Palmer on this year’s Cardinals: ‘We are pretty good’

But once again, he can not throw them out of big games before they even get started.

The Cardinals are perfectly positioned to be NFC powerhouses again and replicate last season’s 13-3 record, but it is Palmer and his ability to put last season’s nightmare finish behind him that will ultimately determine whether the confetti is falling on them at Super Bowl LI in Houston.

Thankfully, The NFL season gets started tomorrow night, and this Sunday we get a lot of great games to watch.

Considering the schedule and the quarterbacks they will face in 2016, there’s a chance for the Cardinals to lay down plenty of destruction from all directions. Being ranked behind not only a team in the same conference, but a team in the same division should give them that extra fire to want to show their doubters that they can be this years Super Bowl champions. The receiving corps is one of the best in the National Football League led by Larry Fitzgerald.

“I never would have guessed I would have gotten the opportunity to play for 14 years”, he said, “when I was that kid in the backyard with his helmet on, pretending like there are guys trying to tackle me”.

“Just from a morale standpoint, losing him previous year was a kick in the stomach”, receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. Jaron Brown, the forgotten player in this talented group, may have had the best training camp of any Cardinal. What will they be like now without Marshawn Lynch, Russell Okung, Bruce Irvin, Brandon Mebane, J.R. Sweezy and more? The Cardinals are good enough to get back to the NFC Championship game and beyond.

Mathieu said he is anxious to “play in front of the whole world”.

Arizona added some veteran depth at the position by acquiring Marcus Cooper from Kanas City last week. For Johnson, his stats from Week 12 on in 2015 will look impressive over a full season when he had 90 carries for 442 yards and four touchdowns along with 17 catches for 216 yards and one touchdown in his final five games. They have a up and coming running back in David Johnson along with Chris Johnson who is now healthy.

“I’m licking my chops”, Campbell, the two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, said of facing Garoppolo. “I feel like I’m ready to take on the load”.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – Nearly nine months after he tore an ACL and underwent knee surgery for the second time in three seasons, Tyrann Mathieu is back and ready to go in the Arizona Cardinals’ season opener against New England on Sunday night. Defensive coordinator James Boettcher said his do-everything All-Pro defensive back is “where he left off past year”. He didn’t play in any preseason games and will play with a brace on his knee, albeit a much smaller one than he had to wear two years ago. He’s so long, and has such a good bull rush, and is so powerful but still has that speed and quickness and really good with his hands, he’s been absolutely a pleasant surprise just watching him work because he’s more than I expected.

Mathieu is the fiery heart of the defense, not just for his playing ability but for his emotional “edge” that rubs off on teammates.