Bear Down Wildcats

As bad as last night was, at least we still have the Cardinals.

Wait, never mind...

UAEebs86 wrote:As bad as last night was, at least we still have the Cardinals.

Wait, never mind...

Cardinals have been playing down a lot lately. Since Rams they've really struggled with marginal at best teams. As I type Palmer to Floyd, finally, for a big play. But they've missed on so many and add the turnovers while not forcing any and that's a bad recipe.

Cardinals turning into the Wildcats with all these turnovers.

That was a freaking safety.

Michael Floyd is abusing Richard Sherman.

That's a touchdown.

Oops

-_-

Three horrific turnovers by Palmer causing at least a 17 point swing, and they still win at the toughest place in the NFL by 7. Man's game.

They stay healthy I think they get to the SB

That was a big hitting game last night. The training room will be very busy today for both teams.

Talk about resiliency. What a game. Feels good to give Seattle that home primetime loss while extending the division lead.

People glossing over the number of game-changing plays the Cardinals left on the field confuse me.

The game could have been 47-13. It arguably should have been.

The fact it wasn't should concern you, because they are the same fuckups that cost them a game at home vs mediocre Rams, and got them beat by 3rd-string Landry Jones in Pittsburgh.

They never play a full game. They give too much away. They make the same mistakes now that hey made early and you can argue they make them more now than they did early.

They just have ungodly talent everywhere on the field.

You can argue their 20 minutes of maxed potential is better than their 40 minutes of floundered potential.

And, I'm not lying, that's about how they play every week.

To avoid being called bitter, which I promise I'm not, I knew we weren't going to win last night with how we have been playing, the Cardinals appear to be the team to beat in the NFC at this moment. Green Bay is going in the wrong direction and I think the Cardinals are better than the Panthers. I do agree, JMarkJohns, that when they are at their best they are pretty damn good. Uneven play and mistakes are a part of the game though and have turned plenty of contenders into early losers in the playoffs. Those losses to the Rams and Steelers are what reserves me from really 100 percent seeing this team win a Super Bowl, even in a down/weird year in the NFC, but I guess that can be said for anybody in the NFC at this point outside of the Panthers.

The game could have been 47-13. The game also could have been a double digit Seattle win with them having virtually no offense in the first half and their defense being on the field 2/3 of the game. The mistakes go both ways. Countless mistakes by a historically bad O-line spots the Cardinals an early lead, kills field position, and does not give the defense much time to rest. 3 and outs are the norm these days and I lose my mind when we actually sustain a decent drive, even if we only get a FG out of it. Seattle was up 29-25 with all of the momentum in the world and had the Cards pinned deep in their own territory. Palmer misses on 2nd down to Fitzgerald and it appears to be 3rd down. You know how that ends. Palmer fresh off of two fumbles, with no confidence and scared for his life on 3rd down that deep? Lockette is licking his chops to field a punt at midfield and at worst, the Seahawks are already in field goal range for Mr Automatic with a one TD lead. Instead KJ Wright lays out Fitzgerald for whatever reason. Another third down a little later, incomplete pass, Cardinals were still up the creek without a paddle and out of field goal range. Bobby Wagner illegal contact (Brown or Floyd?) after 5 yards. Had no bearing on the play, absolutely no effect, but the flag was thrown, which just shows how stupid that was to do. I think that same drive was when Sherman jumped that route, ball gets tipped and miraculously ends up in Brown's hands for another first down. That too was on a 3rd down if I remember right. There was another third down penalty, think it was another illegal contact, dumb Seahawks mistakes turning punting situations into first downs.

And not to blame the refs for the loss, Seattle didn't deserve that game in the slightest bit and had we won it would have been a complete steal. But three times on the Cardinals last two scoring drives the officials weren't paying attention to play clocks that read 0:00 with the ball still yet to be snapped. That reviewed fumble in the first half. It's a good thing the NFL is a g damn mess and cannot give anyone a straight answer as to what is a catch and what is not, and what the requirements are for fumbles off receptions. I mean, I've seen that ruled a fumble countless times. Rules committee says the receiver must "clearly become a runner. He does that by gaining control of the ball, touching both feet down and then, after the second foot is down, having the ball long enough to clearly become a runner, which is defined as the ability to ward off or protect himself from impending contact." He caught that ball, secured it, both feet were down, think he got another step in, and turned his shoulders toward the end zone, then the ball was stripped. But it's the NFL, one day it goes in your favor the next it wont. That led to 3 more Cardinals points, whereas, Seattle has the ball at midfield after Thomas' recovery, fresh off their first decent offensive scoring drive. Again, Seahawks can't blame the refs, but the Cardinals had some good fortune with the calls that easily could have gone the other way. I think Collinsworth even pointed out that the crew going into the game averaged one PI call a game. There was a lot of contact by both teams in the first half that was left alone. And then the flags came raining down in the fourth. Were they penalties? Of course, I think I only had beef with one, maybe two on us all game. But the lack of consistency and timing of them were brutal.

I already mentioned Seattle's O-line. Sherman never gets burned like that. He stutters while looking back, I don't know if another player in coverage made a mistake and his brain told him to look for just a split second, or what, but it was enough to lose his man and take his eyes off Palmer, and not have time to recover. I don't call mistakes on Cary Williams or Shead mistakes anymore. They are both completely worthless and the primary reason the legion of boom isn't so boomy anymore. You have two failed two point conversion, at minimum 2 more lost points off of two completely ridiculous play calls. But hey, this is the guy who didn't think handing off to Marshawn to win the super bowl was the right play.

There is a reason Seattle is 4-5 and it isn't bad luck, injuries, or poor officiating. They technically should be 3-6, but fortunately an obscure rule kept our mental f--kup from giving the Lions a win. So wins vs the dreadful Bears, 9ers, and a one-point squeeker over the Cowboys. That is this team up to this point. Complete lack of offense outside of a few isolated spurts in a game. Consistent three and outs. Wilson running for his life 3/4 of the game. Mistakes in the secondary. Lots of penalties, most of which seem to kill the few drives we can muster and keep drives for the other team alive. Bad play calling on offense and defense. Notice what happened when Seattle got desperate and actually started bringing the dogs in the second half vs only rushing the front four and dropping back into zone, with Palmer picking it apart thanks to his receivers who knew exactly where the soft spots were. That's been the story all year.

azgreg wrote:

It sucks for depth, but he hadn't had a good game in weeks and David Johnson is the future. Hopefully Ellington doesn't miss too much time, but David Johnson, Taylor, Williams and a healthy Ellington should be enough.

Hopefully he can pick of the blitz. That's key. I'd look for a few added quick release screens and wheel routes for Johnson to keep blitzing defenses honest.

First time the Cards have been 10-2 since the late 40's.

azgreg wrote:First time the Cards have been 10-0 since the late 40's.

They've lost two games.

Yea wut?

I meant 10-2.

They have flexed next week's game with Philly into the Sunday night slot. It will be the 4th prime time game for the Cards this year.

azgreg wrote:They have flexed next week's game with Philly into the Sunday night slot. It will be the 4th prime time game for the Cards this year.

Actually I think it's the 5th. Thursday's game against the Vikings as well. (One Monday night, 3 Sundays, 1 Thursday)

UAEebs86 wrote:

azgreg wrote:They have flexed next week's game with Philly into the Sunday night slot. It will be the 4th prime time game for the Cards this year.

Actually I think it's the 5th. Thursday's game against the Vikings as well. (One Monday night, 3 Sundays, 1 Thursday)

You're right. I'm having a real problem with numbers today. Good thing I'm an engineer.

azgreg wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:

azgreg wrote:They have flexed next week's game with Philly into the Sunday night slot. It will be the 4th prime time game for the Cards this year.

Actually I think it's the 5th. Thursday's game against the Vikings as well. (One Monday night, 3 Sundays, 1 Thursday)

You're right. I'm having a real problem with numbers today. Good thing I'm an engineer.

Just double checking your work like a good engineer should.

Fuck.

God dammit...just god dammit.

Heartbreaking. But as long as Palmer is playing the Cards can still trounce anyone.

This totally fucking sucks... And it happened non-contact, late 4th in a decided game.

After the Giants/Panthers comeback (and Seattle's on us earlier), I get having the starters play well into the 4th. But this really sucks that it seems so needless.

But given it was non-contact, it likely was going to happen regardless. Only a matter of when. Might have taken him out last night and played him in practice tomorrow and it snaps.

Absolutely sucks, but they can overcome this

Every team has an injury at this point. But Mathieu grades out so well at everything. This is gonna hit them where they excel, in that I doubt they blitz as much without him, and since they sort of suck in non-blitz pressures, it's going to put more wear/tear on thinning DB corps.

Gotta get Johnson and Powers back healthy. Bethel and Swearinger show promise.

Killer injury, especially for a guy who was pushing for DPOY

That's a really tough loss for you guys, especially when it comes time for a playoff match up w the Panthers or with Seattle with the way Wilson has been slinging it down the stretch. He was a killer on defense when you guys beat us earlier.

Boy, the Packers flew a long way to get their ass kicked.

I loved watching holier-than-thou Rodgers get hit, over and over and over again. One of the few times I have cheered on the Cards.

Apparently that tool Blake Shelton is the cardinals biggest celebrity fan. When did that happen?

CalStateTempe wrote:Apparently that tool Blake Shelton is the cardinals biggest celebrity fan. When did that happen?

What's wrong with Blake Shelton?

azgreg wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:Apparently that tool Blake Shelton is the cardinals biggest celebrity fan. When did that happen?

What's wrong with Blake Shelton?

CalStateTempe is still butt hurt about Shelton when he was a judge on Nashville Star. Shelton eliminated him in an early round for his rendition of "Don't it make my brown eyes blue?"

Figures. Shelton is 1) a womanizer, and 2) totally disconnected from "country."

He'll be first off the bandwagon if the Cardinals ever revert to being the same old Cardinals.

If you're not 15 or younger and haven't sat through a Cardinals game (likely loss) in the shit-hole, sweat box that is Sun Devil Stadium, then you're not a real fan and need to STFU.

My dad and I had season tickets to the Neal Lomax-led Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium. Does that make me a real fan?

catgrad97 wrote:Figures. Shelton is 1) a womanizer, and 2) totally disconnected from "country."

He'll be first off the bandwagon if the Cardinals ever revert to being the same old Cardinals.

Nailed it G on both points.

JMarkJohns wrote:If you're not 15 or younger and haven't sat through a Cardinals game (likely loss) in the shit-hole, sweat box that is Sun Devil Stadium, then you're not a real fan and need to STFU.

exactly. Gene Stallings for the win bitches. Roll Tide.

Longhorned wrote:My dad and I had season tickets to the Neal Lomax-led Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium. Does that make me a real fan?

It means you can claim it should you want it.

My point was it wasn't always fun or easy to claim Cardinals fandom.

I had already grown up a Rams fan when we got our season tickets for the Cardinals (via being Wranglers season tickets holders). So I was kinda in to it but identified with the Rams, until Georgia moved them to St. Louis. Then the cardinals started to fill the hole in my heart a little. It's probably just what it feels like to be a casual (or normal) fan instead the insane fan that I am for U of A.

JMarkJohns wrote:If you're not 15 or younger and haven't sat through a Cardinals game (likely loss) in the shit-hole, sweat box that is Sun Devil Stadium, then you're not a real fan and need to STFU.

I feel like my "fan cred" is sealed by the fact that I sat on wet frozen bleachers and watched them lose to the Giants in that shithole on Dec 6, 1998...the last day there was measurable snow in Phoenix - in addition to innumerable sweat box games.

The NFC championship was the payoff for all of that, this level of success just feels weird to me (but I'll take it).

This headline is pretty much the weirdest headline I could possibly imagine.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/sport ... .html?_r=1" target="_blank

I remember getting excited when the Cards had Jim McMahon for a year.

I'll never claim to be a true Cards fan card holder. But I have lived in AZ my entire life and have never rooted for any other team since my earliest memories in about 1989. I feel good being able to cheer for a winning team now compared to the first 20 years or so that they were in my fandom but I don't really brag about being a cards fan online nor do I own any gear.

Bandwagoning is underrated. All those people just born in Los Angeles in the 60s and later had the Lakers just handed to them, and that should deserve no more cred.

My dad got to work the chains for games in the 80s as a perk for being with the Tempe FD out of station one on rural and univeriety by the comedy club and accross from Maloneys.

Got to see lot of games back in the day with my dad and uncles (who were also Tempe/Phoenix FD.)

I remember being so excited for that Minnesota playoff game only to get blow out.

Those Jake Plummer years (I know I know) were fun as a cards can especially that comeback win against Dallas at the end of the season.

I'm not a huge nfl fan to begin with, but love to root for the cards and enjoy keeping up with the games primarily because it's something that my family can all talk about even though we are all spread apart.

Even when they went the to Super Bowl in 2007 it seemed surreal just like this year.