which could culminate in the presumptive first overall pick refusing to play for the Cardinals.
Regardless of the plans, or lack thereof, that the organization has for putting the best players on the field in 2026, the players who will be playing will be playing as hard as they can. If they can navigate a challenging schedule better than expected, it will be a very good story.
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