As we mentioned on this week's podcast, the frisky Arizona Cardinals could wind up 11-5 and still miss the playoffs.
After stunning the Seattle Seahawkslast week, a win Sunday over the San Francisco 49ers officially would morph the Bird Gang -- winners of seven of their last eight -- into the NFL's hottest team. From there it gets tricky, as Arizona also needs the Saintsto lose to the haplessBuccaneers to make the postseason.
Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell told "NFL AM" on Thursday that it's "going to hurt" if Arizona doesn't make the cut.
"I mean, in my opinion, we're the best team in the NFC," Campbell said. "But I hope we get into the playoffs so we can show it, because going 11-5 -- but you don't make it to the playoffs -- nobody really knows. The only teams we talk about are the playoff teams. So we really hope we get a chance to get in. I know if we do, we will do some damage."
Campbell gushed over a roster that's playing the conference's "best ball," calling these Cardinals a "better all around" squad than the 2008 club that edged into the postseason at 9-7 en route to Super Bowl XLIII.
"That team was special, but I think this team is catching that same kind of intensity, that same kind of belief we had that year," Campbell said. "I think if we get to the playoffs, you'll see a lot of that same kind of magic."
The latest "Around The League Podcast" delivered a Christmas gift, analyzing the chaotic playoff picture in both conferences.
