Cardinals pull a 180 in playoff win

Football Betting Lines

01/06/2009 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If there was just one knock on the Arizona Cardinals heading into their NFC Wild Card Playoff game last Saturday, it was that the team had a tendency to be one-dimensional, something that might prove to be its ultimate undoing.

All season long, the Cardinals lived and died by the pass. When quarterback Kurt Warner was finding his receivers, a group that includes two Pro Bowl selections in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, the team was unstoppable. However, contain the pass and put up points on a suspect defense, and one could easily envision a win over Arizona.

Prior to Saturday's contest against Atlanta, the Cardinals hadn't hosted a playoff game since 1947, when they were known as the Chicago Cardinals. Hence, no one knew what to expect when Arizona took the field at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Even if you watched Arizona all season, you would have been surprised on Sunday, anyway.

Sure, the passing game was there in the 30-24 victory, as Warner connected on touchdown throws of 42 and 71 yards to Fitzgerald and Boldin, respectively. But how about a run game that saw the once-forgotten Edgerrin James post 73 yards on 16 carries, good for a 4.6 average per attempt?

How about the Cardinals defense holding Atlanta running back Michael Turner to 42 yards on 18 rush attempts? That's the same Turner who ran for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns in the regular season for the Falcons.

"I suppose it is a bit ironic, isn't it?" Warner said after the game about Arizona's ability to run and the Falcons inability to get its ground game going.

How about a Cardinals pass defense that picked off Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan twice, while also posting three sacks? Mix in a 27-yard fumble return for a score early in the third quarter by safety Antrel Rolle, and my friends, you have a solid defensive performance.

Rookie corner and 2008 first-round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie came up big with 10 tackles and an interception, while linebacker Karlos Dansby added eight stops. Three different Cardinals notched sacks -- one for a safety.

Which begs the question, where were these Cardinals all season?

"I felt like our team did whatever it had to do (Saturday) to win," said Warner. "We came up with big plays defensively, we stopped the run, we ran the ball well, we came up with big plays in the passing game. Maybe a little bit different than we had done all year, but that's what the playoffs are all about, it's figuring out a way to win."

During the regular season, Arizona allowed 110.3 rushing yards per game to rank 16th in the NFL. Atlanta, meanwhile, ended its 16-game schedule with the second-best ground attack at 152.7 yards per game. Yet the Cardinals held the Falcons to a mere 60 net yards rushing.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt said on Monday that discipline was the key for his defense.

"Instead of having guys try to make individual plays, we had a bunch of guys that were focused on playing team defense," he said. "That's what we talked about."

TOUCHDOWN THROW COSTLY

Boldin staked the Cardinals to an early 14-7 lead when he hauled in a pass from Warner before racing down the sideline for his 71-yard score. However, he injured his left hamstring on the play and after trying to go on the next series, left the game for good.

Boldin was returning from a two-game absence because of a shoulder injury. Whisenhunt said on Monday that Boldin's injury was typical of someone who hadn't been able to play or practice at full speed for a few weeks.

Boldin suffered a strain of his hamstring, an injury that could sideline him for this Saturday's game versus Carolina.

"We'll see how it goes this week," Whisenhunt said.

Not having Boldin would be a big blow to Arizona's pass attack, although the Cardinals did win three of the four games he missed this season. That includes a victory in both games he missed earlier this year after suffering a series of facial injuries against the New York Jets on September 28 due to hard helmet-to-helmet hit in the end zone.

If Boldin can't go, Steve Breaston would likely start with Jerheme Urban and rookie Early Doucet seeing more time.

"We've been pretty successful with those guys when Anquan didn't play," said Whisenhunt.

GETTING HIS EDGE BACK

Needless to say, things haven't gone according to plan for James over the three seasons since he joined the Cardinals as a free agent. And although he has one year left on his deal, he considers this his last go with Arizona.

"I can't go through this again," James told ESPN last week. "I didn't come here to block. I'm not an offensive lineman."

Although one has to wonder about the timing of his words, perhaps best served after Arizona's playoff run was over, there is little doubt the Cardinals won't mind the split, especially with the emergence of Tim Hightower. The rookie back rushed for 10 touchdowns this season while wrestling the starting job away from James.

Still, while Edge is still in town, he will lend the Cardinals invaluable playoff experience.

"He's a special player, and I think we all know that through the course of his career, and I think we're extremely happy to have him here," said Warner on Saturday.

EAST COAST STUGGLES

Much will be made this week about Arizona's struggles this year on the East Coast during the regular season. The Cardinals went 0-5 in their games played near the Atlantic Ocean, getting beat by Washington, New York (to the Jets), Carolina, Philadelphia and New England.

Arizona was outscored 202-102 in those games, which included blowout losses to the Jets, Eagles and Patriots.

However, their closest game in that span came against the Panthers, who they visit this Saturday in the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs. Back on October 26, Arizona lost 27-23 to Carolina, thanks in part to a 21-point third quarter by the Panthers. Carolina wideout Steve Smith hauled in two touchdown passes in that frame.

Arizona, meanwhile, was outrushed by a 113-50 margin in the game, although Boldin caught two touchdown passes in his first game back after his injury versus the Jets.

After shutting down Turner, the Cards defense will face a two-headed monster in Carolina's DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Williams ended the regular season with 20 total touchdowns, 18 of those coming on the ground.