Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
The main question is: will Whiz continue his Christmas Day full pads practice tradition? (Stay tuned)
Football is a game of emotion...and we saw what emotion can do for a 2-11 football team that in all reality in no way seemed capable of scoring 24 points versus a defending NFC Champion...at least not with the players they had in the game. Yet, the Lions did. They responded to their highly emotional head coach who probably trashed more than a few lockers at halftime...and suddenly these lame Lions roared to life, in part due to the emotion they were able to create, in part due to the fact that they started hitting the snot out of people, and in part due to the Cardinals' general carelessness.
Having given the lowly Lions their due...and the do deserve a great deal of credit...it's time to simply dwell on some of the current realities:
1. The Cardinals finished the season 6-2 on the road. This is a monumental step in the right direction, for a team that until the playoffs last year looked like they could never win anywhere East of St. Louis. It aso should be pointed out that with Kurt Warner starting the Cardinals went 6-1 on the road.
2. In these road wins, the patterns were remarkable. Kurt Warner's outstanding first half performances in all of these wins were masterpieces. Once again today he had his team up 17-0, and it could have been more if Warner had been able to elude his forced fumble in the red zone at the end of the first half.
Just the same, following these tremendous first half performances, the pattern was for Warner to play ultra conservatively in the second half...which has never been his game, for, up until this year, Warner was about as greedy a stat hound as there ever was. Today the pattern was once agin in full HD display as Warner suddenly was not on the page with his WRs, and he started bailing out to his check downs way too early (at times because of pressure, but at other times because he just looks anxious, and honestly, he looks a tad afraid of getting hurt).
Warner's 3rd quarter forced throw into the end zone on 1st and 10, up 17-0, and the very first play after DRC's nifty 2nd interception that by all rights should have sealed this game away was the epitome of carelessness.
To Warner's credit...once he got his head back in the game after giving the Lion's the impetus for a shocking 17-0 run to tie the game...he made the right throws at the right time and looked like the Warner that led this team to the Halas Trophy last year.
3. With 2 games remaining the Cardinals have a very good chance to finish the season with double digit wins...when was the last time that happened? The 1970s?
4. The Cardinals are on the verge on clinching their second straight division title...this the first time since '74-'75.
Today's highlights:
1. Deuce Lutui's pancake block on Wells' 1st TD where he tossed the DT like he was ragdoll.
2. Fitz's tip drill TD.
3. Beanie's 12 yard TD and the 33 yard run to set up the game winner.
4. Boldin's nifty hitch pass TD...the game winner.
5. The defense closing out the game!...with a 4 and out. Rashad Johnson made the last play and played well in Matt Ware's place.
6. Darnell Dockett playing like a man possessed. How about his play on the critical 4th and 1 stop? Dockett had more than 5 highlight worthy plays in this game and, IMO, deserves to be in the Pro Bowl this year.
7. DRC's "lord's a leaping" interception in the first quarter. And his second of the game in the third quarter.
8. Levi Brown's downblocks on the power off-tackle plays....textbook. Dan Krieder's blocks...with Reggie Wells' pulls....textbook. Hey give these guys credit where credit is due. While the pass protection may not be as strong as it was lasy year and needs to improve, the run blocking is MUCH better this year.
9. Hightower's TD, where he was hardly touched.
10. Ben Patrick's nice long corner pass to the one yard line.
11. Adrian Wilson's and Clark Haggans' combined sack...both these veterans are playing very good football, and are keys to the defense.
12. Ben Graham's punts...have we ever seen anything like it?
13. Mike Nugent was right down the middle all day.
14. LSH continues to earn the team ST MVP (for non-kickers) Award...his KO return to set up the winning drive was very timely...just as timely as his recovery of the muffed punt in the first quarter.
15. Kenny Iwebema brought some good pressure on a few occasions.
I'm too happy (or is it relieved that I fell...how about you?) to list the lowlights...we saw them...there were plenty (a whole quarter full in the third quarter and many in the fourth)...basically the Cardinal defense played with several absentees this afternoon, such as Dansby (he's been playing hurt, but..), Campbell (hitting a little wall this time of year?) and Robinson (what a flat-out stupid and costly meltdown he had...for a veteran that was totally inexcusable and couldn't have come at a worse time). But the Cardinals' pass coverage was well conceived by Bill Davis and well carried through by the cover men. They and Dockett were the stars.
Yes, these Cardinals drive us crazy...
And no (to the opening question), I think these Cardinals deserve Christmas off. To me, a fitting reward for going 6-2 on the road.
And, lastly, yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
Merry Christmas to everyone at ASFN and to all of your families,
Your fellow fan and friend,
Mitch
Football is a game of emotion...and we saw what emotion can do for a 2-11 football team that in all reality in no way seemed capable of scoring 24 points versus a defending NFC Champion...at least not with the players they had in the game. Yet, the Lions did. They responded to their highly emotional head coach who probably trashed more than a few lockers at halftime...and suddenly these lame Lions roared to life, in part due to the emotion they were able to create, in part due to the fact that they started hitting the snot out of people, and in part due to the Cardinals' general carelessness.
Having given the lowly Lions their due...and the do deserve a great deal of credit...it's time to simply dwell on some of the current realities:
1. The Cardinals finished the season 6-2 on the road. This is a monumental step in the right direction, for a team that until the playoffs last year looked like they could never win anywhere East of St. Louis. It aso should be pointed out that with Kurt Warner starting the Cardinals went 6-1 on the road.
2. In these road wins, the patterns were remarkable. Kurt Warner's outstanding first half performances in all of these wins were masterpieces. Once again today he had his team up 17-0, and it could have been more if Warner had been able to elude his forced fumble in the red zone at the end of the first half.
Just the same, following these tremendous first half performances, the pattern was for Warner to play ultra conservatively in the second half...which has never been his game, for, up until this year, Warner was about as greedy a stat hound as there ever was. Today the pattern was once agin in full HD display as Warner suddenly was not on the page with his WRs, and he started bailing out to his check downs way too early (at times because of pressure, but at other times because he just looks anxious, and honestly, he looks a tad afraid of getting hurt).
Warner's 3rd quarter forced throw into the end zone on 1st and 10, up 17-0, and the very first play after DRC's nifty 2nd interception that by all rights should have sealed this game away was the epitome of carelessness.
To Warner's credit...once he got his head back in the game after giving the Lion's the impetus for a shocking 17-0 run to tie the game...he made the right throws at the right time and looked like the Warner that led this team to the Halas Trophy last year.
3. With 2 games remaining the Cardinals have a very good chance to finish the season with double digit wins...when was the last time that happened? The 1970s?
4. The Cardinals are on the verge on clinching their second straight division title...this the first time since '74-'75.
Today's highlights:
1. Deuce Lutui's pancake block on Wells' 1st TD where he tossed the DT like he was ragdoll.
2. Fitz's tip drill TD.
3. Beanie's 12 yard TD and the 33 yard run to set up the game winner.
4. Boldin's nifty hitch pass TD...the game winner.
5. The defense closing out the game!...with a 4 and out. Rashad Johnson made the last play and played well in Matt Ware's place.
6. Darnell Dockett playing like a man possessed. How about his play on the critical 4th and 1 stop? Dockett had more than 5 highlight worthy plays in this game and, IMO, deserves to be in the Pro Bowl this year.
7. DRC's "lord's a leaping" interception in the first quarter. And his second of the game in the third quarter.
8. Levi Brown's downblocks on the power off-tackle plays....textbook. Dan Krieder's blocks...with Reggie Wells' pulls....textbook. Hey give these guys credit where credit is due. While the pass protection may not be as strong as it was lasy year and needs to improve, the run blocking is MUCH better this year.
9. Hightower's TD, where he was hardly touched.
10. Ben Patrick's nice long corner pass to the one yard line.
11. Adrian Wilson's and Clark Haggans' combined sack...both these veterans are playing very good football, and are keys to the defense.
12. Ben Graham's punts...have we ever seen anything like it?
13. Mike Nugent was right down the middle all day.
14. LSH continues to earn the team ST MVP (for non-kickers) Award...his KO return to set up the winning drive was very timely...just as timely as his recovery of the muffed punt in the first quarter.
15. Kenny Iwebema brought some good pressure on a few occasions.
I'm too happy (or is it relieved that I fell...how about you?) to list the lowlights...we saw them...there were plenty (a whole quarter full in the third quarter and many in the fourth)...basically the Cardinal defense played with several absentees this afternoon, such as Dansby (he's been playing hurt, but..), Campbell (hitting a little wall this time of year?) and Robinson (what a flat-out stupid and costly meltdown he had...for a veteran that was totally inexcusable and couldn't have come at a worse time). But the Cardinals' pass coverage was well conceived by Bill Davis and well carried through by the cover men. They and Dockett were the stars.
Yes, these Cardinals drive us crazy...
And no (to the opening question), I think these Cardinals deserve Christmas off. To me, a fitting reward for going 6-2 on the road.
And, lastly, yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
Merry Christmas to everyone at ASFN and to all of your families,
Your fellow fan and friend,
Mitch
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