DANGER! DANGER! Trap Game ahead, please proceed with caution!

[Bert]

2008 @ Carolina Panthers - Result - L 23-27
2007 vs. Carolina Panthers - Result - L 10-25
2005 vs. Carolina Panthers - Result - L 20-24
2004 @ Carolina Panthers - Result - L 10-35
2003 vs. Carolina Panthers - Result - L 17-20

How much would the Panthers love to stop our hot streak right now and give us yet another loss at home?

I've rarely been as proud of my Cardinals as I am this week but there are a couple more barriers for them to break through on Sunday.

Barrier 1. The Panthers in the regular season. The previous 5 games over the last 6 seasons speak for themselves. The Panthers own us in the regular season. We must END that pattern THIS week.

Barrier 2. One thing that has always driven me nuts about the Cardinals is that we'll win a HUGE game against an opponent people expected us to lose to, and then we go out the next week and lay an egg against a team we are completely expected to beat.

Cards, be confident but please be cautious. We know we can beat Carolina and they are in a bad place right now but you know those guys have probably had this game circled on the schedule since the offseason after what happened in the playoffs. We KNOW you can be great,,, so GO BE GREAT!

 

[TJ]

Ive been selling this game as a potential TRAP all week, even though I picked a blow out victory. The Cardinals need to learn how to handle success and not play down to the level of the competition. If the Cards can come out with the same fire they did against the Giants, they will win the game convincingly. Carolina is in shambles right now after getting bludgeoned by the Bills, at home.

 

[D-Dogg]

Yep, I alluded to this in my tounge in cheek thread earlier in the week about the cards sucking. Wolf expounded on this today as well.

This is the corner...pummel the panthers and that last mental question mark is erased, IMO.

Wolf talked about proving someone wrong, and proving yourself right. Beating the Giants proves someone wrong. Beating the Panthers proves yourself right. When you are motivated to prove someone wrong, you can win a big game. When you are self motivated to prove something to yourself, you can win consistently. I liked the way he put it, and agree completely. If this team gets mentally focused to where they don't let up on an "inferior" opponent, they can put together quite a nice season, no doubt. If the can't, we're on a roller coaster again.

 

[TJ]

I guarantee if we lose to the Panthers or the game is too close, this board is going to explode with negativism and paranoia about the rest of the season.

 

[DieHardCardFan]

I guarantee if we lose to the Panthers or the game is too close, this board is going to explode with negativism and paranoia about the rest of the season.

Dude if we lose this game the season is over!!! This game is a completely must win! Seriously if they lose I bet this team falls completely apart and loses 6 of the next 9 games. Damn they better win Sunday!

 

[jefftheshark]

Yep, I alluded to this in my tounge in cheek thread earlier in the week about the cards sucking. Wolf expounded on this today as well.

This is the corner...pummel the panthers and that last mental question mark is erased, IMO.

Wolf talked about proving someone wrong, and proving yourself right. Beating the Giants proves someone wrong. Beating the Panthers proves yourself right. When you are motivated to prove someone wrong, you can win a big game. When you are self motivated to prove something to yourself, you can win consistently. I liked the way he put it, and agree completely. If this team gets mentally focused to where they don't let up on an "inferior" opponent, they can put together quite a nice season, no doubt. If the can't, we're on a roller coaster again.

Great post. Thanks!

JTS

 

[PoolBoy]

we can't beat ourselves in this game, that's Jake's job to beat his own team. Run the ball and let Jake lose for the panthers.

 

[RedViper]

This will be a really hard game. Carolina is a dangerous team with lots of weapons. They've had some remarkable bad luck. They are ripe for a breakout game. We've got to win our fourth game in a row, coming off a huge emotionally draining victory. This game should be thought of as a suicide mission through the massively fortified straight of Gibralter.

 

[Doug]

I'm in total agreeance with everyone that every game gets bigger WEEK after WEEK this year.

I won't even mention next weeks game and how important that will be for our road Warriors.

We need to retake the NEST and make it in such a shutdown fashion to lay to rest that is where WE play.We have depth on this team and our injuries at this time are very managable.Unless something has happened I'm not aware of.

We should have almost everyone unless Whiz wants to sit someone down for a reason.I think Boldin continues to go myself.We just need to integrate Breaston and Urban back into the passing game this week.As much as he brags on him on his crisp routes and catching ability,maybe we can even give Doucet a series or two this week.Nobody has seen him yet.It was a last minute decision to not activate him last week.This team is deep.Its learning and growing as we play more and more.

I'm starting to like the 2009 version of the ARIZONA CARDINALS.They are playing together as a TEAM.Thats all you can ask for.

 

[Goldfield]

I agree, if we want to be a good team we need to take care of the teams we "should" beat.

 

[jaguarpaw81]

I guarantee if we lose to the Panthers or the game is too close, this board is going to explode with negativism and paranoia about the rest of the season.

We should be inspired by a home loss to a 2-4 team?

 

[Jttsaz]

The Panthers 2 wins..they beat the Redskins by 3 (20-17 at home) and beat Tampa on the road by 7 (28-21). Washington and Tampa are horrible teams... There is no excuse to lose to this team at home..The Cards need to take care of business..I do think this is one of those types of games where the Cards laid an egg...but this years team is different...Still think it is a close game..

 

[Doug]

A win is a win in the NFL.The vikings won a game against the Ravens by the ravens missing a chip shot field goal with no time left to win.Yet I'm sure the vikings are happy as pigs in slop to come away with that win and the lucky win over the 9ers and this week the steelers 'D' scored 14 points on them in the vikings first loss.

So its never gonna be easy.The panthers have lost to some winning teams so beating them with a win from every part of our team is what we are looking for.The type we got at qwest.

Lets not it be a close one please.I doubt it will be a blowout but lets just keep them at arms distance "IF" we can.No turnovers.Let them do that.delhomme will be almost afraid to throw the ball after 13 interceptions so far.I'm sure it will be the quick hook if he does.The panthers paid him 60 million to stay and the same for the rams with bulger who is the highest paid player in rams history and they will probably draft a qb #1 next year.

 

[Dr. Jones]

We should have almost everyone unless Whiz wants to sit someone down for a reason.I think Boldin continues to go myself.We just need to integrate Breaston and Urban back into the passing game this week.As much as he brags on him on his crisp routes and catching ability,maybe we can even give Doucet a series or two this week.Nobody has seen him yet.It was a last minute decision to not activate him last week.This team is deep.Its learning and growing as we play more and more.

With the rash of secondary issues, I do not see ANY way Doucet is active this week. Only if Boldin is out then maybe. Johnson will be the one activated IMO. Maybe in Iwebema's spot. Or even if Boldin is out they might go that route.

 

[Dr. Jones]

We should be inspired by a home loss to a 2-4 team?

If the Niners lose to the Colts as expected then we have already lost at home to a team that is 3-4.

Nothing can be taken for granted in Cardinal Land.

 

[Dr. Jones]

A win is a win in the NFL.The vikings won a game against the Ravens by the ravens missing a chip shot field goal with no time left to win.Yet I'm sure the vikings are happy as pigs in slop to come away with that win and the lucky win over the 9ers and this week the steelers 'D' scored 14 points on them in the vikings first loss.

This is why I hate the Vikings. They COULD be 4-3 right now, with two of those wins over the Browns and Lions. I think they are the leagues ULTIMATE paper tiger right now.

 

[1DS]

No Trap game here. We will smash them.