The Cardinals did not play on Sunday, but looking at the NFC West, still managed to secure a win in the standings.

In Santa Clara, the 49ers fell to the Seahawks after a game-winning touchdown scramble from Seattle's quarterback Geno Smith. The 49ers dropped to 5-5 and fell to last place in the division. The defeat, more importantly, puts the Cardinals (6-4) a full game ahead in the division.

From the Seahawks 3-0 start to the Cardinals current four-game winning streak, the NFC West standings have been a game of musical chairs. It's the lone division with every team at or above .500.

As the Cardinals head into the final seven games, they'll have four divisional matchups. That includes playing the Seahawks twice in the next three weeks.

Regardless of their standing, coach Jonathan Gannon does not gush over their spot. When asked if he enjoys being in a division race that is as competitive as the NFC West, he was blunt.

"Don't care," he said.

Because Gannon has approached each week with a day-to-day mindset, he isn't fazed by the upcoming stretch of divisional opponents. But each win puts the Cardinals a step closer to a playoff berth.

While it might not be at the forefront of Gannon's mind, wide receiver Michael Wilson is embracing these new emotions.

"This is my first time since 2018 playing meaningful games in November," said Wilson, who went to Stanford. "I keep saying it's a breath of fresh air. It's exciting because when I was in college, 3-9 (record), I would love (and) dream of playing on a team that's winning and has an opportunity to win a championship, win playoff games, and is playing really good football."

It's easy to get caught up in the hype. The fan in Wilson will sometimes glance at the standings, but as cliché as he said it may be, he centers himself by focusing on the task at hand. It revolves around not straying away from the process that has been instrumental in their first-place start.

"(It's about) being present today," Wilson said. "I think we did a great job individually. As a team, we did a good job from the offseason of putting ourselves in a position to be successful and that's what we've been able to do through 10 games."

On their first day back in the facility after the bye, Gannon made it a point to not focus on the Seahawks, rather look inward. They treated Monday's bonus practice as a good-on-good competition. "It feels like the first day of camp, of OTAs," Wilson said.

With the Cardinals red-hot as of late, the question was posed if the bye week came at a good time. Some players, like left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., wished the team could have ridden the momentum (a concept heavily debated in Tempe). Wilson said he and a few teammates felt "our bye couldn't have come at a better time."

Gannon, on the other hand, said the bye can serve as an advantage for the team. With a checklist in mind, he rattled off a few traits he'll seek as the second half of the season begins.

"Attention to detail, focus, and enthusiasm," Gannon said. "We've got to use the bonus day as a bonus day. Let's pick up where we left off."

CHACHERE RETURNS TO CARDS

The Cardinals brought back Andre Chachere to the team's practice squad on Monday. The safety appearing in 17 games with five starts with the Cardinals last season and was released by the team following training camp this year. Chachere then spent time on the Jaguars' practice squad. With safety Jalen Thompson nursing an ankle injury, Chachere becomes a veteran piece that has familiarity with defensive coordinator Nick Rallis' scheme.