Cards of Steel

September 30, 2007 by Walter Mitchell

Anquan Boldin did not play in this game…but his spirit did. Boldin the Beautiful plays the game with superior courage and resolve, and on this day, where he was relegated to the sidelines resting a hip injury, his Cardinal teammates did something that only Q could inspire: they out-physicaled (new word!) the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s right…the Arizona Cardinals out-physicaled perhaps the most physical team in the NFL…and beat the Steelers 21-14 in front of a sea of howling, ecstatic white towel waving fans. Would anyone have imagined that six months ago?How satisfying this win must have been for new head coach, Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach Russ Grimm. By rights, either of these two men should have been the head coach of the Steelers this day…after all, they were two major reasons why the Steelers won the Super Bowl two years ago.

Whisenhunt’s Cardinals played steel-tough all game long…and Whisenhunt coached the same way. Clinging to a one TD lead, Whisenhunt reinserted Matt Lienart into the lineup after Kurt Warner has changed the momentum of the game…and Leinart led the team to what turned out to be the game winning drive. Along the way, Whisenhunt called for a QB sneak on fourth and one, well within field goal range…but Whiz wanted to drain the clock and punch the ball down the Steelers’ throats…and did exactly that, as Edgerrin James leaped his way off left tackle into the end zone to put the Cardinals ahead 21-7.

Before commenting on a potential QB controversy…and other interesting subplots…let’s give credit where credit is due, and that belongs to defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast and his stalwart defense…all day this defense engulfed Willie Parker (save one good run…wow!) with a tenacity and toughness that was Steeler-like all the way.

The goal-line stand was a thing of beauty…just when it appeared the Cardinals were going to gift wrap the go-ahead TD to the Steelers on an errant shotgun snap that neither Kurt Warner nor Elton Brown could pounce on…the Cards of Steel defense stuffed Willie Parker inside the two yard line on successive plays…and then, Adrian Wilson jumped a quick slant in the end zone, and reacted to the ball in a split second, managing to secure the first Cardinal interception of the year, at the most auspicious time.

Not only did this defense hammer Willie Parker the entire afternoon, they harrassed Ben Roethlisberger…sacking him four times and nearly sacking him on several other occasions. Save a total brain warp from Eric Green that allowed the Steelers to go ahead 7-0 on a 3rd and 26 play…and a Roethlisberger 92 yard drive in a little over two minutes to cut the lead to 21-14…the Cardinal defense was so lights-out, that on numerous occasions the Steelers were facing 3rd and 20 something. Unreal!

Defensive game balls: Darnell Dockett, Antonio Smith (both emerging as two of the more athletic interior d-linemen in the NFC), Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Calvin Pace, Rod Hood, and of course, Adrian Wilson.

Now consider that the Cardinals actually won the battle of special teams in this game…in that the Steelers learned what the Cardinals learned last week, sometimes booming punts (man Daniel Sepulveda has a cannon leg, huh?) can lead to big returns. Steve Breaston’s gem was the first Cardinal punt return TD in 17 years…wow! Breaston ran with a mission all afternoon…one could sense that he was smelling daylight…and once Breaston got a full head of steam, he ripped through Steeler armtackles and desperate lunges and raced the ball to the house!

Special teams game balls: Steve Breaston, Mike Barr (for his perfect pooch punt late), and Sean Morey…who is stepping up his game bigtime.

How about Ederrin James and the Cardinal offensive line? James is the old Edge, maybe even even better…as he is hitting the holes with alacrity…and dragging tacklers with him…and how about the play where Edge took the romance out of the LB blitz when he stepped up and kocked the Steeler linebacker on his butt? Edge wants to win…there is no question. And this line is playing tough and savvy, even though they are still relatively young. Kudos once again to Russ Grimm…who has changed the whole climate up front in ways that deserve the highest of praise.

All the pundits say…”you can’t win the two QBs”…”you have to decide on one of them”…”it will hurt the team in the long run.” Phooey. The Cardinals have a wonderful situation at QB right now…in fact, why don’t we call Leinart and Warner the Cardinals’ QB version of “Thunder and Lightning!” It was so gutsy and classy of Whiz to put Matt Leinart back into the game…and to dial up a deep ball to Fitz on the first play.

The fact is…the Cardinals have the luxury of playing both QBs if and when they want to.

Plus…one gets the sense that Whiz has started to fully develop a team atmosphere and philosophy in Arizona. Everyone on Whiz’s team gets a role, including the #2 QB.

Larry Fitzgerald atoned nicely for his second fumble in two games. Fitz caught 11 balls for 123 yards on a day when Boldin was sidelined. That’s stepping up.

Newcomer Jerheme Urban (5 catches for 53 yards and 1 TD) was just what the Cardinals needed…this kid is a natural and plays with attitude to boot. Just wish he had been activated prior to this game, because he could have made a real difference.

Offensive Game Balls: Edgerrin James, Kurt Warner (for sparking the offense once again), Larry Fitzgerald and the quintet of Mike Gandy, Reggie Wells, Al Johnson, Deuce Lutui and Elton Brown.

As for Coaching Game Balls? All the coaches for having this team ready and steel-tough…especially Ken Whisenhunt, Russ Grimm, Clancy Pendergast, Kevin Spencer…and perhaps most of all???…John Lott…for helping to turn these average birds into Cards of Steel!

And…make no mistake about it…the Cardinals’ 12th men were yet again a real difference maker…their spirit is making these games “goose-bump” electric. Go Cards’ fans…go-go-go!

The most beautiful irony is that the Steelers lost the way the Cardinals used to! …by surrendering costly turnovers and a special teams TD at all the wrong times! Role reversal, baby! Kinda like, well, switching coaches, huh?

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