Arizona Cardinals must pass more tests
The Arizona Cardinals are not starting the ’09 season like they finished the ’08 season. Quarterback Kurt Warner doesn’t appear to be the same man who led the Cardinals to one of the biggest playoff pushes in recent memory. While the Cardinals’ wide receivers are still productive, they’re nowhere near where they were in 2008.
The Arizona Cardinals are notorious for losing year after year and not spending money on the “big” players. These last few years have ironically proved to be different. The Cardinals’ front office has loaded the team with Pro Bowl players and potential Pro Bowl players like WR Larry Fitzgerald, WR Anquan Boldin, RB Tim Hightower and WR Steve Breaston. WR Larry Fitzgerald might be the best WR in the NFL today and apparently has unmatched jumping ability.
09′ has proven one thing, what you did last season means nothing in today’s NFL. Teams that win or go to the Super Bowl, the following year is a struggle. This makes you appreciate teams like the 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers, 1980 San Francisco 49ers, 1990 Dallas Cowboys and 2000 New England Patriots for keeping years of consistency.
The Cardinals still aren’t what they were at the end of the 2008 season, far from it. This doesn’t mean they can’t recapture lightning in a bottle. Kurt Warner is the Savoy veteran who can turn his game around quickly — how could you not with the talent at the WR position the Cardinals have?
The Cardinals are still in a very winnable division, with the only other contender being the San Francisco 49ers led by head coach and Mr. “I want winners” Mike Singletary. The Cardinals have an average schedule that shouldn’t be too difficult, playing the St. Louis Rams twice and the Detroit Lions should give the Cardinals games to rack up wins.
