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Texans set sights on stopping Fitzgerald
Pro Bowl WR adjusting to more attention in ’09
By JACK MAGRUDER FOR THE CHRONICLE
Oct. 7, 2009, 10:27PM
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/6657661.html
Last year, Arizona receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin combined for 229 catches, 3,305 yards and 31 touchdowns, including the postseason.
TEMPE, Ariz. — Sports Illustrated covers. Recurring highlight-reel roles. Postseason records. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was “the man” during Arizona's run to the Super Bowl last season.
Fitzgerald is a marked man now, and the Cardinals are still working through the adjustment period.
Early opponents have succeeded in taking the deep pass play away from the Cardinals, who already have lost both of their home games in defense of their first NFC title. But Fitzgerald is encouraged by what he has seen in film of the Texans this season.
“They are going to be up in your face. They are going to pressure you. They are going to be after you,” Fitzgerald said. “We have to take some shots down the field, because we are going to have some opportunities with the way they have been playing the last couple of weeks. They play a lot of pressure-man with the middle of the field closed, and for a receiver that gets you excited and gets you revved up and ready to play.”
This season, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has seen a lot of Cover 2, the zone defense in which safeties are assigned to one half of the field as a deep-ball preventative. And that is just part of what opponents are doing to limit Warner and Pro Bowl targets Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
Fitzgerald set NFL playoff records with 30 receptions, 546 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and four 100-yard games when the Cardinals came within a minute of beating Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl last year. He and Boldin combined for 229 catches, 3,305 yards and 31 touchdowns, including the postseason.
“I've never seen anything like what he (Fitzgerald) did in the playoffs last season,” said Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson, who'll be called upon to provide coverage of Fitzgerald and Boldin on Sunday. “He was unbelievable. He just exploded.”
Breakout potential
The numbers are down in a small sample size this season. Fitzgerald is averaging only 10.6 yards a catch this season (he was at 15.7 last year including the playoffs) and Boldin is at 10.7. The Cardinals are in the middle of the pack in total offense (14th at 335 yards a game) and tied for 20th with 19 points per game. They were fourth in offense and third in scoring in 2008.
Robinson and company remain wary of what Fitzgerald can do.
“He attacks the ball,” Robinson said. “When Warner throws it, the ball comes out quick, and you have to look for it because you know he's (Fitzgerald) going for it and he's determined to get it.”
Said Texans receiver Andre Johnson, one of the NFL's best at the position in his own right, “I like to see other receivers have great games, but not against us. What impresses me the most about (Fitzgerald) is that when the ball goes up, he comes down with it, and he still fights for a lot of yards. He's always thinking touchdown.”
A welcome week off
The Cardinals hurt themselves with two turnovers deep in Indianapolis territory in a 31-10 loss to the Colts in their last game Sept. 27, and they are tied for 25th in turnover ratio at minus-2. Their off week last Sunday may have been beneficial for the extra analytical time, said coach Ken Whisenhunt, who is calling the plays again this season after offensive coordinator Todd Haley was hired as Kansas City's head coach.
“It's always a chess match, especially early in the season, because you haven't seen those (defensive) looks, so you are always trying to catch up during the course of a game,” Whisenhunt said. “There is no question teams are aware of Larry, and they are adjusting their coverage to try to keep Larry from trying to get the football, which I would do as well.”
Fitzgerald waits patiently and with a positive mindset.
“Obviously you want the ball, but you can never put yourself in front of the team,” Fitzgerald said. “I'm going to continue to keep working hard. I guarantee that last year won't be the last time you see me playing at that level. My shots will come.”
The Chronicle's John McClain contributed to this report.
Pro Bowl WR adjusting to more attention in ’09
By JACK MAGRUDER FOR THE CHRONICLE
Oct. 7, 2009, 10:27PM
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/6657661.html
Last year, Arizona receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin combined for 229 catches, 3,305 yards and 31 touchdowns, including the postseason.
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TEMPE, Ariz. — Sports Illustrated covers. Recurring highlight-reel roles. Postseason records. Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was “the man” during Arizona's run to the Super Bowl last season.
Fitzgerald is a marked man now, and the Cardinals are still working through the adjustment period.
Early opponents have succeeded in taking the deep pass play away from the Cardinals, who already have lost both of their home games in defense of their first NFC title. But Fitzgerald is encouraged by what he has seen in film of the Texans this season.
“They are going to be up in your face. They are going to pressure you. They are going to be after you,” Fitzgerald said. “We have to take some shots down the field, because we are going to have some opportunities with the way they have been playing the last couple of weeks. They play a lot of pressure-man with the middle of the field closed, and for a receiver that gets you excited and gets you revved up and ready to play.”
This season, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has seen a lot of Cover 2, the zone defense in which safeties are assigned to one half of the field as a deep-ball preventative. And that is just part of what opponents are doing to limit Warner and Pro Bowl targets Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
Fitzgerald set NFL playoff records with 30 receptions, 546 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and four 100-yard games when the Cardinals came within a minute of beating Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl last year. He and Boldin combined for 229 catches, 3,305 yards and 31 touchdowns, including the postseason.
“I've never seen anything like what he (Fitzgerald) did in the playoffs last season,” said Texans cornerback Dunta Robinson, who'll be called upon to provide coverage of Fitzgerald and Boldin on Sunday. “He was unbelievable. He just exploded.”
Breakout potential
The numbers are down in a small sample size this season. Fitzgerald is averaging only 10.6 yards a catch this season (he was at 15.7 last year including the playoffs) and Boldin is at 10.7. The Cardinals are in the middle of the pack in total offense (14th at 335 yards a game) and tied for 20th with 19 points per game. They were fourth in offense and third in scoring in 2008.
Robinson and company remain wary of what Fitzgerald can do.
“He attacks the ball,” Robinson said. “When Warner throws it, the ball comes out quick, and you have to look for it because you know he's (Fitzgerald) going for it and he's determined to get it.”
Said Texans receiver Andre Johnson, one of the NFL's best at the position in his own right, “I like to see other receivers have great games, but not against us. What impresses me the most about (Fitzgerald) is that when the ball goes up, he comes down with it, and he still fights for a lot of yards. He's always thinking touchdown.”
A welcome week off
The Cardinals hurt themselves with two turnovers deep in Indianapolis territory in a 31-10 loss to the Colts in their last game Sept. 27, and they are tied for 25th in turnover ratio at minus-2. Their off week last Sunday may have been beneficial for the extra analytical time, said coach Ken Whisenhunt, who is calling the plays again this season after offensive coordinator Todd Haley was hired as Kansas City's head coach.
“It's always a chess match, especially early in the season, because you haven't seen those (defensive) looks, so you are always trying to catch up during the course of a game,” Whisenhunt said. “There is no question teams are aware of Larry, and they are adjusting their coverage to try to keep Larry from trying to get the football, which I would do as well.”
Fitzgerald waits patiently and with a positive mindset.
“Obviously you want the ball, but you can never put yourself in front of the team,” Fitzgerald said. “I'm going to continue to keep working hard. I guarantee that last year won't be the last time you see me playing at that level. My shots will come.”
The Chronicle's John McClain contributed to this report.
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