Five reasons the Cardinals could make another Super Bowl run:

1. NFC window is open. No matchup in the conference should scare the Cardinals unless they have to visit the Eagles. New Orleans appears shaken. Arizona has already beaten the Vikings. Think Kurt Warner is worried about playing an indoor game against either of those two teams? He would probably rather play those teams on the road than the 49ers at home.

2. The road is their friend. Arizona posted a 6-2 record in road games this season. That included 6-1 with Warner in the lineup and 3-0 in early games. Those are signs of a team that can rise to challenges.

3. Their ground game is improved. The Cardinals are averaging 124 yards rushing per game in their last eight games, up from 62 yards per game over the same stretch last season (and 64.9 yards per game over the first seven games this season).

4. Arizona is more efficient. The Cardinals have scored touchdowns on 69.8 percent of possessions in the red zone, best in the league and up from 58.5 percent last season. Their defense is allowing touchdowns on 45.2 percent of their opponents possessions in the red zone, ninth-best in the league and down from 63.6 percent last season.

5. The Cardinals are relatively healthy. Left tackle Mike Gandy is the only Cardinals starter on injured reserve. The IR list also features safety Matt Ware, outside linebacker Cody Brown, defensive tackle Keilen Dykes and running back Justin Green. The drop from Gandy to backup Jeremy Bridges isn't as large as the gap between some left tackles and their backups.

What else belongs on a list such as this one? And what liabilities might hold back this team?