2. Arizona Cardinals (LW:2)
There’s a reason why the Cardinals remained in the top-two of last week’s power rankings even after the loss of Carson Palmer — they are the best, most complete team in the NFC. Defense and a solid running game appear to be the strengths of a Cardinals’ squad that harkens back to the winning formula of the early part of the century, but make no mistake about it, Arizona has its foot pressed on the gas pedal full-throttle for sixty minutes. Even with a backup quarterback forced to man the ship for the rest of the season, the team continues to take deep shots down the field while its defense attacks opposing quarterbacks on nearly every play. Now with a two-game lead in the race for home field advantage throughout the playoffs — in the case of the Super Bowl hosting University of Phoenix Stadium, this includes every playoff game — the Cardinals are a runaway favorite for the NFC’s top seed.
