Cardinals News

Cardinals accommodate Fiesta Bowl
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November 20
Arizona Republic
 
"Arizona Cardinals fans headed to the team's final home game on Jan. 3 will notice a few changes around University of Phoenix Stadium - namely some extra seating and Fiesta Bowl signage hung for the college football bowl game, which is the next day. The Valley's two football heavyweights spent months hashing out details to accommodate two games within 24 hours. The Cardinals took some lumps for the scheduling snafu, which occurred as staffers were busy with the team's Super Bowl run. But the franchise said its hands were tied in changing the NFL schedule, which has the Cardinals playing their final home game Jan. 3 against the Green Bay Packers. The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl is Jan. 4. The ..."
Arizona Cardinals and Kurt Warner break 'Super swoon'
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November 20
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Having witnessed the "Super Bowl Swoon" firsthand, Kurt Warner couldn't help but wonder if his Arizona Cardinals were bound to become the latest victims when they dropped two of their first three games this season. Only one of the last eight teams to lose in the Super Bowl returned to the playoffs the following season - Seattle in 2006, by winning the NFC West with a 9-7 record. New England is the only other Super Bowl loser during that span to post a winning mark the following season - 11-5 last year. The Patriots didn't qualify for the postseason, however. The six other runners-up compiled an overall 38-58 record. That group includes the 2002 Rams, who tumbled to 7-9 after going 14-2 ..."
Warner 'entrenched' with Cardinals
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November 19
Arizona Republic
 
"Quarterback Kurt Warner has been with the Cardinals long enough that it no longer feels strange for him to play in St. Louis in something other than a Rams' uniform. Sunday will be Warner's fifth trip to St. Louis since joining the Cardinals in 2005. He's already played in more regular-season games with Arizona (55) than he did in six years with the Rams (53). "No question it's a special place," Warner said of St. Louis, "but the meaning on the football field isn't as big, not like the first couple times going back there. I love the place, I love the people and the fans there have just been tremendous to me. "But I've been entrenched here with the Cardinals so long that I definitely ..."
Dockett downplays Hasselbeck incident
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November 19
Arizona Republic
 
"Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett said he didn't intend to hurt Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck last Sunday by pushing his elbow into Hasselbeck's throat after a sack. "I would never hurt Matt Hasselbeck," Dockett said Wednesday. "I have a lot respect for guys who come in, play week-in, week-out, broke ribs, play hurt. I take my hat off to him and I would never try to do that. It's kind of disappointing what the coach thinks." Seahawks coach Jim Mora complained about the play on Monday. "I don't want to be labeled as a dirty player," Dockett said. "I play aggressive. I'm going to play the game hard, no matter what." Dockett said he talked to Hasselbeck after the game and said ..."
Even at 1-8, Jackson, Rams upbeat
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November 19
Arizona Republic
 
"Ken Whisenhunt wasn't just being kind Wednesday when he said the St. Louis Rams don't look like a 1-8 team. When the Cardinals coach broke down game film of Arizona's opponent this Sunday, the Rams' won-loss record wasn't to be seen. But he did see a ton of heart, energy and aggression. "To me, they look like a good team on tape," Whisenhunt said. "They play hard, they play disciplined. They make mistakes like we all do, but I've got to give these guys credit. They play hard. They don't look like a team that has their record." Rams running back Steven Jackson is glad somebody is starting to notice. Despite a handful of blowout losses this season, St. Louis no longer is the pushover team ..."
Rams face Arizona Cardinals' triple threat
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November 19
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"For the St. Louis pass defense, every week brings its own set of challenges. Perhaps none bigger than the three-headed monster coming to town this week — otherwise known as the Arizona wide receiver corps. Last season, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston became only the fifth trio in NFL history with 1,000 yards receiving apiece. They also became just the fifth trio in league history with 75 catches each. Despite some injury problems for Boldin and Breaston, they're not far off that pace this season. "They're definitely a special group," safety Oshiomogho Atogwe said. "They're almost playing on a different level. It's almost like they're not running an offense off a (play) ..."
Cardinals-Titans game moved to 3:15 start
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November 18
Nashville City Paper
 
"The Tennessee Titans home game Nov. 29 against the Arizona Cardinals has been moved to a 3:15 CST start at the request of the FOX Network. The game will be one of two late games for the network on that Sunday, with the other being the Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings. The game was originally scheduled for noon and features marquee players such as Titans running back Chris Johnson, who leads the NFL in rushing, as well as the defending NFC champion Cardinals, who feature the pass attack led by Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald."
Coach's 'down time' breeds creativity
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November 18
Arizona Republic
 
"If there is a quiet time during the week for NFL coaches, it's Friday afternoon. The game plan is installed, practices are complete, and coaches can leave the office before dark. Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt spends that time building his play-call sheet for Sunday, going through the game plan for the fourth or fifth time, picking the plays he wants to call first. Many times, he'll see something - a pattern, a trend - for the first time. It can be an epiphany or just a flicker of an idea. "Even though it may be your third or fourth time through it, some things will pop up," he said. Sometimes it takes getting out of the office for the ideas to pop up in Whisenhunt's head. He has had ..."
Lott keeps eye on sideline
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November 18
Arizona Republic
 
"John Lott hears from friends. They see him on television, standing behind coach Ken Whisenhunt on the Cardinals sideline. Smart man, they say, positioning himself for airtime. What a life. If only they knew. Through the week, Lott is the Cardinals strength and conditioning coach. On game day, he is the team's "get-back" coach, the poor soul charged with keeping players and coaches from encroaching the field, risking a penalty of five or 15 yards, depending on the circumstance. Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden says the get-back coach has the hardest job in football. Whisenhunt agrees, saying, "No question about it." Lott calls the task the worst three hours of his week. Think about it. Football ..."
No surprise Whisenhunt likes Belichick's call
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November 18
Arizona Republic
 
"In the NFL, second-guessing is the right of fans, the blight of coaches. Those who succeed in the professional ranks have a vision and stick to it, even if it defies historical data and popular opinion. Amid all the screaming about Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on fourth and 2 in Sunday night's New England-Indianapolis game, you won't detect Ken Whisenhunt's voice. "I applaud Coach Belichick for believing in his team and thinking they can get that and having the courage to make that call," the Cardinals coach said Monday. Whisenhunt is not blowing smoke. He respects Belichick's choice and, heck, might even have done the same thing. If there's a trait these two coaches share, it's ..."
Mora files 17 complaints with NFL after Hawks' loss to Cardinals
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November 17
Tacoma News Tribune
 
"After reviewing video of his team's 31-20 loss to Arizona, Seattle Seahawks Jim Mora had a long list of concerns he submitted to the league's officiating office on Monday for their consideration. Seventeen to be exact. Among the gievances: an Arizona pass play directed to Larry Fitzgerald which resulted in a pass interference call on cornerback Marcus Trufant. Mora thought the call should have gone the other way. "The one where Fitzgerald grabbed him by the facemask and pulled his head down?" said Mora when asked about the play. "Yeah, I questioned that one. We'll see what they say." Also on Mora's list was an incident that occurred late in the second quarter after Seattle quarterback Matt ..."
Cardinals show Seahawks what they'll need for 2010
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November 16
Tacoma News Tribune
 
"Now the Seahawks need to start playing for the future. The 31-20 loss to Arizona on Sunday leaves the Seattle Seahawks at 3-6 while the NFC West-leading Cardinals moved to 6-3 with a sweep of the Hawks. What the numbers mean for Seattle is that the remaining seven games are the start of the 2010 preseason. They will play to win, of course. The fans deserve that. And the limited roster size precludes too much lineup euthanasia. But where available, the kids need to see more action, and the veterans need to understand they're auditioning for their jobs next year. Coach Jim Mora can't say that. Such things are against coaching bylaws. "We're not counting ourselves out of anything," Mora said ..."
Wells has deep reservoir of talent
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November 16
East Valley Tribune
 columnist Scott Bordow
"Wells certainly got the star treatment after Arizona's 31-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday. As photographers backpedaled to shoot him trotting off the field, several teammates ran up and patted him on the shoulder pads. It was a Welcome-to-the-NFL moment, recognition for a second half in which he rushed for two touchdowns and 75 of his 85 yards. Tim Hightower may still be the starter on Sundays, but that's just a notation on the stat sheet. Wells has become the Cardinals' No. 1 back and to watch him now is to wonder how 30 teams could pass on him in last April's NFL draft. "I think we all see why we drafted him when we did and … the power, strength and explosion he brings to the ..."
Seahawks can't hold the lead, fall to Cardinals 31-20
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November 16
Seattle Times
 
"Matt Hasselbeck stood behind a podium after spending a good chunk of Sunday's game on his back. Still sweating from an afternoon of survivalist quarterbacking, he insisted those two broken ribs and sore shoulder didn't feel any worse after being sacked four times by Arizona's defense. In fact, he felt quite a bit better about his offense's performance. "It was more fun to be out there," Hasselbeck said. "I felt like offensively, it felt like we were more in the zone." The fun stopped somewhere short of satisfaction, though. Eleven points short, actually. Seattle lost 31-20 at Arizona in a game that offered plenty of encouragement for the Seahawks but absolutely no closure. After spending ..."
Cards' Wells stampeding to top
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November 16
Arizona Republic
 columnist Dan Bickley
"Big, ugly games require big, nasty running backs. On cue, the Cardinals welcomed the arrival of Beanie Wells, the latest football folk hero to emerge in Glendale. "Honestly, he's breaking face masks when he's running through there," Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald said. "I get the heck out of the way when I hear him coming." In the coming days, fans will not rehash the details of this pivotal 31-20 win over the Seahawks, an afternoon that came with too many sweaty palms and too many booing customers. The game should've been easier. The roof should've been open. Instead, it felt like a street fight inside someone's garage. And yet the optimism can't be denied. Especially if you ..."
Cards' defense stingy in red zone
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November 16
Arizona Republic
 
"The Cardinals defense gave up 472 yards against Seattle on Sunday, but it was stingy in the red zone. The Seahawks scored a touchdown on just one of four possessions inside the Cardinals 20. In a key sequence, Seattle had to settle for a field goal after having first and goal at the 1 in the fourth quarter. "We just missed some opportunities," Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "Especially with the kind of offense they have, you've got to score touchdowns when you can, and we didn't do that." Seattle running back Julius Jones was expected to spend Sunday night in a Valley hospital after suffering a broken rib. He left the game in the first quarter, but the Seahawks remained ..."
Cardinals take down Seahawks
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November 16
Arizona Republic
 
"There are switches at University of Phoenix Stadium that cause the field to slide and the roof to open (allegedly), but this season no one could locate the one that made Cardinals play efficiently at home. Until Sunday. The Cardinals found it after trailing the Seahawks by two touchdowns midway through the second quarter. Turns out it was next to the panic button, which might have been pushed had the Cardinals lost for the fourth time in five home games. Down by 14 points, the Cardinals responded with an offensive explosion and just enough defensive plays to win 31-20. The victory improved the Cardinals' record to 6-3 and kept them two games ahead of the 49ers in the NFC West standings. ..."
Panthers unveil secret weapon
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November 16
Charlotte Observer
 columnist Tom Sorensen
"Carolina used a secret weapon Sunday, and no matter how sophisticated or comprehensive Atlanta's scouting was, there was no way the Falcons could have prepared for it. The Panthers passed on third and long. The Panthers are 2-4 as underdogs and 2-1 as favorites. Defensive tackle Hollis Thomas is Carolina's 340-pound fashion critic. He once saw safety Chris Harris in a red, white and blue warm-up suit, and asked Harris if he were a Harlem Globetrotter. A few weeks ago he saw me wearing a black V-neck sweater over a V-neck white T-shirt, and said something every time I passed in front of his locker. "I noticed you wouldn't come over, either," Thomas says Sunday. Hey, big dog, I was working. ..."
Can Seahawks cover Fitzgerald?
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November 15
Tacoma News Tribune
 
"For all of the talk about Larry Fitzgerald's imposing physique and jumping ability, strong hands might be the most valuable asset of the best receiver in the NFL. "He's got long arms, and he's got very strong hands, very big hands," said Seattle defensive backs coach Tim Lewis. "It's hard to play around him. It's hard to play through him, so unless you're in the perfect position, he's going to make you pay." The Seahawks, too many times on the receiving end of his big plays, are acutely aware what he can do, even when they think they have him covered. In his past five games against Seattle, Fitzgerald, 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, has 41 receptions for 547 yards and four touchdowns. Last season, ..."
Falcons' run game gives QB Ryan assist
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November 14
Charlotte Observer
 
"Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan agrees he's hit a rough patch. Following a sensational rookie year, Ryan began this season with four more solid games for the Falcons (5-3), who will face the Carolina Panthers (3-5) on Sunday in an NFC South game at Bank of America Stadium. When lists of the league's top young quarterbacks were drawn up, his name was near the top of all of them. Since then, though, Ryan has thrown eight interceptions during Atlanta's past four games. During a 35-27 loss Nov.2 atNew Orleans, Ryan was 19-of-42 for 289 yards and had a paltry quarterback rating of 46.6. "I would like to play a little bit better, but it is a long season and you're going to have some ups ..."
TEs lift Cards' red zone efficiency
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November 14
Arizona Republic
 
"The Cardinals have been successful in the red zone in coach Ken Whisenhunt's two previous seasons, and they are continuing that trend this year. The Cardinals rank second in the NFL behind Cincinnati in scoring touchdowns when inside opponents' 20-yard line. The Cardinals have converted 69 percent of the time, while the Bengals are at 69.2 percent. In the past three games, the Cardinals have scored touchdowns on 14 of 18 opportunities, a 77.8 percent clip. What's helped lately is the development at the tight end position. The Cardinals have gone to more two-tight-end sets in the red zone, which has improved their running attack, and made the tight ends a receiving threat. Ben ..."
No blackout - Cards-Seahawks sells out
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November 14
Arizona Republic
 
"The Cardinals announced Friday that Sunday's game against the Seahawks is sold out. The NFL granted the club a one-day extension to the local television blackout deadline, giving the team time to sell the final 800 tickets. The Cardinals have sold out every game since University of Phoenix Stadium opened in 2006."
Cards' Morey played with concussion
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November 13
Arizona Republic
 
"When Cardinals receiver Sean Morey felt ill last week, he convinced himself it had more to do with the H1N1 flu running through his family than the hit he took against Carolina the previous Sunday. Morey recovered from the flu, but he realized after some hits early in the Bears game Sunday that he had suffered a concussion the week before. "I didn't communicate well enough with my training staff, and they weren't able to do their job," said Morey, who made the Pro Bowl last year as a special-teams player. "No player wants to take a day off or get a free lunch. All the players that play this game are hard-wired." No player is more educated about concussions than Morey, however. Earlier this ..."
Cardinals get TV blackout extension
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November 12
Arizona Republic
 
"The NFL granted the Cardinals an extension to the television blackout deadline, and the club has until Friday afternoon to sell the approximately 800 tickets remaining. The deadline is normally 72 hours before kickoff, and this is the fourth time in five home games the Cardinals have been granted the extension. They sold out each time."
Turnovers explain Cards' home woes
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November 12
Arizona Republic
 
"There's no shortage of theories on why the Cardinals have played so poorly at home this season, losing three of four games. Maybe a 14-4 record at home the previous two years has made them complacent. Perhaps they no longer like playing indoors. Might be they don't like wearing their red jerseys, which they've done for every home game except for their lone victory, over the Texans. More likely, however, it's because the Cardinals have given the ball away too often and haven't taken it away nearly enough. The story of their home struggles can be told by turnover margin. In four home games, the Cardinals are minus-9 in turnovers. The defense has forced only three and the offense has ..."
Cards about 1,300 short of sellout for Sunday
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November 12
Arizona Republic
 
"The Cardinals have about 1,300 tickets remaining for Sunday's game against the Seahawks. The deadline for selling out and avoid a local television blackout is Thursday at 2:15 p.m. But the Cardinals likely will receive a 24-hour extension from the NFL, as they have in three of their four home games."
Key to stopping Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald is pressuring QB Kurt Warner
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November 12
Seattle Times
 
"Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald stands 6 feet 3 with spring-loaded legs and a gift of grab as strong as Spock's Vulcan nerve pinch. He's a handful by just about any measure. "Unless you're in the perfect position, he's going to make you pay," said Tim Lewis, the Seahawks' secondary coach. Costly is probably the right term for Seattle's recent coverage of Fitzgerald. His receiving-yards total has hit triple digits each of his past three games against the Seahawks — all Arizona victories, by the way — and just last month he caught 13 passes in the Cardinals' 27-3 victory in Seattle. There is one surefire way to keep Fitzgerald from getting his hands on the ball, though, and that's to ..."
Boldin says he has moved on from last Sunday
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November 12
Arizona Republic
 
"Receiver Anquan Boldin expressed no regrets but said he has "moved on" since voicing his unhappiness over being designated as inactive for last Sunday's game in Chicago. "I'm done with the situation," Boldin said Wednesday. "I said what I had to say and I've moved on. I'm going to continue to do my job and whatever happens, happens." Boldin said he had not talked to coach Ken Whisenhunt about the matter. Boldin was upset about missing last Sunday's game, and he said afterward that no one was "man enough" to tell him to his face. He found out he wasn't playing when he noticed his equipment had been removed from his locker."
Cards-Vikings has primetime potential
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November 11
Arizona Republic
 
"Beginning next week, the NFL can begin utilizing its "flexible scheduling," allowing NBC to switch its scheduled Sunday night game with a more attractive one. The Cardinals home game against Minnesota on Dec. 6, scheduled for 2:15 p.m., seems to be an ideal candidate. Word is Fox, which is scheduled to broadcast the game, didn't protect it, leaving it available for NBC to grab for the 6:20 p.m. slot. NBC is scheduled to show the Patriots-Dolphins game, but Cardinals-Vikings might be more attractive. The Dolphins are 3-5 and could nearly be out of the playoff race by Dec. 6. The Vikings (7-1) have not appeared on NBC this season, and with games against Detroit, Seattle and Chicago in the ..."
Hightower gives students healthy dose of clean fun
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November 11
Arizona Republic
 
"Ten-year-old Elyza Hawkins doesn't play football at recess. "I like to just talk with friends," she explained. Truthfully, she wasn't a fan of the sport until Cardinals running back Tim Hightower showed her how to properly hold a football. With the football clutched in her arms, she wove through a set of pylons set up in the gymnasium at Vista Del Sur School in Laveen on Tuesday, earning the praise of her mentor. "You got Hall of Fame written all over you," Hightower called to Elyza as she rejoined her friends. "You're a natural.""
At 2009 midpoint, Cards want more
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November 11
Arizona Republic
 
"The Cardinals are 5-3 midway through the season, a record that would have produced both amazement and dread during the franchise's previous years in Arizona. Amazement because the Cardinals rarely had a winning record at any point in a season, much less halfway. And dread because fans would have imagined myriad ways in which the Cardinals would blow it in the second half. It took 21 years, but things have changed. The Cardinals were 5-3 at the turn last season, too. That was a new and wonderful achievement, something the team hadn't accomplished since moving to Arizona in 1988. But 5-3 this year is viewed through the prism of last season's surprising run to the Super Bowl. This season, ..."
Message is clear: Protect the nest
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November 10
Arizona Republic
 
"Now that the Cardinals have fattened up on the road with four consecutive victories away from home, their coach has three little words he wants drilled into his players' heads: Protect the nest. Arizona was 12-4 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Ken Whisenhunt's first two seasons here. This year, the Cardinals are just 1-3 at home and, despite owning a two-game lead atop the NFC West, that simply is not good enough. "After two and half years of being here and just getting killed for not being any good on the road, it's certainly nice to play better on the road," Whisenhunt said Monday, a day after the Cardinals throttled the Bears 41-21 in Chicago. "But now we've got to play better at ..."
Coach still has confidence in Leinart
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November 10
Arizona Republic
 
"If Matt Leinart is still feeling down in the dumps about his only pass in mop-up duty against the Bears being intercepted, he should relax and forget about it. Coach Ken Whisenhunt made it clear during his weekly news conference on Monday that he still has all the confidence in the world in his backup quarterback and that one play won't swing his opinion. "I'm not concerned at all," Whisenhunt said. "The only thing you worry about is Matt's own psyche because he's worked very hard to improve his game and get better. " . . . It's a tough mistake to make, but what I've seen from Matt, especially in the past six months with the way he's responded and the way he's worked, I don't have any ..."
Intensity lacking on defense, but Bears actually did some things well Sunday
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November 10
Chicago Tribune
 
"In studying the Bears' defensive performance Sunday, lack of execution did not stand out as much as lack of intensity. Bears defenders looked hesitant and cautious, and they lacked aggression. They did not fly to the ball, nor did they hit hard. This unit failed miserably to uphold the Bears' proud defensive tradition. The way the Bears played defense Sunday, it is difficult to envision the team staying in any game that features a dynamic offense. The Bears routinely gave away yards after contact. In fact, Bears defenders completely missed seven tackles they should have made, resulting in 51 extra yards. Three of the missed tackles were by cornerback Charles Tillman. Two were by defensive ..."
Bears get 1st-hand look at Warner's brilliance
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November 9
Arizona Republic
 
"Kurt Warner grew up watching the Bears. He never dreamed he'd make their fans so unhappy. On a November day that gave credence to global warming, Warner made the Bears look like cubs. He made a city that loves pork chops, defense and the shredded beef of opposing players understand what a real quarterback is about. In a game book-ended by costly temper tantrums, where one Pro Bowl player was ejected and another sealed his fate in Arizona, Warner stood way above the fray, miles above the next-best player on the field. "It's good to see the way we bounced back, especially Kurt," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. One week after throwing five interceptions, Warner responded with five ..."
Cardinals simply overpower Bears
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November 9
Arizona Republic
 
"Reporters had exhausted their questions after the Cardinals' 41-21 victory over the Bears on Sunday, but coach Ken Whisenhunt, like a kid with a whoopee cushion, just couldn't resist a parting shot. "The last thing I'd like to say is, we didn't let them off the hook," he said. With that, Whisenhunt smiled and tapped the microphone, paying homage to former Cardinals coach Dennis Green's rant after the Cardinals blew a "Monday Night Football" game to the Bears in 2006. The Cardinals set the hook deep in the first half Sunday at Soldier Field, taking a 31-7 halftime lead. To stretch the metaphor, they had a little trouble getting the prize in the boat, allowing the Bears to close to within ..."
Cardinals like to get the show on the road
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November 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"You can bet the Arizona Cardinals don't subscribe to the there's-no-place-like-home theory after beating the Bears 41-21 on Sunday at Soldier Field to improve to 4-0 on the road this season. It was the Bears' first loss at home after three victories. ''When we're away, our focus is much better,'' Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. ''At some point last season, the Carolina game in the playoffs, it had a big effect. No one thought we had a chance, and it was an us-against-the-world mentality. ''We started out today 6-for-6 on third downs, and the biggest play was the first one, a third-and-10 [a 23-yard pass from Kurt Warner to Steve Breaston] that got us rolling. Our confidence was up, ..."
Tillman out with injury to shoulder
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November 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"None of the Bears' defensive players looked particularly indispensable Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, but if the team can ill afford to lose one, it might be cornerback Charles Tillman. The veteran left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury. Tillman was quick to return from injuries to both shoulders last season but had reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder in January, his second shoulder surgery in four years. The Bears have used him to match up on the opponent's top wide receiver for more than a month now, though that experience didn't work so well against Larry Fitzgerald, who finished with nine receptions for 123 yards and caught two touchdown passes while ..."
Harris' punch KO's own team
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November 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 columnist Rick Telander
"It's one thing to lose a game. It's another thing to lose your dignity. The Bears lost both Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. On a bizarrely -- deceptively -- gorgeous day, defensive tackle Tommie Harris acted the warm-weather fool and was thrown out of Soldier Field after only four plays. Two minutes. Less, actually. The strange guy took a $6.67 million roster bonus from rapidly fading general manager Jerry Angelo last March, and now he's either: a) lazy; b) injured; c) deluded; d) deeply troubled. Or any combination of the above. No. 91 led the journey into the deep mud. I'm thinking Harris needs a shrink as much as he needs knee rehab. But quarterback Jay Cutler getting flagged for ..."
Injuries add up, make loss even worse
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November 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Rookie strong safety Al Afalava, one of the few bright spots with upside on a foundering defense, will undergo an MRI on his right shoulder today after he was knocked out of Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Afalava, who originally injured the shoulder in preseason, was hurt trying to make an arm tackle on a running play. ''He ran through my arm, and the shoulder went numb,'' Afalava said. It was just one of a handful of injuries as cornerback Charles Tillman (shoulder) and running back Garrett Wolfe (bruised kidney) also were knocked out of the game. Left tackle Orlando Pace also is believed to have suffered a minor left arm injury with the Bears headed into a short week leading ..."
The Buck Stops Here
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November 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The head coach of a football team has a weird job. He's the man in charge and the unquestioned ruler of his world, but the real power belongs to the players. A coach's minions determine his fate -- his subjects control the length of his reign -- if a crop fails, the king is to blame. If the defense fails, the defensive coordinator is to blame. All of which leaves Bears coach Lovie Smith with nowhere to hide following Arizona's crushing 41-21 victory over the Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field. Is it the players fault that the defense couldn't come close to stopping the Cardinals? Was it a fault in scheme? Is it the play-calling? No matter the answer, just one man is responsible for this ..."
Clawlessand Clueless
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November 9
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Two-and-a-half seasons removed from their last Super Bowl appearance, the Bears are who they never imagined they would be -- just another mediocre football team. Now, after two humiliating losses in a span of three weeks, you have to start wondering if the McCaskeys and general manager Jerry Angelo are starting to become fed up with who they have become because no one can say a blowout loss at Cincinnati was an aberration -- not after the Arizona Cardinals destroyed the Bears 41-21 Sunday at Soldier Field, another low point in the tenure of Lovie Smith. The Bears are now an even 20-20 since Smith asked the public to ''trust me'' after losing the Super Bowl and reshuffling his staff. ..."
Cardinals' Kurt Warner quickly carves up Bears' defense
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November 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"Three seconds. That's about how long Kurt Warner needs to drop back, spot an open receiver and release a pinpoint pass. "He doesn't need much. He gets the ball out of his hands so quick," said Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was on the receiving end of nine passes -- including two touchdowns -- from Warner on Sunday. "You have got to get your head around and make sure you are aware and attentive because he is going to get it on you. That is one thing you never have to worry about with him." Unless you are a member of the opposing team. The Bears' defense was carved up as Warner connected on 22 of 32 passes for 261 yards and five touchdowns. He had a passer rating of 132.9. ..."
Cardinals' Larry Fitzgerald puts on quite a show for his relatives
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November 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"Sally Fitzgerald has been a Bears fan for about 30 years. And her all-time favorite player? " Walter Payton," she said. "But today I didn't want (the Bears) to win. Honey, it was just a thrill watching my grandson." Wearing a No. 11 Cardinals jersey outside the visiting team's locker room Sunday at Soldier Field, she watched Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald put on a show. He caught nine passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals routed the Bears 41-21. Sally Fitzgerald watches her grandson in person six or seven times a year. "If I don't see him here, I go to Arizona," she said. Larry Fitzgerald, 26, appreciates the support from his grandmother and other Chicago ..."
Bears tight end Greg Olsen unable to enjoy 3-TD day
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November 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"If every Bear were as productive as Greg Olsen on Sunday, there would have been high-fives and cigars all around in the postgame locker room. The tight end who has been mysteriously unproductive for most of the season had three touchdown catches against the Cardinals. No Bears tight end had done that since Greg Latta in 1975. No Bear at any position had caught three touchdown passes in a game since 2001, when Marty Booker accomplished the feat. Olsen had never had two touchdown catches in a game, let alone three. But the accomplishment was not enjoyed the way it should have been. "Obviously nothing we did was good enough to win the game, so none of our performances were too special or else ..."
Bears lose 2 more starters on defense
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November 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"It seems like every week the Bears have to cope with another injury, and Sunday was no different. Starting cornerback Charles Tillman and starting strong safety Al Afalava suffered first-half shoulder injuries and did not return, although the extent of the injuries remains unclear. Afalava said he would undergo tests Monday, although an MRI was not necessarily needed or immediately scheduled. He hurt the shoulder in the preseason and said it went numb Sunday. He reaggravated the injury missing a tackle on Chris Wells' 26-yard run in the second quarter. Tillman injured his left shoulder sticking his arm out to stop Steve Breaston on a 25-yard end around before halftime. Tillman had ..."
Bears lose 41-21 to Arizona Cardinals
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November 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"They deserved every boo. There were many of them at Soldier Field and everywhere the Bears are loved Sunday through a 41-21 loss to the Cardinals. They were loud and long. Some were deep and throaty. Others were high and piercing. Whether they emanated from the cheap seats or the luxury boxes, they came from the heart. They echo through the city still. The Bears' second pathetic performance in three weeks left us knowing exactly who they are -- and it's not who we thought they were. The Bears are a team that is capable of being mopped around the field by a slightly above-average team. They are a team that is not close to consistent. They are a team that has not hit its stride and may ..."
Bears' Adewale Ogunleye chides Tommie Harris for punch, ejection
Comment
November 9
Chicago Tribune
 
"Maybe Tommie Harris wasn't the instigator. Maybe he did absorb a couple of cheap shots from Deuce Lutui early in Sunday's Bears-Cardinals game. But no matter what happened up until that point, the defensive tackle put his team in a bad spot by punching Lutui, the Cardinals' right guard, after Arizona's fourth offensive play. Harris was ejected 54 seconds into the game. "That kind of play is unacceptable, for you to get ejected from the game," defensive co-captain Adewale Ogunleye said. "I don't care what happens, you can't do it. "You're a leader out there. (We) need you out there for the game. I've got to watch the film, but the way the rules are set up, you just can't do stuff like that ..."
Bears are a mess, and Tommie Harris was stupid
Comment
November 9
Chicago Tribune
 columnist Rick Morrissey
"Is it "dumb ass" or "dumbass?" I can never get that straight. Or does proper English demand that a hyphen be used to break things up? Tommie Harris is not solely to blame for what happened to the Bears on Sunday in a 41-21 loss to the Cardinals, but his outrageously stupid punch and ensuing ejection certainly greased the skids for an atrocious defensive effort by his teammates. To ask Harris what he was possibly thinking when he threw an uppercut on prone Arizona guard Deuce Lutui four plays into the game would be to presume there was actual brain activity going on. To ask Harris anything after the game was impossible because he was long gone by the time the media were allowed inside the ..."