SB Nation - Anquan Boldin

Top Ten Arizona Cardinals' Draft Picks of the Past Decade

Hawkwind — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 10:00:21 -0000

by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

Does this trio of Arizona Cardinals (Reggie Wells, Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston (left to right)) make the cut in the top ten draft picks of the past decade? (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

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Call us old-fashioned but reaching the end of a decade is a great time to look back at the previous ten years and with that in mind ROTB will be taking that look with some special top ten lists over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned and chime in on what we missed, special memories or just your two cents.

As we all know building a team through the draft is the best way to win consistently and as we also know the Arizona Cardinals haven't always been know as one of the better drafting teams in the league. But as with the improved play on the field though, the winds of change are blowing throughout our draft evaluation as well. Of the Cardinals starting 22, fourteen starters have come via the draft over the past decade and it's quite possible that the number could grow by four or five next season if guys like Matt Leinart, Brandon Keith, Ben Patrick, Cody Brown or Gabe Watson are ready to step into the starting lineup. Here's a look at the top ten draft picks of this decade.

Adrian Wilson - 3rd Round 2001 (64th overall) - By any definition Adrian Wilson has been a successful draft pick and considering that 64 players were selected before him, including three safeties (one even selected by the Cardinals), A-dub has been a steal. He's currently one sack from entering the exclusive 20/20 club (only ten members) and he's twice been named as a Pro Bowl starter (2006 & 2008). Wilson is also currently the longest tenured Cardinal and in his nine seasons he's started 116 games (including playoffs) amassing 677 tackles, 19 sacks, 22 interceptions, 12 forced fumbles and scored four touchdowns. He's also the only player in NFL history to have multiple 99 yard return touchdowns without the benefit of a kickoff return.
Reggie Wells - 6th Round 2003 (177th overall) - Wells isn't a Pro Bowl level offensive guard but anytime you find a quality starter in the sixth round of a draft, you've made an amazing pick. He became a starter in just his second season and only a broken ankle in 2005 (missed seven games) have kept him off the field. Since that injury he's started 65 consecutive games (including playoffs) and was a team captain for the 2008 season. He's also been versatile, starting games at left guard, left tackle and right tackle and even took snaps at center during the 2005 season. A case could be made that Wells has offered the most "bang for the buck" (draft pick speaking), of any selection this decade.
Anquan Boldin - 2nd Round 2003 (54th overall) - Boldin didn't waste any time proving to the NFL that he was a premier receiver. In his first professional game he had 217 receiving yards (NFL record) and since then he's set numerous records including most receptions for a rookie, most reception in the first 26 games of a career, fastest to 300 & 400 receptions and he's also set countless team records as well. He's a three time Pro Bowler, a team captain (2007) and endeared himself to Cardinals fans with his fearless, passionate playing style. Despite playing in 16 games only twice in his career, Q has amassed 570 receptions, 7,299 yards and 44 touchdowns
Darnell Dockett - 3rd Round 2004 (64th overall) - Mr. Nine-0 was a starter from his very first day in the desert but he didn't really have a breakout season until 2007. In his first three season's he'd start 47 of 48 games and while he was productive, he only managed six sacks. That all changed in 2007 though as he racked up nine sacks and set a career high in tackles. He's now mentioned as one of the best defensive tackles in the league and despite some inconsistency at times, it's hard not to at least put him in the top five at his position. In his six seasons as a Cardinal, Dockett hasn't missed a game while totaling 271 tackles, 26 sacks, four picks and six forced fumbles while being voted to one Pro Bowl.
Larry Fitzgerald - 1st Round 2004 (3rd overall) - You might think it's awful hard to screw up the third overall pick but in the previous four years the Cardinals had five first round selections and the closest thing to a productive starter was Bryant "skillet hands" Johnson. Fitz was considered one of the best receivers to come out of the college ranks in quite some time and he certainly has not disappointed. In six seasons Fitz has established himself as arguably the best receiver in the NFL and his record setting performance during last year's post season run cemented his legacy as an all-time great. Despite still being just 26 years of age, Fitzgerald has already amassed 511 receptions, 6,966 yards and 56 touchdowns.
Lyle Sendlein - Undrafted in 2007 - So technically Sendlein isn't/wasn't a draft pick but anytime an undrafted free agent turns into a starter, someone deserves a massive pat on the back. After not getting drafted in 2007 though he played in 12 games as a rookie, including two starts, and has since started 23 consecutive games (including playoffs). After struggling at times as a rookie, Sendlein has remarkably improved during his second year as a starter and he's looking like a guy who can anchor the center of the Cardinals' offensive line for quite a while.
Gerald Hayes - 3rd Round 2003 (70th overall) - Hayes often gets overlooked by flashier players on the defensive side of the ball but he's developed into one of the most dependable defenders on the team. After two seasons playing mostly special teams, Hayes was supposed to start the 2005 season at middle linebacker before a preseason knee injury sent him to the injured reserve. Since that injury he's missed only two games and averaged almost six tackles per game and started 53 games. In his six seasons (not counting the one missed due to injury) he's amassed 389 tackles, five sacks, four picks and forced seven fumbles.
Steve Breaston - 5th Round 2007 (142th overall) - Breaston was drafted as a return specialist, a spot he excelled at as a rookie, but when the Cardinals used a third round pick on another receiver the following year, Boobs took it personally. Breaston onto the NFL-scene with 77 receptions for 1,006 yards in just his second year in the league and he's established himself as a legitimate deep threat. He's started twelve games over the past two seasons, filling in for an injured Boldin, and he's helped the Cardinals develop one of the most dynamic passing games in the league, not to mention the best trio of receivers.
Antonio Smith - 5th Round 2004 (135th overall) - Smith is really the only guy on this list who didn't make an almost immediate impact but once he broke into the starting lineup, he was quite productive. He spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad and didn't become a full time starter until the latter half of his third season. While he never really was a play-maker, Smith was consistently productive and a great pick in the fifth round. Smith left this past off season for big free agent money with the Houston Texans but as a Cardinal he played in 62 games, 39 starts, and racked up 125 tackles, 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
Tim Hightower - 5th Round 2008 (149th overall) - The 149th selection of the 2008 draft was followed by a collective "who?" from Cardinals fans and draft 'experts' alike but Hightower has quickly proved to be quite a hidden gem. After starting his rookie season as a very effective goal line/short yardage specialist, he emerged as the starting running back midway through the season and he's managed to keep the starting job despite a promising rookie, Beanie Wells, nipping at his heels. Through just two short years Hightower has proven to be a fairly complete back with the ability to swing out of the backfield, protect his quarterback as well as tote the rock. With the Cardinal's dual running back approach, he's not getting a ton of carries but he's on pace to surpass 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season and could approach double digit touchdowns for the second consecutive season.

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One thing that is quite impressive when looking back at the past decade worth of drafts is how well the Cardinals drafted in the 2003 and 2004 draft. In those two years combined they turned fourteen overall picks into seven quality NFL starters and four Pro Bowl level players. Needless to say, a 50% success rate in the draft is a guaranteed formula for winning. With the past couple of draft classes looking very promising, hopefully we'll be able to look back in five years and see the same kind of success. Who is the best overall pick in your mind and who would be in your top ten?

Revisiting the Arizona Cardinals Past With The Detroit Lions

Andrew602 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:02:36 -0000

Before the last two seasons the Cardinals had made it a regular occurrence to face the Detroit Lions during the regular season. From 2001-2007 the Cardinals and Lions have squared off with the average score being Cardinals 24.7, Lions 26.5. The Cardinals have currently lost 2 of 3 and face the Lions who have only won 3 out of the last 34 games. Let's take a look down memory lane to see the Cardinals previous 6 games with the Lions.

Dec 8th, 2002: Cardinals 23, Lions 20

It was a game between two losers, as the 3-9 Lions traveled to Arizona to face the 4-8 Cardinals. It wasn't the most exciting of games but it did involve a 4th quarter comeback by Jake Plummer. The game went to OT where Robert Porcher recorded a QB hit that was intercepted by Chris Claiborne who returned it 30 yards into FG position. A facemask penalty was called on Porcher and Cardinals TE Freddie Jones, making the penalties offset and both teams replayed the down. The Cardinals got into FG range where they eventually kicked the FG for the win in OT.

Sep 7th, 2003: Cardinals 24, Lions 42

The Cardinals opened the season at Detroit, where rookie Anquan Boldin made a name for himself setting rookie debut records with 10 catches and 217 yards. The new-look Cardinals featuring Jeff Blake and Emmitt Smith weren't enough for the Lions high-scoring offense. The Cardinals turned the ball over 3 times and Joey Harrington threw 4 touchdowns which eventually set the tone for the Cardinals 4-12 season.

Dec 5th, 2004: Cardinals 12, Lions 26

The Cardinals traveled to Detroit for the 2nd year in a row, where Cardinals fans were waiting to see what 7th round pick John Navarre would do at quarterback. That question was answered when he threw 4 interceptions in the first game of his career. The part that hurt more was that the Lions had lost 5 in a row before this game and many thought the Cardinals would be favored to win. That turned out to be wrong when Lions rookie running back Kevin Jones ran for 196 yards - ouch.

Nov 13th, 2005: Cardinals 21, Lions 29

At Detroit, the Cardinals were once again not able to beat the lowly Lions who were currently on another losing skid(2). Kurt Warner started in place of Josh McCown, and threw for 359 yards, but only had 1 touchdown on the day. The Cardinals could only run for 38 yards and scored their 1st rushing touchdown of the season, while allowing 157 rushing yards to the Lions. This was the Cardinals third straight loss at Detroit and was their last appearence there until this season.

Nov 19th, 2006: Cardinals 17, Lions 10

The Cardinals played the Lions for the first time at University of Phoenix stadium with rookie Matt Leinart at quarterback getting his first NFL win. Leinart threw 233 yards and 1 touchdown while also running in a touchdown. The Cardinals were on their own 8 game losing streak and getting this win helped them ~~revive their season and make the playoffs~~ break their 3 game losing streak to the Lions and finish the season 5-11.

Nov 11th, 2007: Cardinals 31, Lions 21

Yours truly attended this game to watch the Cardinals lay a beating on the Lions after making their previous five games too close. Kurt Warner had 259 passing yards and 3 touchdowns as the Cardinals out-gained the Lions 319-245 in total yards. The Cardinals held the Lions to -18 rushing yards while forcing 5 turnovers in what would be the last time these two teams met.

If you're noticing a tendency here it's that the Cardinals haven't won in Detroit in this past decade no matter how bad the Lions have been. Obviously the Cardinals should be tremendously favored to win the game, but after the ugly loss we were forced to watch last week, who knows which Cardinals team will show up on Sunday.

I Am Freaking Out Man

PSTIM1 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:01:13 -0000

Tristan Cockroft - I just wanted to say his name somewhere in this post.

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So the fantasy playoffs have officially begun and I am going against Dallass Clark so I am already getting killed. I am already down 21 points, and as it stands today I am not sure if my QB is actually gonna play (Brady) and I am starting Maurice "who the fuck?" Morris due to Kevin Smith's exploded knee. I have had a good fantasy year (10-4) and I have never won a ring, and at this point I'd trade my first born child for a taste of fantasy glory. I have provided my fantasy matchup for ya'll to look at - please tell me I have a chance! And should I actually start Maurice Morris or should I go with Rim Thighpower (Tim Hightower)? Detroit fan's have you heard about how they are gonna use Morris and Aaron Brown? Please guys I need this...I need this.

Me: Team Name: PenisCopter (dont ask)

Tom Brady

Larry Fitzgerald

Chad Ochocinco

Frank Gore

Maurice Morris

Vernon Davis

Jets D

Nick Folk

My Opponent: Team Name: Cock Poon Moan

Matt 'Slob a Knob" Schaub

Randy "I give boss" Moss

Anquan Blowin Dudes (Boldin)

LT "licks taint"

Cedric Bendoverson (Benson - that one's not funny)

Dal "takes it up the" ass Clark

Cardinals D (I got nothing)

"Nasty" Nate Kaeding (he looks like such a pussy)

PS my scoring is rb's/wr's/te's get a point every ten yards rushing and receiving and 6 points for a td. QB's get 1 point for every 20 yards passing and 5 points for passing td's. Kickers get a point for fg's 2 points for fg's over 50 yds - nothing for xp's.

Poll

Will I Win or Lose?

49ers 24 - Cardinals 9: Fantasy glory for Fooch!

Fooch — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:00:37 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

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The only thing better than seeing the 49ers defense absolutely throttle the vaunted Arizona Cardinals offense on Monday Night Football? I found myself down 21 points in my first round playoff matchup heading into Monday night and I had the 49ers defense. 4 sacks, 5 fumbles and 4 2 interceptions later and I get 24 points from the 49ers defense. When you get that many points without a defensive touchdown, you know you got a dominating performance. I'm willing to argue that's one of the greatest comebacks in fantasy history!

It's an hour or so after the game and I am still without a computer. I'm sitting at a Fedex/Kinkos a little buzzed putting this post together and giddy as could be. Using a PC keyboard right now is actually making this a little more difficult than my Mac keyboard. But the important thing is that the 49ers won in fairly dominating fashion and left me highly entertained. For the next week, my posts will come from a variety of public Internet options, so they might be a little shorter than normal. I have access to the USF library so I'll do what I can, but bear with me for the next week or so.

We'll have plenty of opportunities to focus on the 49ers offensive performance. For this post though, let's focus on the defense. Some may argue that the Cardinals offense basically did whatever they could to hand this game to the 49ers offense. To those people I snicker. The 49ers defense put together a performance you will not see very often. First and foremost, we may have seen a breakout performance from Dashon Goldson. He hauled down a beautiful interception, while also providing a pair of huge forced fumbles. Maybe he didn't recover them, but he was a play-making machine. The much criticized Mark Roman had a pair of fumble recoveries. Given his performances prior to this season, that's simply amazing.

All in all, we saw a defensive performance that does not come along fairly often, even when you're playing a crappy team. The 49ers took on a hot Cardinals offense and absolutely shut them down. The dynamic duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin were held to 62 yards on 7 carries. Kurt Warner, who had been fairly dominant in his previous 4 games was fairly easily contained, throwing for 178 yards and 2 picks.

The 49ers need a lot of help if they want to make the playoffs, but we saw a defense perform on a level we haven't seen probably since the Rams game. Given the quality of competition, this was arguably the defense's best performance of the season. As the team heads into what is a monstrous battle in Philadelphia, will they be able to contain an explosive Philly squad, or will we see more inconsistency going forward?

Quote of the Hour

GrantC — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:07:39 -0000

In coming to the live MNF post-game show from Candlestick an excited Stuart Scott announced they were in "The City by the Bay... some people call it the 'Yay Area'!"

We're all for SS and his hip hop culture references - the original "Booyah" was legendary - but he's getting too old for this stuff. For starters that "Buck is when internal artistry...." blah blah blah line is straight lame, yet he seems to go to it on the regular - somewhere in Compton Lil C cringes every time he hears it. And now this one is just plain silly - does he know what exactly he's saying?! For out of towners or those not in the know, "Yay Area" is a reference to the heavy local crack cocaine drug business that many believe originated in Oakland - doesn't really seem appropriate for a sports TV show who's hippest star, Steve Young, is a mormon lawyer.

Glad to hear he is finally bumping E-40, but SS may want to run the rap lyrics by his kids before he busts em out on air.

All Eyes On The Arizona Cardinals Tonight

Andrew602 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:24:52 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

The Cardinals defense has turned up the heat during national prime-time games.

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The Cardinals have been impressive in their last two prime-time games, and for the second week in a row the nation will be watching them in their match up with the San Francisco 49ers. Do they have something to prove? Maybe. After a gut-wrenching loss to the 49ers week 1, many players are ready for redemption. With the recent struggles in the NFC West tonight's game should be proof that the Cardinals are not just a product of the division.

A Cardinals win tonight would not only lock up a division title for the second year in a row, but it would also provide a sense of relief. Losing two games to a division rival in one year is hard enough, and if the Cardinals want to establish themselves as one of the Super Bowl contenders this year, this is a game they should win.

This is a team that has seemingly played better in front of the nation beginning with their improbable playoff run to the Super Bowl last season, and their last two Sunday night games this year. They did struggle in week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts in a Sunday night game, but the Colts are also 13-0 and 12 other teams have fallen at the hands of Peyton Manning. As you can see, the Cardinals have been more balanced in two of their wins on national TV, and also have a +3 turnover differential.

Prime-time Games	Tot Yds	Pass	Rush	Run Att	TO	Sacks	Opp TO
Loss vs Colts	323	299	24	12	3	0	1
Wins vs MIN/NYG(avg)	343	250.5	92.5	23.5	3	6	6

Winning three games when the nation is watching pads the recognition this team is striving for, but also sends a warning to the other top NFC - the Cardinals are for real.

Tonight however, is only the beginning.

Their next four games are certainly winnable with an opponents combined record of 17-34. With the Cowboys and Giants losing yesterday, securing the #3 seed is the goal and increasing the odds of a second home game in the post-season. We all saw what happened down the stretch last year when the Cardinals secured their division and Ken Whisenhunt will surely have his team prepared this time around to finish strong and confident.

Game notes: This is the 37th meeting between the two teams, with the 49ers holding a 20-16 advantage... Since they became division rivals, the 49ers hold an 8-7 advantage... This is the 3rd straight meeting against the 49ers on MNF (1-1)... With a win the Cardinals would secure the NFC West, have the first back to back post season appearances since 1975, and Ken Whisenhunt would get his 29th win (would be 4th all time! Already!?!)... Larry Fitzgerald needs 56 yards to get to 7,000 career receiving yards (would be the youngest to that mark all-time), needs 62 yards to pass Pat Tilley for 4th all-time in Cards franchise history, and needs 31 yards to reach 1,000 yards for the third straight season (franchise record)... With 3 TDs Kurt Warner would reach 100 with the Cardinals, only the 2nd player to throw 100 TDs for two teams... Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin have accounted for eight 100-yard receiving games against the 49ers, who are without Nate Clements tonight and are ranked 27th in pass defense in the league... Cards are favored by 3.5 points.

Arizona Cardinals' Road To Elite Status

Undrafteds — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:22:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

12 days ago: Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin (81) dives for a touchdown as Minnesota Vikings' E.J. Henderson runs in late to defend in the second quarter during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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As we prepare for the Cardinals-49ers Monday Night Football matchup, with a chance for Arizona to claim its second NFC West crown in a row with a win, lets take a look back at the season to date to see what we have learned. In the name of reader enjoyment, I'll start with my synopsis, with a skimming of the surface breakdown to follow.

What have we learned? I don't have to tell any of you that we can all watch every snap and come away with very different versions of what we saw. So maybe it is more appropriate to say, what have I learned?

I have learned that the 2009 Cardinals are a new improved version of the 2008 Cardinals. Sounds simple enough doesn't it?

More precisely, the 2008 model was good enough to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in team history, but inconsistent and unreliable, especially at the most inopportune times such as the excruciating Steelers' game winning drive.

Last year, the teams primary weaknesses, arguably of course, were giving up the big play way too often, not winning on the road, and general inability to run the ball.

This year the Cardinals are not giving up nearly as many big plays on defense, are 5-1 on the road, and have increased their team yards per carry average from 3.5 last year to 4.1.

But it goes further than the numbers.

This team has demonstrated that they are more mature and resilient. Arizona is more focused and physical.

Additionally, key players have simply gotten better with each passing week. An alarming number of players are playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level. Defensively, Antrel Rolle, Adrian Wilson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Karlos Dansby and Darnell Dockett should at least get consideration. Not to mention special teams warrior LaRod Stephens-Howling, punter Ben Graham and kicker Neil Rackers. Offensively, the usual suspects Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald could all be locks for the Pro Bowl.

Forget about the Pro Bowl for a minute though. Calais Campbell, Lyle Sendlein, Deuce Lutui, Reggie Wells and Tim Hightower have all improved.

Don't bother doing the math, I've already done it: that is 13 out of the starting 22 that are either playing at a Pro Bowl level or have in the least improved their game. On special teams, Graham and Rackers have played nearly flawlessly, and LSH has been an upgrade on kick returns and return coverage.

This team has more character, even when they lose. In my not so humble opinion, the Titans game was a huge character win despite the loss. MattLeinart had some things to prove that day, and he did. There were more players making plays in that game than most I've seen. True, the Cardinals again let a QB execute another two-minute drill to perfection—their Achilles heel—and lost the game, but they can't win them all can they?

Finally, I have to talk about head coach Ken Whisenhunt for a moment. He has a methodical, patient approach, and his teams' progress is a reflection of that. In his first season he took an under-achieving talent-laden squad to their first 8-8 record in many moons. Last year they improved to 9-7, but caught fire and made it to their first-ever Super Bowl. This year their weaknesses have been shored up even moreso—defensively they are more consistent and the rushing attack is better—and the Cardinals have cleared yet another hurdle. Now, my fellow Arizona fans, the Cardinals are becoming one of the elite teams in the NFL right before our very eyes.

As I recall the 12 games played to date briefly below, by my count the 8-4 record can be broken down as follows:

Of the four losses, two were respectably played games that ended in a loss (Week 1 vs. 49ers and Week 12 vs. Titans), and two were games that the Cardinals simply laid an egg (Week 3 vs. the Colts and Week 8 vs. the Panthers).

Of the eight wins, all of them had at least two quarters of completely dominating play by Arizona.

The word dominate is used repeatedly on purpose to drive home my point.

1. San Francisco L 16-20 (0-1): Hard fought game, division rival.

It can be said that with the departure of Todd Haley, the flow of the Cardinals' offense wasn't quite in sync with Ken Whisenhunt's first time out calling plays in awhile.

Held Frank Gore to 30 yards on 22 carries.

2. @ Jacksonville W 31-17 (1-1): The Cardinals' nemesis last regular season was winning on the road. In their first attempt, they completely dominated Jacksonville for three quarters.

Jacksonville's 17 points were a little deceiving as it came up against prevent defense.

Held Maurice Jones-Drew to 66 yards on 13 carries, but 36 came on one run.

3. Indianapolis L 10-31 (1-2): After a promising start to the game, this was a poor all-around effort by the Cardinals.

They were flat and out of sorts in all phases for most of the game.

Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Pierre Garçon embarrassed Arizona, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in particular.

4. BYE WEEK

5. Houston W 28-21 (2-2): Arizona again completely dominated for three quarters.

When they went to prevent defense, Matt Schaub and company mounted a comeback.

A goal-line stand by Arizona prevented the Texans from tying to force overtime.

6. @ Seattle W 27-3 (3-2): Arizona completely dominated this game from start to finish.

One of their most complete wins in team history.

Held Matt Hasselbeck to 112 yards passing and Seattle to 14 yards rushing on 11 carries.

7. @ NY Giants W 24-17 (4-2): In a signature win, the Cardinals stymied the Giants who were 5-1 before this game, by forcing four turnovers and holding last year's best rushing team to 107 total yards on the ground.

The Giants could only muster three second-half points.

8. Carolina L 21-34 (4-3): Another poor all-around effort by the Cardinals, who were dominated by the previously stagnant Panthers, in a revenge game.

The Cardinals had embarrassed the Panthers last postseason on their home turf, and the Panthers returned the favor.

Arizona came into the game with the top ranked run defense, but were exploited for 270 ground yards.

9. @ Chicago W 41-21 (5-3): Cardinals rebound nicely by dominating the Bears. It was 31-7 at halftime.

In prevent defense, the Bears got back into the game. Matt Leinart helped them out by throwing an INT on his only attempt, and was immediately replaced with Warner.

10. Seattle W 31-20 (6-3): Seattle gave it everything they had, playing maybe their best game of the season, only to lose by 11 points to a superior team.

11. @ St. Louis W 21-13 (7-3): With Kurt Warner at the helm, the Cardinals were cruising with a 21-3 halftime lead.

He suffered a concussion at the end of the second quarter however, and the still rusty Leinart was unable to lead the team to points.

The defense held strong and mopped up, securing the win.

12. @ Tennessee L 17-20 (7-4): Playing the hot Titans, who had won four straight, without Warner.

Leinart improved, and the Cardinals held a 17-13 advantage with two minutes remaining before Vince Young's now instant classic, 18-play 99-yard drive, won the game on the last play of the game for Tennessee.

An all around well-played game by both sides.

13. Minnesota W 30-17 (8-4): Many pundits weighed in and very few gave the Cardinals a chance leading up to kickoff. The Vikings had been anointed the best all-around team by some, with only one loss in 11 attempts coming in. BrettFavre had only thrown three picks, but threw two in this one. Jared Allen was held without a stat, and Adrian Peterson was held to 19 yards on 13 carries. After giving up a 7-0 lead early sparked by Tim Hightower's fumble on the second play of the game, it was all Arizona.

What are your thoughts on the Cardinals season so far? Do you think they have achieved elite status, or is there still more work to be done?

In Defense of Señor Ochocinco

ericj69 — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:55:11 -0000

Love him or hate him, he's already made Sunday's game a lot more interesting.

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He Riverdanced in the endzone. He putted the football with a pylon. He gave the football CPR. He declared himself a future Hall of Famer. He sent "gifts" to opposing defensive backs on game weeks. He made a list of "who covered him" in 2005. He raced a freaking horse. He got fined for asking not to be fined. He proposed to a Bengals cheerleader. He jumped into the Dawg Pound and did a Lambeau Leap. Just last week, he donned a sombrero and poncho. This week, he's threatening to blow the Vikings horn if he scores. (As Gonzo already pointed out, that's gonna be pretty tough considering we play that through the speakers.)

He legally changed his last name from Johnson to the Spanish pronunciation of the digits of his jersey number. He may change his last name again to the Japanese pronunciation of the digits of his jersey number. No, I'm not kidding. You may be choosing Chad Hachi Go in your fantasy drafts next year.

He violates the NFL uniform policy more often than Tiger Woods violates his marriage vows. He Tweets roughly 647 times a day. He made up two totally nonsensical phrases, "Child please" and "Kiss da baby", while stealing the show on HBO's "Hard Knocks" this season. (Not to mention his new line of condoms.) He...well that's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure I'm missing at least a handful of other crazy things he's done.

And you know what? Even though I'm not a Bengals fan, I love every last bit of it.

If you're a regular reader of the Daily Norseman, you know that I often have fun at the expense of opposing players. Just take a look at my recent posts about T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Jay Cutler. But when it comes to Chad Ochocinco, I can't help but like the guy.

Most people outside of southwestern Ohio can't stand him, and I understand why. Chad is a cocky, showboating loudmouth who's starved for attention and wants the spotlight permanently affixed on him. When he scores, I'm guessing the phrase "act like you've been there before" has never crossed his mind. Each premeditated celebration makes Vince Lombardi and Knute Rockne spin in their graves. Basically, he's the polar opposite of "old school".

Which, in my opinion, makes him so likable. My formative years of NFL fandom included the Ickey Shuffle, the Redskins "Fun Bunch", the Super Bowl Shuffle, and Billy White Shoes Johnson. I fell in love with the NFL because it looked like so much fun. These days, I'm all too aware that the NFL is big business before everything else. But Chad's antics, as sophomoric and cheesy as they are, remind us that the game can still be fun.

So there, I said it. I defended #85. I truly enjoy him. Deal with it. But that doesn't mean I'll enjoy anything he does on Sunday.

Barring a collapse rivaling that of Tiger Woods' public image (that's right, two Tiger jokes--gotta strike while the iron's hot), the Cincinnati Bengals are going to win the AFC North. The Steelers conveniently took themselves out of contention last night, and Cincy needs only one more win or Ravens loss to clinch. And you know what? They've earned it. They've earned it by grinding the clock with a punishing rushing attack, not making many mistakes, using opportunistic special teams, and leaning on a vastly improved defense. So basically, they've been very anti-Bengal-like this year. Which is always a good thing.

What isn't good for the Bengals is how they match up with the Vikings. So you want to run the football 35 times? Don't think the Vikings' #3 rush defense will have a problem with that. Plus Antoine Winfield should finally be back in the lineup this week. (Of course we've heard that before from "The Foot That Cried Wolf".) Although I just got done heaping praise on Ochocinco, it isn't like Cincinnati's offense has been that explosive in 2009. Gonzo covered this yesterday by pointing out that they haven't lit up the scoreboard since blowing out the Bears in Week 7.

Yet the Bengals are still winning because of their defense. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has his group of NFL castoffs playing downright amazing. If he doesn't get a head coaching gig with all the vacancies sure to be created after the season, I'd be shocked. Favre & Co. will have to perform much better than they did in Arizona to move the ball.

I think it's going to be a battle on Sunday. But if you think the Bengals are going to come to the Metrodome and beat the Vikes this week, I only have one thing to say to you.

Child please.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Bengals 19

My Week 14 NFL picks, guaranteed to be mediocre as ever:

Saints over FALCONS: The Saints have officially entered the Madden Zone. Not only do they put up Arena League points, they had the classic "No F---ing Way" game against Washington last week. Everyone that has played Madden knows that game. It's when no matter what you do, the computer steals the game from you. Even if it looks like your guy was down, the game still rules it a fumble. Even though you swear your accuracy was right on, your kicker pushes the game-icing field goal wide right, leaving you saying "No f---ing way" about fifteen times. Sound familiar Redskins fans? Anyway, stick a fork in Atlanta. The injury bug ate whatever chance they had of being contenders in '09.

Jets over BUCCANEERS: I don't care that the Sanchize is out because he's allergic to sliding. The Bucs are 31st in the NFL in run defense. Rex Ryan should be pistol whipped for every Kellen Clemens pass play he calls past 20 attempts.

PATRIOTS over Panthers: A rematch of Super Bowl XXXVIII! But this time around, the "XXX" stands for how New England's second half offense is about as good as the movie "XXX" starring Vin Diesel (that's not a good thing); the "V" stands for how Carolina's fan base is "Very depressed" about their quarterback situation; and the "III" stands for tally marks for each play that Randy Moss will actually try during this game. Or is it tally marks for the amount of baby mama's that Tom Brady will have by the end of his career? I can't decide. If I were Tom, I'd go after Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr to be Baby Mama #3, because I chose her for my gratuitous picture of the week.

Bills over CHIEFS: Judging by how the past few weeks have gone in the NFL, this will somehow end up being the best game of the week. I just can't figure out how that could possibly happen though.

RAVENS over Lions: Too bad this game is the same week as our game against the Bengals. Because if the Lions win this game, it's obvious that the AFC North is incapable of beating terrible teams. Then if our Cincy game was later in the season, the Vikings could just wear 2008 Lions jerseys and cruise to victory!

Packers over BEARS: The biannual game where I hope both teams lose and suffer many season-ending injuries. Alas, my dream never comes true. I'd like the Bears to show up and help us clinch the division, but that's kind of like asking Tiger Woods to win a Husband of the Year Award. (BOOM! Just when you thought it was safe! A TIGER WOODS JOKE TRIFECTA!)

TEXANS over Seahawks: The Poulan Weed Eater Independence Bowl matchup of the week. Sure, they're still playing, but both sets of fans know that this game doesn't mean anything.

COLTS over Broncos: I'd love to kidnap Colts head coach Jim Caldwell fifteen minutes before kickoff and see if anyone on Indy's sideline notices before halftime. I say no. What a great gig that guy has.

Dolphins over JAGUARS: I absolutely HATE picking games that involve either of these teams. The Fins and Jags can beat anyone and lose to anyone on any given week. I'm just glad they're playing each other this week so it only counts for one incorrect pick.

RAIDERS over Redskins: Washington better watch out here. If they're not careful, they're going to mess up their formula of getting a big lead on a team only to choke it away late. If the Skins get up by more than a score on Oakland, I'm fairly doubtful that the Raiders will allow choking like that on their watch.

TITANS over Rams: A Super Bowl XXXIV rematch! Except one team started their season six weeks late and the other team should have just quit after beating the Lions. This is also my Eliminator pick of the week--still kickin' at 13-0!

COWBOYS over Chargers: San Diego has won 15 December games in a row. The Cowboys have stunk in December since the old Levi's Button Your Fly shirts were in. Picking the Chargers is too obvious here, right? (Says the guy that limped to 9-7 in his picks last week.)

GIANTS over Eagles: The Eagles could easily win this game. But I'm rooting for Andy Reid to pull one of his classic clock management botch jobs to allow the Giants to win in the waning seconds, followed by Eagles fans realizing in horror that they just signed this guy for three more years. Because after dealing with Philly fans in the Dome the past two seasons, I wish nothing but terrible things to happen to them at all times.

Cardinals over 49ERS: Yep, I'm officially terrified of facing the Cardinals again in the playoffs. That was a Grade A whoopin' they put on us last Sunday. Drew Margary already wrote about this in his weekly Deadspin Jamboroo, but it's worth mentioning again because I noticed it as well on Sunday night: Anquan Boldin is just pissed off at the entire world. He's still upset about his contract situation, and he will let you know it with each joyless reception and subsequent icy glare to anyone that dares to glance at him. Ochocinco has approximately 4,500 times more fun playing football than Boldin does every Sunday.

Last week: 9-7

Season so far: 132-61 (including picking Thursday night's game wrong)

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers: Five Keys To Success

Andrew602 — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:44:13 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

Expect to see a lot of Nine-O on Monday night. He's already twittered that he's fired up for the game.

Browse more photos »

The Arizona Cardinals (8-4) take their 5-1 road record to San Francisco to take on the 49ers (5-7) on Monday night. Both teams regularly keep the games close when they play each other, with 7 of the last 8 games being decided within 7 points, and the only game more was the season opener last year (the Cardinals won by 10 but the game was decided at the end).

This year, after a 1-2 start , the Cardinals are 7-2 since and have shown an obvious improvement on offense since the Cardinals lost to the 49ers in the opening week. The Cardinals road success has been a surprise, as they've outscored opponents with an average score 26.8 - 15.1. At home, they're average score is 22.6 - 23.8.

The 49ers have experience the opposite season as the Cardinals. Since they began the season 3-1, they've dropped 6 of the last 8 games. They are currently 4-2 at home, outscoring opponents with an average score of 20.8 - 16.3. They also have had success against quarterbacks at home, holding them to an average rating of 75.24. Luckily, Kurt Warner's average QB rating on the road is 116.8. Let's take a look at five keys to Cardinals success on Monday night.

Protect Kurt Warner.This was what hurt the Cardinals chances at winning week 1 against the 49ers. The 49ers defensive line had the killer-instinct and was able to successfully rush four, while dropping 7-8 in coverage all game. As a result, Warner was sacked 3 times and threw 2 interceptions. The Cardinals may take the same approach they used against the Minnesota Vikings. They were able to contain the Vikings front four, and finally game the offensive line help with running back and tight end support. If Kurt Warner is given time, he can pick any defense apart, especially a 49er defense without top cornerback Nate Clements.
Contain Vernon Davis. That is obviously easier said then done but limiting the 4th year tight end is a huge step in the right direction on Sunday. He caught 5 passes for 40 yards the first time these teams met, but since then Davis has 58 catches for 741 yards and 10 touchdowns. Considering the Cardinals are one of the worst defenses at containing tight ends, they'll want to add an extra eye on number 85 throughout the game. It should also be worth noting that since Alex Smith took over at the midpoint against Houston, Vernon Davis has 40 catches for 513 yards and 7 touchdowns in only 6 1/2 games. Davis is the 49ers best option on offense and taking him out of the equation gives Smith one less threat to throw to.
Keep the defense rolling. The Cardinals defense surprised many when they were able to stifle a dangerous Minnesota Vikings team a week ago. They did so by getting pressure without taking away coverage. They also mixed up their scheme, something we haven't seen a lot of this year. The Cardinals should take the 49ers defensive gameplan and pressure Smith with a 3 or 4 man front. Since Alex Smith took over for the 49ers, in 4 losses Smith's been sacked 12 times. In the two wins, Smith was only sacked twice. If the Cardinals can at least register 4 sacks on the day and force any ill-advised throws, Smith and the 49ers will be in for a long day.
Wide receivers need to have a big game. The last time these teams met, Steve Breaston didn't play and Anquan Boldin was forced to limp into the game on an injured hamstring. Nate Clements, a defensive back for the 49ers that has regularly limited Cardinals receivers in the past - will not play on Monday. That means two of the three receivers will be healthy while Fitz and company don't have to worry about Clements. The offensive play calling is built around the receivers, and if Warner has the time to find them we should see a similar result as last week.
Play a well-rounded game and limit mental errors. In week 1, the Cardinals turned the ball over twice, 12 penalties for 82 yards, were 4-14 on 3rd down, and only rushed for 40 yards. Lately much of those problems have disappeared and the Cardinals should keep it that way against the 49ers. They're rushing has improved, and Beanie Wells is much more a part of the offense then he was in week 1. Kurt Warner hasn't turned the ball over in over a month and they've seemed to lower the penalty issues that plagued them at the start of the season. If the Cardinals can put together a well-balanced performance and keep mistakes to a minimum, they should have no problem hammering the last nail in the 49ers coffin.

If the Cardinals are able to stick to their game plan and not get ahead of themselves, a win shouldn't be too much of a problem in San Francisco. The 49ers usually give the Cardinals a challenge, but if they want to establish themselves as an elite team in the NFL and improve their playoff positioning, this is a must win game. What are your keys to the game and why?

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals: A Prospector's Guide

Fooch — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:32 -0000

vs.

While this game lost a lot of its luster with the Sunday's 49ers loss and Cardinals win, it still should provide an entertaining football experience. As folks were trying to develop a legit 49ers-Seahawks rivalry, the 49ers quietly developed a rivalry with the Arizona Cardinals. Even though there have been numerous sweeps of the series, the games usually are highly competitive, if not going down close to the wire. Even if the 49ers are all but eliminated from playoff contention, this game provides a chance for the team to take a step forward in execution and build towards 2010.

The 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals in what will be the 37th meeting between the two teams, with San Francisco holding a 20-16 advantage in the series. In the season opener earlier this year, the 49ers defeated the Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium, 20-16.

San Francisco enters the upcoming game following a 20-17 defeat in Seattle. In that game, QB Alex Smith connected on 27 of 45 passes for a career-high 310 yards, which included a 33-yard touchdown pass to TE Vernon Davis for his 10th receiving touchdown on the year (tied for 1st in NFL and a new single-season record among 49ers TE’s all-time) and a 22-yard touchdown reception by WR Josh Morgan to mark his third score of the season. It marked the second week in a row that the 49ers defense had posted at least 5 sacks in a game, having had 6 sacks against the Jaguars before notching 5 sacks against the Seahawks.

The 49ers have won 7 of their past 9 home games and have a 38-24 overall record on Monday Night Football.

49ers-Cardinals Connections
Coaching Connections
• 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky was a teammate of Cardinals assistant head coach/OL coach Russ Grimm with the Washington Redskins from 1988-91. Manusky played linebacker, while Grimm played offensive guard.
• 49ers TE coach Pete Hoener has had coaching stints with the Cardinals in both St. Louis (1985-86) and Arizona (2001-03).
• 49ers WR coach Jerry Sullivan spent 3 seasons as the Cardinals offensive coordinator from 2001-03.
• 49ers special teams coordinator Al Everest coached in the same capacity for the Cardinals from 1996-99.
• Cardinals LB coach Billy Davis was the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2005-06.

FORMER CARDINALS - 49ers K Joe Nedney spent three seasons with the Cardinals from 1997-99 ... 49ers G Tony Wragge was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cardinals in 2002. Wragge spent 2 seasons (2002-03) with Arizona.

PANTHER PRIDE - 49ers CB Shawntae Spencer and Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald were teammates at the Univ. of Pittsburgh from 2000-03.

FORMER 49ERS - Cardinals DE Chike Okeafor spent the first 4 years of his career with the 49ers after being drafted in the 3rd round (89th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft.

HAIL THE VICTORS - 49ers G David Baas played at Michigan alongside Cardinals DT Gabe Watson, DT Alan Branch and WR Steve Breaston.

CARDINALS NOR-CAL CONNECTIONS - Cardinals RB J.J. Arrington played 2 seasons at Cal.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 36
Series Record: 49ers lead series 20-16
49ers Home Record vs. Cardinals: 49ers Lead Series 11-8
First Meeting: 11/15/51, Cardinals win, 27-21, at San Francisco
Last Meeting: 9/13/09, 49ers win, 20-16, at Arizona
Current Streak: Won 1
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 (9/14/80-10/18/87 | 10/24/93-12/21/02)
Longest Cards Win Streak: 4 (10/6/74-12/2/79 | 10/2/05-12/24/06)
Most 49ers Points: 50 (12/7/03): 50-14, at San Francisco
Most Cardinals Points: 34 (Two Times): Last (10/6/74), 34-9 at SF
49ers Shutouts: None
Cardinals Shutouts: None

SAN FRANCISCO 20, ARIZONA 16
At Glendale, AZ, September 13, 2009

Head coach Mike Singletary delivered a very simple message to his team in advance of their season opening matchup against the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals … "Believe." His players did just that as they battled through a tremendously physical game highlighted by impressive defensive efforts from both squads. After being stymied on offense for more than 3 quarters, the 49ers embarked on a 15-play, 80-yd. drive that consumed 7:26 of clock time en route to a 3-yd., go-ahead TD pass from QB Shaun Hill to RB Frank Gore. On the drive, offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye scrapped the run game that he had dialed up all afternoon and left the contest to Hill’s right arm. The QB responded going 9 of 13 for 72 yds. and the TD to Gore. On the series, Hill utilized his playmakers, including TE Vernon Davis who hauled in 4 passes for 35 yds.

The 49ers opened the scoring in the 1st quarter after All-Pro LB Patrick Willis intercepted a QB Kurt Warner pass to set his team up at the ARZ 36. Six plays later K Joe Nedney connected on a 37-yd. FG. Nedney later connected on a 50-yd. FG to give the Niners a 6-0 lead entering the 2nd stanza. The Cardinals finally got some offense going in the 2nd quarter as K Neil Rackers drilled a 44-yd. FG on their first possession. As the 49ers run game continued to struggle, Hill aired the ball out to All-Pro WR Isaac Bruce on a 50-yd. bomb, setting the offense up at the 6-yd. line. With a tired Arizona defense, the 49ers called on Gore the very next play. He hit pay dirt plunging through a massive hole into the endzone.

With the momentum in their favor, CB Nate Clements capitalized on another Warner mistake, as he hauled in his first interception of the year. Clements’ effort, and those of his defensive backfield mates, limited one of the game’s best WR tandems in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, to a combined 8 recepts. for 90 yds. and 1 TD. The 49ers were unable to capitalize on Clements’ pick, as Hill was sacked and forced to fumble on the next series. The Cardinals jumped on the opportunity, posting another Rackers’ FG this time from 29 yds. San Francisco left the field at the half with a 13-6 lead.

The Cardinals carried momentum into the 3rd quarter, and on their 2nd possession, Warner led his team on 69-yd scoring drive that resulted in a 5-yd. TD pass to Fitzgerald, knotting the score at 13. After a 49ers 3-n-out, Arizona again moved the ball to post points, a 43-yd. FG by Rackers just seconds into the 4th quarter, for the Cardinals final points of the game. The Niners would then embark on their game-winning drive and back it up with a defensive performance that paralyzed the Cardinals.

2009 Statistics

49ERS (rank)		CARDINALS (rank)
5-7 (t-2nd NFCW)	Record	8-4 (1st NFCW)
20.4 (19th)	Points per game	24.8 (9th)
285.4 (28th)	Total Offense	360.9 (10th)
91.3 (28th)	Rushing Offense	94.1 (26th)
194.2 (22nd)	Passing Offense	266.8 (5th)
28:55 (20th)	Possession Avg	30:41 (12th)
19.4 (t-10th)	Points allowed/gm	19.5 (12th)
346.4 (20th)	Total Defense	362.6 (24th)
95.8 (5th)	Rushing Defense	104.8 (12th)
250.6 (27th)	Passing Defense	257.8 (30th)
30 (t-7th)	Sacks	35 (3rd)
48.3 (2nd)	Punting Avg (Gross)	47.4 (3rd)
+1 (t-11th)	Turnover Differential	-3 (t-21st)