It is honestly wild that such a situation exists for the Arizona Cardinals heading into Week 15. After achieving the synergy between Kyler Murray and Jonathan Gannon, the hope was that this would be the year they took the next step into becoming a perennial playoff contender.
However, after a promising 2-0 start, the team has completely fallen apart, with just one win in their last 11 games. Murray is out for the year, and the race for the first overall pick is on for the Cardinals, who have the second-worst record in the league as things stand currently.
Can the Cardinals Earn the 1st Overall Pick?
Nine games for Arizona have been decided by one score, with just two of them netting them a victory at the final buzzer. As a result, it is easy to say that the roster and the team as a whole are a few tweaks away from excellence.
Even with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, the offense has functioned well, as he is just marginally behind their former first overall pick on PFSN’s QB Impact (19 vs. 22). But their execution in the clutch has really let them down, while the defense remains atrocious.
After giving up 45 points to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14, they are ranked at 26th on PFSN’s Defense Impact, with the unit offering virtually no support to the offense. As a result, some explosive nights, like the one where Brissett set the all-time completions record, have ultimately gone to waste.
As things currently stand, they hold the eighth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, despite being tied with four other teams at three wins. However, tiebreakers have them behind all other 3-10 teams.
MORE:Â 2026 3-Round NFL Mock Draft: Jets, Raiders Trade Up for Quarterbacks in Round 1
The remaining schedule, though, does bode well in their favor. Here’s what it looks like over  the rest of the 2025 season:
- Week 15 @ Houston Texans
- Week 16 vs. Atlanta Falcons
- Week 17 @ Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 18 @ Los Angeles Rams
It is hard to see the Cardinals pulling out another victory this year, unless the Rams decide to sit their starters with the conference secured. What helps their case is that some of the teams ahead of them in the draft order have matches remaining against each other.
As a result, that could allow Arizona to climb closer to the first overall pick. PFSN’s Playoff Predictor is taking that into account when gauging how the rest of the season is going to play out.
Heading into Week 15, the Cardinals’ chances of securing the first pick are still at 1.30%. While they suffered a 40-20 loss in Week 15 to the Texans, the teams below them also lost. As a result, the Cardinals saw their chances of securing the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft decrease by 0.6% to just a 0.7% chance.
Final from Houston. pic.twitter.com/lgrN1skLee
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 14, 2025
Even Tennessee, which seemed primed for the selection, saw its chances drop as the Las Vegas Raiders’ and New York Giants’ losses practically created a two-team race for the selection.
Cardinals’ Stats and Insights for Week 15
Team: The Arizona Cardinals have lost ten of 15 games since starting last season 6-4.
QB: With Kyler Murray out for the season, Jacoby Brissett will be the starter for the remainder of the season. Brissett has 2,459 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes through eight starts. With four games left, Brissett is 639 passing yards and three touchdowns away from his career highs that were set in 15 starts.
Offense: The Cardinals scored 20.6 points per game in five Kyler Murray starts, and 22.4 points per game in Jacoby Brissett’s eight starts.
Defense:  The Los Angeles Rams scored 45 points in Week 14 to become the third Cardinals opponent in the last five games to score over 40.
Fantasy: Jacoby Brissett has been a revelation, but this matchup is pretty clearly one to avoid. Houston has recently made Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen look ordinary. Stream the position this week, Brissett isn’t worth the risk.
