azdad1978
Championship!!!!
The Cardinals had two weeks to stew over the overtime loss to the Niners and responded by not letting Sunday’s divisional win over the Seattle Seahawks slip away. Leading 16-3 late in the third quater, the Cards watched their 13-point lead erode with back-to-back touchdowns by Seattle, but special teams regained a one-point edge in the fourth with a safety when punter Donnie Jones could not field a poorly snapped ball from his own endzone. Then with just over two-minutes remaining, cornerback Duane Starks intercepted Matt Hasselbeck at the Hawks 24-yardline and Emmitt Smith came up with a 23-yard touchdown run to put him over the 100-yard mark. An interception by David Macklin on Seattle's last possession gift wrapped the win.
1st Quarter
Cardinals 7 - Seahawks 0
A 36-yard run on the kickoff return by Larry Croom set the Cards up with good opening field position at their 41-yardline.
An attempted reverse, flea-flicker went nowhere on 1st and 10, when Fitzgerald was hit in the backfield for a loss, but on 2nd and 17, quarterback Josh McCown hit Fitzgerald for a 39-yard reception at Seattle’s 27-yardline. On 1st and 10, McCown scrambled and hit running back Emmitt Smith who danced his way to the 4-yardline, but an illegal block call against Karl Williams negated most of the play, bringing up a 1st and 8 at Seattle’s 25-yardline. McCown was hit from his backside by Antonio Cochran on the next play and fumbled the ball which was recovered by Seattle at their 35-yardline.
The Cards defense answered with a big series of their own, forcing the Hawks into 3rd and 10 before cornerback Renaldo Hill picked off Matt Hasselbeck to hand the ball back to the offense at Seattle’s 43-yardline.
In six plays, the Cards found the endzone with a 25-yard strike from McCown to Fitzgerald for a touchdown lead with 8:23 remaining in the quarter, also starting McCown off with a 5 of 5 passes for 85 yards.
The Cards defense gave up a first down to Seattle with a defensive holding call against David Macklin on a 3rd and 3 play, but held firm on the next set of downs, not giving up even a yard before Seattle was forced to punt. On the punt return, Eric Edwards was flagged for running into the kicker, but officials waived off the penalty since Edwards was blocked into the kicker.
With 6:30 on the clock, the Cards offense took over and picked up two first downs before having to punt.
Seattle drove to the Cards 33-yardline but a huge 6 loss drop by James Darling on Shaun Alexander pushed Seattle out of field goal range.
Following the punt, the Cards began with poor field position at their 3-yardline with 47 seconds left in the quarter. Troy Hambrick’s 3-yard run finished off the quarter.
2nd Quarter
Cardinals 13 – Seattle 3
Facing 3rd and 6 at the 7-yardline, McCown hit tight end Freddie Jones for a 13-yard completion to give the Cards some breathing room at the start of the second quarter. Hambrick picked up another 1st down on a 3rd and 1 at the 29-yardline. A 14-yard strike from McCown to Bryant Johnson pushed the Cards into Hawks territory. A 7-yard run by Smith led to a 3rd and 3 when McCown hit Fitzgerald for 2 yards, bringing up 4th and 1. The Cards went for it but McCown fumbled the ball and the Hawks took over at their own 48-yardline.
Seattle drove to the Cards 36-yardline but on 3rd and 11, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck couldn’t find any receivers open and the Hawks went for and converted a 54-yard field goal by Josh Brown on fourth down with 6:28 on the clock.
On their next possession, a 7-yard pass from McCown to Smith set the Cards up with 3rd and 3. McCown hit Johnson, who broke loose to pick up the first down on a 19-yard gain to Seattle’s 44-yardline. Another catch by Johnson and the Cards were looking at another 3rd and 3, but this time McCown could not connect with an open receiver, which led to a 55-yard field goal by Neil Rackers that just edged over the uprights for a career-long field goal. The 7-play drive covered 33 yards.
Following the kickoff, Hasselbeck’s pass to Jerramy Stevens was intercepted by rookie linebacker Karlos Dansby to give the Cards the ball at Seattle’s 40-yardline. A 9-yard pass to Johnson advanced the Cards into field goal range for Rackers. An intentional grounding call against McCown made it another long one, but Rackers converted on his second 55-yard field goal of the outing with just over a minute remaining.
3rd Quarter
Cardinals 16 – Seattle 10
The Cards defense stalled Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter with another heads-up play by Dansby. He stuck with his defender long enough where Hasselbeck considered scrambling on a 3rd and 2, and then went after the quarterback. When Hasselbeck tried to lob it over the oncoming Dansby, the rookie jumped and knocked the ball down forcing Seattle to punt from the Cards 44-yardline.
The Cards offense started the third quarter with a quick three and out and after trading punts, the Cards pieced together a 10-play, 47 yard drive that resulted with a 50-yard field goal by Rackers with 6:48 remaining. The bulk of the yardage came off a 26-yard classic run by Smith.
The Hawks responded with their first touchdown drive of the day, covering 72 yards in 8 plays and culminating in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Hasselbeck to Darrell Jackson to close within ten points at the end of the third quarter. The drive was sparked by a 34-yard run by Alexander.
4th Quarter
Cardinals 25 – Seattle 17
Facing a 3rd and 9 from his own 15-yardline, McCown’s pass to Jones was intercepted by Ken Lucas and returned 21 yards for a touchdown and Seattle’s first lead of the day, 17-
On the Cards next offensive series, they faced 2nd and 8 at midfield when receiver Nate Poole was mauled by a Seattle defender but the officials did not call a penalty bringing up 3rd and 8. McCown’s pass to Johnson was short of the receiver and the Cards had to punt.
With 9:51 remaining, Seattle took over at their own 12-yardline and the Cards defense held them to a quick three and out. On the punt, Donnie Jones couldn’t field a poorly snapped ball, and linebacker Gerald Hayes managed to keep it away from him. The ball rolled out of the endzone for a Cardinals safety and a slight 18-17 advantage.
The Cards offense was held to another three and out, but the punt coverage team downed Scott Player’s punt at Seattle’s 7-yardline with 7:06 to go.
Alexander rolled off a 16-yarder to their 23-yardline but on 3rd and 3, linebacker Ray Thompson dropped Hasselbeck for a 7-yard sack.
With 5:07, the Cards offense had the ball again at their own 27-yardline. On 2nd and 10, Smith picked up a first down with 14-yard run to the 41-yardline. The Cards ran the ball three consecutive times but managed to lose a yard bringing on Player to punt again.
After Player’s 46-yard punt, the Hawks had the ball with 2:49 remaining at their own 17-yardline. On 2nd and 10, cornerback Duane Starks picked off Hasselbeck to give the Cards the ball at Seattle’s 24-yardline.
On 3rd and 9, Smith rolled into the endzone on a 23-yard scamper, putting him over the 100-yard mark for the 78th time in his career and extending the Cards lead to 25-17 with just under two minutes remaining.
With 1:53 remaining, Seattle took over and Hasselbeck connected with Koren Robinson over the middle for a first down at their 45-yardline, but on the next play, Macklin picked off Hasselbeck at the Cards 38-yardline. The Cards took a knee and ran out the clock.
http://www.azcardinals.com/gameday/
1st Quarter
Cardinals 7 - Seahawks 0
A 36-yard run on the kickoff return by Larry Croom set the Cards up with good opening field position at their 41-yardline.
An attempted reverse, flea-flicker went nowhere on 1st and 10, when Fitzgerald was hit in the backfield for a loss, but on 2nd and 17, quarterback Josh McCown hit Fitzgerald for a 39-yard reception at Seattle’s 27-yardline. On 1st and 10, McCown scrambled and hit running back Emmitt Smith who danced his way to the 4-yardline, but an illegal block call against Karl Williams negated most of the play, bringing up a 1st and 8 at Seattle’s 25-yardline. McCown was hit from his backside by Antonio Cochran on the next play and fumbled the ball which was recovered by Seattle at their 35-yardline.
The Cards defense answered with a big series of their own, forcing the Hawks into 3rd and 10 before cornerback Renaldo Hill picked off Matt Hasselbeck to hand the ball back to the offense at Seattle’s 43-yardline.
In six plays, the Cards found the endzone with a 25-yard strike from McCown to Fitzgerald for a touchdown lead with 8:23 remaining in the quarter, also starting McCown off with a 5 of 5 passes for 85 yards.
The Cards defense gave up a first down to Seattle with a defensive holding call against David Macklin on a 3rd and 3 play, but held firm on the next set of downs, not giving up even a yard before Seattle was forced to punt. On the punt return, Eric Edwards was flagged for running into the kicker, but officials waived off the penalty since Edwards was blocked into the kicker.
With 6:30 on the clock, the Cards offense took over and picked up two first downs before having to punt.
Seattle drove to the Cards 33-yardline but a huge 6 loss drop by James Darling on Shaun Alexander pushed Seattle out of field goal range.
Following the punt, the Cards began with poor field position at their 3-yardline with 47 seconds left in the quarter. Troy Hambrick’s 3-yard run finished off the quarter.
2nd Quarter
Cardinals 13 – Seattle 3
Facing 3rd and 6 at the 7-yardline, McCown hit tight end Freddie Jones for a 13-yard completion to give the Cards some breathing room at the start of the second quarter. Hambrick picked up another 1st down on a 3rd and 1 at the 29-yardline. A 14-yard strike from McCown to Bryant Johnson pushed the Cards into Hawks territory. A 7-yard run by Smith led to a 3rd and 3 when McCown hit Fitzgerald for 2 yards, bringing up 4th and 1. The Cards went for it but McCown fumbled the ball and the Hawks took over at their own 48-yardline.
Seattle drove to the Cards 36-yardline but on 3rd and 11, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck couldn’t find any receivers open and the Hawks went for and converted a 54-yard field goal by Josh Brown on fourth down with 6:28 on the clock.
On their next possession, a 7-yard pass from McCown to Smith set the Cards up with 3rd and 3. McCown hit Johnson, who broke loose to pick up the first down on a 19-yard gain to Seattle’s 44-yardline. Another catch by Johnson and the Cards were looking at another 3rd and 3, but this time McCown could not connect with an open receiver, which led to a 55-yard field goal by Neil Rackers that just edged over the uprights for a career-long field goal. The 7-play drive covered 33 yards.
Following the kickoff, Hasselbeck’s pass to Jerramy Stevens was intercepted by rookie linebacker Karlos Dansby to give the Cards the ball at Seattle’s 40-yardline. A 9-yard pass to Johnson advanced the Cards into field goal range for Rackers. An intentional grounding call against McCown made it another long one, but Rackers converted on his second 55-yard field goal of the outing with just over a minute remaining.
3rd Quarter
Cardinals 16 – Seattle 10
The Cards defense stalled Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter with another heads-up play by Dansby. He stuck with his defender long enough where Hasselbeck considered scrambling on a 3rd and 2, and then went after the quarterback. When Hasselbeck tried to lob it over the oncoming Dansby, the rookie jumped and knocked the ball down forcing Seattle to punt from the Cards 44-yardline.
The Cards offense started the third quarter with a quick three and out and after trading punts, the Cards pieced together a 10-play, 47 yard drive that resulted with a 50-yard field goal by Rackers with 6:48 remaining. The bulk of the yardage came off a 26-yard classic run by Smith.
The Hawks responded with their first touchdown drive of the day, covering 72 yards in 8 plays and culminating in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Hasselbeck to Darrell Jackson to close within ten points at the end of the third quarter. The drive was sparked by a 34-yard run by Alexander.
4th Quarter
Cardinals 25 – Seattle 17
Facing a 3rd and 9 from his own 15-yardline, McCown’s pass to Jones was intercepted by Ken Lucas and returned 21 yards for a touchdown and Seattle’s first lead of the day, 17-
On the Cards next offensive series, they faced 2nd and 8 at midfield when receiver Nate Poole was mauled by a Seattle defender but the officials did not call a penalty bringing up 3rd and 8. McCown’s pass to Johnson was short of the receiver and the Cards had to punt.
With 9:51 remaining, Seattle took over at their own 12-yardline and the Cards defense held them to a quick three and out. On the punt, Donnie Jones couldn’t field a poorly snapped ball, and linebacker Gerald Hayes managed to keep it away from him. The ball rolled out of the endzone for a Cardinals safety and a slight 18-17 advantage.
The Cards offense was held to another three and out, but the punt coverage team downed Scott Player’s punt at Seattle’s 7-yardline with 7:06 to go.
Alexander rolled off a 16-yarder to their 23-yardline but on 3rd and 3, linebacker Ray Thompson dropped Hasselbeck for a 7-yard sack.
With 5:07, the Cards offense had the ball again at their own 27-yardline. On 2nd and 10, Smith picked up a first down with 14-yard run to the 41-yardline. The Cards ran the ball three consecutive times but managed to lose a yard bringing on Player to punt again.
After Player’s 46-yard punt, the Hawks had the ball with 2:49 remaining at their own 17-yardline. On 2nd and 10, cornerback Duane Starks picked off Hasselbeck to give the Cards the ball at Seattle’s 24-yardline.
On 3rd and 9, Smith rolled into the endzone on a 23-yard scamper, putting him over the 100-yard mark for the 78th time in his career and extending the Cards lead to 25-17 with just under two minutes remaining.
With 1:53 remaining, Seattle took over and Hasselbeck connected with Koren Robinson over the middle for a first down at their 45-yardline, but on the next play, Macklin picked off Hasselbeck at the Cards 38-yardline. The Cards took a knee and ran out the clock.
http://www.azcardinals.com/gameday/
