Arizona Cardinals

There’s plenty to talk about in week 16, so let’s get right to it!
(7-7) Arizona Cardinals at
(8-6) Cincinnati Bengals

John Skelton gets another chance to prove how little publicity the Cardinals can garner, despite his Tebowian winning ways. They travel to Cincy to take on the Bengals, who are desperate to climb back into the playoffs after stumbling the past few weeks. (I mean, they didn’t exactly blow out St. Louis.)(7-7) New York Giants at

Continue reading "The Opening Drive: Week 16, 2011"

I think he’s earned the right to get angry every now and again.  

(6-7) Arizona Cardinals 21
(10-3) San Francisco 49ers 19
So… the Cardinals won again. That’s cool. You guys don’t really expect me to talk about John Skelton, right? I will talk about the Arizona defense though, since they put Alex Smith into the ground for five sacks. San Fran’s road to the two seed just got more interesting.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 14, 2011"

I swear that old man is so mad all the time his face probably takes 2-3 days to un-furiate.(5-7) Arizona Cardinals 19
(7-5) Dallas Cowboys 13

Freezing your own kicker is a fire-able offense. Jason Garrett should be ashamed of himself and his poor clock management. Somehow the Cardinals are 5-7. I don’t have an answer for that one right now.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 13, 2011"

Also, don’t be fooled: Kansas City still sucks.(3-6) Arizona Cardinals 21
(3-6) Philadelphia Eagles 17

This is the end of the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles. They’re done folks. When John Skelton (who actually looks better than Kevin Kolb) gets a win over you, your defense has issues. When you blow your fifth fourth quarter lead of the season, your team has issues. This might (and probably should) be Andy Reid’s last year in charge.

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 10, 2011"

nning and taking them out of the Luck sweepstakes for the week.(5-2) Baltimore Ravens 30
(1-6) Arizona Cardinals 27

Baltimore ALMOST had another ridiculous loss on their records, but they pulled one out over the Cardinals, who have to be having a real hard time with their decision to trade for Kevin Kolb. I still think it’s too early to tell, but it’s not looking pretty.(5-2) Buffalo Bills 23

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 8, 2011"

Poor showing Ravens.(2-0) Washington Redskins 22
(1-1) Arizona Cardinals 21

Rex Grossman is 2-0 as a starting quarterback thanks to a nice comeback drive to set up a Graham Gano field goal to take the lead for the eventual victory. Washington’s running game was especially dominant, putting up 192 yards on the ground.(1-1) Dallas Cowboys 27

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 2, 2011"

Who the **** saw this coming?(1-0) Arizona Cardinals 28
(0-1) Carolina Panthers 21

For everyone doubting Cam Newton’s ability to be a quarterback, his 422 yards through the air and rushing TD is a pretty good silencer. Just as quietly, Kevin Kolb had a solid first game as a Cardinal. Great start for both franchises.(1-0) New York Jets 27

Continue reading "The Final Drive: Week 1, 2011"

(Okay, probably more so.)

Arizona Cardinals

With a slightly more forgiving schedule than the Rams, I slid the Cardinals up a game from my initial 8-8. I like the trade for and signing of Kevin Kolb, but it was the move the Cards needed to make. That means they could lock up Larry Fitzgerald, to whom Kolb has already shown a propensity to toss it. Tight end Todd Heap suggests a new philosophy for Ken Wisenhunt’s offense, emphasizing the importance of a pass-catcher at the position. If Beanie Wells and Chester Taylor even moderate production, the Cardinal offense could be above average. Patrick Peterson gives Arizona a shut-down corner that can play all over the field, much like a Charles Woodson. Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes are productive safeties. The Cardinals have issues slowing down the run, but hopefully the offense can take some of that pressure off. I might be more optimistic than some, but I’m believing in Kolb… for now.

Continue reading "Joe's 2011 NFL Season Preview: The NFC West"

Josh Freeman on the other hand, is the real deal. And so is his 'fro.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

My prediction: 6-10
What actually happened: 5-11
My result: ****

This is what happens when you think Derek Anderson can be your starting quarterback.

Continue reading "How Much I Effed Up: The NFC Edition"

their pass defense if they're going to keep up in the AFC.

(3-5) Minnesota Vikings 27
(3-5) Arizona Cardinals 24

FREAKING BRETT FAVRE! Seriously. Dude straight up RUINED my hopes for a Brad Childress firing with a career-high 446 yards through the air. Make no mistake about it though, the Cardinals didn't play well enough to win. Minnesota shot themselves in the foot with three turnovers that helped the hapless Cardinals get to 24 points despite only racking up 225 yards of offense. The real Vikings eventually showed up to play, saving Brad Childress' job for the week.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 9"

Just wait for it.

(4-2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers at
(3-3) Arizona Cardinals

Blech I say. Tampa Bay is one of many NFC teams that are trying to lay claim to the title of "Best," but they're simply mediocre with a forgiving schedule. Arizona will likely start undrafted rookie Max Hall at QB again today, which might drastically improve the Tampa defensive statistics. I'd avoid watching this one. It might not be very good.

Continue reading "Joe's 2010 NFL Opening Drive: Week 8"

His team has settled down and has tightened the clamps on defense.

(3-2) Arizona Cardinals 30
(3-2) New Orleans Saints 20

This was the "WTF" outcome of the weekend, without question. The Cardinals couldn't even mount an offensive touchdown but they managed to rack up 30 points and stun the Saints, who are clearly not the same team from a year ago. You let an undrafted rookie QB beat you in his first start? For shame. Now you're even further behind the Atlanta Falcons.

Continue reading "Joe's Final Drive: Week 5"

Well, if this third preseason game was any indication of how the regular season will look, Bears fans are in for a bumpy ride. The Bears' offensive woes continued against the Cardinals as the first-team unit failed to score any points. Here are my notes from Saturday night's 14-9 loss to the Cardinals.

Continue reading "Bears' offense can't finish against the Cardinals"

 

Tonight the Chicago Bears take on the Arizona Cardinals in what will really be their final tune-up before their regular season opens up on September 12th. The third preseason game is always the outing in which you can place the most weight on how the team will perform in later weeks, as the starters will play into the third quarter and the coaches usually attempt to make a gameplan. Here's what I'll be watching for later tonight after I get back from being social and rev up my DVR.

Continue reading "Joe's Preseason Preview: Cardinals at Bears"

run away and hide in this division, but they'll be good enough to upset the next team...

 

Arizona Cardinals

Hey Matt Leinart... are you ready for some football? No? Too bad, because you're going to get it. With the retirement of Kurt Warner, Leinart now steps into the starting quarterback role of a team whose run at division titles is in flux. His back-up? Derek Anderson. *vomit* Larry Fitzgerald sprained his MCL in the first preseason game, but he should be ready for week one. Early Doucet will fill part of the void left by Anquan Boldin's trade to Baltimore, but make no mistake: this won't look like Kurt Warner's Cardinals. Running back Beanie Wells will see a ton of carries, backed up by Tim Hightower. Coach Ken Wisenhunt won't get happy with Leinart at quarterback. Matt hasn't seen a wealth of NFL regular season action in his career, but if he can maintain a high level of accuracy on his short throws and stretch the field occasionally the Cardinal offense will tread water.

Continue reading "Joe's NFL 2010 Season Preview: NFC West"

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.

Continue reading "Reggie Bush goes off as Saints crush ..."

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.

Continue reading "Cardinals eliminate Packers in an ..."

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.

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

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.

Continue reading "Bears can't catch up to Cardinals, lose 41-21"

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.   

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

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"

will have a chance to get younger and tougher while improving their chemistry if they can land the Arizona Cardinals' talent.

  

        Patrick Creyton may step up, but that isn't Jerry Jones' style. So, look at Boulden or a splash in the draft like Jeremy Macklin or even trading up for Michael Crabtree. My money is on Anquan Boulden.

Continue reading "T. O. is Released From the Dallas Cowboys"

http://theghostwriter.today.com/2009/03/01/nfl-quarterback-draft-class-

Continue reading "NFL Quarterback Draft Class Showdown: 2006 vs 2005"

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"

 

           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"

Despite the fact that I would kind of like to see the Arizona Cardinals pull off an upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, I think that the Yellow and Black will prevail in this one.  The way I see it, the Cardinals are good enough to score two TDs, but not more than one field goal.  The Steelers, on the other hand, will also get two TD scores against an Arizona defense that really isn't that great (unless they can force turnovers, which the Steelers don't give up), plus kick a few more field goals to pull out the win.

Continue reading "Super Bowl Prediction: Steelers 23, Cardinals 17"

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.

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

With that being said, kudos! to the Arizona Cardinals as an organization, team, and fan base on your first Super Bowl appearance! May it be everything you always dreamed it would be.

I would like to tip my hat to Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt. Not for the job he has done this year, but for the willingness to step into a position with a team that has a long reputation for mediocrity, and leading them to greatness. I believe that he was the right man for the job. I remember something that Team USA Hockey Coach Herb Brooks said when he was told by the Olympic Commitee they had paid a large some of money to have the best prospects there to be chosen. Brooks replied firmly "I'm not looking for the best players, I'm looking for the right ones." I think the Cardinals are another example of that creed. 

Continue reading "Super Bowl set for Sunday!!!"

 What is it inside someone that elevates them to greatness? How does someone transcend from ordinary to legendary? What defines a hero? Dictionary.com defines a hero as “a man of distinguis

Continue reading "Heroes!!!"

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.

Continue reading "Joey A's Final Drive: Conference ..."

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"

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.

Continue reading "Joey A's Opening Drive: Conference ..."

ctions for both the NFC and AFC Championship games occurring this weekend:

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals: As much as Philly is on a roll right now, I think that (for the umpteenth time) they will be stopped by the Red Birds in the NFC title game.  Brian Westbrook is hurting badly, so the Cards may be able to key their defensive plan around pressuring Donovan McNabb into bad situations.  On the flip side, the Cardinals play very well at home and finally have a fan base behind them that is tantalizing close to the Promised Land, so excitement shouldn't be a problem.  I still think there is a reason why Philly barely made the playoffs this year, and I think we will see it on Sunday.  They barely squeaked by the Vikings, and also probably should have had a much closer game with the Giants if not for all the New York mistakes.  Prediction: Cardinals 21, Eagles 14

Continue reading "The Birds and the "D's""

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"

inst a defense that can shut down teams at their peak.  Prediction: Steelers 31, Chargers 17

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers: As surprising as this sounds, this will be the first time all season that the Cardinals have truly been tested in a meaningful way.  They may score some points, but the Cats will run them into the ground and pull out a win that only looks close on the scoreboard. Prediction: Panthers 24, Cardinals 21.

Continue reading "Quick Picks For The NFL Divisional Playoffs"

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.

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on, and I think that will continue on Sunday.  Prediction: MIA 21, BAL 17

Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals: To me, being an NFC guy, this is the matchup I know the most about. 

Continue reading "NFL Playoffs: Wild Card Preview"

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"

Because of my work schedule, I was unable to preview this past Sunday's MN/Arizona game.  However, had I done so, I would have predicted a 35-14 Arizona victory (that was the number in my head).  I would have gotten the scoring correct, at least!

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     Happy Holidays!!!!!

     To you and yours I hope that you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

      As the NFL reaches the last quarter of the season, fantasy owners are positioning themselves for the playoffs. As the fantasy playoffs continue, quality free agent pick-ups could be the boost that your team needs to climb to the top of the mountain. So, as we do each week, we are providing fantasy football players with the best information in the most interesting format possible. So, enjoy your viewing of this video that is sure to bring you what you need and remind you of things that you want.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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"

NFC East

Week 6

Hello East Fans,

Well after a week of Hiatus to curse the football gods for my team’s embarrassing losses. I felt a preview of the Best division in Football was the only way to quench the thirst. Every team in the division except for Washington is on the road, let’s start with the leaders of the pack.

Continue reading "The East!"

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

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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"

       Sean Salisbury offers his fantasy football preview for week 6 of the NFL. Check this out every week at my blog.

Continue reading "Sean Salisbury's Fantasy Preview for Week 6"

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"

The Crying Game

The Terrell Owens story

Hello NFL fans,

Well here we are, week four of the third year with his last team. This will be his last team, I truly believe that. If I were an owner I would rather get a letter full of anthrax and then imprisoned IN Cuba to spend the rest of my days. The continuous onslaught of reporters and fans condemning my name and wanting my head on a stick would be too much for me to bare.

Continue reading ""

This is an ongoing record of the funniest sports' quotes from the major and local sports talk shows like ATH, PTI, Jim Rome, etc.  I missed a few during Hurricane Ike and could use your help. Feel free to contribute some of you own from TV and radio or comment on the ones you see here. Your new quotes will be integrated daily as part of the ongoing record.  To post a quote or make a comment just follow the comment link at the bottom.

Continue reading "Funny Sports Quotes"

Your favorite method of getting your football returns this week . The popular video series can be found at my blog.

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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"

   I just wanted to let you know that I may be unable to post for a few days. I live south of Houston, near Galveston, Texas. As hurricane Ike approaches there may be power outages and loss of internet access. If that is the case, I will be unable to write my column. Remember though, there are things much more important than sports. If you need Ike information, you can go to:

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Houston Texans injury update:

Megan Manfull of the Houston Chronicle has reported these injuries -

               Running back Ahman Green - It wasn't a cramp that limited his play Sunday. He has a sprained ankle.

Continue reading "Injury Update"

Here is the great Jack Buck's poem that was given on September 17, 2001."Since this nation was founded ... under God
More than 200 years ago
We have been the bastion of freedom
The light that keeps the free world aglow

Continue reading "Jack Buck's Poem remembering 9-11"

Believe. Believe. It’s the one word in sports that says so much but says so little. You’ve seen signs in every NFL stadium at some point with this simple word. ”Believe.” When MLB baseball approaches the postseason every year, the word reappears. “Believe.” But believe in what I ask you? Do the Chicago Cubs “believe” that they will win a World Championship? Or do they “believe” that some strange twist of fate will ruin another promising season. What does your team “believe” in?

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NFL Week 1 Results
NY Giants 16 Wahington 7
Pittsburgh 38 Houston 17
Atlanta 34 Detroit 21
Tennessee 17 Jacksonville 10
Baltimore 17 Cincinnati 10
Philadelphia 38 St. Louis 3

Continue reading "NFL SCOREBOARD"

You can get your fantasy football updates here as well as columns, funny sports quotes, injury updates and anything else sports related. If your not already seeing this video just hit the sportspoet link and you will get everything that you need to keep up with your favorite sports teams. Thank you for visiting this site.

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This is an ongoing record of the funniest sports' quotes from the major and local sports talk shows like ATH, PTI, Jim Rome, etc.  Feel free to contribute some of you own from TV and radio or comment on the ones you see here. Your new quotes will be integrated daily as part of the ongoing record.  To post a quote or make a comment just follow the comment link at the bottom.

Continue reading "Funny Sports Quotes-September 10"

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 ..."