Arizona Cardinals And San Francisco 49ers Battle For Seconds As Seahawks Rule Division!

We are heading down the finalstretch in the 2013 NationalFootball Season as the leagueheads into week 13. Unlike previousseasons where we wouldhave a good feel of who wouldbe making the playoffs by now,this season there are six teams inboth conferences that still havea shot at the last wildcard positionin their respective divisions.In the NFC the team that hassurprised everyone this season isthe Arizona Cardinals. Led byhead coach Bruce Arians, he hasthe Cardinals playing their bestfootball since their magical playoffrun that ended in in defeatin the Super Bowl against thePittsburgh Steelers. TheCardinals have one of the bestdefenses in the league and areranked 8th overall in teamdefense and 2nd overall in rushingdefense. There have beentwo big factors in the emergenceof the Cardinals this season.Carson Palmer has finally giventhe Cards a reliable option atquarterback, which has helpedLarry Fitzgerald get back ontrack. I feel Fitzgerald is the secondbest receiver in the NationalFootball League next to CalvinJohnson. For the last few yearsthe Cardinals have tried manymediocre quarterbacks such asKevin Kolb, Josh Skelton andRyan Lindley to name a few. Thesecond big factor for their turnaroundis the hiring of headcoach Bruce Arians in the offseason.Last season Bruce tookover the Indianapolis Colts afterhead coach Chuck Pagano tooka leave after being diagnosedwith cancer. Arians took a Coltsteam that finished dead last inthe 2011 season to the playoffsin 2012. This season he looks tohave worked his magic onceagain and revived CarsonPalmers career while leading theCardinals to a 7-4 record. TheCardinals do have a toughschedule that rest of the way;they have struggled within theirown division going 0-3 so far.They still have a visit to Seattleand host the resurgent Rams.The final game of the season isagainst the San Francisco 49erswhich has the potential to be thedeciding game for that wildcard.Speaking of the San Francisco49ers… The 49ers have had anup and down season this year.Colin Kaepernick who manythought was the next big thingat the quarterback position buthas seemed to regress as a passerthis season. Kaepernick hasnot thrown over 300 yards sinceweek one of the season when hetore apart the Green BayPackers. Even with ColinKaepernick’s struggles the 49ersare still in a playoff position.The 49ers defense has beenback to their dominant self. Theemergence of outside linebackerAhmad Brooks has given the49ers another weapon ondefense. Aldon Smith has alsoreturned from his stint in rehabto give the 49ers a fearsomefoursome at the linebacker position.Michael Crabtree alsoreturns from his Achilles tendoninjury this previous May. Thereturn of Crabtree will helpColin Kaepernick drastically Ifeel. Crabtree was by farKaepernick’s favorite option lastseason. With Crabtree joiningAnquan Boldin, MarioManningham and VernonDavis; teams will no longer bestacking eight in the box ondefense against Kaepernick.This will open things up for therushing attack and teams willhave to figure out who theywant to double team. Eachreceiving option is capable ofcreating space if covered one onone.With the Seattle Seahawks lookinglike they will be runningaway with the division and theCarolina Panthers locked on the5th wildcard position.The Arizona Cardinals and SanFrancisco 49ers will be the twoteams battling it out for thatfinal playoff spot. It looks like itwill come down to the last weekof the season to decide who’sgoing on and who is headinghome!