The following is an excerpt from Warren Sharp's 2025 Football Preview book. In addition to Warren's deep, detailed write-up on all 32 NFL teams, each chapter features page after page of full-color charts, stats, and heatmaps as well as penalty analysis from Joe Gibbs. Click here for a full FREE chapter from the 2025 Football Preview.
Penalties are an under-discussed aspect of NFL success and failure. Average teams can become playoff contenders with good discipline, and good teams can become great simply by winning the penalty battle.
Let's look at how the Arizona Cardinals performed from a penalty perspective in 2024 and where they can improve in 2025.
How Did Penalties Impact the Arizona Cardinals?
The Good
- The Cardinals finished the 2024 season as the least penalized team in the NFL, averaging just 5.41 penalties per game.
- Arizona ranked 30th in pre-snap penalties per game.
- Arizona ranked 30th at surrendering automatic first downs via penalty. More importantly, 53% of automatic first downs were conceded on less impactful first down plays. The league average is 35.1% on first downs in this category.
- The special teams unit was one of the least penalized units in the NFL.
The Bad
- The Cardinals offense accounted for 62% of the team's penalties. The percentage is somewhat misleading, as the team was very disciplined. In raw numbers, the offense was right at the league average in offensive penalties per game.
- The Cardinals recorded one of the largest home versus road splits, averaging 3.78 penalties per game at home versus 7.25 per game on the road.
Grade: A
The playoff hype around Arizona has been building since the NFL Draft in April.
The Cardinals invested heavily on the defensive side of the ball, and expectations are that this unit takes a major step forward in 2025.
The fact is this Cardinals team has quality pieces on both sides of the ball, and at first glance, they should contend for a playoff berth.
Ultimately, their fortunes rest on the shoulders of Kyler Murray.
While extremely gifted, he simply hasn't been consistent enough on a week to week basis throughout his career.
The Cardinals will have their moments and remain in playoff contention throughout the season, but inconsistency and road struggles could have them fall short of postseason action in a loaded NFC.
This analysis continues in the 2025 Football Preview
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Warren Sharp's book shares insights into the players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal: to prepare you for the 2025 NFL season with the smartest information delivered in the fastest, most direct way possible for optimal reviewing and retention.
- Team Chapters previews are in-depth, data driven & full of actionable info
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