Turned out to be quite the game. Two good teams went at it. Surprisingly, the Steelers managed that last drive. I started out cheering for Pittsburgh a little, but I liked Darnell Docket and the Cardinal defense. When they got the safety, I started hoping the Cardinals would score and they did.
Pittsburgh answered, but the Cardinals still had 2 minutes left, but they couldn't win a shoot out.
The old Maxim "defense wins playoff games" carried the day in the end.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
How the Cardinals Win...
Q: How do the Cardinals win this game?
A: They get in their time machine and go back and draft Adrian Peterson instead of RT Levi Brown.
Let's hope the Packers draft board makers take note of that. Game changers before roll players in the first round.
A: They get in their time machine and go back and draft Adrian Peterson instead of RT Levi Brown.
Let's hope the Packers draft board makers take note of that. Game changers before roll players in the first round.
Cardinals DTs
Pittsburgh's defense vs. Arizona's offense is the main story, but sometimes things can go the other way despite all predictions. What about the Cardinal's defense?
Line watchers may recognize NT Bryan Robinson from his days with the Bears in 2004 & 2005. Robinson entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 1997 with the St. Louis Cardinals and as been with the Bengals, Bears, and Dolphins. When he was with the Bears I thought he was a come down from Ted Washington and Keith Traylor who were the equivalent of the Pat and Kevin Williams. Don't even try to run at them.
The most amazing thing is that the Cardinals have drafted 14 DTs since 1997 including the two guys listed behind him in the Cardinal's depth chart Alan Branch and Gabe Watson. This includes two coveted former Badgers Wendell Bryant the 12th pick in the 2002 draft and Tom Burke taken in the 3rd round in 1999. That's quite a story that I would be surprised gets a mention on today's fluffy TV coverage.
I would expect the Steelers to blast some plays up Robinson's gut and try to wear him down. McGinn says, at 300, former Bear Bryan Robinson is one of the smallest nose tackles in the game, and is a decent technician and plays with adequate strength at the point.
The other DT was the Cardinal's 3rd round pick in 2004, Darnell Docket. He is considered the stronger and quicker of the two DTs.
Line watchers may recognize NT Bryan Robinson from his days with the Bears in 2004 & 2005. Robinson entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 1997 with the St. Louis Cardinals and as been with the Bengals, Bears, and Dolphins. When he was with the Bears I thought he was a come down from Ted Washington and Keith Traylor who were the equivalent of the Pat and Kevin Williams. Don't even try to run at them.
The most amazing thing is that the Cardinals have drafted 14 DTs since 1997 including the two guys listed behind him in the Cardinal's depth chart Alan Branch and Gabe Watson. This includes two coveted former Badgers Wendell Bryant the 12th pick in the 2002 draft and Tom Burke taken in the 3rd round in 1999. That's quite a story that I would be surprised gets a mention on today's fluffy TV coverage.
I would expect the Steelers to blast some plays up Robinson's gut and try to wear him down. McGinn says, at 300, former Bear Bryan Robinson is one of the smallest nose tackles in the game, and is a decent technician and plays with adequate strength at the point.
The other DT was the Cardinal's 3rd round pick in 2004, Darnell Docket. He is considered the stronger and quicker of the two DTs.
Eagles vs. Cardinals Aftermath.
You got to hand it to Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald for putting the Eagles on their back and not letting come back for the win. Anyone one from a distance can see if you put Larry Fitzgerald on the Eagles, the Eagles win that game. Reminded me of Antonio Freeman in 1998 in the way he goes and gets the ball. Fitzgerald was the 3rd pick in the 2004 draft.
I just took a peak at philly.com and was surprised. Lead columnist Phil Sheridan has led with the headline "Lessons to be learned from this? Not really." He writes, "The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers are testaments to randomness, good fortune and supernatural forces overcoming logic and intent."
Anger is muted throughout the pages of the Philly Inquirer. Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson has cancer and is undergoing radiation therapy. This has thrown some cold water on an temper tantrums by players or journalists. Dawkins and McNabb want to come back and try again. There is love and concern for Brian Westbrook's knee.
But one has to wonder if the Eagles can find the talent to put them over the top after having drafted at the bottom as long as the Packers did. It would be easy to write the Eagles off as a team now on decline because of age, disappointment, and uncertainity that Westbrook can return to form. Running backs tend to be a disposalable lot. But they do come back strong sometimes and a team running out of Super Bowl chances ala the Denver Broncos can be a dangerous one. For more on that see Bud Lea's poinient recollections of "The Game that Got Away".
I just took a peak at philly.com and was surprised. Lead columnist Phil Sheridan has led with the headline "Lessons to be learned from this? Not really." He writes, "The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers are testaments to randomness, good fortune and supernatural forces overcoming logic and intent."
Anger is muted throughout the pages of the Philly Inquirer. Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson has cancer and is undergoing radiation therapy. This has thrown some cold water on an temper tantrums by players or journalists. Dawkins and McNabb want to come back and try again. There is love and concern for Brian Westbrook's knee.
But one has to wonder if the Eagles can find the talent to put them over the top after having drafted at the bottom as long as the Packers did. It would be easy to write the Eagles off as a team now on decline because of age, disappointment, and uncertainity that Westbrook can return to form. Running backs tend to be a disposalable lot. But they do come back strong sometimes and a team running out of Super Bowl chances ala the Denver Broncos can be a dangerous one. For more on that see Bud Lea's poinient recollections of "The Game that Got Away".
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