Arizona Cardinals

ggie Bush showed up with his bird-killing cleats on, leading the Saints to a 45-14 thrashing of the Arizona Cardinals to kick-off the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

Responding to the quick score, the New Orleans Saints proved why they were the number one seed on the NFC by scoring touchdowns on three straight possessions to give them a 21-7 lead before the end of the first quarter. Bush lowered the hammer on two early carries to set the tone early: these Saints would not be denied. A Beanie Wells score early in the second brought the Cardinals back into striking distance, but that would be the last time the Cardinals would hit the scoreboard. Their two turnovers killed drives and gave the Saints 14 points.

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Let's not waste any time, here's the Opening Drive for Divisional Saturday in the NFL!

Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints
4:30PM ET FOX 

After last Sunday night's shoot-out in the desert, the Cardinals head to the Superdome, ready to repeat last year's post-season success. Quarterback Kurt Warner has a knack for playing his best football in the playoffs and last week was no exception. He is expected to be without receiver Anquan Boldin for the second straight week, but that will be a game-time decision. He'll still have Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston on the outside, so he'll be just fine. Arizona shocked Green Bay with their commitment to the running game last week, gaining over 150 yards on the ground. Concerns arise when discussing their defense, but as we saw in overtime last week, they can make plays when they need them. Darnell Dockett, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Adrian Wilson all have thr ability to affect the outcome.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Divisional Saturday"

It's fitting that in a game with over 1000 yards of offense, a defensive play decides the outcome. On the first drive of overtime, an Aaron Rodgers fumble was recovered by Cardinal Karlos Dansby and taken back 17 yards for the game-winning touchdown, eliminating the Packers from post-season play with a final of 51-45.

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Maybe you should take Baltimore to cover.)

(11-5) Green Bay Packers at (10-6) Arizona Cardinals
4:40PM ET FOX

After the shoddiest of starts at offensive line, the Green Bay Packers finally started to protect Aaron Rodgers as the season wore on after multiple tweaks. Rodgers has his second straight 4,000 yard season along with a corp of underrated receivers. (Donald Driver and Greg Jennings each went over 1,000 yards.) Ryan Grant racked up over 1200 yards this season, proving the Pack can get it done on the ground. Tight end Jermichael Finley is athletic enough to expose nearly any defense. Green Bay's defense is just as strong as its offense. Charles Woodson has been making plays all over the field and from every position. Rookie linebacker Clay Matthews has ten sacks on the season, making him a stand-out in a 3-4 unit with Nick Barnett and A.J. Hawk.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Wild-Card Sunday"

making it into the playoffs for the second straight year.

(11-5) Green Bay Packers 33
(10-6) Arizona Cardinals 7

By the time the game started, Arizona had nothing left to play for. Kurt Warner didn't go further than the first quarter, allowing Matt Leinart to get owned by a ball-hawking Packer defensive unit. The Packers played like the better team behind another Aaron Rodgers air show, but things will be much different in their rematch in the wildcard round. Still, I'm sure the confidence gained from pummeling their playoff opponent won't hurt Green Bay.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 17"

lieve he can do that for four quarters, the Ravens should win.

(10-5) Green Bay Packers at (10-5) Arizona Cardinals

After the Saints, the NFC playoff picture gets awfully muddled. The only team that can't jump up to the two seed is the Packers. Thanks to two losses to the Vikings this season they're locked into one of the two wild card spots. Arizona could get the other first round bye with losses from the Eagles and Vikings, but their defense must pressure Aaron Rodgers to slow down the Packers' dynamic pass offense. Most NFC scenarios include these two squads meeting in the wild-card round, so there could be some vanilla in the play-calling mix from Green Bay. Cardinals may have more to play for, but I like the Packers.

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ime believing Mike Tomlin’s squad will drop this home game.

(3-5) Seattle Seahawks at (5-3) Arizona Cardinals 

I only put this game on my list because it’s the last chance the Seahawks have to meet my division-winning expectations. A loss would put their playoffs hope in a coffin and their team under the microscope for next year. Even Matt Hasselbeck could be on the hot seat. In Arizona, the Cardinals haven’t fared as well as they have on the road with all of their three losses coming in front of their home crowd. Oh well, they still have Kurt Warner and a hella-explosive offense. This one may not last long. 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 10"

d out-classed in the first half, the Chicago Bears mounted a valiant comeback before falling to the Arizona Cardinals 41-21.   

The first half looked painfully similar to the first half of the Bengals disaster, with Chicago’s defense unable to provide opposition to Kurt Warner and the explosive Cardinal offense. With four first half touchdown passes (two to Larry Fitzgerald), Warner all but obliterated any chance of a second straight win for Lovie Smith. Chicago looked lost defensively, as if they did not expect Larry Fitzgerald to be Warner’s top target. Nice job guys. With Anquan Boldin a late scratch, Fitzgerald caught 9 passes, most of which were 8-12 yards in length. The Cardinals didn’t need Boldin, with Warner finishing the game with 5 TD’s through the air. What didn’t help was losing corner Charles Tillman and safety Al Afalava through the course of the game, leaving an already struggling secondary without key performers.

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promise for the future, but their schedule so far this season has been simply brutal. 

(4-2) Arizona Cardinals 24
(5-2) New York Giants 17 

This one was a shocker. Arizona’s pressure on Eli Manning produced three sacks and five hits, causing three costly interceptions from the Giants QB. Even after two straight losses to good teams, the Giants are still in charge of their division. Nothing to panic about… yet. The Cardinals have finally regained their NFC champion composure in spite of an ankle injury to Anquan Boldin. Coupled with the Niners’ loss, the Cards have sole possession of first place. 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 7"

Drew Brees is far too accurate with the football to be human. 

(3-2) Arizona Cardinals at (5-1) New York Giants 

The past two NFC champions get it on Sunday night on NBC, hoping to maintain control of their respective divisions. Arizona’s Kurt Warner is playing like his All-Pro self, but Anquan Boldin won’t be near 100% for this one, so Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston need to pick up the slack in the receiver corps. Eli Manning and his Giants are looking to take out their anger after being embarrassed by the Saints in week six. Whichever defense can create the most QB pressure will win the game for their squad. My fake money’s on the Giants. 

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 7"

now going to be calling the offensive plays means Zorn is all but out as head coach. 

(3-2) Arizona Cardinals 27
(2-4) Seattle Seahawks 3 

Um… what happened Seattle? The Cardinals are finally looking like the team that went to the Super Bowl while the Seahawks are bent on embarrassing me for picking them to win the west in a national collegiate magazine. Maybe Kurt Warner isn’t done yet. 

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 6"

n Ben Roethlisberger to drop back all day. 

 

(3-0) Indianapolis Colts 31
(1-2) Arizona Cardinals 10 

What primetime hangover? Peyton Manning, destroyer of worlds and crusher of dreams, left another team in his wake as he tore apart the Cardinals secondary for 379 yards and four touchdowns. Kurt Warner was harassed all night looked older than he really is.   

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e was last week, because they’ll need every score they can get.

Indianapolis Colts (2-0) at Arizona Cardinals (1-1)

Can you say “shoot-out?” Peyton Manning versus Kurt Warner, suspect defense against suspect defense. Sunday night should be plenty exciting. Of course, now that I’ve said that, it’ll be a defensive struggle. Indy looks prime to stay unbeaten.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 3"

 

Arizona Cardinals (0-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1)

After dropping their opener to San Francisco, the Cardinals need this game to keep pace in the NFC West. Kurt Warner best find his offense again, or the Cards will be two games behind in the West race. Jacksonville’s owner is apparently already on Tim Tebow watch, thanks to their craptacular ticket sales and impending TV blackouts.

Continue reading "Joe's Opening Drive: Week 2"

oes touching and his hands grasping, Santonio Holmes drove a stake into the collective heart of the Arizona Cardinals and their fans. It was the last score of a thrilling fourth quarter that saw the Cardinals rally from thirteen points down to take a 23 – 20 lead with 2:37 left on the clock. That was 35 seconds more than the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to drive 78 yards to the end zone, regaining the lead and winning the forty-third Super Bowl. I won’t waste your time recapping plays like James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return or Larry Fitzgerald’s 64-yard catch and run. You watched those on Sunday. Instead, I’ll try to hit the nuances and little snippets you may have missed as you stuffed down wings and left the room during gameplay so you wouldn’t have to miss a commercial.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Super Bowl XLIII"

They defeated the Arizona Cardinals by a score of 27-23. Both teams put up a solid effort but in the end the fans from Pittsburgh got to waive their Terrible Towels and watch their beloved team "win one for the other thumb."

Continue reading "Superbowl Aftermath"

 

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!   

Continue reading "Predictions Super Bowl XLIII"

I’m Not Picking the Winner 

By now everyone in the country who is on TV, writes for a newspaper, blogs, or breathes has made their Super Bowl pick.  I’m not going to do that.  I will not succumb.   

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y of Super Bowl weekend...you're ready for the game!

So the stage is set: The flashy Arizona Cardinals (yes the Arizona Cardinals!) take on the tough and rigid Pittsburgh Steelers defense (ranked first in the National Football League). They say 'Defense Wins Championships' which has proven correct a lot in the past, but I have a little hunch. The best defense or the best team doesn't always win the big game. Just check last year's Super Bowl. The undefeated New England Patriots were upset by the New York Giants. How? By one VERY lucky catch by Giants' receiver David Tyree. The whole Patriots season without a single loss faded without any gold due to a single catch. You can't script that. You also can't script a 8-7

Continue reading "Super Bowl XLIII Prediction"

Steelers will win (like everyone does) I’ll go on the limb and take the emotional favorite:

Arizona Cardinals 27
Pittsburgh Steelers 23

Enjoy the big game!

Continue reading "Joey A's Super Bowl Opening Drive: Game Preview"

After years of being the “sexy pick” of the NFC West, Ken Wisenhunt's Arizona Cardinals finally lived up to the hype this season by beating up on the mediocre teams in their division and winning the NFC Championship.

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You and your buddies have been planning your Super Bowl party for months.  Deep down inside, you know the party with its canned beer, half-eaten bag of stale chips and a couch that seats three will suck, but at least you’ll be around your boys for the most hallowed of all sports days.

Continue reading "How To Host A Successful Super Bowl Party"

In this edition of the Final Drive, I look back at Sunday’s Conference Championship games.

Arizona Cardinals 32, Philadelphia Eagles 25

Is everyone done picking against the Cardinals now? They’ve only rattled off three consecutive victories against teams that were supposed to pummel them. I stopped downplaying their success after their smackdown of Carolina, which was then substantiated by an outstanding effort against the favored Eagles. Arizona’s defense continued its impressive post-season run by forcing three Philly turnovers and turning them into scores. While the Eagles were settling for two field goals early, the Cardinals had already scored two touchdowns, forcing Andy Reid to move away from his running game. Donovan McNabb shouldered the offense for another week as the Cardinal defense did an excellent job of taking Brian Westbrook out of the equation. McNabb ended up with 375 yards and three touchdowns, but did have two turnovers (1 fumble, 1 INT) on his record as well. Westbrook’s lack of playoff production finally caught up with the Eagles, and they were subsequently eliminated in another NFC title game. Andy Reid will be back as head coach next season, but McNabb’s future has not been officially confirmed. If he’s not back, it would be one of the worst personnel moves in NFL history. He kept the Eagles in the playoff hunt as the regular season ended, and when January rolled around he performed admirably without any help from a running game. He is a top-tier NFL quarterback, hands-down. On Sunday though, Arizona had one of their own. Kurt Warner proved his value to the Cardinals with a 21 for 28, 279 yards, and four touchdown performance on Sunday. He should also be thanking Larry Fitzgerald, who caught three of those touchdowns within his nine reception afternoon. Fitzgerald embarrassed the Eagle secondary, catching all three touchdowns in the first two quarters. Ken Wisenhunt’s squad was pushed to their limits by Philly, even losing the lead with about ten minutes left in the contest. In spite of the pressure, the Cardinals mounted a 14-play, 72-yard drive that sucked up almost eight minutes of clock and ended up in the end zone. It was the best the Cardinals looked all season, and it came at the perfect moment. Now it is time to see if their storybook season has a perfect ending.

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The stage was officially set after Sunday's two Conference games for the 43rd Super Bowl. The Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers both jumped over their last hurdles to go to the big dance. But don't ask either coach if they'll be satisfied with just making it. They want to win it! I'll bring you a in-depth 7 part preview of the big game as I'll give my prediction on the game on the 7th and final post. So let's get to it! This is the 'intro' post to the 7 part series.

Continue reading "Setting the Stage: Arizona Cardinals"

 

           Each week, I will look into my (never wrong, just misinformed) crystal ball and give my predictions for that weekend’s games.  I will prognosticate on all the playoff games each week.  Keep in mind, that this is for entertainment purposes only, and that I do not endorse any sort of legal or illegal gambling.  That being said…let’s see what’s in my crystal ball!  

Continue reading "Predictions Conference Championships"

Well here we are again ! One game away from the main event. If you would have asked me around mid-season  for my Conference Championship finalists , I would have never anticipated these match-ups

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For personal reasons, I really want to pick the Cardinals and Ravens to win this weekend. 

I have many friends who are Ravens fans including my younger brother who was a member of the Baltimore Ravens’ marching band (and he may be a part of them again in the near future.)  He was, even if it was somewhat obliquely, a “Raven.”   He and I spend just about every Raven’s game texting back and forth.  He’s too young to really remember the Raven’s success of the early 2000’s.  He had just turned 9 when the Raven’s won the Super Bowl and all he really remembers about it is me (a lifelong Giants fan) fuming for most of the game and storming out when it was over.  So for his sake, I like to see the Ravens win. 

Continue reading "Heads or Hearts on Championship Weekend"

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals, Fox, 3:00 PM (ET)

Are Cardinal fans appropriately freaked out yet? Your former “trash heap of the NFL” franchise has won two playoff games they had no chance of winning against two of the better squads in the NFC and now they’re HOSTING the NFC Championship! Kurt Warner is a victory away from returning to the Super Bowl and what could be a Hall of Fame seal of approval. As well as Warner has performed in this post-season, the reason the Cardinals are fighting for the NFC title is the shocking improvement of their defense. They have shut down two of the best running attacks in the league in Carolina and Atlanta, and have forced nine turnovers in those two outings. This Sunday they get a rematch with a physical Eagle defensive unit that will hope to put major pressure on Warner and his offensive line. Eagle corner Asante Samuel will have his hands full with receiver Larry Fitzgerald for most of the afternoon with a lot of help over-the-top from a safety. That is, if Fitzgerald’s teammate Anquan Boldin misses his second straight game. The injured wide-out has been suffering from a sore hamstring since his touchdown reception against the Falcons. If he is able to play even a few snaps, that will allow Fitzgerald to get open down the field and make the freak athletic plays we’ve seen from him in the playoffs. If he has another explosive day, it will be hard for the Eagles to keep up. Philly’s offense must take it to the Cardinals early, and their running game must be the focal point. Brian Westbrook needs to have a better day than he did against the Giants, where he couldn’t eclipse 50 all-purpose yards. McNabb can’t commit the costly turnovers that got him benched the week before Thanksgiving game, or he will miss a golden opportunity to win his first Super Bowl. Reid’s Eagles can’t trust the outcome of their Thanksgiving Day thrashing of the Cardinals either, since Arizona was playing on four days of rest and traveling to the East coast. Ken Wisenhunt has his team fired up for a charge to Tampa, and another stand-out game by Warner could get them there.

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Now they get Pittsburgh for a third time this season. Congratulations.

Arizona Cardinals 33, Carolina Panthers 10

This was the clear-cut shocker of the weekend. Nobody (including myself) gave Arizona a shot against the mighty Panthers. The Cardinals stepped up for the second week in a row and dominated what was considered to be superior opposition. This week they received help, as Carolina’s birthday boy Jake Delhomme forgot how birthdays worked, as he gave the Cardinals six gifts in the form of five interceptions and a fumble. It was easily one of Delhomme’s worst performances of his career and it could not have come during a more important time. Obviously the Cardinals defense made plays on the ball when they needed to, but I’m putting a lot of the blame on Jake. At least four of those interceptions were just idiotic throws on his part, as he could not have been looking out for the defense. The Panthers were clearly looking past the Cardinals and they paid the price for it. If I were running things, this game would cause me to sincerely rethink any commitment I had to quarterback Jake Delhomme. His style of play doesn’t mesh well with what John Fox wants to do on offense, and he puts the defense in precarious situations with his careless turnovers. Even if he doesn’t lose his job, Delhomme will be on a short leash next year, and don’t be surprised if Carolina goes after a free agent quarterback to give him some competition. Switching to Arizona’s quarterback situation, it remains to be seen if Kurt Warner will be re-signed for next season, but I would be very surprised if he wasn’t brought back. Matt Leinart can only benefit by learning under Warner, and besides, Kurt has undoubtedly earned another season under center. He and Larry Fitzgerald have a chemistry that is currently unmatched by any other tandem. Fitzgerald was a one-man show in Carolina, as it seems the Panthers forgot he was playing on multiple occasions. Arizona is playing with house money at this point, so there’s no pressure to go any farther. Just don’t tell Warner that.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Divisional Round"

 

The crystal ball had a dreadful performance this past week, posting a woeful 1-3 record.  This is playoff time, so that is totally unacceptable!  The crystal ball started off 1-0, but then dropped its last three for the weekend!  Anyway, that puts the crystal ball at 3-5 for the post-season, and 36-31-1 overall.  That’s five games over .500 (.537 to be exact).  Hopefully the crystal ball will perform better this coming week, as the pressure mounts in the Championship games!  Let’s take a look back, and review what happened last week.    

Continue reading "Divisional Round Review"

Just sit back and watch a game that is sure to hearken back to the league’s olden days.

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers, Fox, Saturday 8:15 PM (ET)

Carolina may have eeked out a victory in their week eight shoot-out with Arizona, but these teams have gone through tremendous changes since then. The Panther are sitting pretty at the number two seed, so they will welcome the warm-weather Cardinals to Charlotte for Saturday’s night game. Carolina’s two-headed rushing monster in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart has been dominant down the stretch, and they’ll look to continue that success against Arizona’s defense which was shockingly stout against Michael Turner and the Falcons. QB Kurt Warner will have the Carolina pass rush in his face all night and must place an emphasis on getting rid of the ball early, just as he did versus Atlanta. Three-step drops and quick passes to Larry Fitzgerald (and Anquan Boldin, if he can play) will negate some of the pressure, but Edgerrin James and the running game must make another appearance in the post-season if Arizona is to continue. I expect another high scoring affair from these teams, so don’t blink or you could miss a touchdown.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Divisional Round"

  Drew Brees won the AP Offensive Player of the Year award.  I can’t argue with that pick.  Anytime you come within a deep out route of Dan Marino’s single season passing record, you can be the Offensive POY.Mike Smith was Coach of the Year.  I can’t argue there either.  Any of the successful rookie head coaches, Smith, Sparano, and Harbaugh, could have won this award.  Smith had the toughest situation before the season started and led the Falcons to the playoffs.  The Patriots franchised Matt Cassell.  That was a no-brainer.  Sure, on the surface, $29 million next year for two quarterbacks seems steep.  But the salary cap is going up about $28 million next year.  Take away the $14 million they are giving Cassell and this still have about $14 million more to spend next year than they did this year.  They sure up the most important position on the offense.  Plus, if they trade him they get a 1st and 3rd round pick.  Who knows, there may be a team out there that is only a good QB away from going to the next level.  Hello Buffalo? (And if you think the Pats won’t let Cassell go to Buffalo talk to Lawyer Milloy or Drew Bledsoe.)Did you see Lil’ Wayne on 1st and 10 on ESPN2?  When I heard he was going to be on I set-up the DVR because I had to watch.  Get this….he was really good.  He knows his sports.  His points were lucid and made lots of sense.  He made some statements that were bold and polarizing, which is what you want out of a talking-head.  I must say this though.  Skip Bayless said he loves Lil’ Wayne’s music and thinks Tha Carter III is Weezy’s Purple Rain.  Am I to believe Bayless really listens to hip-hop?  No offense Skip, but you are probably most buttoned up lily white person on ESPN’s roster.  If you’re not, you are in the team photo with Woody Paige and Marty Smith. 

Continue reading "Quick Hits and Playoff Week 2 Picks"

When I was a sophomore in high school playing on the JV basketball team, we went into our Christmas break undefeated and feeling pretty good about ourselves. Over the break we were scheduled to play one game against a team from the division below us. We practiced a few times, nothing too serious, and went into the game feeling good. But the week and a half layoff killed us and we lost by four, our only loss of the season.

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t’s take a look at the weekend that was in this Wild Card edition of the Final Drive. 

Arizona Cardinals 30, Atlanta Falcons 24

In much the same vein as Miami, it was hard not to root for Arthur Blank’s Falcons as they traveled to Arizona to take on the reeling Cardinals. Unfortunately, they must have misplaced their identity in transit. The normally accurate and poised Matt Ryan threw two costly interceptions and dropped back to pass a staggering forty times, while Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood only racked up 54 yards combined on their twenty carries. Contrast that with the Cardinal’s performance, as Kurt Warner completed 19 for 32 with two touchdowns and only one interception. Even more surprising was the re-emergence of Edgerrin James, who found an unusual amount of running room against the Atlanta defensive front, rushing for 73 yards on only 16 carries. While they only averaged a little over three yards a carry, Arizona ran the ball 28 times, which is a drastic change of tactics for their normally pass-happy offense. Cardinal receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin each had lengthy touchdown receptions early, giving Ken Wisenhunt’s team the lead. Atlanta appeared to have regained the momentum going into halftime after scoring 17 points in the second quarter. That momentum was derailed when Antrel Rolle recovered a Ryan fumble for a touchdown within the opening minute of the second half. The Cardinals shut out the Falcons in the third quarter while tallying sixteen points of their own, securing the victory and propelling them into a match-up with the Carolina Panthers next weekend.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

u ready for this weekend with a wild-card edition of the Opening Drive.

Atlanta Falcons (11-5) at Arizona Cardinals (9-7)

Arizona made the playoffs simply by beating up on the NFC West. No other team in their division was over .500, and Seattle and St. Louis are two of the worst teams in the NFL. The Cardinals went 6-0 against their NFC West rivals and 3-7 against the rest of the league. That statistic doesn’t bode well for Arizona as they’ve lost four of their last six and welcome the surging Atlanta Falcons into the University of Phoenix Stadium. Matt Ryan is the offensive rookie of the year and leads a balanced attack against a weak Cardinal defensive unit. This is one of the more lop-sided match-ups of the weekend. Kurt Warner and his stellar wide receiving corps may keep the Cardinals in the game for a while, but Michael Turner and the Falcon offensive line will be the key. If they can maintain the time of possession and keep Warner on the sideline Atlanta will extend their already fantastically successful season.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Wild Card Weekend"

Thin-slicing. It is the act cutting through all extraneous information and getting to the key items that characterize something. Malcolm Gladwell wrote an entertaining and informative book on thin-slicing called Blink.

Continue reading "Thin-slicing Week 1 of the NFL Playoffs"

res a solid running game behind him in order to lead his team to victory and the number one seed.

Arizona Cardinals (8-6) at New England Patriots (9-5)

Even though the Cardinals have already clinched the NFC West title, beating the Patriots would be a much-needed confidence boost. No one is respecting the Cardinals anymore, as they’ve been hammered in multiple games by legitimate playoff contenders. New England is in a dog-fight in the AFC East, and could be on the outside looking in come playoff time. Only two teams will make it out of the AFC East, so Bill Belichick has to keep his veteran squad on point. With the Jets and Dolphins playing 2 and 3-win teams this weekend, New England has the tougher road to hoe.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Week 16"

ir schedule, a 9-7 record is not out of reach for Texas’ second team.

Minnesota Vikings 35, Arizona Cardinals 14

Arizona certainly doesn’t appear to be a legitimate playoff threat anymore. Losing three of their last four has negated any momentum they may have gained by clinching the division. They’ll get a home playoff game, but who wouldn’t want to travel to Arizona in January? This was a game of stark opposites. Minnesota only attempted 17 passes while handing off 44 times. Arizona dropped back to throw a whopping 50 times, but only managed 7 rushes. Minnesota controlled the time of possession behind Adrian Peterson’s 165 yards. Tarvaris Jackson tossed four TD’s out of his eleven completions, as he was able to relax thanks to the Vikings’ dominating ground game. It was a necessary victory to stay ahead of the Chicago Bears who won on Thursday.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 15"

Week 13 is in the books as we are getting closer to the playoffs in the National Football League (still 4 weeks away, but with the way this season has flown bye, it won't be long!). Before I begin I want to apologize to my 3 readers for not keeping up with the Fallout Report. I'll have it on time (every Tuesday) from now until the playoffs. With that said, let's see how I did!

Continue reading "NFL Week 13 Fallout"

That needs to end too.

Philadelphia Eagles 48, Arizona Cardinals 20

Well, NFL Network’s nighttime broadcast was supposed to be the best game of the day. It was, but it was still over at halftime. Arizona actually got within two scores early in the fourth, but an Anquan Boldin fumble deep in their own territory closed the door on any comeback. Donovan McNabb responded well to last week’s benching with a 252-yards and 4 touchdown performance, fueling more speculation on his future in Philadelphia. In my opinion, nothing has changed. Philly will still miss the playoffs and McNabb probably won’t be back next year. Arizona has lost consecutive games against NFC East opponents, and has yet to prove they belong in the NFC elite conversation. Kurt Warner did not help his MVP-cause, throwing three interceptions.

Continue reading "Joey A's Thanksgiving Day Recap"

ming! So let's dig in!

Overall Record: 18-14
Last Week: 3-1

1) Arizona Cardinals @ Philadelphia Eagles

Out of the 3 NFL games on the Thanksgiving slate this year, this is the most 'intriguing'. The Eagles at 5-5-1 are in deep jeopardy of losing any playoff hopes if they lose a single game/s for here on out. The Cardinals (7-4) on the other hand are safe as they play in a weak NFC West Division. So what gives in this game? Donovan McNabb got benched last week for the first time in his career in a surprising move by coach Andy Reid. Will he come back and play good football or will he continue to slide? McNabb is playing for the Eagles' and himself as a future Eagle here in this game. At 33, McNabb has not played like the Donovan McNabb of old. I read a stat that said the Eagles are 4-0 all time when playing on Thanksgiving, but stats are in the past. I think after a hard fought game with the Giants at home last Sunday that the Cardinals will fly into Philly and hand the Eagles a loss. I take Kurt Warner and Arizona in this one.

Continue reading "NFL Week 13 Predictions"

t will be the last gasp for Philly, if they haven’t suffocated already.

New York Giants 37, Arizona Cardinals 29

No surprises here. This game proved what everyone was already thinking. The Giants are the best team in the NFC hands-down, while the Cardinals aren’t quite ready to take the conference reigns. The Cardinals hung around most of the afternoon, but they couldn’t make enough plays on the defensive side of the ball to stop Eli Manning. Arizona only ran for a total 23 yards on 15 attempts, showcasing their dependency on Kurt Warner and the passing game. Against a team with a pass rush like the Giants, Warner had no chance. He may have only been sacked once, but he fumbled twice (losing one), and threw an interception. The Cardinals may get a rematch in the playoffs, so they’ll need to learn from their mistakes.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week Twelve"

them to win this week.

Winners - Atlanta Falcons

4) New York Giants @ Arizona Cardinals

Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals have glided to a 7-3 record playing in the poor NFC West, but they have some impressive W's on their resume. Kurt Warner is playing like a star in his prime and this team is gearing up for the playoffs. They'll host the defending Super Bowl Champions (who won the Super Bowl in Arizona) and usually I don't pick or favor a East Coast/Wes Coast team when they travel across country, but the Giants are a good team. They run the ball effectively and their the type of defense that can take the Cardinals' game plan and throw wrenches in it with their stiff-physical play. So I'll take Eli and the G-men in this one. Should be a interesting game.

Continue reading "NFL Week 12 Predictions"

nd would put the Ravens in a hole going into a tough remaining schedule.

New York Giants (9-1) at Arizona Cardinals (7-3)

In a contest of division leaders, neither will be too affected by a loss. I suppose if one team really needed this game, it’d be the Giants. Dallas and Washington are each sitting three games behind at 6-4, so a win here could close the door on the division. Defensive lineman Justin Tuck has picked up the tremendous slack left when Michael Strahan retired and Osi Umenyiora was lost for the season.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Twelve Preview"

Arthur Blank can rest easy; the disarray of last year is over.

Arizona Cardinals (4-2) at Carolina Panthers (5-2)

These teams have been the trendy picks to win their division for the last few years. This season, they’ve actually put themselves in position to fulfill those predictions. Arizona is sitting pretty at 4-2, and their nearest threat is St. Louis at 2-4. The NFC West is that bad. Even if the Cardinals stumble, 8-8 will probably win the division for them. They’ve discovered a workable balance on offense, with a running game that features rookie Tim Hightower more and more each week. It may frustrate veteran tailback Edgerrin James who is seeing the ball less, but it’s the best course of attack for a Cardinal offense that is dependent on the big play. Arizona could use improvement to their 14th ranked defense, but will stay in every game thanks to their explosive aerial offensive scheme.

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Eight Preview"

However, now that San Diego is behind them at 3-3, Mike Shanahan might beg to differ.

Arizona Cardinals 30, Dallas Cowboys 24

This was a huge loss for the Cowboys, and it wasn’t because they didn’t catch up to the Giants in the NFC East. The injury fallout from this game could cost the Cowboys a trip to the postseason. Ken Wisenhunt’s Cardinals came into this season with high expectations, and their win over Dallas is a good start to fulfilling them. It puts them squarely in the driver’s seat of the NFC West at 4-2 while every other team in the division is 2-4 or worse. Dallas was able to put the game into overtime with a late kick by Nick Folk after a “freeze” timeout by Wisenhunt, but that’s where Dallas’ success turned into horror. Punter Matt McBriar had a punt blocked into the Dallas end zone for a touchdown to end the game. Tony Romo broke the pinkie finger on his throwing hand on the first play of overtime. It was a bruising game for Romo, who never seemed aware of the Arizona pass rush. Felix Jones left the game with a hamstring injury, which is expected to sideline him for 2-4 weeks. McBriar was injured on the final play of the game and will be out for the season. With the acquisition of Roy Williams, forty year-old back-up QB Brad Johnson should be able to put up points, but there may be too many injures for Dallas to overcome.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 5"

 

           Yesterday, the Cowboys went to the University of Phoenix Stadium to take on the Cardinals.  The ‘Boys got lassoed by the Cards 30-24 in over-time.  It was a great finish to a rather lackluster game.  Sure Romo had 321 yards passing; Barber had 178 total yards from scrimmage, and even Patrick Crayton got in on the action with a 55-yard TD catch.  Owens had a humble 4 receptions for 36 yards and Witten contributed 4 catches for 55 yards.  But until the last 3 minutes and 17 seconds it was a boring game…but that’s why they play the full 60 minutes! 

Continue reading "Not So Special"

Hey Cardinals fans, check out http://arizonacardinals.contentquake.com for news and highly opinionated views from Cardinal_Chick. 
 
Featuring pre- and post-game reports, t

Continue reading "All Cardinals… All the time!!"

k, so all the Indy defense needs to do is hold the fort until Bob Sanders returns to the line-up.

Arizona Cardinals 41, Buffalo Bills 17

Undefeated no longer, the Buffalo Bills have bigger problems to worry about. Trent Edwards’ concussion could be a lingering issue if they rush him back on the field. Luckily, their schedule works in their favor, as they have the bye in week six. J.P. Losman has been a decent back-up, but Edwards is the better quarterback in his second year. If Edwards can’t play, the strategy won’t differ too much, as the deep ball to Lee Evans is Losman’s best throw, and running back Marshawn Lynch will pick up the slack. Arizona broke their two game losing streak to beat one of the best teams in the AFC. Injured wide-out Anquan Boldin should return sooner rather than later as he recovers from the fractured sinus he suffered in week four’s loss to the Jets. Kurt Warner finds All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald with great consistency, and that should keep Arizona in the NFC West lead.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Week 5"

It was an interesting week in the National Football League. A few surprises, a big meltdown by one team and one bruised and battered team found a way to win a big prime-time game. Let's get right to it--game by game.

Continue reading "NFL Week 5 Fallout"

First off, I want to introduce myself. My name is Jake, I live in Houston. I'm glad I found this place. I've read a lot of bloggers material today from predictions to their favorite teams' rants, it's great. I enjoyed it. Sports, baby sports!

Continue reading "NFL Week 5 Predictions"

ver 120 yards rushing, Jacksonville will leave week 5 at 3-2.  

Buffalo Bills (4-0) at Arizona Cardinals (2-2)  

Dick Jauron may not be the most exciting coach in the

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Five Preview"

Jake Delhomme looked dangerous already, now he has his favorite weapon back.

Arizona Cardinals (2-0) at Washington Redskins (1-1)

Shockingly, Arizona is undefeated and sits atop their division. While Seattle is 0-2, the Cardinals have to continue to pad their lead so they can finally win the division like everyone has been predicting them to do for three off-seasons. The Redskins offense came alive last week against a shaky Saints defense. Jason Campbell needs to progress in this new offensive system and rookie Jim Zorn needs to progress as a head coach in this league

Continue reading "Joey A's NFL Week Three Preview"

n a division where 8-8 earns you last place, is that where we will see these ‘Skins’?

Arizona Cardinals – With the second half of the season that Kurt Warner gave us last year, can he do it for an entire year, and if so do the Cardinals finally knock off the Seahawks atop the division? 

Continue reading "NFL opening weekend = Christmas in September"

The New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals first-team offenses looked good, or their first-team defenses continued looking bad depending on who you ask. The Saints didn't have new acquisition Jeremy Shockey or old standby Deuce McAllister, so it will be exciting to see what firepower they add.

Continue reading "Saints Over Cards in Preseason - ..."

The Cardinals finished last season .500. It wasn’t playoff worthy nor was it very impressive. The fact is the Cardinals play in a bad division where the only team that should make the playoffs from it every year is the Seattle Seahawks. However, the Cardinals actually have a lot of talent on their team, it’s a shame that it couldn’t translate to victories last season. The Cardinals have improved their team via the draft with quite possibly my favorite rookie players, with the exception of Glen Dorsey and Darren McFadden. So lets take a look at the Cardinals this year.

Continue reading "32 Teams in 32 Days, Team #24: The ..."

Brian Griese was traded back to his old team today for an undisclosed 2009 draft pick. We all knew this was coming, especially since he was due a $300,000 roster bonus tomorrow and wouldn’t have stayed on the roster even if he hadn’t been traded. This is comforting news for Angelo, who got something, anything, for Greesee rather than just giving him the ol’ das boot. I don’t really understand what the Bucs were thinking. Take a gander at their current QB roster for ‘08:

Continue reading "Griese traded to Bucs for '09 draft ..."

Slow starts that put his team in a large hole.

As an example, I mentioned the Arizona Cardinals game, where Anderson threw two interceptions and fumbled a snap--all before the first half. The result? The Browns lost a very winnable game. In last week’s article, I wrote that another “slow start by Anderson could have the Browns down by fourteen or even twenty-one points early in the game.”

Continue reading "The Problem with Derek Anderson (December ..."