Arizona Cardinals Football Club Game Release

Transcription

1 Arizona Cardinals Football Club Game Release Game 1 Sunday, September 10, :15 PM ARIZONA CARDINALS THIS WEEK S GAME The Cardinals open the 2006 regular season this week with a home game against their NFC West foe San Francisco 49ers. This week s game marks the first time since moving to the Valley in 1988 that the Cardinals have opened with a week one home game. Since 1970, the Cardinals regular season opener has been on the road 27 of 35 times. The Cards enter the 2006 regular season after going 2-2 in the preseason. The Cards dropped their preseason finale to the Denver Broncos. The 49ers also ended the preseason at 2-2 after a preseason finale win over the San Diego Chargers. At halftime of this week s game the Cardinals will induct Hall of Fame safety Larry Wilson in the team s Ring of Honor. Wilson spent 43 years with the team, both as a player and executive. The Cardinals and 49ers will meet again on December 24 th in San Francisco. THE COACHES Dennis Green Mike Nolan Overall Record Regular Season Record Playoff Record th Years as Head Coach in NFL 2 nd 3 rd Years with team 2 nd 2-0 Head-to-Head vs. Opponent 0-2 BROADCAST INFORMATION TELEVISION Network: Fox Play-by-Play: Josh Lewin Analyst: Bill Maas CARDINALS RADIO NETWORK Flagship: ESPN Radio 860 AM KTAR 620 AM Play-by-Play: Dave Pasch Color Analyst: Ron Wolfley Sideline: Paul Calvisi SPORTS USA RADIO CARDINALS SPANISH RADIO Play-by-Play: Tom Dillon Flagship: KMIA 710 AM Color Analyst: Doug Plank Play-by-Play: Gabriel Trujillo Sideline: Rich Cellini Color Analyst: Luis Zendejas vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS CARDINALS STADIUM THE SERIES The Cardinals and 49ers have met 29 times dating back to 1951 with the 49ers holding a lead in the series. Since the Cardinals joined the NFC West division prior to the 2002 season, the teams have met twice annually with the 49ers leading the divisional series 5-3. The Cardinals swept the 2005 series, which included the first NFL regular season game played outside of the United States on Oct. 2 in Mexico City. Last season marked the first time the Cardinals won in San Francisco since 1978 and their first sweep of a divisional opponent since joining the NFC West. SERIES NOTES Overall Regular Season Series: Cardinals at home vs. SF: 6-4 Cardinals last win: Dec. 4, 2005, W, First Meeting: Nov. 18, 1951, W, Last Meeting: Dec. 4, 2005, W, Next Meeting: Dec. 24, SF, 1:05 PM CARDS & 49ERS RESULTS SINCE 2002 Date Site Result Dec. 4, 2005 San Francisco W, Oct. 2, 2005 Mexico City W, Dec. 12, 2004 Arizona L, (OT) Oct. 10, 2004 San Francisco L, (OT) Dec. 7, 2003 San Francisco L, Oct. 26, 2003 Arizona W, (OT) Dec. 21, 2002 Arizona L, Oct. 27, 2002 San Francisco L, Mark Dalton Sr. Dir. of Media Relations Mike Kane Media Relations Coordinator mdalton@cardinals.nfl.net 602/ mkane@cardinals.nfl.net 602/ Chris Melvin Media Relations Manager Amber Kelley Administrative Assistant cmelvin@cardinals.nfl.net 602/ akelley@cardinals.nfl.net 602/ S. Hardy Drive, Tempe, AZ Phone: Fax:

2 CARDINALS EXTREME HOME FIELD MAKEOVER CARDINALS STADIUM OPENS Three years and four months passed since the Cardinals officially broke ground on their new stadium to their first preseason game, but who s counting? Cardinals Stadium opens as the most innovative stadium ever built in North America. The first stadium in North America to feature a retractable, natural grass playing field, Cardinals Stadium was named one of the 10 most impressive sports structures in the world by Business Week, before it ever hosted an event. The Cardinals opened their 2006 NFL preseason in Cardinals Stadium against the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers with a victory. CARDS SELL OUT SEASON The Cardinals sold out of their 2006 season ticket allotment in early May following the NFL Draft. However fans did have an opportunity to purchase single game tickets. On Saturday, July 22, remaining tickets for the Cardinals 10 home games went on sale to the public. The Cardinals subsequently sold out all 10 games for the season for the first time since moving to the Valley in STADIUM FIRSTS PRESEASON Game: Cardinals vs. Steelers, 8/12/06 National Anthem: Latoya London Coin Toss: Pittsburgh wins, elects to receive Play: Pittsburgh RB Willie Parker rush for two yards. Completion: Ben Roethlisberger to Verron Haynes for 11 yards. Cards Completion: Kurt Warner 13-yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald Score: Kurt Warner five-yard pass to Bryant Johnson Field Goal: Jeff Reed, 48 yards Turnover: John Navarre pass intercepted by Anthony Smith. Penalty: Antrel Rolle, pass interference Sack: Roethlisberger sacked by Bertrand Berry for a loss of 10 yards. Interception: John Navarre pass intercepted by Anthony Smith. Halftime Score: Cardinals 14, Steelers 6 Victory: Cardinals 21, Steelers 13 A HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE With every game sold out and the stadium filled primarily with Cardinals season ticket holders, fans of the Cardinals opponents can no longer count on a trip to the desert to root on their favorite team. Cardinal fans dominated the preseason opener, overwhelming the Steelers fans that were able to acquire tickets. The home crowd did not go unappreciated as the Cardinals players noticed the fans as soon as they stepped foot on to the field. "It actually feels like home now, said Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin. You go out and see everyone in Cardinals' jersey or Cardinals' colors - so it's good. The fans came out and supported us. I've been here going on four years now and we haven't had that kind of crowd, so it was good. KEY EVENTS OPEN NEW STADIUM Major events mark the opening of Cardinals Stadium. Here s a look at what fan s can expect to see in Cardinals Stadium s inaugural season. Sunday, September 10 Regular season opener For the team s week one opener against the San Francisco 49ers, fans will be treated to a special pre-game performance from Grammy-winning recording artists The Black Eyed Peas. At halftime, Cardinals Hall of Fame safety and long-time administrator Larry Wilson will be placed on the team s Ring of Honor. Monday, October 16 Monday Night Football The Cardinals will host the Chicago Bears in a prime-time Monday night match-up airing live nationally on ESPN. All fans will receive a Cardinals Red Cheer Towel and Hall of Fame offensive tackle Dan Dierdorf will be inducted into the team s Ring of Honor at halftime. Sunday, November 12 Veterans Day Celebration When the Cardinals host the Dallas Cowboys on Veterans Day weekend, the team will pay tribute to the nation s military. Hootie and the Blowfish lead singer Darius Rucker will perform the national anthem and Cardinals safety Pat Tillman will be honored in a special halftime ceremony when he will be placed on the team s Ring of Honor. That day, the team will also dedicate Pat Tillman Freedom Plaza that surrounds the stadium. Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 2 of 26

3 CARDINALS STADIUM BY THE NUMBERS 1.7 million Square footage of stadium 88 Total number of luxury lofts in stadium 7,501 Total number of club seats in stadium 7 Number of club lounges 63,400 Seating capacity for Cardinals games (expandable to 73,000 for Super Bowls and college Bowl games) 1,250 Approximate number of shade trees used throughout the stadium plaza 21 Number of vertical slots on the exterior wall of stadium 30 Height in feet of the giant numbers designating the three main entrances to the stadium 19 Width in inches of the stadium seats; club seats are 21 inches 10 Number of elevators for public use in stadium 18 Number of escalators for public use in stadium 115+ Number of event days already booked for first year at Cardinals Stadium 1.1 million Projected number of visitors to stadium in its first year 14 Number of new NFL venues HOK has designed 1,175 Total restroom fixtures for public use in the stadium (33 women s restrooms, 28 men s, and 12 family restrooms) 310 The number of fixed locations for fans to purchase food and beverages (does not include additional portable locations) 8,000 Tons of cooling used by the stadium s air conditioning 2,300 Number of Valley homes that could be accommodated by the air conditioning provided at the stadium 14,000 Number of on-site parking spaces (not including additional 11,000 on adjacent and nearby parcels) 15,451 Square footage of the Cardinals locker room area incuding equipment and training rooms, shower areas, etc. (Locker room itself is 5,000) 454,785 Votes in favor of Proposition 302 stadium legislation in ,218 Days between the stadium groundbreaking (4/12/03) and the inaugural game at the stadium (8/12/06) 16,340 Total number of jobs created by Proposition 302; overall economic impact is $1.95 billion 700 Average number of workers on-site daily during stadium construction (3,000 total workers) 2.6 million Total number of hours put in by workers during construction project 900 Length in miles of a sidewalk that could be made from the amount of concrete used on the stadium (roughly the distance from Phoenix to San Francisco) 10,000 Approximate number of individual Crown Coor panels that make up the metallic skin of the stadium s exterior 2/3/08 Date of Super Bowl XLII at Cardinals Stadium 2009 Year that Cardinals Stadium will host the Regionals of the NCAA men s basketball tournament. RETRACTABLE ROOF 242 x 361 Size in feet of the roof opening; when panels are open it exposes the entire playing field 700 Length in feet of each of the two Brunnel trusses that support the stadium roof; each one is as long as three 747 s lined up end-to-end 490,000 Square feet in the surface area of the roof 18.5 million Approximate weight in pounds of the total roof 550 Weight in tons of each roof panel 10 Approximate number of minutes to open or close the roof 25 Speed in feet per minute at which the roof will move (1/4 m.p.h.) 1 Number of other retractable roof venues In the NFL (Houston s Reliant Stadium) RETRACTABLE FIELD 18.9 million Weight in pounds of the retractable field 234 x 403 Size in feet of the field tray; it is 3.5 feet high 542 Total number of steel wheels used to slide playing field into stadium, each riding on one of 13 parallel steel rails Approximate number of minutes it will take to move playing field into the stadium 740 Total number of feet the field moves to get into the stadium 76 Driving force in horsepower required to move the retractable field 94,000 Amount of square feet of natural grass of field (over two acres) 0 Number of other fully retractable fields in North America Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 3 of 26

4 CARDINALS & 49ERS IN 2005 REGULAR SEASON CARDINALS CATEGORY 49ERS 5-11 Record Points Scored Points Allowed Touchdowns Scored Touchdowns Allowed 49 2 Rushing TDs 9 21 Passing TDs 8 3 Return TDs 6 22 Rushing TDs Allowed Passing TDs Allowed 28 7 Return TDs Allowed 2 45/286 Sacked/Yards Lost 48/292 26/16 Fumbles/Lost 31/14 21 Had Intercepted 21 43/45 Field Goals Made/Attempted 26/ Total Yards Per Game Opp. Total Yards Per Game Rushing Yards Per Game Opp. Rushing Yards Per Game Passing Yards Per Game Opp. Passing Yards Per Game Turnover Ratio -9 31:20 Average Time of Possession 27:18 8/32/1 NFL Rank-Total Offense/Run/Pass 32/17/32 8/10/12 NFL Rank-Total Defense/Run/Pass 32/18/32 3/6 2-Point Conversions Seattle Next Week Vs. St. Louis CARDS WRAP UP NFL S TOUGHEST PRESEASON The Cardinals may not have one of the toughest regular season schedules this year, but in the preseason, the Cards set themselves up for some tough competition. The Cardinals were the only team in the NFL to play four playoff teams from The Cardinals preseason opponents, Pittsburgh (11-5), New England (10-6), Chicago (11-5) and Denver (13-3) combined for a record in Only two other teams played opponents who combined for 40 or more wins in 2005, Miami and Houston (40-24). Denver had the easiest 2006 preseason schedule. The Broncos opponents combined for a record in 2005 and none of them made a playoff appearance in The Cardinals have no control over the regular season scheduling, but the team does arrange each preseason game. The Cards finished 2-2 on the preseason with a win at home against Pittsburgh and on the road against Chicago. LAST WEEK S GAME Broncos 29, CARDINALS 23 August 31, 2006 Cardinals Stadium (62,937) Arizona closed the preseason by hosting the Denver Broncos at Cardinals Stadium. The Broncos trailed by eight heading into the fourth quarter but a pair of TDs in the final stanza gave them a win and dropped the Cards to 2-2 in the preseason. Neither team s starters saw much action. Few members of Arizona s #1 units played much past the first quarter while many of Denver s starters were rested entirely. Cards starting QB Kurt Warner was again sharp, completing 10 of 12 passes (including his first 5 straight) for 132 yards in two series of action, both of which ended with Neil Rackers field goals. Much of the game was a battle of rookie QBs Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler, who were drafted 10 th and 11 th overall by the Cards and Broncos, respectively. Cutler started the game in place of Jake Plummer, whom Denver rested. Leinart replaced Warner after two drives and stayed on through the third quarter when a sprained right/non-throwing shoulder sent him from the game. Neither of the rookie QBs did anything to suppress the idea that they have very bright futures in the league. Cutler led the Broncos to a FG on the game s opening drive but the Cardinals knotted the score with a Neil Rackers 21-yard FG on the ensuing drive. On the next snap from scrimmage, however, Cutler connected with WR David Kircus on an 84-yard pass play that put Denver up 9-3 (kick failed). Another Rackers FG made it 9-6 and then Leinart led the Cards on an 11-play, 87-yard drive on his first series, ending it with a 17-yard TD pass to WR Troy Walters. On the drive, Leinart was 5-6 for 85 yards. On the next possession, Cards DB Robert Tate stepped in front of a Cutler pass at the Denver 24 and returned it for a TD that made it The Broncos came right back and scored again just before intermission when Cutler hit WR Todd Devoe on a 24-yard scoring pass. A 32-yard Rackers FG provided the third quarter s only points and Broncos back-up Bradlee Van Pelt led the team on a pair of fourth quarter TD drives that gave Denver the win. BRONCOS CARDINALS Team Qtr. Time Scoring Play Drive Score Broncos 1 9:07 Knorr 35-yard FG 12-63, 5: CARDS 1 4:38 Rackers 21-yard FG 9-63, 4: Broncos 1 4:21 Kircus 84-yard pass from Cutler (kick failed) 1-84, 0: CARDS 2 12:41 Rackers 29-yard FG 12-71, 6: CARDS 2 3:18 Walters 17-yard pass from Leinart (Rackers kick) 11-87, 5: CARDS 2 2:00 Tate 24-yard INT return (Rackers kick) Broncos 2 0:06 Devoe 24-yard pass from Cutler (pass failed) 9-70, 1: CARDS 3 7:16 Rackers 32-yard FG 14-58, 7: Broncos 4 13:48 Sapp 10-yard pass from Van Pelt (Cobbs run) 9-70, 4: Broncos 4 10:06 T. Bell 1-yard run (pass failed) 4-51, 1: STATISTICS DEN AZ First Downs Rushes-Yards Net Passing Yards Total Net Yards Passing (A-C-I) Sacked by Opp Punts-Average Fumbles-Lost Penalties Time of Possession 26:33 33:27 Weather: Indoors RUSHING BRONCOS: M. Bell 9-74; T. Bell 9-48, TD; Cobbs 8-34; Van Pelt 2-23; Cutler 1-8. CARDS: Shipp 11-38; Arrington 7-12; Anderson 2-1; Leinart 1-(-3). PASSING BRONCOS: Cutler 13-19, 201 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT; Van Pelt 2-6, 23 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT. CARDS: Navarre 10-19, 61 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT: Leinart 10-15, 125 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT; Warner 10-12, 132 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT. RECEIVING: BRONCOS: Kircus 5-122, TD; Devoe 3-36, TD; Watts 2-27; N. Jackson 2-21; Sapp 2-14, TD; M. Bell 1-4. CARDS: Boldin 5-78; Watkins 4-37; Holiday 3-39; B. Johnson 3-33; Walters 2-38, TD; Bergen 2-24; James 2-11; Fitzgerald 1-26; Lee 1-8; Edwards 1-8; Pope 1-6; Ferri 1-6; Shipp 1-5; Arrington 1-1; Bronson 1-0; Anderson 1-(- 2). Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 4 of 26

5 CARDS & 49ERS IN 2005 CARDINALS 17, 49ers 10 December 4, 2005 Monster Park (60,439) With a 7-point come-from-behind win at Monster Park, the Cardinals posted their first win in San Francisco since 1978 and earned their first sweep of a divisional opponent since joining the NFC West in With the win, Arizona improved to 4-8 while San Fran fell to The Cards held a big edge in total yards (404 to 220) and time of possession (nearly 10 minutes) but the pesky and opportunistic Niners held a 10-9 lead at the start of the 4th quarter. WR Anquan Boldin, who had a monster game, then came up with the game s decisive play with just under 11:00 left and the Cards down The play was vintage Boldin. Facing a 3rd-n-20 at the AZ 46, he caught a 1-yard pass from Kurt Warner and broke at least five tackles en route to a 54-yard score that put Arizona up 7 (after a 2-point conversion on an Obafemi Ayanbadejo run). From there the Cards defense took over and ended the next two drives with INTs to seal the win. In all, Arizona recorded three picks (all in second half), ending a 5-game drought in that department. The D came up with three pivotal takeaways in the final quarter. In addition to Boldin, who had a 156 yards on a career-best 11 catches, fellow WR Larry Fitzgerald also topped 100 yards with 129 on 8 grabs and eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the season. Warner topped 300 passing yards (354) for the fourth time in the last five games. The Cardinals struck first in the game when they reached the SF 12 on their initial drive and ended it with a 30-yard FG from newcomer Nick Novak. The rookie kicker signed with the team on Friday following a calf injury to Neil Rackers. That 3-point lead held up until late in the first half when Niners rookie QB Alex Smith led San Fran on a 6-play, 85-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard Maurice Hicks TD plunge. Smith was efficient in the first half (11-12, 138 yards) but Arizona harassed the #1 overall pick into a 5-12, 47 yards, 3 INT second half Arizona opened the 3rd quarter with another Novak FG (35) to pull to within a point at 7-6. On the very next play from scrimmage, LB James Darling tipped and picked off a Smith pass at the SF 29 and that led to a 19-yard Novak FG which put Arizona up 9-7. Late in the third quarter SF s Keith Lewis blocked a Cardinals punt that was recovered at the AZ 26 but the defense held the NIners to minus-4 yards on three plays before Joe Nedney made a 48-yarder to put the hosts back in the lead. With 11:36 to play, Lewis INT d Warner near midfield but on the next play DT Darnell Dockett forced RB Frank Gore to fumble and SS Adrian Wilson recovered at the SF 44. A holding penalty and 2 incompletions left the Cards with a 3rd-n-20 at their own 46 before Boldin made his amazing TD catch and run. On the ensuing drive, San Fran reached the AZ 30 before FS Robert Griffith ended it with his first INT as a Cardinal. The Niners got the ball back again at their own 8 with 2:14 to play but rookie CB Eric Green dashed their hopes with his first career INT. CARDINALS NINERS Team Qtr. Time Scoring Play Drive Score CARDS 1 1:02 Novak 30-yard FG 14-68, 7: ers 2 1:58 Hicks 1-yard run (Nedney kick) 6-85, 3: CARDS 3 12:00 Novak 35-yard FG 8-58, 3: CARDS 49ers 3 3 7:21 0:06 Novak 19-yard FG Nedney 48-yard FG 9-28, 4:29 4-(-4), 1: CARDS 4 10:45 Boldin 54-yard pass from Warner (Ayanbadejo run) 3-44, 0: CARDINALS 31, 49ers 14 October 2, 2005 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City (103,467) In the NFL s first regular season game ever played outside the United States, the Cardinals notched their first win of the season with a 17-point come-from-behind win over San Francisco A crowd of 103,467 watched the game at Mexico City s Estadio Azteca, making it the highestattended regular season game in NFL history. The Cards succeeded thanks to the arm of QB Josh McCown, the leg of kicker Neil Rackers, and the thoroughly dominant play of their defense. The Niners offense failed to score, crossed midfield just twice and recorded just 8 total first downs. Despite that, it was San Francisco who held an early 14-0 after an inauspicious beginning for the Cards. On the game s first play from scrimmage, Niners DE Bryant Young sacked McCown forcing a fumble that LB Derek Smith eventually recovered in the end zone. Later in the first, Arizona advanced to the SF 13 before RB Marcel Shipp fumbled on a hit in the backfield and CB Derrick Johnson returned the recovery 78 yards for a TD and 14-0 lead. Despite the rough start, the Cards were able to battle back thanks to scores on their final three possessions of the first half. The first two came on a pair of Rackers FGs (40 and 45 yards) and a 17-yard scoring pass from McCown to WR Larry Fitzgerald with 0:05 left in the half. The TD dive was set up by a key Brandon Lloyd fumble that was forced and recovered by rookie CB Eric Green with 1:08 to go. The second half began with the Arizona defense sending San Fran three-n-out on their first three possessions and then ended the next two with takeaways after one and two plays, respectively. In that same stretch, the Cards scored four times three more Rackers FGs and a 27-yard McCown TD pass to WR Anquan Boldin. Rackers concluded the scoring with his sixth FG of the evening, a career-high and one shy of the NFL record. Rackers remained perfect on the season and set a team record by connecting on 16 straight FGs. McCown, who started in place of an injured Kurt Warner also had a career-night with personal highs in attempts (46), completions (32) and yards (385). 49ERS CARDINALS Team Qtr. Time Scoring Play Drive Score 49ers 1 14:51 D. Smith fumble recovery in EZ (Nedney kick) ers 1 7:57 D. Johnson 78-yard fumble return (Nedney kick) CARDS 2 8:46 Rackers 40-yard FG 12-66, 4: CARDS CARDS 2 2 2:44 0:05 Rackers 45-yard FG Fitzgerald 17-yard pass from McCown (pass failed) 8-50, 3: , 1: CARDS 3 8:57 Rackers 48-yard FG 6-47, 3: CARDS CARDS 3 4 2:41 13:14 Rackers 23-yard FG Rackers 43-yard FG 8-44, 4: , 3: CARDS 4 8:29 Boldin 27-yard pass from McCown (Rackers kick) 5-35, 2: CARDS 4 6:00 Rackers 24-yard FG 4-7, 1: STATISTICS AZ SF First Downs Rushes-Yards Net Passing Yards Total Net Yards Passing (A-C-I) Sacked by Opp Punts-Average Fumbles-Lost Penalties Time of Possession 34:45 25:15 Weather: Clear, 54 degrees, 43% humidity, winds ENE 3 mph RUSHING CARDS: Arrington 18-59, Ayanbadejo 2-11; Warner 3-(-5). 49ers: Gore 6-22; Hicks 10-17, TD; A. Smith PASSING CARDS: Warner 29-45, 354 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT. 49ers: A. Smith 16-24, 185 yds, 0 TD, 3 INT. RECEIVING: CARDS: Boldin , TD; Fitzgerald 8-129; B. Johnson 3-28; Arrington 3-16; Ayanbadejo 2-8; McCoy 1-10; Edwards ers: Lloyd 5-47; Morton 3-66; Hicks 3-8; McAddley 2-16; Gore 1-31; T. Jackson 1-10; T. Jones 1-7. STATISTICS SF AZ First Downs 8 24 Rushes-Yards Net Passing Yards Total Net Yards Passing (A-C-I) Sacked by Opp Punts-Average Fumbles-Lost Penalties Time of Possession 22:12 37:48 Weather: Clear, Temp 66 degrees, 49% humidity, wind N 13 mph.. RUSHING 49ers: Barlow 10-45; Gore 2-4; Hetherington 1-3; Rattay 1-(-1). CARDS: Shipp 16-42; McCown 6-32; Arrington 7-13; Ayanbadejo 4-9; Boldin 1-1. PASSING 49ers: Rattay 11-21, 126 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT; Smith 6-10, 34 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT. CARDS: McCown 32-46, 385 yds, 2 TD 0 INT. RECEIVING: 49ers: Lloyd 7-102; Morton 3-46; Barlow 3-10; Gore 2-(-12); Bush 1-8; Beasley 1-6. CARDS: Boldin 8-116, TD; Fitzgerald 7-102, TD; Shipp 5-52; B. Johnson 4-50; Ayanbadejo 3-18; Lee 2-28; T. Johnson 2-16; Edwards 1-3. Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 5 of 26

6 CARDS NOT ON THE ROAD AGAIN! For the first time since the Cardinals moved to the Valley in 1988, the team will play at home in the first week of the regular season. Not only have the Cardinals had to battle the competitive disadvantage of starting every season on the road, in four seasons the first two games were away and in three other seasons the Cards started the first three games on the road. The Cardinals will play two of their first three games at home for only the second time since moving to the Valley. Not including 2001, when the Cardinals started the season with a bye week and the following week s game was postponed due to the September 11 tragedy, the only other year the Cardinals started two of three at home was How the Cardinals Have Started the Season Two Road Trips Three Road Trips Two of Three at Home DENNIS GREEN ON OPENING DAY Cardinals head coach Dennis Green is looking for his first opening day win as head coach of the Cardinals. Green is 6-6 as a head coach in season openers and from as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, won five consecutive opening day games. Here s a breakdown of Green s opening day games as a head coach: Green Bay W, (OT) L.A. Raiders L, 7-24 Green Bay L, Chicago L, vs. Detroit W, Buffalo W, vs. Tampa Bay W, 31-7 Atlanta W, vs. Chicago W, vs. Carolina L, St. Louis L, NY Giants L, LARRY WILSON TO BE HONORED The Cardinals will honor Hall of Fame safety Larry Wilson at halftime of this week s game. Wilson s name and number will be added to the Cardinals Ring of Honor. Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978, Wilson spent 43 years as a Cardinal, 13 as a player and 30 in the team s front office before retiring in A seventh-round pick by the Cardinals in 1960, Wilson recorded 52 career interceptions, was named to eight Pro Bowls and named all-nfl on six occasions. Wilson recorded interceptions in seven consecutive games in 1966 and led the NFL in interceptions that season with 10. A pioneer of the safety blitz, Wilson was named to the all-time NFL team in 1994 to commemorate the league s 75 th anniversary. Widely regarded as one of the toughest players in NFL history, Wilson once returned an interception for a go-ahead touchdown with two broken wrists. BLACK EYED PEAS TO PERFORM Fans in attendance at this week s game will be treated to a performance by Grammy-award winning artists Black Eyed Peas during the pre-game. The group has been nominated for nine Grammy awards and took home the award in 2005 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for Let s Get it Started and won the award again in 2006 for their song Don t Phunk with my Heart. The Black Eyed Peas are the first of two national recording acts to perform this year at Cardinals Stadium. Darius Rucker, lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish, will sing the National Anthem on November 12 prior to the Cardinals/Cowboys game. That same game the team will honor former Cardinal Pat Tillman and place him in the Ring of Honor. EDGE ON OPENING DAY Cardinals running back Edgerrin James has recorded 100- yard rushing games in four of his seven season openers. The last Cardinal to open the season with 100 yards rushing was Stump Mitchell vs. Cincinnati on Sept. 4, 1988 (22-110). JAMES ON OPENING DAY Date Opp Att Yds Avg TDs W/L 9/12/99 vs. Buf W KC W NYJ W Jax W Cle W NE L Bal W Totals MEXICO CITY REUNION Last season the Cardinals and 49ers became the first teams to play a regular season game outside of the United States. The Cardinals moved their home game to Estadio Azteca in Mexico City and recorded a win. The game was witnessed by the largest crowd to ever see an NFL regular season game. The crowd of 103,467 filled Mexico City s Estadio Azteca for the Sunday Night Football game. The previous NFL attendance record was 102,368 set by the 49ers and L.A. Rams at the Coliseum on November 10, The Cardinals overcame an early 14-point deficit in the win. The Cardinals defense allowed the 49ers across midfield only twice and held the 49ers offense scoreless. Neil Rackers was a perfect six-for-six on field goal attempts and knocked seven kickoffs for touchbacks on his way to being named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 6 of 26

7 CARDS-49ERS CONNECTIONS Arizona Head Coach Dennis Green was the wide receivers/special teams coach for the Niners in 1979 and returned to coach the wide receivers during the seasons. Green was also the running backs coach for Stanford during the seasons and was the head coach for the Cardinal during the seasons. Green was an offensive coordinator and San Francisco special teams coach Larry Mac Duff was a defensive line coach when they coached together under Paul Wiggins and the Stanford University in Mac Duff has been the defensive coordinator for the University of Arizona on two separate occasions: from and most recently from San Francisco wide receivers coach/senior assistant Jerry Sullivan was the wide receivers coach for the Cardinals from and he was the offensive coordinator in San Francisco tight ends coach Pete Hoener got his first NFL coaching job with the St. Louis Cardinals tutoring tight ends from Hoener spent three seasons with the Cardinals, as the tight ends coach and 2003 as the offensive line coach. San Francisco offensive line coach George Warhop held the same position with the Cardinals from Arizona first year offensive coordinator Keith Rowen was a three-year letterman as a tackle at Stanford from , earning all-america honors his senior season. Rowen s first coaching position was with his alma-mater where he was an assistant defensive line coach from Rowen s ties to the San Francisco area go back to his father Vic s days as the long time head football coach at San Francisco State. Arizona tight ends coach Mike Wilson played wide receiver for the Niners for 10 seasons ( ) where Green was his position coach. He was a member of four Super Bowl championship teams (1981, 84, 88, 89). Wilson then went on to coach wide receivers/tight ends at Stanford during the seasons. Cardinals special teams coordinator Gary Zauner coached alongside 49ers Head Coach Mike Nolan when both were with the Baltimore Ravens from Zauner held the same position while Nolan served as the defensive coordinator. Arizona defensive line coach Larry Brooks and San Francisco offensive coordinator Norv Turner coached together with the Los Angeles Rams from Brooks was an assistant defensive line coach and Turner was the tight ends/wide receivers coach. Arizona running backs coach Kirby Wilson held the same position under then head coach Norv Turner with the Washington Redskins in San Francisco secondary coach Johnnie Lynn moved up the career ladder at the University of Arizona, going from graduate assistant (1987) to outside linebackers coach ( ) to secondary coach ( ) before moving onto the NFL the following season as the secondary coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cardinals defensive end Chike Okeafor was originally drafted by San Francisco in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL Draft (89th overall). San Francisco kicker Joe Nedney played with the Cardinals from 1997 through the first four games of 1999 before being waived. San Francisco WR Bryan Gilmore started his NFL career with the Cardinals as a rookie free agent in Gilmore was with the Cardinals from Arizona wide receiver Bryant Johnson and San Francisco defensive tackle Anthony Adams were teammates at Penn State and were both drafted in the 2003 NFL Draft (Johnson-17th overall, Adams-57th overall). Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald played on the same team at Pittsburgh as San Francisco cornerback Shawntae Spencer and punter Andy Lee. Fitzgerald (3rd overall), Spencer (58th overall) and Lee (188th overall) were all drafted in the 2004 NFL Draft. San Francisco linebacker Derek Smith is a former Arizona State Sun Devil ( ) where he started every game his junior and senior season at linebacker. San Francisco tight end/long snapper Brian Jennings is a Mesa, AZ native and was prepped at Red Mountain High School lettering in football, basketball, and track. He played his college football at Arizona State. San Francisco cornerback Mike Adams, along with Arizona running back Marcel Shipp and linebacker Gerald Hayes, are all from Paterson, NJ. Shipp and Adams attended the same high school, Passaic County Technical High School. THE MEN IN BLACK When the Cardinals signed Edgerrin James, not only did they acquire a new look in the backfield, but their shoes received a makeover as well. James lobbied the Cardinals administration to switch to black shoes for their uniform. On the first day of mini camp James was presented with a gift wrapped shoe box containing a pair of black cleats. If you look good, you feel good, said James. And if you feel good, you play good. Now we re coordinated. NFL teams must choose one primary color for their shoes, black or white. Since the mid-1970 s the Cardinals had worn white cleats. Including the Cardinals, 17 teams wear black shoes. Prior to this season only one other team in the NFC West wore black shoes, Seattle. The change in shoe style comes one year after the Cardinals made dramatic changes to their uniform and revamped the Cardinal logo. GAMES CAN BE SEEN AND HEARD ACROSS AZ Whether you re in Tucson or Flagstaff, a Cardinals game is never very far. Tune in to the Cardinals radio affiliates across the state to listen to live Cardinals football action. In the Valley, Cardinals games can be heard on the Cardinals flagship stations ESPN Radio 860 and KTAR 620 AM. KDEF 1150 AM Albuquerque KVNA 600 AM Flagstaff KZUA 92.1 FM Holbrook KNTR 980 AM Lake Havasu KIKO 1340 AM Miami KPPV FM Prescott Valley KQNA 1130 AM Prescott Valley KAZM 780 AM Sedona KTAN 1420 AM Sierra Vista KATO 1230 AM Thatcher KHIL 1250 AM Wilcox KBLU 560 AM Yuma This week s game will also be shown live on FOX through the Phoenix market and the NFL Network will be replaying games throughout the week with additional commentary. Check your local listings for times and channels. Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 7 of 26

8 CARDS ENTER YEAR THREE OF GREEN ERA Now entering his third season with the Cardinals, head coach Dennis Green has revamped the team s roster and built a foundation for success. Injuries ravaged the Cardinals in 2005 as the team placed a league-high 15 players on injured reserve. Of the 15 players placed on IR, at least seven figured to be full time starters. Green, a member of the 100-win club, took over the Cardinals after posting a regular season record of as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Green also compiled a 4-8 playoff record, making the NFC Championship game twice. Green, along with Vice President of Football Operations Rod Graves have worked together to land prize free agents Bertrand Berry, Kurt Warner, and Edgerrin James and draft stars such as Larry Fitzgerald, Antrel Rolle and Matt Leinart in the first round. Under Green the Cardinals have become a much more competitive team. Since Green s arrival the team s margin of defeat has nearly halved while the margin of victory almost tripled. Category 2003 Green s Avg. Points Scored TDs Scored Total Yds/Game Pass Yds/Game Margin of Defeat Margin of Victory SPECIAL TEAMS MAKEOVER One of the top priorities of the 2006 offseason was to improve the Cardinals special teams. Although Neil Rackers kicked for an NFL record 40 field goals, the team s coverage units allowed three kickoffs and one punt to be returned for a touchdown. Cardinal opponents in 2005 averaged 28.3 yards per return on kickoffs, nearly six yards more than the Cardinals. To address the need on special teams, the Cardinals hired Gary Zauner, one of the most respected special teams coaches in the NFL. In the 2006 preseason, the Cards averaged 22.6 yards per kickoff return while holding their opponents to a 21.9 average on kickoffs. On punts, the Cardinals averaged 8.3 yards per return in the preseason, up from their 7.7 yard average in Although the coverage units have undergone change, the Cardinals main special teamers have remained the same. Punter Scott Player enters his 9 th season as a Cardinal, the longest tenured player on the team. Longsnapper Nathan Hodel and Rackers also both remain from GREEN IN 100-WIN CLUB Dennis Green joined the group of head coaches with 100 or more wins in 2004 as he recorded his 100 th regular season win at Miami. In 2006, the Cardinals will face 100- win coaches on five separate occasions. Top Active Coaches with 100+ Wins* Coach Career Totals Marty Schottenheimer Bill Parcells Joe Gibbs Bill Cowher Mike Holmgren Mike Shanahan Dennis Green Bill Belichick Tony Dungy Jeff Fisher *includes postseason NOTES FROM GREEN S 100+ WINS First NFL Win: Green Bay, (OT) Record at Home: Record on the Road: Regular Season Wins: 108 Playoff Wins: 4 Largest Margin of Victory: 40 points, 12/20/98, vs. Jacksonville Most Points in a Game: 50 points, 12/20/98, vs. Jacksonville Most Games Won in a Season: 15 (1998) Most Consecutive Games Won: 8 (1998) Wins by 7 Points or Less: 51 Wins by 3 Points or Less: 21 Record Vs. Active Coaches w/ 100 Wins: Record Outdoors: Record Indoors: Record on Grass: Record on Artificial Turf: Record in Temperatures below 40 Degrees: 7-4 Record vs. San Francisco: 4-6 PERFECT IN THE PRESEASON There are only three things in life that can be guaranteed, death, taxes, and Neil Rackers. The Cardinals kicker who started the 2005 season by hitting 31 consecutive field goals, smashing the previous franchise record of 11, hit five of five field goal attempts in the 2006 preaseason. Rackers set the NFL single-season field goal record in 2005 with 40 field goals, missing only two attempts, a 43 and 54-yarder. In the last two seasons, Rackers has missed only nine field goal attempts, only two of those attempts were from inside 40 yards. Five of his missed attempts were from 50 yards or more, including a 64-yard attempt in Buffalo in Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 8 of 26

9 ALL-ARIZONA TEAM When the Cardinals drafted guard Deuce Lutui in the second round of this year s draft, he became the first Arizona native to be drafted by the Cardinals since their move to the desert in Hailing from Mesa, AZ, Lutui grew up as a Cardinals fan. Only 12 other Arizonans have played for the Arizona Cardinals. Below are their names and hometowns: Player Mario Bates Brent Burnstein Steve Bush Ryan Christopherson Anthony Edwards Jeff Feagles John Fina Frank Garcia Bryan Hooks Kevin Miniefield Vai Sikahema Danny Villa SWEET SEPTEMBER Kurt Warner ranks among the best quarterbacks in the NFL in the month of September since Quarterback Rating Quarterback Yards Peyton Manning Kurt Warner 5,172 Brian Griese 97.9 PeytonManning 5,121 Chris Chandler 96.2 Brett Favre 5,099 Marc Bulger 92.5 DonovanMcNabb 4,893 Kurt Warner 91.3 DaunteCulpepper 4,720 Hometown Tucson Glendale Phoenix Glendale Casa Grande Phoenix Tucson Phoenix Phoenix Phoenix Mesa Nogales DON T RUSH TO JUDGEMENT After signing free agent running back Edgerrin James in the offseason, the Cardinals running game was figured received a huge upgrade. James is a four-time Pro Bowl selection, has rushed for 1,000 yards or more in all but two of his seven NFL seasons and he s coming off back-to-back 1,500 yard seasons. Many people wonder why James hasn t shown the same ability with the Cardinals after three preseason games. James did not seen the field past the first Cardinals series and only touched the ball seven times in the preseason, hardly enough to establish the run. Of the top running backs in the 2006 preseason, no one is named Alexander, Barber, Johnson, Portis or James. Here s the top 10 running backs in the 2006 preseason and how they finished the 2005 regular season. No. Yds. Avg. TD 05 1t) Jacobs, NY-G t) Wilson, Cin ) *Norwood, Atl R 4) M. Jackson, Atl t) Cobbs, Den t) Thompson, Dal ) *Cobbs, N.E.-Pit R 8) *M. Bell, Den R 9) Houston, NY-J ) *Branch, N.O R The NFL s top five running backs in 2005 have combined for 245 yards in the 2006 preseason and none of them have recorded more than 100 yards this preseason yard rushing game needed by Edgerrin James to reach 50 career 100-yard games The last time the Cardinals opened the season against San Francisco, a Cards win. 181 Rushing yards needed by Edgerrin James to tie Earl Campbell on the NFL s all-time leading rushers list. 4.5 Sacks needed by DE Bertrand Berry to move into a tie for 8 th place on the Cardinals all-time career sacks list with LB E.J. Junior. CARDINALS BY THE NUMBERS 13 Number of Cardinals that remain on the roster who were with the team prior to Dennis Green s arrival Combined 2005 winning percentage of the Cardinals preseason opponents in 2006, the highest in the NFL. 6-0 Kurt Warner s record as a starter vs. San Francisco. 7.5 Million albums sold worldwide by the Black Eyed Peas, who will perform pregame this Sunday 1976 Last time the Cardinals played four of the season s first six games at home. 97, 79, 78, 87 Numbers worn by Fred Wakefield in his Cardinals career. Wakefield began as a defensive end before switching to offensive tackle and now tight end. 12 Consecutive passes completed by Kurt Warner dating back to last season, three shy of the team record. 105 Rushing yards by Edgerrin James in his only other game vs. the 49ers SF). 15 Career 100-yard receiving games for Anquan Boldin. His next one will tie David Boston for 5 th most in team history. Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 9 of 26

10 BOLDIN CLOSING IN ON 300 In his first three seasons with the Cardinals, Anquan Boldin has recorded 259 receptions, topping the 100-catch mark in two of those three seasons. Boldin was the fastest player to reach 200 receptions, hitting the mark after only 34 games, two ahead of the previous record holder Lionel Taylor (Denver, 1961). Taylor was also the fastest receiver to record 300 receptions, hitting the mark after 54 games. Boldin averages 6.4 receptions per game. At that rate, he would hit the 300 mark in his 47 th game (at Oakland on October 22). It would also make Boldin the fastest receiver to reach the milestone. Below is a history of Boldin s receiving milestones: Receptions # of Games Opponent, Date 50 Pit, 11/9/ vs. Min, 12/28/ Sea, 12/26/ StL, 11/20/ vs. Phi, 12/24/ (projected) Oak, 10/22/06 Fastest Players to Reach 300 Player, Team # of Games Lionel Taylor, Denver 54 Kellen Winslow, San Diego 57 Isaac Bruce, St. Louis 58 Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis 59 A CHANGE OF PACE The more you can do, the better off you will be, especially when it comes to Clancy Pendergast s defense. That s why when coaches approached Calvin Pace about a move to linebacker, the former first-round defensive end embraced the challenge. It s not a hard position, Pace said. It s not like I am running the defense. They just need the size and athleticism, and I think I fit perfectly at the position, to be honest. I guess I should have been there from the jump. Pace recorded a sack in Chicago, his first as a linebacker and has been earning praise from coaches since the beginning of training camp. We were trying to get bigger on defense and we felt like by moving him to SAM, that it would make us bigger on the edges and perimeters and we are trying to put our best athletes on the field, said defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast. We needed size and speed that can run and he is one of those guys. We thought this was the best opportunity for him to start for us. Pace has stepped in as the starter at strong side linebacker in place of Karlos Dansby who has yet to see the practice field while recovering from toe and leg injuries. FITZGERALD LOOKING TO REPEAT 05 Larry Fitzgerald s 2005 season was one that receivers dream about. The Cardinals 2004 first-round pick out of Pittsburgh was named to the Pro Bowl and set a new franchise record with 103 receptions for 1,409 yards and 10 TDs. The previous mark was set in 2003 by then rookie Anquan Boldin. Boldin also surpassed his previous team record while recording 102 receptions in Fitzgerald tied Carolina s Steve Smith for the most receptions in the NFL in The franchise record number of catches for Fitzgerald led him to his first career Pro Bowl in Fitzgerald accompanied Cards kicker Neil Rackers who set an NFL record with 40 field goals in Along with Boldin, the receiving duo combined for yard games in 2005, breaking the previous team record of 11 set in Of Fitzgerald s 103 receptions, 27 of them came for 20- yards or more, ranking first in the NFL in Now entering his third season with the Cardinals, Fitzgerald has never missed a start in 32 games. THE DYNAMIC DUO In 2005 Boldin and Fitzgerald became only the second pair of teammates in NFL history to finish a season with more than 100 receptions and 1,400 yards. Only two other sets of teammates have finished a season with more than 100 receptions. TEAMMATES TO FINISH WITH 1, Arizona Larry Fitzgerald - 1,409 (103 rec.) Anquan Boldin - 1,402 (102 rec.) 2000 St. Louis Torry Holt - 1,635 (82 rec.) Isaac Bruce - 1,417 (87 rec.) 1995 Detroit Herman Moore - 1,686 (123 rec.) Brett Perriman - 1,488 (108 rec.) TEAMMATES TO FINISH WITH 100+ RECEPTIONS 2005 Arizona Larry Fitzgerald - 1,409 (103 rec.) Anquan Boldin - 1,402 (102 rec.) 2000 Denver Rod Smith - 1,602 (100 rec.) Ed McCaffery - 1,317 (101 rec.) 1995 Detroit Herman Moore - 1,686 (123 rec.) Brett Perriman - 1,488 (108 rec.) The two also finished 2005 with a combined 2,811 receiving yards, the most by any tandem in the NFL. Cincinnati s Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadah finished second with 2,388 while Indy s Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison finished third with 2,201 yards. Additionally, the pair finished 2005 with the most combined 100-yard receiving games in the NFL with 15. Boldin contributed eight while Fitzgerald added seven. The pair recorded 100-yard games in four of the same games in Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 10 of 26

11 ARIZONA GAINS AN EDGE On March 12, 2006, the Cardinals running game literally gained an Edge. A four-time Pro Bowler and coming off back-to-back 1,500 yard seasons, Edgerrin James provides a boost to a Cardinals rushing attack that finished 32 nd in the NFL in In seven seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, James led the NFL in rushing twice (1999 & 2000) and finished in the top five among rushers four times. James has rushed for over 1,200 yards in five of his seven NFL seasons. The last Cardinal running back to rush for 1,200 yards in a season was Ottis Anderson (1,270) in DOMINATING SINCE 1999 Edgerrin James was selected by the Colts with the fourthoverall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, since that time, no other running back has gained as many yards on the ground as James. Since entering the league, James has tallied 9,226 yards. The next closest back is the Jets Curtis Martin, who in the time span gained 9,015 yards. Here s a look at the top five running backs by yardage since 1999: Player Yards Attempts Games Edgerrin James 9,226 2, Curtis Martin 9,015 2, Corey Dillon 8,170 1, Tiki Barber 8,110 1, Shaun Alexander 7,817 1, ROWEN HEADS OFFENSIVE ATTACK Entering his second season as the Cardinals offensive coordinator, Keith Rowen provides consistency for a Cardinals offense that has endured turnover in the position for years. Rowen is the first offensive coordinator to hold the position for two consecutive years since Under Rowen s guidance, the Cardinals offense ranked #1 in passing and 8 th overall in The Cardinals relied heavily on the pass (66.7% of total plays) in Quarterback Kurt Warner passed for five 300+ yard games and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin combined for yard games, the most in franchise history. With the addition of James, the Cardinals look to balance their offensive attack in 2006 and stay in the top 10 of the league. GAINING ON CAMPBELL James needs 181 rushing yards to tie Earl Campbell and rank among the top 20 rushers of all time. Entering the 2006 season, James has recorded 9,226 rushing yards. Campbell finished his career with 9,407. All-Time NFL Rushing Leaders: Rk Player Att. Yds. TD 1 Emmitt Smith 4,409 18, Walter Payton 3,838 16, Barry Sanders 3,062 15, Curtis Martin* 3,518 14, Jerome Bettis 3,479 13, Eric Dickerson 2,996 13, Tony Dorsett 2,936 12, Jim Brown 2,359 12, Marshall Faulk* 2,836 12, Marcus Allen 3,022 12, Franco Harris 2,949 12, Thurman Thomas 2,877 12, John Riggins 2,916 11, O.J. Simpson 2,404 11, Ricky Watters 2,622 10, Eddie George 2,865 10, Corey Dillon* 2,419 10, O.J. Anderson 2,562 10, Joe Perry 1,929 9, Earl Campbell 2,187 9, Edgerrin James* 2,188 9, * Denotes active players IN A RUSH TO GET TO 50 In 96 career games, James has rushed for 100 yards 49 times. If James can rush for one 100-yard game in the first month of the season he would become only the second player in NFL history to hit 50 in fewer than 100 games. Here s a list of the all-time fastest players to reach yard games. Player Games to reach 50 Eric Dickerson 83 Jim Brown 102 Barry Sanders 114 Walter Payton 117 Emmitt Smith 129 Emmitt Smith retired with the most 100-yard games in the history of the NFL, ending his career with 78. Only seven players have rushed for more than yard games in the history of the NFL. Player 100-Yard Games Emmitt Smith 78 Walter Payton 77 Barry Sanders 76 Eric Dickerson 64 Jerome Bettis 61 Jim Brown 58 Curtis Martin 57 Cardinals vs. 49ers Page 11 of 26