Cardinals need to stop buying their own hype

The Arizona Cardinals are one of the most talented teams in the NFL - and they know it.

Through three weeks, the Cardinals have overlooked two opponents and sit with a 1-2 record after most people predicted, prior to the season, they were the most likely team to start 3-0.

The Buffalo Bills fired their highly paid offensive coordinator just 10 days before the Week 3 contest, benched their No. 1 receiver, and freely admitted they were "hoping for an off day" from the Cardinals in order to win Sunday. Arizona ate all of that right up and strolled into Buffalo with a win already assumed.

Instead, the Bills jumped out to a 17-point lead with their new offense and the Cardinals never recovered, losing 33-18. Carson Palmer delivered the "off day" Rex Ryan was looking for, throwing four interceptions and no touchdowns as he was pressed to come from behind.

And this is the second time this season the Cardinals have fallen for this trap.

When Tom Brady announced he'd accept his four-game suspension, the Cardinals penciled in a "W" next to the New England Patriots on their Week 1 schedule. When Bill Belichick deemed Rob Gronkowski, Nate Solder, and Jonathan Cooper inactive, they marked it in ink.

By the end of the game, first-time starter Jimmy Garoppolo had carved up the Cardinals with a group of backups on his offensive line and no All-Pro target. A missed last-second field goal saw Arizona fall to 23-21 on national television.

After the disappointing start, Bruce Arians called out the Cardinals, saying they weren't mentally prepared for the Patriots and hadn't done their homework. His boys heard him loud and clear, tearing apart the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2 by a score of 40-7.

How the hell could a team that stomped all over a 1-0 opponent in one week lose to a team in as disastrous shape as the Bills in the next week?

Lack of preparation, lack of focus, lack of respect, and too much stock in their own hype.

When the Cardinals look around their locker room, it must be hard not to think, "Hey, we're probably going to win this week" - but they need to learn that every win is earned in the NFL. Perhaps after two inexcusable losses, they've learned their lesson.

Perhaps not.

Arians and crew will have to do their best to ignore the Los Angeles Rams' lack of offensive production so far as they prepare next week to work their way back to a .500 record.