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In 2005, strong safety Adrian Wilson’s team-best 112 tackles and eight quarterback sacks—most by a defensive back in NFL history—earned him respect throughout the league and status as a Pro Bowl alternate. But Wilson’s goals were much higher, and in 2006 he turned in an even more-impressive season, in fact one of the finest by a defensive back in team history.
Last year, Wilson ‘filled out the box score’ with 87 tackles, 5 quarterback sacks, 4 interceptions, 9 pass deflections, 4 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries, a season worthy of being named a starter in the Pro Bowl and recognition as one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL.
Just as he etched his name in the NFL record book with eight quarterback sacks in 2005, Wilson once more rewrote history when he became the first player in league history to record two touchdowns of 99 yards in the same season without benefit of a kickoff return touchdown.
His first score of the season came in Week 4 at Atlanta when he returned a Michael Vick pass 99 yards for a score, a team record and longest by a Cardinal since Hall of Fame safety Larry Wilson scored on a 96-yard return against Cleveland in 1965.
Seven games later against Minnesota in Week 12, Wilson scooped up a fourth quarter fumble by Vikings running back Chester Taylor and raced 99 yards for a touchdown, second in Cardinal history to a 104-yard fumble return by Aeneas Williams against Washington in 2000.
Wilson collected five tackles in a 34-27 win over San Francisco in the season-opener, and then added seven tackles, a pair of quarterback sacks, and an interception the following week at Seattle.
After the record-setting performance at Atlanta, Wilson registered four tackles and his third quarterback sack of the season in a narrow 23-20 loss to Kansas City.
The ensuing week, before a national stage on Monday Night Football, Wilson turned in another stellar performance with six tackles, a sack, a pass defensed and a forced fumble against the eventual NFC champion Chicago Bears.
A week later in Oakland, Wilson turned in another brilliant performance with five tackles and an interception, before he was forced to leave the game with a groin injury.
After the bye in Week 9 enabled him time to recover from the groin injury, Wilson continued to build on his Pro Bowl season as he posted seven tackles, including one for a loss, and a forced fumble against Dallas.
On Thanksgiving weekend at Minnesota, his record-setting 99-yard fumble return effort also included nine tackles, a feat he duplicated the next week with nine solo stops and an interception in a 34-20 win at St. Louis.
A week before Pro Bowl rosters were released in mid-December, Wilson led a Cardinal defense that held Seattle running back Shaun Alexander to just 76 yards in a 27-21 victory over the defending NFC champion Seahawks. Wilson registered six tackles, recovered an Alexander fumble to set up a Cardinal touchdown, and stopped Seattle wide receiver Deion Branch a yard short on a fourth-and-20 play in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
In the final home game of 2006, Wilson showed Cardinals fans his worth for a Pro Bowl appearance in an overall solid game with seven tackles, two tackles for a loss and his second straight game with a forced fumble.
In the final two games Wilson racked up seven tackles and one sack, and in the 26-20 win over San Francisco Dec. 24 punched up his 500th career tackle.
Adrian Wilson's really good. Glad to see that he finally got some recognition last season. If the Cards ever start winning and he gets some national publicity, he'll be a perennial lock for the Pro Bowl.
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