The Arizona Cardinals went into week 11 against the Colts and reminded everyone why they’re a team that deserves some respect. As Bruce Arians faced his former team for the first time, he spoke of the high emotions that came before the game but also mentioned once the whistle blew,
“it was like playing your brother in the backyard.”
QB Carson Palmer continued to find his comfort within the offense while throwing for 314 yards and no interceptions while finding Larry Fitzgerald twice in the end zone. Fitz finished the game with 5 catches for 52 yards and became the youngest player in NFL history to reach 11,000 yards receiving.
The Birdgang defense continues to be a defensive powerhouse sacking Andrew Luck once, but put 8 big hits on him throughout the game. Darnell Dockett put pressure on Luck and forced him to make some questionable throws, one in which Karlos Dansby intercepted and returned for a 22yrd touchdown (his first TD since his 17-yard fumble return in overtime ended the Cardinals’ 51-45 wild-card playoff victory over Green Bay on Jan. 10, 2010). “We expect to dominate like this all the time,” Dansby said. “We just finally put it together as a unit. We’re starting to believe in each other and trust one another and we’re making plays all around.”
With the team clicking and trust building within the locker-room, these confident Arizona Cardinals are making believers out of all the doubters around the league. The Cardinals’ 7-4 record has the growing Birdgang Valley in a fevered pitch, remembering the Kurt Warner days and the push for the playoffs which led to the 2008 NFC Conference Championship.
Larry Fitzgerald has a saying , “Faith, Focus Finish” and that’s something the entire Cardinals organization is doing.
Have Faith in your teammates , Focus on the task at hand and in the end…. You’ll Finish with success, pride and respect.
Photo by Mike Yduarte / AzBirdgangCrew
