Eagles' Michael Vick could not escape the grasp of Arizona linebacker Daryl Washington, just like many others this season. (US Presswire)

Awarding team MVPs to a squad that dropped nine straight games at one point may seem like an exercise in futility, but the Cardinals did have a handful of special players this season. Ultimately, though, we had to scramble to find a representative from Arizona’s woeful offense, and we settled on a future Hall of Famer. The rest of the spots? Not so much scrambling.

Offense -- WR Larry Fitzgerald: This award goes right along the fault lines as Fitzgerald wins by default because the offensive ineptitude was not his fault. Squandering a player with the epic talent of a Fitzgerald might be the offense’s biggest mortal sin of the season, as a sure-bet 1,000-yard man caught just 71 balls for 798 yards and four touchdowns. Those were the best numbers on a team that lacked even a 400-yard rusher, and considering the inefficiency of the quarterback play and offensive line, Fitzgerald should be awarded some kind of medal.

Defense -- LB Daryl Washington: Washington was truly a beast in just his third season. One of the game's top young defensive talents, the 26-year-old had 134 tackles, nine sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. He was dominant from start to finish, totaling nine or more tackles in eight games, but he was especially impactful early, when he had sacks in four of the Cardinals' first five games.

Special teams -- P Dave Zastudil: There is a legitimate argument to be made for Zastudil as team MVP. That might say all you need to know about the Arizona offense. Also, about Zastudil. He narrowly missed on setting the record for punts in a season, finished with an average of more than 46 yards on 112 punts, and he dropped 46 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line to set an NFL signle-season record. He helped the defense retain at least a modicum of respectability for much of the year.

Newcomer -- WR Michael Floyd: Perhaps the placement of Floyd here is a bit of a knee-jerk reaction to his brilliant performance in Week 17, but for a team that had so few truly special games out of its offense, Floyd's late-season progress is a positive sign. Floyd closed the year with eight catches for 166 yards and a score, a week after a then-career-high six receptions for 47 yards in Week 16 against Chicago. For a team that got such little production from its newcomers, Floyd at least flashed some of the talent that Arizona saw when it tabbed him at pick No. 15 in the NFL Draft out of Notre Dame.

For more news and analysis from Cardinals blogger Jon Gold, follow @CBSCardinals on Twitter.