Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
The Titans were good and very clutch (4 for 4 on 4th downs), but they were also extremely lucky...the tipped pass to Scafe...the obvious hold around Haggans' neck on the last play. I really liked how aggressive Bill Davis was on the last drive, unlike the previous DC. Because of this, I feel very encouraged...as long as Davis can get his guys to play to the ball better (what in the world was BMF doing on 4th and 7 on the 4th play of the 99 yard drive allowing Kenny Britt to make the catch while BMF had him covered but never even looked for the ball?) This is where playing smart and fundamentallly sound can prevent someone from getting lucky.
You HAVE to love the intensity and physically tough way the Cardinals played today. This team is maturing in leaps and bounds. This is yet another extremely encouraging prospect for this team now and in the future.
Matt Leinart played solid football, yet another encouraging sign. Credit Whiz for not only having Leinart's back the past few weeks, but for stressing fundamentals with him. This may be the most fundamentally sound game he's played. He stepped up into the pocket beautifully well and he set his feet well. As a result most of his passes were right on target.
The problem was, despite ML's solid play, the offense, usually good for 28 ppg with Warner only scored 10 points in this game. They had a chance to salt the game away with 4 minutes left, but Reggie Wells' holding penalty was a back breaker...it not only set the offense back into a 1st and 20, but it negated an 8 yard run on first down by Tim Hightower, who ran about as hard and tough all day as any RB possibly can.
Beanie Wells ran hard and tough as well and he made a great catch on the TD drive that was finished off by a spectacular Hightower run.
Taking the 17-13 lead at that time and having the momentum squarely on their side, made the ensuing pooch kickoff (which went out of bounds) a major head scratcher. Fortunately the defense held on that next possession.
What we witnessed from P Ben Graham and KR/ST Ace LaRod Stephens-Howling was as spectacular a performance on STs as Cardinals' fans have ever seen. LSH's kickoff return TD was the perfect answer after Chris Johnson's scintillating 85 yard TD run, and breathed new and reinvigorating life into the Cardinals.
The defensive line played a super game...Dockett was huge, and one of his 3 sacks cost the Titans 3 points at the end of the first half. Calais Campbell played very well. Clark Haggans got beat a few times but made several outstanding plays.
DRC was awesome...truly awesome...the only ball that was caught on him was the fade where DRC was playing under zone and Matt Ware was playing deep, but Ware didn't get to it). DRC's strip of Kenny Britt was huge. But, the other DBs were poor...BMF got toasted...Ralph Brown got toasted (still can't figure out why Greg Toler isn't playing in his place especially versus bigger WRs like Washington)...Antrel Rolle was a step too slow all day (alas, especially on both of the Titans' TDs and the long bomb to Britt)...he was out of position alot today and despite one great pop on Chris Johnson, Rolle was not making the open field tackles he usually does.
Speaking of pops on Johnson, Michael Adams lay the toughest hit on Johnson all day which stopped Johnson 3 yards shy of a late first down and forced the Titans to punt.
The bottom line is...the Cardinals are at their best when the Big 3 of Fitz, Boldin and Breaston are moving the chains, and today there just wasn't enough of that.
In addition, giving up 380 yards passing to Vince Young and 145 yards rushing to Chris Johnson...over 500 yards of Tennessee offense...made it all the more amazing that the Cardinals still were one play from winning the game and giving up a mere 13 points.
It's a crazy game...and this game was amazing in so many ways.
You HAVE to love the intensity and physically tough way the Cardinals played today. This team is maturing in leaps and bounds. This is yet another extremely encouraging prospect for this team now and in the future.
Matt Leinart played solid football, yet another encouraging sign. Credit Whiz for not only having Leinart's back the past few weeks, but for stressing fundamentals with him. This may be the most fundamentally sound game he's played. He stepped up into the pocket beautifully well and he set his feet well. As a result most of his passes were right on target.
The problem was, despite ML's solid play, the offense, usually good for 28 ppg with Warner only scored 10 points in this game. They had a chance to salt the game away with 4 minutes left, but Reggie Wells' holding penalty was a back breaker...it not only set the offense back into a 1st and 20, but it negated an 8 yard run on first down by Tim Hightower, who ran about as hard and tough all day as any RB possibly can.
Beanie Wells ran hard and tough as well and he made a great catch on the TD drive that was finished off by a spectacular Hightower run.
Taking the 17-13 lead at that time and having the momentum squarely on their side, made the ensuing pooch kickoff (which went out of bounds) a major head scratcher. Fortunately the defense held on that next possession.
What we witnessed from P Ben Graham and KR/ST Ace LaRod Stephens-Howling was as spectacular a performance on STs as Cardinals' fans have ever seen. LSH's kickoff return TD was the perfect answer after Chris Johnson's scintillating 85 yard TD run, and breathed new and reinvigorating life into the Cardinals.
The defensive line played a super game...Dockett was huge, and one of his 3 sacks cost the Titans 3 points at the end of the first half. Calais Campbell played very well. Clark Haggans got beat a few times but made several outstanding plays.
DRC was awesome...truly awesome...the only ball that was caught on him was the fade where DRC was playing under zone and Matt Ware was playing deep, but Ware didn't get to it). DRC's strip of Kenny Britt was huge. But, the other DBs were poor...BMF got toasted...Ralph Brown got toasted (still can't figure out why Greg Toler isn't playing in his place especially versus bigger WRs like Washington)...Antrel Rolle was a step too slow all day (alas, especially on both of the Titans' TDs and the long bomb to Britt)...he was out of position alot today and despite one great pop on Chris Johnson, Rolle was not making the open field tackles he usually does.
Speaking of pops on Johnson, Michael Adams lay the toughest hit on Johnson all day which stopped Johnson 3 yards shy of a late first down and forced the Titans to punt.
The bottom line is...the Cardinals are at their best when the Big 3 of Fitz, Boldin and Breaston are moving the chains, and today there just wasn't enough of that.
In addition, giving up 380 yards passing to Vince Young and 145 yards rushing to Chris Johnson...over 500 yards of Tennessee offense...made it all the more amazing that the Cardinals still were one play from winning the game and giving up a mere 13 points.
It's a crazy game...and this game was amazing in so many ways.
