2. Which losing team is headed for a turnaround in the season's final 10 weeks?
Shoulda, coulda, wouldas won't get you anywhere in the NFL, but despite an early onslaught of injuries, Dennis Green's Arizona Cardinals (2-4) have been much closer to success this season than most realize. It's not a stretch to say that two plays separate Arizona from a 4-2, first-place standing in the NFC West.
How so? Arizona lost 6-3 at Atlanta, fumbling three times in the second half after driving inside the Falcons 10-yard line. Convert just one of those possessions into a touchdown and the Cardinals likely win. Then, two weeks ago, Arizona blew a 28-12 fourth-quarter lead at San Francisco, allowing the 49ers to score two touchdowns and two two-point conversions in the final four-plus minutes. San Francisco won 31-28 in overtime.
And this is also an Arizona team that hung with the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots 17-12 well into the fourth quarter at home, before losing 23-12, and had a 10-9 fourth-quarter lead at St. Louis in a 17-10 opening-day loss.
But the Cardinals are finally seeing rewards for all their competitive play, winning two of their past three games. They routed New Orleans 34-10 in Week 5 and on Sunday hung a stunning 25-17 loss on the once-mighty Seahawks, with Arizona's much-improved defense intercepting Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck four times and limiting him to 14 of 41 passing for 195 yards and an 18.9 quarterback rating.
The Cardinals defense is now ranked No. 1 in the league with 18 takeaways, including an NFL-best 10 fumble recoveries. Arizona had just 23 takeaways all of last season. In the red zone, the Cardinals defense is also No. 1 in the league, allowing just five touchdowns in 21 trips inside the 20 (23.8 percent). All five of those touchdowns have come via the pass, because Arizona is the only team to not surrender a rushing touchdown this season.
On offense, the Cardinals have a shot to get NFL Rookie of the Year Anquan Boldin back this week at Buffalo for the first time since the receiver suffered a knee injury in training camp. With rookie receiver and first-round pick Larry Fitzgerald starting to make plays, and running back Emmitt Smith producing more than expected, the Cardinals offense should continue to progress after its painfully slow start. Despite losing four of its six games, Arizona has outscored opponents 112-104, compared a minus-98 point differential through six games of 2003.
With trips to a pair of one-win teams in Buffalo and Miami on tap, the Cardinals have a reasonable shot to reach midseason at 4-4. If they do, with five home games still remaining, Green's offseason prediction of playoff contention in 2004 just might come true.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/don_banks/10/27/bq.vick/index.html
Shoulda, coulda, wouldas won't get you anywhere in the NFL, but despite an early onslaught of injuries, Dennis Green's Arizona Cardinals (2-4) have been much closer to success this season than most realize. It's not a stretch to say that two plays separate Arizona from a 4-2, first-place standing in the NFC West.
How so? Arizona lost 6-3 at Atlanta, fumbling three times in the second half after driving inside the Falcons 10-yard line. Convert just one of those possessions into a touchdown and the Cardinals likely win. Then, two weeks ago, Arizona blew a 28-12 fourth-quarter lead at San Francisco, allowing the 49ers to score two touchdowns and two two-point conversions in the final four-plus minutes. San Francisco won 31-28 in overtime.
And this is also an Arizona team that hung with the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots 17-12 well into the fourth quarter at home, before losing 23-12, and had a 10-9 fourth-quarter lead at St. Louis in a 17-10 opening-day loss.
But the Cardinals are finally seeing rewards for all their competitive play, winning two of their past three games. They routed New Orleans 34-10 in Week 5 and on Sunday hung a stunning 25-17 loss on the once-mighty Seahawks, with Arizona's much-improved defense intercepting Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck four times and limiting him to 14 of 41 passing for 195 yards and an 18.9 quarterback rating.
The Cardinals defense is now ranked No. 1 in the league with 18 takeaways, including an NFL-best 10 fumble recoveries. Arizona had just 23 takeaways all of last season. In the red zone, the Cardinals defense is also No. 1 in the league, allowing just five touchdowns in 21 trips inside the 20 (23.8 percent). All five of those touchdowns have come via the pass, because Arizona is the only team to not surrender a rushing touchdown this season.
On offense, the Cardinals have a shot to get NFL Rookie of the Year Anquan Boldin back this week at Buffalo for the first time since the receiver suffered a knee injury in training camp. With rookie receiver and first-round pick Larry Fitzgerald starting to make plays, and running back Emmitt Smith producing more than expected, the Cardinals offense should continue to progress after its painfully slow start. Despite losing four of its six games, Arizona has outscored opponents 112-104, compared a minus-98 point differential through six games of 2003.
With trips to a pair of one-win teams in Buffalo and Miami on tap, the Cardinals have a reasonable shot to reach midseason at 4-4. If they do, with five home games still remaining, Green's offseason prediction of playoff contention in 2004 just might come true.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/don_banks/10/27/bq.vick/index.html
