Friday, May 25th, 2012
Following their Super Bowl appearance in the 2008 season the Arizona Cardinals finished with a 10-6 regular season record in 2009.
The team qualified for the NFL playoffs as a wildcard entrant by winning the NFC West division.
They opened up play in the playoffs with the exciting 51-45 home victory against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wildcard game. The following week the Cardinals traveled to take on the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional round and were blown out of the Superdome 45-14.
The Cardinals suffered key losses during the off season. Kurt Warner has retired and receiver Anquan Boldin was lost in a trade with Baltimore. The team also lost impact players on defense with linebacker Karlos Danby, safety Antrel Rolle and defensive end Chike Okeafor lost to free agency.
Behind Kurt Warner and a talented receiving corps the Cardinals finished last season 12th in the league in passing averaging 251 yards through the air per game. They were #1 in the league in the red zone with a touchdown 70.4% of the time inside their opponents 20 yard line.
With Matt Leinart under center in 2010 the Cardinals will need to improve on their 28th ranked rushing game that only produced 93.4 yards per game in 2009.
The Cardinals were very sloppy with the ball last season earning a playoff spot despite a -7 turnover margin and ranking 24th in the league in that crucial category.
Defensively the Cardinals finished 20th in the league by allowing 346.4 yards per game.
Running back Beanie Wells produced well in his rookie season with 793 yards on 176 carries for a 4.5 yards per carry average and 7 touchdowns. Tim Hightower contributed with a 4.2 yards a carry average and 8 touchdowns.
The Cardinals will get help with their run game by adding guard Alan Faneca in free agency.
Arizona drafted for defense by taking Tennessee defensive tackle Dan Williams in the first round and linebacker Daryl Washington from Boise St in the second round.
The Odds:
The Arizona Cardinals 2010 season wins total has been set by Bodog sportsbook at 7 ½ wins with over and under bringing back -115.
Arizona has been set by Bodog at 40-1 betting odds to win the Super Bowl during the 2010 season.
The teams odds in winning the NFC Championship is 22-1 at Bodog and the club is +250 odds to win the NFC West.
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2010 Arizona Cardinals Regular Season Schedule:
Arizona competes in the NFC West so the team will play a home and road game to the Seattle Seahawks, St Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers.
The Cardinals division will compete in 2010 against the NFC South and AFC West.
Arizona’s NFC South opponents include home games to the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers with road games against the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.
The Cardinals games against the AFC will include home dates against the Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos with road outings against the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs.
Arizona was the first place team in 2009 in the NFC West so the club will play the two other first place NFC teams so that brings a home game against the Dallas Cowboys and a road trip to the Minnesota Vikings.
The NFL has scheduled the Cardinals for only 2 prime time appearances in 2010. The club will hit the road on Monday Night Football in week 12 at San Francisco.
In week 16 the Cardinals will host the Dallas Cowboys in a special edition NFL Christmas Day Saturday night game.
The Cardinals open the season with back to back road games as they travel to St Louis to open the season and then travel to Atlanta in week 2. That will be the only set of back to back road games for the team in the 2010 regular season.
Offense:
Matt Leinhart battled through performance issue as the teams starter and eventually lost his #1 job to Kurt Warner. The former USC standout lacked the arm strength and accuracy to hold off Kurt Warner from the starting lineup. Now with only Derek Anderson the option the former first round pick will get a second try at running the team as its starting quarterback. Former BYU quarterback Max Hall will compete with 5th round pick John Skelton from Fordham for the third string position.
Leinart during his career has completed just 57.1% of his passes for 14 touchdowns and 20 interceptions with a quarterback rating of 70.8. Following Kurt Warner’s concussion problems he got the start in the team’s 2009 game at Tennessee and finished at 21 of 31 with 220 yards no touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Cardinals may look to run more as club features Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells at running back. With the club possibly running more ball security will need to be an issue addressed by both these two young backs as they fumbled the football a combined 9 times last season between them. LaRod Stephens-Howling and Jason Wright battle for the #3 position.
Even with veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin and backup Jerheme Urban leaving the club is still stocked with quality. Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston are the #1 and 2 wide outs with Early Doucet and Onrea Jones the #3 and 4. Fitzgerald had 97 catches in 2009 for 1092 yards and 13 touchdowns. As the #3 wide out last year it was Breaston with 55 catches for a 12.9 yards a catch average. Anthony Becht is the clubs tight end who had just 7 catches a year ago. Dominique Byrd the four year pro from USC is seeking to make the club after non productive years with the Rams.
The offensive line will feature Lyle Sendlein at center with Alan Faneca and Reggie Wells and Deuce Lutui battling as the guards. Levi Brown and Jeremy Bridges man the tackle position. The Cardinals allowed just 26 sacks and have done a good job of protecting an immobile Kurt Warner the past two years. Alan Faneca was acquired from the Jets to help the Cardinals open up gaps for their run running backs to run through.
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Defense:
When the Cardinals run the 3-4 defense it will have the look of Dan Williams at nose tackle with Calais Campbell and Darnell Dockett at the tackle position. Dockett is extremely good with a good motor and one who continues to pressure quarterbacks even in the fourth quarter. Dockett tied for 1st last season with Campbell on the team in sacks with 7 in 2009. Dan Williams was the Cardinals first round draft pick out of Tennessee.
Impact linebacker Karlos Dansby was lost in free agency to Miami in the off season. The club line up Gerald Hayes and Paris Lenon on the inside with Clark Haggans and the veteran Joey Porter on the outside. Haggans and Porter both have some age on them as they are both 33 years old. Lenon was acquired in free agency from the Rams to take Dansby’s position.
The secondary also suffered turnover with safety Antrel Rolle and cornerback Bryant McFadden lost in the off season. Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and Greg Toler start at cornerbacks with Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes at the safeties. Rhodes comes over the from Jets via a trade and was the goat in the AFC Championship game last season.
And now to my Selection:
Ken Whisenhunt is an outstanding coach and gets his players to play for him. With the upgrade to an already pretty good offensive line the Cardinals will be successful in pounding the ball opening up situations in the passing game for Matt Leinart.
The young quarterback never really benefited with any type of running game during his tenure as the Cardinals starter and the former 1st round pick may thrive this season with the threat of the run on any down and distance in 2010.
The defense suffered some drastic turnover but there is still enough game changing talent on this club on both sides of the ball. The Cardinals will beat this number and will get to at least 8 win in the 2010 season.
Selection: Play Over 7 1/2 wins in 2010 Regular Season.
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