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TEMPE, Ariz. -- They were in many ways the darlings-on-the-rise in the NFL, these Arizona Cardinals.A high-scoring big-play offense led by a blunt 60-something coach with an unusual hat and a colorful vocabulary. Their 13-3 season in 2015 was chronicled in great detail by NFL Films for the All or Nothing series on Amazon.That was added attention that you dont normally have, coach Bruce Arians said, to have a season documented when it was as special as that one was I think added to the expectations. But we dont ever shy away from the expectations.They were a group of likable personalities and nearly all of them were back this season.Every player who gained a yard or scored a point for the No. 1 offense in the NFL last season returned. Players embraced the highest of expectations.Then the whole thing fell flat.The Cardinals enter the bye week, the halfway mark of their season at 3-4-1, facing an uphill climb to even make the playoffs.It is shocking, cornerback Patrick Peterson said, As a team, we have to find a way to get out of this hole.Arizona has gone from one of the favorites to one of the leagues biggest disappointments.Ive been through a hell of a lot worse, Arians said. This is just another challenge. I love it when were the underdog. Thats the easiest coaching in the world.The fans are grumbling and inside linebacker Kevin Minter said its up to the players to band together and turn things around.Regardless of the noise outside of the locker room its really about us, Minter said. Obviously we didnt do what we wanted to do. We feel like we underachieved as well.But at the same time theres a lot of ball left. Theres still a chance for us to get hot. I would say to the people who give up on us that we havent given up on ourselves. If youre a bandwagon fan, good riddance.The offense is ranked 10th in the NFL at 374.4 yards per game, 30 yards fewer than a season ago. The big plays have been few and far between. The Cardinals are 24th in the NFL at 6.4 yards per pass attempt.Carson Palmer set a franchise record with 35 touchdown passes last season. Halfway through this season, he has 10.Defenses are scheming to take away the long throws that were Arizonas trademark. Sometimes Palmer has underthrown receivers. Sometimes the receivers have been to blame.And the personality of the offense has changed around dynamic second-year running back David Johnson. Johnson has topped 100 yards per scrimmage in every game and leads the NFL in that category (1,112). He was the NFC offensive player of the month for November.But the offense has been slow to start. The team has scored in the first quarter only once in eight games. Two trips to the East have been ugly -- one-sided losses at Buffalo and Carolina.Yet, had Chandler Catanzaro not missed two game-ending field goals, one against New England in the opener and the other, most memorably, a 24-yarder in overtime against Seattle, Arizona would be 5-3.Statistically, the Cardinals defense has been outstanding. They lead the NFL in allowing 297 yards per game.But there have been costly breakdowns. Now the team will be without do-everything defensive back Tyrann Mathieu for up to five weeks with a shoulder injury.Left tackle Jared Veldheer, the anchor of the offensive line, is out for the season with a torn triceps, with little-used John Wetzel stepping in. The team already had lost right guard Evan Mathis for the season with an ankle injury.Palmer had his best passing game of the season in the 30-20 loss to Carolina, but was sacked eight times.And the schedule is rough. After a home game against San Francisco next Sunday, the Cardinals play at Minnesota and Atlanta.Five of Arizonas final seven are on the road, including a Dec. 24 game at Seattle in a rematch of teams that played to that bizarre 6-6 tie.At 4-2-1, the Seahawks arent running away with the NFC West. That offers the Cardinals a whiff of hope. There also is a pack of teams just ahead of them in the wild-card race.For us to kind of still be in it with the record we have is a blessing, Minter said. We can still be the top seed out of this division. So dont give up on us. Thats all I have to say.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Oscar Robertson Kings Jersey .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. 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This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Edmonton OilersOverall: 111 Title track:?57 Ownership: 98 Coaching: 77 Players: 119 Fan relations: 100 Affordability: 112 Stadium experience: 90 Bang for the buck: 105 Change from last year: +1Its been 26 long years since the Oilers hoisted their fifth Stanley Cup in a seven-year period, forming one of the best dynasties the sport has ever seen. Today, its been a bit different, as theyve secured four No. 1 draft picks in the past seven years. Still, there is reason to be excited in Edmonton -- a new building, improvement under new coach Todd McLellan, and a certain game-breaker who wears No. 97.Whats goodThe Oilers only break into the top 100 in four categories, the highest of which is title track at 57. Part of that is the Connor McDavid difference, as the 19-year-old has the potential to be among the best in the game if he stays healthy this season. Another relative bright spot is McLellan, who ranks 77th in our coaching rankings. The Oilers fifth bench boss since 2012, McLellan upped Edmontons win total to 31 and has helped the team tap into the potential of their young forwards. Edmonton is still a year or two away from a playoff spot, but there is visible progress in Alberta.Whats badFans might love McDavid, but not enough to rank the players better than 119th overall (worst in the NHL). In one of the worst trrades we have seen in quite some time, Edmonton shipped Taylor Hall (26 goals, 65 points) to New Jersey this summer for defenseman Adam Larsson, showing serious desperation for blue line help.dddddddddddd Then the Oilers went out and signed free agent Milan Lucic to a seven-year deal to skate alongside McDavid and Jordan Eberle. It remains to be seen if much changes on the ice, but this much is sure -- it will still cost Oilers Nation a pretty penny to see the team in action. An average cost per game of $93 puts Edmonton 112th in affordability.Whats newHello Rogers Place, good bye Rexall Place. The Oilers new home, which houses 18,641 spectators, allowed the team to jump 24 spots up to 90th in stadium experience. The arena cost nearly $500 million Canadian and houses the largest scoreboard in the NHL, which will be 4.5 times larger than the one in their old building. According to a 2014 NHL.com article about the new arena, 52 percent of the seats are in the lower bowl, which compares to 37 percent at Rexall Place. This configuration will provide Oilers fans with a more intimate and energetic atmosphere at the games while bringing the fans closer to the action. Now if the team can just add some more recent banners to the rafters...Next: Vancouver Canucks | Full rankings ' ' '