How the Cardinals went from the NFL’s best record to a team in free fall

The Cardinals have the look of a side coming unstuck at the wrong moment, in danger of winding up in a wild-card spot after opening the year as the NFL's last unbeaten team

The Cardinals are 3-4 over their last seven games after opening the season with a 7-0 record, transforming, on a dime, from the league's only two-way juggernaut into a bundle of parts masquerading as a team.

On Sunday, against the Lions in Detroit, you could almost feel the shudders of concern seeping through the screen. All those early-era Kliff Kingsbury concerns were back in full force: The dodgy clock management, the lack of faith in an (admittedly rough) offensive line clouding the offensive play-calling, the boom-or-bust defensive doctrine striking out more than it hit - again.