It does not take a football savant to realize the Cardinals' offense vastly improved from 2018 to 2019, but Football Outsiders has helped quantify the leap.
The Cardinals had the third-largest year-over-year increase in offensive DVOA of any team since 1986, according to Aaron Schatz. The only teams with bigger improvements were the Panthers from 2010 to 2011 after drafting Cam Newton and the Rams from 2016 to 2017 after hiring Sean McVay.
The Cardinals were historically unproductive in 2018, but moved all the way up to No. 13 in the NFL last season in offensive efficiency.
The rushing attack led the way, as the Cardinals had the second-best ground game in the NFL, setting a franchise-record by averaging 5.03 yards per carry.
Owner Michael Bidwill and GM Steve Keim went out on a limb by hiring Kliff Kingsbury and drafting Kyler Murray, and the risk paid off in their first year together.
