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.
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