Arizona Cardinals 2008 Regular Season Review

The Cardinals (9-7) Finished the 2008 Regular Season as NFC West Champions

The Arizona Cardinals (9-7) finished the NFL 2008 Regular Season as the NFC West Division Champions and this marks their first NFL playoff appearance since 1998.

On Wild Card Weekend, the Arizona Cardinals host their first home playoff game, versus the Atlanta Falcons, since moving to the southwest and first since 1947 when they were the Chicago Cardinals.

The Arizona Cardinals feature a high-flying attack led by QB Kurt Warner and wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston which scored a franchise record 424 points this season.

This marks Kurt Warner's first playoff appearance in seven years, and first with the Cardinals. While with the Saint Louis Rams, Warner appeared in the playoffs in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

In 1999, after emerging from obscurity to win the NFL MVP award and lead the Rams to the playoffs. Kurt Warner led the Rams to victory over the Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV and earned Super Bowl MVP honors.

Warner had the Rams back in the Super Bowl following the 2001 season, losing to the Patriots 20-17 on a game-winning field goal.

Kurt Warner led the NFL's second best passing game this year (292.1) by throwing to only the fifth teammate receiver threesome in history with 1,000 yards apiece -- Larry Fitzgerald (1,431), Anquan Boldin (1,038) and Steve Breaston (1,006).

Arizona Cardinals (9-7) NFL 2008 Regular Season

 

NFL 2008 Game 1: Arizona Cardinals 23, San Francisco 49ers 13

The Cardinals opened the NFL 2008 regular season with a 10-point victory at San Francisco. Keys to the Cardinals victory were a 5-0 edge in takeaways and a time of possession advantage in the second half of 22:38 to 7:22.

Anquan Boldin led all receivers by catching 8 passes from Kurt Warner for 82 yards (all in the 2nd half) and Eggerrin James gained 100 yards on 26 carries. Defensively, veteran newcomer Travis LaBoy notched 2.0 sacks of J.T. O'Sullivan and a forced fumble on one.

The Cardinals opening drive reached the SF 7 before a 25-yard Neil Rackers FG gave them an early lead. On the 2nd play of the next series, FB Zak Keasey caught a pass from O'Sullivan but DT Darnell Dockett forced a fumble that LB Karlos Dansby recovered at the SF 11. The drive reached the 2 but a personal foul on LT Mike Gandy backed it up and Rackers missed from 35. The Niners then moved quickly into AZ territory and Frank Gore put San Francisco ahead with a 41-yard TD run. The next 49ers drive ended when SS Adrian Wilson intercepted O'Sullivan and returned the pick to the SF 33 but the Cards were forced to punt.

Early in the 2nd quarter, the Cardinals faced a 3rd-and-7 when Warner hit WR Steve Breaston with a 40-yard completion to the 1. On the next play he lofted a ball to the corner that Larry Fitzgerald snared for a TD. The next 49ers drive again ended with a turnover when Bertrand Berry stripped O'Sullivan and Antonio Smith recovered but the ensuing drive ended with a punt. The Niners then tied it late in the 2nd on a 39-yard Joe Nedney FG. Despite a 3-0 edge in takeaways and a decisive Cardinals advantage in field position, the game was tied 10-10 at the half.

The Cardinals started with the ball in the 3rd quarter. The Cardinals took the lead on a 31-yard Rackers FG. Rackers then pooched the kickoff to the SF 33 where LB Takeo Spikes muffed it and Matt Ware recovered. The drive penetrated the red zone and on a 3rd-and-4 pass from the 5, Warner's completion to Breaston was originally spotted at the 2 but a Cardinal challenge moved it inside the 1. On 4th-and-inches, rookie RB Tim Hightower scored his 1st career TD and gave the Cardinals a 20-10 lead. As a result of the 2 drives, Arizona was able to consume 11:03 before the Niners offense took the field. When they did, the 49ers moved 60 yards in 13 plays and Nedney hit a 30-yard FG that made it 20-13 with 12:05 to play.

The Cardinals were able to put the game out of reach with a sustained 18-play drive that consumed 10:08 and ended with a 30-yard Rackers FG. The 49ers next play from scrimmage saw LaBoy pull the hat trick on O 'Sullivan with a sack, forced fumble and recovery.

NFL 2008 Game 2: Arizona Cardinals 31, Miami Dolphins 10

In their NFL 2008 home opener, the Cardinals offense rolled up 445 total yards and 31 points on the Dolphins en route to a 21-point victory and their first 2-0 start since 1991.

QB Kurt Warner passed for 361 yards and 3 TDs. All 3 went to WR Anquan Boldin who finished with 6 catches for 140 yards and his first career 3-TD day. Fellow WR Larry Fitzgerald was 6-153 and the duo eclipsed the century mark in the same game for the 6th time.

Boldin's 22nd career 100-yard game tied him with Jackie Smith for the most in franchise history. Warner finished with a perfect passer rating of 158.3, becoming the first Cardinal QB with a perfect rating since Jim Hart on 11/23/75 vs. NYJ. It was Warner's third career "perfect game" tying him with Peyton Manning for most in NFL history.

Warner's first pass of the day set the tone for a big day. After a delay penalty and another for illegal formation, the Cards' 1st down play saw Warner throw it deep down the middle for Boldin, who continued on for a career-long 79-yard score. On Arizona's next drive, the QB connected with Fitzgerald on a 75-yard pass to the 4 and 3 plays later, Warner hit Boldin with a 3-yard TD toss. While Miami's first 4 drives ended with punts, Arizona's produced points as Neil Rackers put the Cards up 17-0 with a 45-yard FG midway thru the 2nd quarter.

On the opening series of the 2nd half, Arizona was aided by 3 Miami penalties that kept the drive alive and rookie Tim Hightower capped it with a 1-yard TD run that put the Cardinals up 24-0. Hightower became the first player in team history with TD runs in each of his first two games. The Dolphins got on the board with a 32-yard Dan Carpenter FG but the Cards answered right back. They moved 80 yards in 8 plays as Warner and Boldin connected again, this time on an 8-yard hook-up. Only a Ronnie Brown 1-yard run with 2:38 left made the final 31-10. Both squads pulled their starting QBs as Chad Henne replaced Chad Pennington with 9:42 to play and Matt Leinart came in for Warner for the final series.

Edgerrin James reached a career milestone on the opening drive of the 3rd quarter when he became just the 14th player in NFL history to eclipse 15,000 total yards from scrimmage.

NFL 2008 Game 3: Washington Redskins 24, Arizona Cardinals 17

The Cardinals suffered their first defeat and fell to 2-1 with a 7-point loss at Washington.

The Redskins produced 10 points off Arizona's first two turnovers of the season and the Cardinals snapped their streak of 10-straight games scoring 20+ points.

The Redskins opened the game with an 11-play, 60-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard Clinton Portis TD run that gave the hosts an early 7-0 lead. On the first play of the 2nd quarter, Edgerrin James fumbled and Carlos Rodgers recovered at the AZ 34. That turnover -- Arizona's first of the season -- led to a 48-yard Shaun Suisham FG and 10-0 Redskin lead. Later in the quarter, the Cards embarked upon an 11-play, 84-yard drive and Kurt Warner capped it with a 4-yard TD pass to Anquan Boldin. The TD came one play after an 18-yard pass from WR Jerheme Urban to RB Hightower took it to the 4.

That TD made it 10-7 at the half and the Cards opened the 3rd quarter with a 15-play, 72-yard drive to the 9 and tied the game with a 26-yard Neil Rackers FG. Washington responded with its own long drive on the ensuing possession (11 plays, 80 yards) and took a 17-10 lead when Jason Campbell connected on a 2-yard scoring pass with TE Todd Yoder.

On the 3rd play of the next drive Warner went deep down the middle to Larry Fitzgerald who hauled it in for a 62-yard game-tying TD. When the Cards got the ball back after a Redskin punt, Warner went deep down the middle again, this time looking for WR Steve Breaston. However, Leigh Torrence tipped the ball away at the last second. Rodgers grabbed the deflection and returned the INT 42 yards to the AZ15. Two plays later, Campbell hit Santana Moss on a screen pass that resulted in a 17-yard scoring pass and a 24-17 lead with 12:10 to go.

After an Arizona punt, the Redskins appeared to go up 2 TDs on a 68-yard Campbell pass to Devin Thomas but the play was negated by tackle Stephon Hayer's personal foul. That drive ended when Suisham's 52-yard FG try was no good and the Cards took over at their own 42 with 3:23 to go.

Facing a 4th-and-4 at the AZ48 with 2:46 to go, Arizona opted to punt and hope for a stop. Instead the Redskins picked up the necessary first downs to salt away the remaining time.

NFL 2008 Game 4: New York Jets 56, Arizona Cardinals 35

The Cardinals fell to 2-2 following a wild 56-35 road loss at the Jets that saw the hosts explode for 34 points in a nightmare 2nd quarter for Arizona. The Cards then responded with 21 straight in the 3rd to close the gap to 13 points. They never got closer though as Brett Favre threw 3 of his career-best 6 TD passes in the 4th to ensure the win.

The game ended with a frightening moment when Anquan Boldin absorbed a vicious hit from Eric Smith at the goal line. He left the field on a stretcher and was taken to the hospital but he was ultimately OK.

Arizona missed 2 big chances on its opening drives of the game. After reaching the NY9, a Warner sack & fumble pushed it back to the 32 and on the next play, a Boldin fumble was returned by Hank Poteat to the NY43. Three plays later, LB Chike Okeafor killed the threat when he intercepted Favre and took it to the NY16. That led to a 37-yard FG try by Neil Rackers that was blocked by DT Kris Jenkins. The Jets took over at midfield and 2 plays into the 2nd quarter Favre hit Laveranues Coles with a 12-yard TD.

On the next drive, Darrelle Revis picked off Warner's 3rd-and-8 pass and returned it 32 yards for a TD. The Jets extended the lead to 21-0 with a 34-yard Favre-Coles connection on the next series. The first play of the ensuing drive saw Warner intercepted again, this time by Eric Smith who returned it to the AZ 19 and that led to a 20-yard Jay Feely FG.

The spiral continued on the next AZ drive when LB Calvin Pace sacked Warner forcing a fumble that the Jets recovered at the NYJ40. It set up the 3rd Coles TD catch (2 yards). A Warner fumble on the next play from scrimmage gave the Jets time for a 30-yard FG and a 34-0 lead as the devastating 2nd quarter ended.

Arizona fought back in the 3rd with 3 long drives that ended with short TD runs set up by Warner passing. Edgerrin James scored on rushes of 4 & 2 yards and after a successful onside kick, Tim Hightower's 1-yard run made it 34-21 late in the 3rd. The Jets responded by going 80 yards in 12 plays and Favre threw the first of 2 TD passes to Jerricho Cotchery.

The Cardinals again cut it to 13 with 9:49 to play on an 8-yard Warner-to-Boldin TD. With 7:33 to go the Jets went for it on 4th-and-1 at the AZ 40 and Favre delivered with a 40-yard TD pass to Corchery. The no-huddle Cards quickly narrowed it to 13 again on a 14-yard Jerheme Urban TD catch.

The Cardinals final hopes were dashed by another Favre TD pass with 1:54 left.

NFL 2008 Game 5: Arizona Cardinals 41, Buffalo Bills 17

The Cardinals rebounded from a pair of tough east coast road losses to score a decisive home win over the then-unbeaten Bills. Arizona improved to 3-2 to remain in sole possession of 1st place in the NFC West. Buffalo entered the game at 4-0 but turned it over 4 times and suffered 5 sacks while the Cardinals played a sack-free and turnover-free game.

Kurt Warner bounced back from a rough outing at the Jets to complete 78.5% of his passes to 9 different receivers. Playing without all-pro WR Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald caught a pair of TDs while rookie RB Tim Hightower added 2 on the ground.

The Bills lost starting QB Trent Edwards (concussion) on the game's 1st drive and back-up J.P. Losman played the rest.

The Cardinals opened the game by scoring TDs on its first 3 drives possessions and scored points on 7 of its first 8.

On the game's 3rd play, SS Adrian Wilson came untouched on a blitz off the right side and delivered a punishing blow to Edwards. Two plays later, DE Antonio Smith blew up a backfield handoff between Losman and Marshawn Lynch and recovered the fumble himself at the BUF38.

That led to a 2-yard Warner-Fitzgerald TD. Arizona's next drive went 80 yards in 8 plays and ended on Hightower's 17-yard scoring run that made it 14-0. Buffalo cut it to 14-7 when Losman hit Lee Evans with an 87-yard scoring pass. The Cards responded with another long TD drive (12-78) and ended this one on Edgerrin James' 1-yard run. Late in the 1st half, Losman scored on a 2-yard TD run with 1:46 to go to make it 21-14 but Warner & Co. marched into position for a 47-yard Neil Rackers FG as the 1st half ended.

Buffalo produced a 48-yard Rian Lindell FG on its first drive after intermission to make it 24-17.

The Cards then went 78 yards in 13 plays on a drive aided by several key conversions by J.J. Arrington on 3rd-and-long. The drive appeared to end when Rackers hit a 28-yard FG but a Buffalo offside penalty gave The Cardinals a 1st down. They capitalized with a 2-yard Warner-Fitzgerald TD 2 plays later.

The first play of the next drive saw Gerald Hayes force a fumble by TE Robert Royal and Darnell Dockett returned it to the BUF34. When Rackers knocked a 38-yard FG in off the upright 4 plays later, The Cardinals led by 3 scores early in the 4th.

The Cards then put the final nail in the coffin when DT Gabe Watson sacked Losman forcing a fumble that Hayes recovered at the BUF19. That led to Hightower's 2-yard TD run which made it a 41-17 final.

NFL 2008 Game 6: Arizona Cardinals 30, Dallas Cowboys 24 (OT)

The Cardinals improved to 4-2 and won their 6th straight home game as Arizona became the first team in NFL history to score TDs on the first and last plays of a game.

After J.J. Arrington returned the opening kickoff 93 yards for a TD, the first half failed to produce the shootout that many had anticipated in this match-up of top 5 offenses. Dallas' 2nd drive appeared to end when Darnell Dockett sacked Tony Romo forcing a fumble that The Cardinals recovered but referee Pete Morelli ruled forward progress had been stopped.

Two drives later, with 4:04 to play in the 2nd, The Cardinals appeared to go up 14-0 when Dockett sacked Romo in the end zone forcing a fumble that Antonio Smith recovered for a TD. However, Dallas challenged and Morelli negated the score based on the infamous "tuck rule" that instead made it an incomplete pass. The Cowboys capitalized 5 plays later on a 55-yard TD pass to Patrick Crayton.

When the ensuing pooch kickoff was muffed, the Cowboys recovered at the AZ27 with 0:56 left poised to take the halftime lead. But the The Cardinals defense produced a 3-and-out and Nick Folk's 37-yard FG try clanged off the upright.

On the opening series of the 3rd quarter, Dallas took a 14-7 lead with a 14-yard TD pass to Miles Austin. The Cardinals responded with a long drive of its own (11-60) and tied the game at 14 on a 2-yard scoring pass from Warner to Larry. The Cards then tried a surprise on-side kick but the Cowboys recovered at the AZ46. On 3rd-and-9 at the The Cardinals 31, a bad snap pushed Dallas back to the 47, forcing a punt. Fitzgerald then came up with another huge play when he outleapt everyone on a 39-yard jump ball that moved from the AZ23 to the DAL38. That led to an 11-yard TD pass to Steve Breaston.

After a Dallas 3-and-out, the Cards went up 10 with 3:17 to play thanks to Neil Rackers' 41-yard FG. Dallas did not go away. Romo hit Marion Barber with a short pass in the flat that turned into a 70-yard TD play.

The Cardinals went 3-and-out giving Dallas the ball back at its own 32 with :50 left. In the closing seconds, Romo hit Jason Witten for a 30-yard gain to the AZ39 and killed the clock with :04 left. Cards DE Travis LaBoy was injured on the play and when he couldn't get to the line of scrimmage a 5-yard offside penalty was added. Folk then connected on a 52-yarder that forced OT.

Dallas won the toss and started OT at its own 22. Chike Okeafor sacked Romo on 1st down and after 2 incompletions the Cowboys lined up to punt from their own 11. Special teams captain Sean Morey then burst thru the middle and blocked Mat McBriar's punt that Monty Beisel returned 3 yards for a TD and the Cardinals 30-24 victory.

NFL 2008 Game 7: Carolina Panthers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

Arizona faced a formidable test at Carolina against a 5-2 Panther team that was 4-0 at home and boasted the NFL's 5th-ranked defense (#2 vs. the pass).

Thanks mostly to a potent passing attack led by Kurt Warner and bolstered by the return of WR Anquan Boldin, the Cardinals led by 14 early in the 3rd quarter. However a pair of turnovers and two Panther TDs within a minute in the 3rd quarter enabled the Panthers to emerge with the win.

The Cardinals record fell to 4-3 but maintained a 2-game division lead when the 49ers & Rams both lost.

Boldin caught 9 passes for 63 yards a 2 TDs in his first action since suffering a head injury on a vicious hit at the Jets that caused him to miss 2 games. Fellow WR Larry Fitzgerald had 115 yards on 7 catches and Steve Breaston was 9-91 receiving in the loss.

On Arizona's first drive of the game, a 30-yard Boldin run on a reverse set up a 21-yard Neil Rackers FG. Early in the 2nd, LB Karlos Dansby set the offense up at the CAR 5 when he sacked Jake Delhomme, forcing a fumble that Dansby recovered. On the next play, Warner hit Boldin with a 5-yard TD pass. After punting on its first 3 series (including two 3-and-outs) Carolina proceeded to move downfield on the fourth. On 1st-and-goal at the 4, WR Muhsin Muhammad dropped a sure TD pass and the Panthers instead settled for a John Kasay FG. Late in the 2nd quarter

The Cardinals looked poised to add more points when Rackers lined up for a FG on 4th-and-15 at the CAR 21. Instead the Cards tried a fake FG but holder Dirk Johnson's completion to TE Jerame Tuman gained just 10 yards.

The Cardinals opened the 2nd half by moving 64 yards in 8 plays and capped the drive with a 2-yard Tim Hightower TD run that put the Cards up 17-3. Carolina responded with its own long drive that ended with a 15-yard TD run by Williams. On the 2nd play of the next drive Edgerrin James fumbled, turning it over at the AZ18. The Panthers capitalized on the next play when Jake Delhomme hit Steve Smith on an 18-yard TD pass that knotted the score at 17.

Arizona re-took the lead late in the 3rd when Boldin's 2nd TD reception of the day (2 yards) capped an 11-play, 78-yard drive that made it 23-17 after the PAT snap was mishandled.

Carolina struck quickly again when Delhomme threw a short pass to Smith that he took 65 yards down the left sideline. Smith appeared to step out of bounds near midfield and the Cards challenged but referee Walt Coleman did not overturn the original call. Now down 1, Arizona moved to the Carolina 15 but Warner's 2nd-and-3 pass bounced off J.J. Arrington's hands and was picked off by LB Jon Beason. He returned the INT to the Carolina 49 and that set up a 50-yard Kasay FG that gave the Panthers a 4-point lead.

Arizona's next drive stalled near midfield and resulted in a punt. Taking over at their own 20 with 5:57 to play, the Panthers converted three 3rd downs enabling the Panthers to run out the clock.

NFL 2008 Game 8: Arizona Cardinals 34, Saint Louis Rams 13

The Cardinals closed the first half of the season with an important NFC West tilt at St. Louis.

The Cardinals racked up a season-high 510 yards of offense behind a Kurt Warner-led passing attack and a run game headed by rookie Tim Hightower, who made his first career start. Warner was again sharp against his old team completing 23-34 passes (67.6%) for 342 yards and 2 TDs with no turnovers.

Hightower became the first Cards rookie to top 100 rushing yards since 1993. Defensively, The Cardinals allowed just 231 total yards and 61 rushing, both season lows. The game turned in the 2nd quarter when the Cards outscored the Rams 24-0 and outgained them 229-18. The Cardinals improved to 5-3 with the win and extended its division lead to 3 games over the Rams, 49ers and Seahawks (all 2-6).

The early going was not exactly easy for the Cards.

They marched downfield on the opening drive and appeared to score on a 1-yard Hightower run on 3rd-and-goal. However, a successful St. Louis challenge reversed the TD call and Warner was stopped for no gain on a 4th down sneak. After the teams exchanged punts, St. Louis took over at its own 20 on the game's 4th series. On 1st down, Marc Bulger went deep down the left sideline to WR Derek Stanley who hauled in the pass for his first career catch and an 80-yard TD. Early in the 2nd, the Cards evened the game at 7 when FS Antrel Rolle stepped in front of a Bulger pass and returned the pick 40 yards for his 4th career interception for a TD.

On the next Rams drive, SS Adrian Wilson sacked Bulger and forced a fumble that DE Bertrand Berry recovered at the Ram 23. That led to a 36-yard Neil Rackers FG that made it 10-7. On their next drive, the Cards moved 92 yards in 5 plays and Hightower scored on a 30-yard burst just after the 2:00 warning. A 3-and-out quickly gave The Cardinals the ball back at its own 44. When Warner threw it deep down the right sideline, the ball bounced off the hands of DB Jonathan Wade and straight to WR Jerheme Urban at the 30. That 56-yard TD gave The Cardinals a 24-7 halftime lead.

The Cards scored the 3rd quarter's only points when Anquan Boldin's 7-yard TD grab ended an 8-play, 82-yard drive that made it 31-7. The Rams made it 31-13 early in the 4th on a 3-yard Torry Holt TD pass but the Cardinals then ended any comeback hopes on the next series. A 12-play drive netted a 30-yard Rackers FG but more importantly chewed 8:50 off the clock. St. Louis' final possession ended with a Rod Hood intercpetion off Bulger.

NFL 2008 Game 9: Arizona Cardinals 29, San Francisco 49ers 24

On a Monday Night Football, the Arizona Cardinals improved to 6-3 and extended its division lead to 4 games in the NFC West teams with a 29-24 home victory over the 49ers.

The Cardinals Arizona trailed from the onset after Allen Rossum returned the opening kickoff 104 yards for a TD.

Behind another exceptional effort from Kurt Warner, the Cards stayed close and took their first lead with 4:16 to play when a Karlos Dansby INT set-up Anquan Boldin's 2nd TD of the night (10th of the year). Still the Cards had to withstand a pair of threats from the 49ers and did not seal it until a goal-line stop on the game's final play. It marked the 7th straight home win for the Cards, their longest streak since winning 9 in a row in 1925.

After the Rossum score, the Cards moved to the SF10 but settled for a 28-yard Neil Rackers FG.

Early in the 2nd, a 31-yard Shaun Hill-to-Josh Morgan TD gave SF a 14-3 lead. The Cardinals responded by moving 78 yards in 4 plays including consecutive completions of 18 & 46 yards to Steve Breaston.

The drive ended with Warner's 13-yard TD pass to Boldin, who extended his streak of games with a TD to a club record 6 games. A 33-yard Rackers FG made it 14-13 but with 0:29 left in the half, Hill hit Vernon Davis for an 18-yard TD on 3rd-and-11.

The Cards opened the 3rd quarter with a 7-play, 61-yard drive that ended with a gamble. On 4th-and-1 at the 5, Warner hit Fitzgerald with a TD that cut it to 1. The 49ers faced a similar decision on their next drive with a 4th-and-1 at the AZ24 and kicked a 41-yard Joe Nedney FG that made it 24-20. Late in the 3rd, the Cards appeared to take the lead when FS Antrel Rolle picked off Hill and returned it for a TD. However, the play was wiped out by a neutral zone infraction called on Adrian Wilson. Two plays later, a blitzing Wilson forced a Hill fumble that Clark Haggans recovered at the SF 10.

The Cardinals could only turn it into a FG that cut the SF lead to 24-23. However, when Dansby picked Hill with a little over 5:00 to go and returned it 34 yards to the 5, it set the Cards up for their first lead. Warner's 4-yard TD pass to Boldin put The Cardinals up 29-24 (2-point try failed).

The 49ers responded by moving to the Cards 18 but Wilson again snuffed the drive with a diving INT of a Hill shovel pass. When the Cardinals offense went 3-and-out, the 49ers took over at the The Cardinals 42 with 1:06 left after the punt (no timeouts).

Three straight passes to Jason Hill quickly moved it downfield, including the final one of 14 yards that took it to the 1. In the final frenetic seconds, SF stopped the clock with a spike before Frank Gore ran for minus-1 on a play that was reviewed and upheld. After the review, SF had 0:02 left with the ball on the 2 when Michael Robinson was stuffed by Haggans and others to preserve the win.

NFL 2008 Game 10: Arizona Cardinals 26, Seattle Seahawks 20

The Cardinals won in Seattle for the first time since 2002 and notched their 3rd straight win with the 26-20 point decision.

The victory improved Arizona to 7-3 and strengthened the team's commanding lead in the NFC West. The Cards scored on 6 of their first 7 drives and held a 26-7 lead after 3 quarters. A pair of 4th quarter turnovers led to Seattle TDs that narrowed it to 26-20 but Arizona's defense held the Seahawks on their final 2 offensive possessions to clinch the win.

Kurt Warner became the first Cardinals QB to top 300 passing yards in 4 straight games while WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald each caught 10+ passes and topped 150 yards. Seattle was bolstered by the return of QB Matt Hasselbeck from a 5-week layoff (back); he completed 58% of his 29 passes for 170 yards and threw 3 INTs.

On the game's opening drive Warner was 9-10 for 61 yards and put the Cards in position for a 38-yard Neil Rackers FG. The lead grew to 10-0 on the next possession when J.J. Arrington scored on a 4-yard run; the biggest play was a 45-yard catch-and-run by Boldin. The next The Cardinals drive's big play was a 33-yarder to Fitzgerald that set-up a 48-yard Rackets FG and 13-0 lead. Rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie ended the next Seattle series with a diving INT and late in the 2nd, the Cards seemed in position to put the game away. However, Josh Wilson's INT and 58-yard return set up a 13-yard Mo Morris TD catch that made it 13-7 with 0:56 left. Warner then guided the Cardinals into position for a 54-yard Rackers FG as the half ended.

On the opening series of the 2nd half, Julius Jones fumbled and turned it over at the AZ33. A 44-yard Boldin catch took it to the SEA28 and that led to a 26-yard Rackers FG. After a Seattle punt, the Cards moved 82 yards in 10 plays and capped the drive with a 6-yard Warner-to-Arrington TD.

Early in the 4th, Karlos Dansby appeared to end a Seattle drive deep in The Cardinals territory with his goal-line INT but when he fumbled on the return, the Seahawks got another chance. They capitalized on a 1-yard T.J. Duckett run.

On the 2nd play of the next drive Warner was sacked and fumbled, giving the ball back at the AZ14 and Duckett's subsequent 2-yard TD run made it 26-20 with 9:41 left.

The Cardinals punted and gave the Seahawks the ball back with 5:38 left but the Cards held Seattle to a 3-and-out. Seattle would get another chance when they took over at their own 28 with 2:05 left but on the 1st play, Rodgers-Cromartie again picked Hasselbeck to seal the 26-20 win.

NFL 2008 Game 11: New York Giants 37, Arizona Cardinals 29

In a match-up of NFC division leaders, the Giants moved to 10-1 by playing an efficient, mistake free game while the Cardinals made just enough to fall to 7-4.

Two turnovers were costly for the Cards as were a pair of long Domenick Hixon kickoff returns. The loss snapped Arizona's 7-game home win streak and was the Giants 6th straight victory. The Cardinals also missed a chance at clinching the NFC West crown.

On Arizona's opening drive, Kurt Warner converted a pair of 3rd-and-9's on passes to Steve Breaston (17) and J.J. Arrington (9) that set-up a 34-yard Neil Rackers FG.

Early in the 2nd, Giants RB Derrick Ward -- playing in place of injured starter Brandon Jacobs -- scored on a 1-yard TD plunge. Arrington then returned the kickoff 55 yards to the NY42 and 7 plays later, Tim Hightower scored on a 4-yard run that made it 9-7 after a bad hold on the PAT.

Hixon then notched an 83-yard kickoff return to the AZ17 that set-up a 33-yard John Carney FG. Arrington's next return set the Cardinals up near midfield and a 32-yard Warner-to-Jerheme Urban pass moved it to the 19.

After Rackers 20-yard FG made it 12-10 Cards, another long Hixon kickoff return (68) set the Giants up at the 32 and that led to a 12-yard Eli Manning TD pass to Amani Toomer. To close the 1st half, the Cards took advantage of the fair catch-free kick rule to try a 68-yard Rackers FG but it was unsuccessful.

The Cards got the ball first after intermission but turned it over when Justin Tuck stripped Warner and Mathias Kiwanuka recovered at the AZ40.

Manning's 30-yard connection to Steve Smith took it to the 2 and on the next play he hit fullback Madison Hedgecock on a TD pass out of the backfield. The Cardinals responded with a 12-play, 90-yard drive and Hightower made it 24-19 with his 2nd TD run of the day.

The Giants extended their lead back to 12 with its own long, methodical drive that Manning ended with his 3rd TD pass of the day, a 10-yarder to TE Kevin Boss. After Arrington's kickoff return took it to midfield, a 32-yard Warner-Breaston hook-up got it to the 5 and set-up a 5-yard Anquan Boldin TD catch that cut the deficit to 8.

Rackers onside kick glanced off the hands of Ralph Brown and the Giants recovered to set-up a 33-yard FG with 1:55 to go extending the lead to 11. The Cardinals then kicked a 44-yarder with 0:31 left but were unsuccessful again on the on-side and the Giants clinched the game with the recovery.

NFL 2008 Game 12: Philadelphia Eagles 48, Arizona Cardinals 20

Four days after losing to the Super Bowl champion Giants, the Cardinals took on the Eagles in Philadelphia in a Thanksgiving night showdown.

The host Eagles scored 21 straight to start the game, thanks in part to a pair of Kurt Warner INTs and prevailed with a 48-20 win. The Cardinals fell to 7-5 but remained firmly in first place in the NFC West. The Eagles moved to 6-5-1 and kept their playoff hopes alive.

The Eagles took the opening kickoff and moved 70 yards in 12 plays as Brian Westbrook scored the first of his 4 TDs (2 rushing/2 receiving) on a 5-yard pass from Donovan McNabb. On the 5th play of the next drive Joselio Hanson INT'd a tipped Warner pass and returned it to the AZ41. Five straight Westbrook runs got it into the end zone, including the final one from a yard out. The next Cardinals drive ended when Quintin Mikell picked off Warner. While the ensuing possession didn't produce any points, the Eagles went up 21-0 midway thru the 2nd quarter on a 2-yard McNabb-Westbrook pass.

The Cardinals scored late in the half on a 1-yard Warner TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald but David Akers' FG in the closing seconds made it 24-7 at halftime.

Westbrook opened the 2nd half scoring with a 9-yard TD run. A muffed Eagles punt led to an The Cardinals TD -- a 6-yard pass from Warner to Steve Breaston - that made it 34-13 but the Eagles again answered with an Akers FG. Early in the 4th, the Cardinals cut it to 14 with a 7-yard Warner-Fitzgerald connection and got the ball right back with 12:46 to play after a Philly 3-and-out. However, the Cardinals comeback hopes were dealt a severe blow when Anquan Boldin fumbled after a reception and the Eagles took over at the AZ19. Five plays later, McNabb hit DeSean Jackson with a 5-yard scoring pass that made it 41-20 and an 8-yard McNabb TD pass to Jason Avant 5 minutes later provided the game's final points.

NFL 2008 Game 13: Arizona Cardinals 34, Saint Louis Rams 10

The Cardinals clinched their first playoff appearance since 1998, first division title since 1975 and first home playoff came since 1947 thanks to a convincing home win over the Rams.

Arizona scored TDs on its first 2 drives to take the early lead and a pair of 2nd half defensive TDs put it out of reach. Kurt Warner threw for 279 yards and set the club's single-season record for completions with a 22-37 effort. Anquan Boldin became the first player in team history to record four 1,000-yard campaigns and moved into 3rd on the club's all-time receptions list. Defensively, MLB Gerald Hayes forced Steven Jackson fumbles on the first two drives of the second half while DT Darnell Dockett & CB Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie each scored their first career touchdowns.

Arizona came out quickly as Warner took the team 76 yards in 10 plays and RB Tim Hightower rushed for his 10th TD of the season to set the club rookie record. The next Cardinal drive ended when Larry Fitzgerald caught a 10-yard scoring pass from Warner capping a 6-play, 63-yard drive. Warner's lone miscue of the day came on the next series when he was INT's by Ron Bartelt who returned it 24 yards to the AZ6. That led to the Rams only TD of the day, a 3-yard Marc Bulger to Jackson pass. Arizona then added a pair of Neil Rackers field goals (44 & 22 yarders) to take a 20-7 halftime lead.

St. Louis opened the 2nd half by advancing to the AZ24 and appeared poised to make it a one score game. However, Hayes forced a Jackson fumble that fellow LB Karlos Dansby recovered to kill the drive. On the 2nd play of the next Rams drive, Hayes again forced a Jackson fumble and Dockett not only recovered but returned it 11 yards to the end zone. Josh Brown's 51-yard FG with 10:21 left made it 27-10 and it remained that wait until late in the 4th.

With 3:11 to go and the Rams at the AZ10, Rodgers-Cromartie stepped in front of a Bulger pass near the goal line and returned it a franchise record-tying 99 yards for a TD that provided the 34-10 win.

NFL 2008 Game 14: Minnesota Vikings 35, Arizona Cardinals 14

In a match-up of NFC division leaders with identical 8-5 records, the visiting Vikings jumped on top early thanks to a punt return touchdown and a pair of Arizona turnovers that both led to Minnesota TDs.

Thanks to those scores, the Vikings led 21-0 after one quarter and it was an uphill battle from there. Adrian Peterson ran for 165 yards while Tarvaris Jackson started in place of an injured Gus Frerotte and threw for 4 scores. The win was Minnesota's 4th in a row and gave them the inside track on the #3 seed over Arizona, who fell to 8-6 a week after clinching the NFC West.

After a dropped pass on 3rd down ended the first Cardinals drive, Bernard Berrian returned the ensuing punt 82 yards down the left sideline. CB Cedric Griffin then snuffed out the next The Cardinals drive near midfield with his diving INT of a Kurt Warner pass that tipped off the hands of Steve Breaston. Facing a 3rd-and-15 from the 41, Jackson lofted a perfect pass down the right sideline that Berrian pulled in for his 2nd TD. On the 2nd play of the next series, Warner hit Anquan Boldin on a slant but the receiver fumbled an Minnesota recovered at the AZ23. Six plays later, Jackson hit Sidney Rice with a 6-yard TD pass that gave the Vikings a 21-0 lead. Late in the 1st half, the Vikings completed a 12-play, 91-yard drive with an 11-yard Jackson TD pass to Chester Taylor that made it 28-0.

On the 3rd play of the 3rd quarter, Jerheme Urban caught a short pass from Warner and took it for a 50-yard TD. The next Cardinal drive appeared to be aided by a 49-yard pass interference call on Antoine Winfield but Ron Winter's crew picked up the flag and the drive stalled. The Vikings then advanced to the AZ16 and attempted a 34-yard Ryan Longwell FG.

However, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie blocked it and Rod Hood returned it 68-yards for a TD that made it 28-14 with 4:27 left in the third. That was as close as The Cardinals would get. On the next drive, Jackson hit Bobby Wade on a pump-and-go that resulted in a 59-yard score that provided the game's final points.

NFL 2008 Game 15: New England Patriots 47, Arizona Cardinals 7

The Cardinals played the Patriots in the final road game of the regular season. Like Arizona, the Patriots entered the game with a 9-5 record. However unlike the Cardinals, who clinched the NFC West two weeks earlier and were pretty much locked into their playoff spot, New England was in a three-way tie atop the AFC East and fighting for its postseason life.

In addition to the must-win Patriots, Arizona also had to contend with the New England weather. A winter storm hit much of the east coast and the game was played amid a steady snowfall. The Cardinals had not played a game in snow in over 25 years (12/18/83 vs. Philadelphia at St. Louis) and it was clear New England was far more comfortable in the environment.

The Arizona offense entered the game #2 in the NFL with a 26.6 points/game average but was limited to a season-low 7 points. The Patriots offense was more successful and rolled up 514 total yards. It all added up to a very one-sided contest.

Of its six first half possessions, New England scored four touchdowns and a field goal. Conversely on its six drives, Arizona went 3-and-out 5 times and turned it over on downs once.

Those two factors resulted in a 31-0 New England halftime lead. LaMont Jordan capped each of the first two Patriot drives with short TD runs. Early in the 2nd, a 15-yard Matt Cassel pass to Kevin Faulk made it 21-0 and an 11-yard Cassel pass to Wes Welker on the next series made it 28-0. Stephen Gostkowski's 38-yard FG in the closing seconds of the first half made it 31-0.

A bad situation for the Cardinals got even worse on the first play from scrimmage after intermission. Cassel hit Randy Moss with a quick screen at the line of scrimmage and the receiver took it 76 yards down the left sideline for a TD that made it a 38-0 score :19 into the 2nd half. The Patriots then added Gostkowski FGs on their next three drives. Kurt Warner was replaced at QB by Matt Leinart late in the 3rd quarter and he finished the game. It was Leinart's 78-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 6:17 to play kept the Cardinals from being shut out.

NFL 2008 Game 16: Arizona Cardinals 34, Seattle Seahawks 21

The Cardinals entered the regular season finale vs. Seattle looking to regain some rhythm and momentum before the playoffs.

They found it in the 2nd quarter thanks in large part to WR Larry Fitzgerald. Playing without fellow all-pro Anquan Boldin (shoulder), Fitzgerald caught a pair of TD passes and set up another with a 50-yard grab as part of another 100-yard outing. RB Edgerrin James saw his most action since early October and topped 100 rushing yards. The win gave the Cardinals a 9-7 mark -- its best since the '98 season -- and spoiled the final game of outgoing Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren.

Seattle led 7-0 after one quarter thanks to a 1-yard T.J. Duckett run that capped a 12-play drive that began with a Warner fumble recovery. Early in the 2nd quarter, the Seahawks had a chance to make it 10-0 when they advanced to the AZ23 but Olindo Mare's 42-yard field goal try was wide left. On the next snap, Warner went deep to Fitzgerald and his 50-yard catch took it to the SEA18. That led a play later to Warner's 16-yard TD pass to WR Jerheme Urban. On the next Seahawk drive, Karlos Dansby forced a Maurice Morris fumble that CB Ralph Brown returned to the SEA12. Two plays later, Warner and Fitzgerald connected on a 5-yard TD pass.

The Seahawks came right back and scored before halftime when Seneca Wallace threw a perfect 30-yard TD pass to WR Deion Branch that made it 14-14 at intermission.

After the team's traded punts to open the 3rd, Fitzgerald put the Cardinals up 21-14 on his 38-yard TD grab. After a Seattle 3-and-out, Warner capped a 68-yard drive with a 14-yard TD strike to Steve Breaston. It was Warner's 4th TD of the day, his most as a Cardinal and most since 2001 with the Rams. Branch and Wallace connected on a 2-yard TD pass on the next Seattle drive to make it 28-21. Matt Leinart then came on in relief of Warner and led FG drives on each of the next two possessions. CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie put the final dagger into the Seahawks with his INT in the final minute.

Five Cardinals Named to NFC Pro Bowl Squad

Quarterback Kurt Warner, wide receivers Anquan Boldin & Larry Fitzgerald, strong safety Adrian Wilson and special teamer Sean Morey were all selected to represent the NFC in the Pro Bowl. Warner, Boldin, Fitzgerald and Wilson were all named starters. It marked the fourth career selection for Warner (1999, 2000, 2002), third for both Fitzgerald (2005, 2007) and Boldin (2003, 2006), second for Wilson (2006), and first for Morey.

Warner will make his first trip to Hawaii since being selected in three consecutive seasons (1999-2001) while with the St. Louis Rams. He becomes the sixth quarterback (Jim Hardy, Jim Hart, Charley Johnson, Neil Lomax, Charley Trippi) in team history to be selected to the Pro Bowl and the first since Lomax in 1987. The seven-year lapse since his last Pro Bowl selection is the second-longest among QBs since ‘70 (Randall Cunningham and Phil Simms, 8).

Fitzgerald is the first Cardinal since Aeneas Williams (1998-99) to earn consecutive Pro Bowl selections. Along with Boldin (2003, 2005, 2008), Fitzgerald joins Mel Gray (1974-77) as the only Cardinals receivers to earn at least three Pro Bowl selections and they are the first Cardinal players since Aeneas Williams (1994-99) to make at least three Pro Bowls. This year also marks the first time two Cardinals receivers have been selected to the Pro Bowl in the same season.

Even though he missed four games this season due to numerous injuries, Boldin finished second NFC in receptions with 89, totaling 1,038 yards. He also had a career-high 11 touchdowns, tied for third-most by a receiver in the NFL in 2008. Boldin was also selected to the Pro Bowl following the ‘03 season when he set the NFL rookie record for receptions (101) as well as in 2006 when he led the team with 1,203 receiving yards.

Wilson finished fourth on the team with 84 tackles to go along with two interceptions, 2.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. The longest tenured player on the Cardinals (8th season), Wilson became the fourth safety in team history to be selected to multiple Pro Bowls joining Tim McDonald (1989, ‘91, ‘92), Jerry Norton (1959, ‘60-61), and Hall of Famer Larry Wilson (1962-63, ‘65-70). Adrian was also selected following the 2006 season when he became the first player in NFL history with two defensive touchdowns of 99+ yards in a single season.

Morey was selected for his first Pro Bowl after being named an alternate with the Steelers in ‘05. A special teams co-captain, Morey made one of the biggest plays of the season on 10/12 against Dallas when blocked a Mat McBriar punt that was recovered by linebacker Monty Beisel for the game winning TD in OT. He led Arizona with 22 special teams tackles and has collected 128 for his career. He became just the second specialist in team history to be selected to the Pro Bowl joining former special teams standout and current Cardinals radio analyst Ron Wolfley who made the Pro Bowl four times (1986-89). Morey joins former Minnesota tight end Steve Jordan as the only Brown University products ever selected to the Pro Bowl. Jordan went six consecutive times from 1986-91.

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