Arizona Cardinals Football Club Game Release Game # 2 THIS WEEK S GAME The Cardinals play at home for the first time in 2008 when they take on Miami. The Dolphins will be making their first regular season appearance in Arizona since 1996 and firstever visit to University of Phoenix Stadium. Sunday, September 14, 2008 1:15 PM (MST) ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-0) vs. Arizona is coming off a 23-13 win at San Francisco. It was the team s first week 1 road victory since 1999 and losses by Seattle and St. Louis put the Cardinals alone atop the NFC West a week into the 08 campaign. Against San Fran, the Cards enjoyed a 5-0 edge in the turnover battle and dominated time of possession in the 2 nd half (22:38 to 7:22). The Cardinals have now scored 20+ points in each of their last 9 games, the longest current streak in the NFL (Saints & Chargers, 7) and the 2 nd -longest such streak in franchise history (11, 1983-84). The Dolphins are coming off a 20-14 week 1 home loss to the Jets that came down to the final seconds. The game was not decided until Chad Pennington was INT d by Darrelle Revis in the end zone with :05 left. A win against Miami would make Arizona 2-0 for the first time since 1991. The Cardinals were 6-2 at University of Phoenix Stadium a year ago and a sell-out this week would be the team s 23 rd straight since opening the venue in 2006. Also, fans will be treated to a special pre-game performance by Grammy-nominated recording artist Daughtry. THE COACHES Ken Whisenhunt Tony Sparano 9-8 Overall Record 0-1 9-8 Regular Season Record 0-1 0-0 Playoff Record 0-0 2 nd Years as Head Coach in NFL 1 st 2 nd Years with team 1 st BROADCAST INFORMATION TELEVISION Network: CBS Play-by-Play: Bill Macatee Analyst: Steve Beuerlein CARDINALS RADIO Flagship: News Talk 92.3 KTAR Play-by-Play: Dave Pasch Analyst: Ron Wolfley Sideline: Paul Calvisi CARDINALS SPANISH RADIO Flagship: KMIA 710 AM Play-by-Play: Gabriel Trujillo Analyst: Rolando Cantu MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-1) University of Phoenix Stadium ARIZONA CARDINALS 2008 SEASON SCHEDULE Preseason Date Opp. Result Thur., Aug. 7 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS+ L, 24-10 Sat., Aug.16 @ Kansas City Chiefs W, 27-17 Sat., Aug. 23 @ Oakland Raiders W, 24-0 Fri., Aug. 29 DENVER BRONCOS L, 28-14 Regular Season Result/ Date Opp. Time Sun., Sep. 7 @ San Francisco 49ers W, 23-13 Sun., Sep. 14 MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:15 PM Sun., Sep. 21 @ Washington Redskins 10:00 AM Sun., Sep. 28 @ NY Jets 10:00 AM Sun., Oct. 5 BUFFALO BILLS 1:15 PM Sun., Oct. 12 DALLAS COWBOYS 1:15 PM Sun., Oct. 19 Bye Sun., Oct. 26 @ Carolina Panthers 10:00 AM Sun., Nov. 2 @ St. Louis Rams 11:00 AM Mon., Nov. 10 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS # 6:30 PM Sun., Nov. 16 @ Seattle Seahawks * 2:05 PM Sun., Nov. 23 NEW YORK GIANTS * 2:15 PM Thur., Nov. 27 @ Philadelphia Eagles & 6:15 PM Sun., Dec. 7 ST. LOUIS RAMS * 2:15 PM Sun., Dec. 14 MINNESOTA VIKINGS * 2:05 PM Sun., Dec. 21 @ New England Patriots * 11:00 AM Sun., Dec. 28 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS * 2:15 PM + Thursday night on ESPN # Monday night on ESPN & Thanksgiving night on NFL Network * Subject to flexible scheduling decisions 2008 NFC WEST STANDINGS Team W L PF PA Hm Road Div Arizona 1 0 23 13 0-0 1-0 1-0 San Francisco 0 1 13 23 0-1 0-0 0-1 Seattle 0 1 10 34 0-0 0-1 0-0 St. Louis 0 1 3 38 0-0 0-1 0-0 Mark Dalton Vice President, Media Relations Mike Helm Media Relations Coordinator mdalton@cardinals.nfl.net 602/379-1720 mhelm@cardinals.nfl.net 602/379-1647 Chris Melvin Media Relations Manager Nate LoCascio Media Relations Assistant cmelvin@cardinals.nfl.net 602/379-1882 nlocascio@cardinals.nfl.net 602/379-1620 8701 S. Hardy Drive, Tempe, AZ 85284 Phone: 602-379-0101 Fax: 602-379-1821 www.azcardinals.com
CARDINALS & DOLPHINS IN 2008 REGULAR SEASON CARDINALS CATEGORY DOLPHINS 1-0 Record 0-1 23 Points Scored 14 13 Points Allowed 20 2 Touchdowns Scored 2 1 Touchdowns Allowed 3 1 Rushing TDs 0 1 Passing TDs 2 0 Return TDs 0 1 Rushing TDs Allowed 1 0 Passing TDs Allowed 2 0 Return TDs Allowed 0 3/21 Sacked/Yards Lost 4/23 0/0 Fumbles/Lost 3/0 0 Had Intercepted 1 3/4 Field Goals Made/Attempted 0/0 285 Total Yards Per Game 277 291 Opp. Total Yards Per Game 293 109 Rushing Yards Per Game 49 108 Opp. Rushing Yards Per Game 112 176 Passing Yards Per Game 228 183 Opp. Passing Yards Per Game 181 +5 Turnover Ratio Even 37:05 Average Time of Possession 28:59 19/16/18 NFL Rank-Total Offense/Run/Pass 25/30/9 11/15t/19 NFL Rank-Total Defense/Run/Pass 12t/18/17 0-0 2-Point Conversions 0/0 @ Was Next Week @ NE CARDINALS 24, Dolphins 23 November 7, 2004 Pro Player Stadium - (72,612) THE LAST TIME The Cardinals moved to 3-5 and ended their 17-game road losing streak with a thrilling win at Miami. QB Josh McCown connected with WR Larry Fitzgerald on a 2-yard scoring pass with :19 left that gave Arizona a 24-23 win. It marked the franchise s first-ever win over the Dolphins and was the 100 th career regular season victory for head coach Dennis Green. Miami led 12-3 at intermission and scored the only TD of the first half on a 20-yard pass from Jay Fieldler to Rob Konrad but the PAT was missed by ex-cardinal Bill Gramatica, who signed over the weekend after injuries to two Dolphin kickers. Gramatica did make both FG tries (30, 20) and Arizona s Neil Rackers connected on his attempt from 29 yards. The only points of the third quarter came when Arizona CB Duane Starks picked off A.J. Feeley (who came on in relief of an injured Fiedler earlier in the third) and returned the INT 41 yards for a TD that made it 12-10, Dolphins. Early in the fourth, Miami CB Sammy Knight appeared to make a pivotal play with an INT deep in Dolphin territory that he returned to the Miami 41. However, a roughing the passer call against Patrick Surtain and a subsequent 15- yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Jason Taylor allowed Arizona to retain possession at the Miami 16. Four plays later, Emmitt Smith ran up the middle for a 5-yard TD that put Arizona up 17-12. Miami reached the Cardinals 10 on its next drive before settling for a 28-yard Gramatica FG that made it 17-15. With 3:46 to play, Miami took over at the Cards 39 following a punt. Feeley then converted a 3 rd -n-7 play with a 35-yard completion to Marty Booker that took it to the 1-yard line. On the next snap, Sammy Morris leap across the goal line and a 2-point conversion put Miami up 23-17 with just under two minutes remaining. After the ensuing kickoff, Arizona took over at its own 30 with 1:56 to go and three timeouts. Facing a 4 th -n-8 at the AZ 38, McCown scrambled for 9 to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, he and Fitzgerald connected on a 48-yard bomb down the center of the field that took it to the Miami 3 with :41 left. After a run and an incompletion, McCown was sacked for an 11-yard loss by Taylor but a defensive holding penalty wiped it out and gave Arizona a first down at the Miami 2. McCown and Fitzgerald hooked up for the game-winner on the next play. CARDINALS 3 0 7 14 24 DOLPHINS 9 3 0 11 23 Team Qtr. Time Scoring Play Drive Score Dolphins 1 12:02 Gramatica 30-yard FG 7-12, 2:50 0-3 CARDS 1 9:02 Rackers 29-yard FG 7-67, 3:00 3-3 Dolphins 1 0:58 Konrad 20-yard pass from Fielder (kick failed) 8-91, 4:12 3-9 Dolphins 2 8:07 Gramatica 29-yard FG 12-61, 6:29 3-12 CARDS 3 3:18 Starks 41-yard INT return (Rackers kick) -- 10-12 CARDS 4 9:44 E. Smith 5-yard run (Rackers kick) 8-80, 4:39 17-12 Dolphins 4 7:53 Gramatica 28-yard FG 6-54, 1:51 17-15 Dolphins 4 1:56 Morris 1-yard run (Feeley-McMichael pass) 4-39, 1:50 17-23 CARDS 4 0:19 Fitzgerald 2-yard pass from McCown (Rackers kick) 9-70, 1:37 24-23 THE SERIES The Cardinals and Dolphins meet for just the 10 th time as the Dolphins head to Arizona for the first time since 1996 and only the second time since the Cardinals moved to Arizona in 1998. The Dolphins have won eight of the nine meetings between the two teams, with the Cardinals only win coming the last time the two teams met in 2004. The Cardinals and Dolphins meet this week for just the sixth time in the last 24 years. SERIES NOTES Overall Regular Season Series: 1-8 Cardinals at home vs. Mia: 0-4 Cardinals last win: 11/7/04, W, 24-23 @ Mia First Meeting: 11/27/72, L, 10-31, @ Mia Last Meeting: 11/7/04, W, 24-23 @ Mia The Cardinals will be looking for their first home victory against Miami this week as the Dolphins make their first visit to University of Phoenix Stadium. The Dolphins have outscored the Cardinals 149-59 in Cardinal home games and have scored an average of 37.3 points per game. The last two games of this series and three of the last four have been played in Miami. STATISTICS AZ MIA First Downs 17 22 Rushes-Yards 27-121 31-168 Net Passing Yards 149 235 Total Net Yards 270 403 Passing (A-C-I) 31-18-0 36-18-1 Sacked by Opp. 1-13 3-23 Punts-Average 7-44.4 5-46.4 Fumbles-Lost 2-1 2-1 Penalties 9-45 12-99 Time of Possession 27:34 32:26 Weather: Partly cloudy, 80 degrees, 56% humidity; NE 12 mph. RUSHING CARDS: Hambrick 4-70; E. Smith 19-42, TD; McCown 1-9; Ayanbadejo 2-7; B. Johnson 1-(-7). DOLPHINS: Minor 11-90; Morris 16-56, TD; Chambers 1-24; Fiedler 2-6; Booker 1-(-8). PASSING CARDS: McCown 18-31, 162 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT. DOLPHINS: Fiedler 12-21, 129 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT; Feeley 6-15, 129 yds, 0 YD, 1 INT. RECEIVING: CARDS: Fitzgerald 5-92, TD; Boldin 5-37; B. Johnson 3-20; Hambrick 2-5; F. Jones 1-5; E. Smith 1-3; Ayanbadejo 1-0. DOLPHINS: Chambers 7-104; Booker 4-91; Morris 3-6; Konrad 1-20, TD; McMichael 1-16; Thompson 1-4; Gilmore 1-7. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 2 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
CARDINALS 23, 49ers 13 September 7, 2008 Candlestick Park (67,186) LAST WEEK S GAME The Cardinals opened the season with a 10-point victory at San Fran. It was the team s first week one road win since 1999. Combined with Seattle & St. Louis losses it also gave Arizona sole possession of first place in the NFC West. Keys to the victory were a 5-0 edge in takeaways and a time of possession advantage in the second half of 22:38 to 7:22. Anquan Boldin led all receivers by catching 8 passes from Kurt Warner for 82 yards (all in the 2 nd half) and Eggerrin James gained 100 yards on 26 carries. Defensively, veteran newcomer Travis LaBoy notched 2.0 sacks of J.T. O Sullivan and a forced fumble on one. The Cardinals opening drive reached the SF 7 before a 25-yard Neil Rackers FG gave them an early lead. On the 2 nd play of the next series, FB Zak Keasey caught a pass from O Sullivan but DT Darnell Dockett forced a fumble that LB Karlos Dansby recovered at the SF 11. The drive reached the 2 but a personal foul on LT Mike Gandy backed it up and Rackers missed from 35. The Niners then moved quickly into AZ territory and Frank Gore put San Fran ahead with a 41-yard TD run. The next San Fran drive ended when SS Adrian Wilson INT d O Sullivan and returned the pick to the SF 33 but the Cards were forced to punt. Early in the 2 nd quarter, AZ faced a 3 rd -n-7 when Warner hit WR Steve Breaston with a 40-yard completion to the 1. On the next play he lofted a ball to the corner that Larry Fitzgerald snared for a TD. The next SF drive again ended with a turnover when Bertrand Berry stripped O Sullivan and Antonio Smith recovered but the ensuing drive ended with a punt. The Niners then tied it late in the 2 nd on a 39-yard Joe Nedney FG. Despite a 3-0 edge in takeaways and a decisive AZ advantage in field position, the game was tied 10-10 at the half. Because they deferred on the opening coin flip, AZ got the ball to start the 3 rd quarter. Thanks to a pass heavy attack (including 3-47 to Boldin) the Cards took the lead on a 31-yard Rackers FG. Rackers then pooched the kickoff to the SF 33 where LB Takeo Spikes muffed it and Matt Ware recovered. The drive penetrated the red zone and on a 3 rd -n-4 pass from the 5, Warner s completion to Breaston was originally spotted at the 2 but a Cardinal challenge moved it inside the 1, though still shy of a first. On 4 th -n-inches, rookie RB Tim Hightower scored his 1 st career TD and gave AZ a 20-10 lead. As a result of the 2 drives, AZ was able to chew up 11:03 before the Niners offense re-took the field. When they did, SF moved 60 yards in 13 plays and Nedney hit a 30-yard FG that made it 20-13 with 12:05 to play. That s when the Cardinals were able to put the game out of reach with a sustained 18-play drive that consumed 10:08 and ended with a 30-yard Rackers FG. San Fran s next play from scrimmage saw LaBoy pull the hat trick on O Sullivan with a sack, forced fumble and recovery. CARDINALS 3 7 10 3 23 49ERS 7 3 0 3 13 Team Qtr. Time Scoring Play Drive Score CARDS 1 11:06 Rackers 25-yard FG 7-33, 2:35 3-0 49ers 1 6:00 Gore 41-yard run (Nedney kick) 5-75, 2:43 3-7 CARDS 2 10:25 Fitzgerald 1-yard pass from Warner (Rackers kick) 6-58, 2:50 10-7 49ers 2 1:52 Nedney 39-yard FG 9-69, 4:19 10-10 CARDS 3 8:25 Rackers 31-yard FG 15-65, 6:35 13-10 CARDS 3 4:03 Hightower 2-yard run (Rackers kick) 8-33, 4:22 20-10 49ers 4 12:05 Nedney 30-yard FG 13-60, 6:58 20-13 CARDS 4 1:57 Rackers 30-yard FG 18:62, 10:08 23-13 STATISTICS AZ SF First Downs 18 13 Rushes-Yards 39-109 20-108 Net Passing Yards 176 183 Total Net Yards 285 291 Passing (A-C-I) 30-19-0 20-14-1 Sacked by Opp. 3-21 4-12 Punts-Average 4-45.0 2-43.5 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 5-4 Penalties 4-40 3-20 Time of Possession 37:05 22:56 Weather: Sunny, 70 degrees, 70% humidity, Wind WNW 20 mph. RUSHING CARDS: James 26-100; Hightower 8-13, TD; Warner 5-(-4). 49ers: Gore 14-96, TD; Foster 4-11; O Sullivan 2-1. PASSING CARDS: Warner 19-30, 197 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT. 49ers: O Sullivan 14-20, 195 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT. RECEIVING CARDS: Boldin 8-82; Breaston 3-54; Fitzgerald 3-31, TD; Hightower 3-21; Pope 1-5; Castille 1-4. 49ers: Gore 4-55; Davis 3-51; Johnson 3-48; Keasey 2-13; Battle 1-16; Foster 1-12. CARDS TAKE THE OPENER Last week s 23-13 win at San Francisco was the Cardinals first week one road win since 1999 when they defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 25-24. It is the third season opening road win for the Cardinals since 1988. Before last week, the Cardinals last opening week win was in 2006 over the 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium With the win, the Cardinals gained sole possession of first place in the NFC West after the Seahawks were defeated 34-10 in Buffalo and the Rams lost 38-3 in Philadelphia. Arizona will play six more games before its next divisional game, which will not come until 11/2 at St. Louis. The win last week also made it three wins in a row for the Cardinals dating back to last season. Arizona won against Atlanta (30-27, OT) and St. Louis (48-19) to end last season. The Cardinals had not won three games in a row since 2002. In their home game against Miami this week, the Cardinals will look to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 1991. Since 1978 when the NFL went to a 16-game regular season schedule, teams that won on opening weekend were twice as likely to make the playoffs as nonwinners. Of the 426 week one winners in that span, 225 went on to make the playoffs and 130 won their division. Of the 426 non-winners, 99 went to the playoffs and 55 won their division. STILL SCORING POINTS The Cardinals scored 20+ points in each of the final eight games of last season and continued the streak in the season opener in San Francisco last week, beating the 49ers 23-13. The nine-game streak of scoring 20+ points is the longest active stretch in the NFL. New England s streak ended last week when they defeated the Chiefs 17-10 and Jacksonville s streak ended last week as well after they lost to the Titans 17-10. Arizona, New England and Jacksonville were the only three teams to score at least 20 points in each of the final eight games of the 2007 season. It is the longest streak for the Cardinals since 1983-84 when the team scored 20+ points in 11 consecutive games. The 1983 Cardinals scored 34 and 31 points in the final two games and then scored over 20 points in the first nine games of the 1984 season. The Cardinals scored a total of 404 points in 2007, an average of 25.3 points per game, and the second-highest point total in franchise history. Games Scoring 20+ Points 2007-08 Game Score, Result 11/11/07 vs. Det W, 31-21 11/18/07 @ Cin W, 35-27 11/25/07 vs. SF L, 31-37 (OT) 12/2/07 vs. Cle W, 27-21 12/9/07 @ Sea L, 21-42 12/16/07 @ NO L, 24-31 12/23/07 vs. Atl W, 30-27 (OT) 12/30/07 vs. StL W, 48-19 9/7/08 @ SF W, 23-13 Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 3 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
IT S YEAR TWO UNDER WHISENHUNT Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt is 1-0 in his second year as head coach of the Cardinals and is riding a threegame winning streak dating back to last season, the team s longest since 2002. Under Whisenhunt in 2007, the Cardinals: Led the team to an 8-8 record in his first season in Arizona, the first coach to do so since Buddy Ryan in 1994. Enjoyed a three-game improvement over the team s 2006 record, the biggest improvement margin of any of the five rookie head coaches in 2007. Finished with a 6-2 home record, their best home mark since going 6-1 in 1976. Possessed a passing offense that ranked fifth in the NFL in 2007 after throwing for 4,065 net yards. Had an offense that established a new franchise record with 32 touchdown passes and their 404 points scored on 49 total touchdowns was the second highest total in team history. Scored 20+ points in 12 games and 30+ points in six contests. Scored five more points than they allowed (404-399), the first time they have scored more points than they allowed since 1993 under Joe Bugel when the team scored 57 more points than it allowed (326-269). GRIMM RETURNS FAMILIAR FACES As is the case with the coaching staff, the offensive line will achieve some continuity in 2008 despite losing starting center Al Johnson for the season with a knee injury. Russ Grimm s crew returned four full-time starters from 2007 and C Lyle Sendlein, starting for the injured Johnson, saw significant time at center last season and started two games. Cardinals Starting Offensive Line LT Mike Gandy LG Reggie Wells C Lyle Sendlein RG Deuce Lutui RT Levi Brown The o-line enjoyed a successful season under Grimm in 2007 and will continue to build on that in 2008. The Cardinals ranked sixth in the NFL in sacks allowed per pass play in 2007, allowing only 24 sacks for minus 163 yards. The NFL average was 34.4 sacks for minus 223.4 yards and the 24 sacks allowed represented the lowest total for the franchise since 1978 when the team allowed 22 sacks. Grimm, a four-time Pro Bowler and member of the Redskins famed Hogs offensive line, knows first-hand how important it is to have a group of guys who feel comfortable playing alongside each other. Chemistry, he said has always been a big part of the offensive line. Last week, despite allowing three sacks, the Cardinals offensive line played better as the game went on and paved the way for the Cardinals 18-play 62-yard drive that ate up 10:08 of the final quarter at put the Cardinals up 10 points with under two minutes remaining in the game. CHASING NUMBER 10 After opening the 2008 season with a 23-13 victory in San Francisco last week, head coach Ken Whisenhunt is chasing his 10 th career victory as head coach of the Cardinals. If he reaches it this week in his 18 th game, he will become the fastest Cardinals coach to 10 wins since Charley Winner back in 1966-67. Winner reached win number 10 in his 17 th game as coach of the Cardinals. He finished his first season (1966) with a record of 8-5-1 and after dropping the opening game of the 1967 season, won the next three games. Fast Coaches to 10 Wins: Coach Games Years Charley Winner 17 1966-67 Don Coryell 20 1973-74 Buddy Ryan 23 1994-95 Whisenhunt finished his first season in Arizona with an 8-8 record that included: The team s best record since going 9-7 in 1998. A three win improvement over the previous the previous year s record, the largest of any of the NFL s five first-year head coaches. A 6-6 record after 12 games that was the best for a Cardinals coach in his first 12 games since Vince Tobin went 6-6 in 1996. THE STAFF REMAINS THE SAME A key component for the Cardinals success in 2008 is continuity. With all 16 coaches returning to their jobs with the team, it marks the first time since 2001-2002 that the Cardinals have had the same coaching staff for two consecutive seasons. Years Coach Position w/ Team Ken Whisenhunt Head Coach 2 Russ Grimm Asst. Head Coach/Off. Line 2 Todd Haley Offensive Coordinator 2 Clancy Pendergast Defensive Coordinator 5 Ron Aiken Defensive Line 2 Teryl Austin Defensive Backs 2 Maurice Carthon Running Backs 2 Rick Courtright Asst. Defensive Backs 5 Bill Davis Linebackers 2 Freddie Kitchens Tight Ends 2 John Lott Strength and Conditioning 2 Mike Miller Wide Receivers 2 Matt Raich Defensive Assistant 2 Jeff Rutledge Quarterbacks 2 Kevin Spencer Special Teams 2 Dedric Ward Offensive Quality Control 2 Whisenhunt feels like the trust built between the coaches and players and the understanding that grows between them pays dividends on the field. It s easy to think of coaches in schemes and in plays, and there is no question that helps, Whisenhunt said. But the underestimated part of it is the relationship you build with these players. When you have been through the battles (together), you don t have a new guy to get up to speed and that helps with the overall team chemistry. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 4 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
HALEY CALLING THE SHOTS Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley was handed the play-calling duties in the offseason, taking over full-time the duties that he began to share during the 2007 season. Haley took over a portion of the play-calling duties during the 2007 season and the Cardinals offense improved steadily towards the end of the season, culminating in a 48-19 defeat of the St. Louis Rams in the season finale, highest point total by a Cardinals team since 1977. A candidate for the Dolphins head coaching position in the offseason, the Cardinals moved to lock up Haley, signing him to a new three-year contract and giving him the majority of the play-calling responsibility, something Haley relishes. He (coach Whisenhunt) really loosened the leash and gave me a lot of say-so, which was great, Haley said. That was a big part of staying and not doing any of the Miami stuff. That s what you do the job for, Haley said. You prepare all week, design the game plan and when you get to game day, it makes it that much more fulfilling to do that. It s obviously as close as you can get to the game. Whisenhunt sees it as the next step in Haley s career, an opportunity he was given while with Pittsburgh. I feel an obligation to do that because I was given that opportunity to grow in that capacity, Whisenhunt said. WHISENHUNT MEETS HIS MENTOR When Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt was hired by the Cardinals last season, he talked numerous times about the lasting influence current Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning had on him. There is no question that Dan Henning has had a huge impact on my career, both as player and a coach, Whisenhunt said. He got me started in the NFL as a player when he drafted me in Atlanta. I grew up in his system. He brought me to New York (with the Jets) and taught me a lot about being an offensive coordinator, which was a big part of my development as a coach. There is no question that when you look back at mentors guys that have had a tremendous impact on your life and career Dan Henning is certainly one of those guys. Henning was the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons when they selected Whisenhunt in the 12 th round out of Georgia Tech. From 1985-86 Whisenhunt played under Henning for the Falcons. In 2000, Whisenhunt would rejoin Henning, this time working under him as a coach for the New York Jets. Henning was the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach while Whisenhunt coached tight ends. While they both have been on the opposing sidelines as coaches this week will mark the first time Whisenhunt has faced Henning as a head coach. PENDERGAST AGAIN LEADS DEFENSE Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast returned for his fifth season as the defensive signal caller for the Cardinals. Pendergast, one of two coaches (Rick Courtright, assistant defensive backs) retained by head coach Ken Whisenhunt when he took over in 2007, is looking to return his defense its status as one of the best in the league. They certainly looked headed in that direction in the season opener as the team defeated the 49ers 23-13 on the road. The defense forced five turnovers in the game and, after allowing a touchdown and field goal in the first half, clamped down on their NFC West foe in the second half. After picking up 84 rushing yards, including a 41- yard rushing touchdown in the first half, the 49ers offense picked up just five first downs, 72 total yards and 24 rushing yards in the second half and managed just three points. In his first four seasons, Pendergast has accumulated an impressive resume with the Cards. In his first season at defensive coordinator in 2004, improved the team s overall defensive ranking from 26 th to 12 th. In 2005, Pendergast s defense improved to 8 th overall, the unit s first top 10 ranking since 1994 (3 rd ). Helped guide defensive tackle Darnell Dockett to his first Pro Bowl selection in 2008, strong safety Adrian Wilson to his first Pro Bowl selection in 2007 and defensive end Bertrand Berry to an NFC leading 14.5 sacks in 2004, earning the free agent acquisition his first Pro Bowl appearance. The Cardinals defense set a new franchise record with 551 interception return yards and six interceptions returned for touchdowns in 2007. SIX DEGREES OF BILL PARCELLS Miami Dolphins Executive Vice President-Football Operations Bill Parcells has mentored many players and coaches around the National Football League and he has certainly left his mark on a number of Cardinals staffers. Todd Haley (Offensive Coordinator) Wide receivers coach under then head coach Parcells in New York while they were with the Jets from 1997-99. Reconnected again in 2004 when Parcells, as head coach of the Cowboys, hired Haley to coach the wide receivers and coached together in Dallas until 2006. This past offseason, Parcells asked Haley to interview for the Dolphins head coaching position before Haley re-upped with the Cardinals. Maurice Carthon (Running backs) Started under Parcells as a player when he joined the Giants in 1985, playing fullback for the Giants under Parcells from 1985-1990. Parcells gave him his first coaching job with the New England Patriots in 1994, working as an offensive assistant and Carthon then went on to coach special teams and running backs over the next two seasons. Parcells hired Carthon as the assistant head coach/running backs in 1997 with the Jets, where they worked together until 1999 before again reuniting in 2003 in Dallas where Carthon served as the Offensive coordinator/running backs coach. Jeff Rutledge (Quarterbacks) Was a backup quarterback with the New York Giants under Parcells from 1983-90 where they won Super Bowl XXI together during the 1986 season. Dedric Ward (Offensive quality control) Played wide receiver under Parcells two separate times, started as a rookie under Parcells with the NY Jets in 1997, played under him in New York until 1999. Caught up with him again in 2004 with the Cowboys where he played his final NFL season. Freddie Kitchens (Tight ends) Got his first NFL coaching job under Parcells in 2006 as the tight ends coach for the Dallas Cowboys before coming to the Cardinals in 2007. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 5 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
LABOY DOES IT ALL IN DEBUT It was a successful homecoming for Bay Area native Travis LaBoy, who grew up a 49ers fan. With a large group of family and friends in attendance at last week s season opener, LaBoy did just about everything in his Cardinals debut, totaling three tackles, two sacks, a tackle-for-loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. His second sack of the day was the most devastating for the 49ers, coming when he took down QB J.T. O Sullivan and forced a fumble on the play with only 1:57 left in the game, sealing the victory for the Cardinals. LaBoy earned the starting outside linebacker job in the preseason, edging out Bertrand Berry for the starter spot. His signing in the offseason was a part of the team s efforts to boost the depth on defense and when Berry entered the game to spell LaBoy last week, it proved how devastating the combination could be when used in tandem. Berry, collected two tackles, a sack and a forced fumble backing up LaBoy, giving the team plenty of production from the right outside linebacker position---five tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. LaBoy signed a five-year contract with the Cardinals in the offseason, coming from the Tennessee Titans where he spent the first four years of his career as a pass rushing specialist, collecting 19.5 sacks. CONVERTING ON FOURTH DOWN The Cardinals finished the 2007 with the NFL s best fourth down conversion percentage and in last s week game in San Francisco, they continued that success. The Cardinals were two-of-three on fourth down conversions in the opener. Rookie running back Tim Hightower converted two fourth down rushing attempts, the first being a two-yard TD run in the third quarter and the second coming on the team s 18-play drive to seal the game in the fourth quarter when he rushed for two yards on fourth-and-one. The Cardinals only unsuccessful conversion attempt was a kneel down by QB Kurt Warner in the fourth quarter, after the game had been decided. The Cardinals were six-for-six on fourth down conversions in their final three games of 2007, including three-of-three in the season finale, making them 12-of-14 (85.7%) on the season. That was the best conversion rate in the NFL and 12.4 percentage points higher than second place Houston (73.3%). 2007 Fourth Down Efficiency Leaders Rank/Team Att Conv. % 1. Arizona 14 12 85.7 2. Houston 15 11 73.3 3. KC 18 13 72.2 4t. Dallas 14 10 71.4 4t. NE 21 15 71.4 RACKERS HITS 500 Neil Rackers kicked three field goals and two extra points in last week s season opener, giving him 11 points on the day and 506 points for his Cardinal career. He became only the second player in team history to reach 500+ career points. In 2007, Rackers 100 point season moved him into second place on the franchise career points list with 495 points since coming to the Cardinals in 2003. Rackers trails only Cardinal great Jim Bakken, who holds the Cardinals career points record with 1,380. Cardinals All-Time Points Leaders Player, Years Points Jim Bakken, 1962-78 1,380 Neil Rackers, 2003-506 Greg Davis, 1991-96 484 Neil O Donoghue, 1980-85 439 Roy Green, 1979-90 414 Rackers, whose 110 points last season gave him three consecutive 100-point campaigns, got a good start to another 100-point season last week. If he records another 100-point season in 2008, he will establish a franchise record for consecutive 100-yard seasons with four, breaking the record he currently shares with Pat Harder (1947-49). Another trend that Rackers continued last week was his ability to give the ball back to the Cardinals on kickoffs. Rackers was successful on all three onside kicks he attempted in 2007 and dating back to 2006, has converted four attempts in a row. Last week s attempt wasn t an onside kick, but a pooch kick and the result was the same. The Cardinals got the ball back and the game s momentum changed drastically. Up by three points following a Rackers field goal, instead of the 49ers having a chance to tie the game or take the lead, the Cardinals went on to score a touchdown on the ensuing drive, points that proved to be the deciding ones. WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN WEEK 2 The Cardinals have scored 20+ points in each of their last 9 games, the longest current streak in the NFL (Saints & Chargers, 7) and the 2 nd -longest such streak in franchise history (11, 1983-84). The Cardinals play at home this week against Miami and look to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 1991. Since 1978, 232 teams have started the season 2-0 and 153 of those teams made the playoffs (66 percent) The Cardinals are currently on a three-game winning streak dating back to last season, their longest since 2002. If they win this week, it would give them their longest winning streak since 1999. Arizona is looking to win its home opener for the third straight year. Ken Whisenhunt-Needs a win vs. Miami to become the fastest Cardinals head coach to 10 wins since Charley Winner reached 10 in 17 games in 1966-67. With the win, Whisenhunt would reach 10 wins in 18 games. Edgerrin James-Needs just 33 yards to become just the 14 th player in NFL history with 15,000 scrimmage yards for their career. James needs 100 rushing yards to post the 57 th 100-yard game of his career, which would tie Curtis Martin for the seventh-highest total in NFL history. If James reaches the century mark, he will be the first Cardinals running back since Ottis Anderson in 1979 to open the season with two 100-yard rushing games. Anquan Boldin-Needs 100 yards receiving for his 22 nd career 100-yard game, which would tie him with Jackie Smith (1963-77) for the franchise record. Tim Hightower-Needs a rushing touchdown this week to become the first Cardinal in team history with a rushing touchdown in each of his first two career games. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 6 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
YEAR THREE AT UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX STADIUM BEGINS HARD TO BEAT AT HOME The Cardinals will begin their defense of the home field advantage they established last year as the Miami Dolphins make their first ever trip to University of Phoenix Stadium. The sellout crowds at the Cardinals nest provided enough support to propel Arizona to a 6-2 home record in 2007, the best home record for the team since 1976 when they finished the season 6-1 at home. Since moving to Arizona in 1988, the Cardinals had never won six home games in a season. Year Home Overall 2007 6-2 8-8 2004 5-3 6-10 1998 5-3 9-7 1996 5-3 7-9 1994 5-3 8-8 2003 4-4 4-12 1999 4-4 6-10 1993 4-4 7-9 1988 4-4 7-9 The 2008 campaign marks the Cardinals third year at University of Phoenix Stadium and the Red Birds have played in front of a sellout crowd in all 22 games (including preseason). The team set a franchise attendance record last year with 516,646 fans attending games during the regular season. The Cardinals home field advantage will be soundly tested in 2008 as they host strong NFC foes in the Cowboys, Giants and Vikings and NFC West opponents in the Seahawks, 49ers and Rams. This week they take on the first of four AFC East opponents in the Dolphins. STILL THE BEST As University of Phoenix Stadium began to take shape a few years back, awards and recognition came pouring in for the Cardinals new home. It was famously named by Business Week as one of the world s top 10 sporting venues and its unique design and construction was featured on the Discovery Channel s Extreme Engineering show. Since its opening, the stadium has sold every game and has continued to win a host of awards. In 2007, Street & Smith s Sportsbusiness Journal and Sports Business Daily present the results from their third annual SBJ/SBD Readers Survey and University of Phoenix Stadium, which overtook Lambeau Field in 2006 for the top venue in the NFL, took home the honor for the second consecutive year. The stadium received a considerable amount of recognition in 2007, including: Selected as the best playing surface in Sporting News survey of the league s players Named as one of the seven wonders of Arizona by the Arizona Republic. Architect Peter Eisenman was awarded innovator status by Popular Mechanics magazine Named the #1 meeting venue in 2007 by the Phoenix Business Journal HOME OPENER WOULD BE SELLOUT #23 The Cardinals have played in front of a sellout crowd in every game at University of Phoenix Stadium, which opened its doors with a preseason game vs. Pittsburgh in 2006. In 18 seasons at Sun Devil Stadium there were only 12 games that sold out in time to be televised locally. A sellout this week vs. Miami would be sellout #23. After going 3-5 at home during the 2006 regular season, the Cardinals posted a 6-2 record at home last season, establishing a 9-7 overall home record since the stadium opened. The Cardinals next home game will come in week five, following an extensive 10-day trip to the East Coast to face the Redskins and the Jets. FAMILIAR FACES The Cardinals will have yet another familiar face on the national broadcast crew covering this week s game. Against Miami, former Cards quarterback Steve Beuerlein (1993-94) will be working as an analyst for CBS. Beuerlein spent two of his 14 NFL seasons with the Cardinals, appearing in 25 games (21 starts) and throwing for a total of 4,709 yards and 23 TDs in his time in Arizona. Beuerlein not alone among former Cardinals players covering Cards games as broadcasters. Former Cardinal great Dan Dierdorf worked as an analyst for CBS during two Cardinals games in 2007, both thrilling home wins for the Cardinals against AFC opponents the 21-14 win over Pittsburgh in week four and the 27-21 win over Cleveland in week 13. Dierdorf played with the Cardinals from 1971-1983 as primarily a right tackle, anchoring an offensive line that led the NFL three years and the NFC five years in fewest quarterback sacks allowed. He was a five-time All-Pro and six-time Pro Bowler who was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in his hometown of Canton, OH in 1996. Also in 2007, in a rather strange twist, Tim Hasselbeck, who worked as an analyst for FOX during the Cardinals week three contest against Baltimore, was signed by the Cardinals three weeks later as a backup quarterback after Kurt Warner went down with an elbow injury and remained with the team for the rest of the season. DAUGHTRY RETURNS TO THE NEST Grammy-nominated recording artist Daughtry will perform for fans at the team s home opener vs. the Miami Dolphins this week at University of Phoenix Stadium. The band will perform a special pre-game set as well as the national anthem. Led by front man and 2006 American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry, the band was nominated for four Grammy Awards in 2008. Daughtry made music history when they became the first artist ever to record three #1 singles off a debut album. The three #1 hits off that self-titled album were It s Not Over, Home and Feels Like Tonight. It will be a repeat appearance at University of Phoenix Stadium for Chris Daughtry, who also performed the anthem at a 2006 home game. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 7 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
08 CARDS BUILT FOR SUCCESS By nearly all accounts, the 2008 Cardinals roster is the most talented and deepest in recent memory. That didn t happen overnight but through a well-executed plan to build a quality football team that will be competitive for years to come. Under the direction of General Manager Rod Graves, the Cardinals have assembled that talent in a number of different ways. The most significant has been through the NFL Draft. That s really the lifeblood of any successful NFL team, said Graves. Our scouts and personnel department have done an outstanding job in identifying the types of players that will not only succeed at the NFL level but also excel in our particular system. Recent drafts have not only produced Pro Bowlers in Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Wilson, and Darnell Dockett but also scores of other full-time starters and contributors. It s far too early to tell but based on early indications and preseason performances, the 2008 Cardinals draft is poised to produce the next wave of Cardinals stars; six of the seven 08 draftees are on the opening day roster. Another area that has been instrumental in building the 08 Cardinals is unrestricted free agency. The big splash free agents get a lot of attention, said Graves. But I m extremely proud of players that may have generated less fanfare when we signed them but have made significant contributions and filled important roles. In that category a year ago were players like Mike Gandy, a full-time starter at left tackle, and cornerback Rod Hood, who not only started every game but counted two touchdowns among his career-high five interceptions. Arizona hopes defensive players like Travis LaBoy and Clark Haggans will have similar success this year. According to Graves, University of Phoenix Stadium is also a major factor in the team s ability to build a championship-caliber team. There s no question that the stadium has delivered everything that the team had hoped for, Graves said. A year ago we were 6-2 at home and a big part of that success can be attributed to the home field advantage that s been created by a sold out stadium and a large, passionate fan base. It s also provided the revenue streams that we were lacking previously and give us the chance to compete aggressively with the other teams in the league. Arizona s 8-8 record a year ago is a good indication that the Cardinals plan. The next step is a successful 08 campaign that extends into 2009. MUCH DEEPER IN 2008 The Cardinals not only return with the entire coaching staff intact, but almost all the starters on both sides of the ball from a team that nearly made the playoffs in 2007. A few players, through both free agency and the draft, were added for competition and depth but the offense returns 10 starters while the defense also returns 10. Adding to the foundation the team has established are free agents LB Clark Haggans, DE Travis LaBoy, DT Bryan Robinson and draft picks CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and RB Tim Hightower, who will all push the existing starters for playing time and provide depth. The 2007 starters still on the team are: Offense Defense WR Larry Fitzgerald DE Antonio Smith LT Mike Gandy NT Gabe Watson LG Reggie Wells DT Darnell Dockett RG Deuce Lutui DE Bertrand Berry RT Levi Brown LB Chike Okleafor TE Leonard Pope MLB Gerald Hayes WR Anquan Boldin WLB Karlos Dansby QB Kurt Warner CB Rod Hood RB Edgerrin James CB Eric Green FB Terrelle Smith SS Adrian Wilson S Antrel Rolle and C Lyle Sendein are among the players who started games in 2007 and received significant playing time and other players who are expected to receive ample playing time this season include FB Tim Castille, LB Monty Beisel, CB Ralph Brown, S Aaron Francisco, TE Ben Patrick and WR Steve Breaston. 08 DRAFT CLASS LOOKS LIKE A WINNER There are never any guarantees when it comes to choosing players in the NFL draft, especially when teams draft players from smaller and lesser known schools. The Cardinals used three draft picks to select players from schools outside Division I-A, the first time they have done so since the draft went to seven rounds in 1994. Regardless of where they came from, the team has been very pleased with the 2008 draft class from top to bottom. I have been very pleased with how they have performed on the field, Whisenhunt said in the final week of the preseason. Overall, this draft class has really been good for us from the standpoint of being able to show up on the field. Cardinals 2008 Draft Class on the Roster Rd. Pick Name Pos College 1 16 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State 2 50 Calais Campbell DE Miami (FL) 3 81 Early Doucet WR LSU 4 116 Kenny Iwebema DE Iowa 5 149 Timothy Hightower RB Richmond 7 225 Brandon Keith T Northern Iowa In last week s season opener, four draft picks CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DT Calais Campbell, DE Kenny Iwebema, and RB Tim Hightower all contributed. Hightower scored his first career touchdown, Campbell and Iwebema recorded his first career tackles and Rodgers-Cromartie received playing time on offense and defense. THE VETERAN NEWCOMERS LB Clark Haggans: Spent his first eight seasons with the Steelers where he collected 31.5 sacks in 107 games, good for 13 th on the Steelers all-time list. DE/LB Travis LaBoy: Collected 19.5 sacks in his first 54 games (20 starts) with Tennessee. After an impressive preseason, earned the starting job at right defensive end. TE Jerame Tuman: Tuman spent his first nine seasons with Pittsburgh where he appeared in 120 games. DE Bryan Robinson: Robinson enters his 12 NFL season having come to the Cardinals from Cincinnati, where he spent the previous three seasons. Robinson has appeared in 159 games with 124 starts for his career. P Dirk Johnson: Johnson begins his seventh season in the NFL having previously punted for the Saints, Eagles and Bears over the course of his career. During the preseason, punted 21 times for 1,003 yards and an average of 45.6 yards per punt. QB Brian St. Pierre: Enters his sixth NFL season and served as a backup and third quarterback during his first five seasons with Pittsburgh. He had a strong in the preseason, connecting on 24-37 passes for 233 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating on 100.4. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 8 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
ODDS AND ENDS The Miami Dolphins have two players on their team S Yeremiah Bell and T Vernon Carey who were with the team the last time the Cardinals and Dolphins met back in 2004, and the Cardinals have 10 players WR Anquan Boldin, WR Larry Fitzgerald, LG Reggie Wells, DT Darnell Dockett, DE Bertrand Berry, SS Adrian Wilson, LB Gerald Hayes, LB Karlos Dansby, K Neil Rackers and LS Nathan Hodel. Miami s last visit to Arizona was in 1996. Aside from the Texans who have never played a regular season game in Arizona, the longest droughts in terms of regular season visits to the desert belong to the Colts (1990), Raiders (2002) and Chargers (2002). In six career games vs. Miami, RB Edgerrin James has 839 scrimmage yards (139.8 per game), including 668 rush yards (111.3 per game). James rushed for 100 yards last week & his teams are 50-6 (.893) when he has 100+ rush yards. University of Phoenix Stadium and Dolphin Stadium are two of the four stadiums to host both a Super Bowl and a BCS National Championship Game. University of Phoenix Stadium hosted the National Championship Game after the 2007 season and Super Bowl XLII last February. Dolphin Stadium will host the upcoming BCS National Championship Game this January and Super Bowl XLIV following the 2008 NFL season. RECENT AFC SUCCESS The Cardinals play the first of four AFC East opponents this week when the face the Dolphins and it is no doubt the team looks to repeat the success they achieved last season against the AFC North. The Cardinals finished 3-1 against the AFC North last season, including a 2-0 record at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. They won on the road in Cincinnati, their first AFC road win since 11/7/04 at Miami when the Cards beat the Dolphins 24-23, ending a 17- game road losing streak. The Cardinals only AFC loss last season came against the Baltimore Ravens in week three on a 46-yard field goal by the Ravens as time expired on a drive that was significantly aided by a suspect personal foul call. The Cardinals defeated the Steelers in week four of last season in head coach Ken Whisenhunt s first appearance against his old team. The win, a 21-14 victory in front of a season-high 64,844 fans at University of Phoenix Stadium, broke an eight-game losing streak against teams from the AFC. The Cardinals will travel to face the Jets in week three before returning home to face the Bills in week four. Their final AFC game of the season will come in the second to last game of the season when they again travel east to face the Patriots. SECOND HALF DOMINATION Last week s game was much closer heading into the second half than the Cardinals would have liked. Despite the defense forcing three turnovers, the Cardinals and 49ers were tied at 10 following the first two quarters. The second half was a different story. After the 49ers gained 219 total yards of offense in the first half, the Cardinals defense held the San Francisco offense to just 72 yards of total offense and three points in the second half. The Cards defense allowed just 24 yards rushing in the second half compared to 84 in the first half. Arizona ran a total of 72 offensive plays in the game compared to 44 for the 49ers. The 49ers ran 30 offensive plays in the first half compared to 29 for the Cardinals. In the second half, San Francisco ran only 14 plays compared to the Cardinals 43. The Cardinals virtually sealed the win with an 18-play, 62-yard drive that chewed 10:08 off the clock and resulted in a Neil Rackers 30-yard field goal, putting the Cardinals up 23-13 with 1:57 left on the clock. The 18-play scoring drive was the longest for the Cardinals since a 19-play 93-yard drive on 9/29/96. On the drive, RB Edgerrin James rushed eight times for 26 yards. WR Anquan Boldin caught four passes for 29 yards on the drive with three of his receptions going for first downs. QB Kurt Warner completed five-of-six passes for 34 yards on the drive. The Cardinals held the ball for 22:38 seconds in the second half compared to the 49ers 7:22 and finished the game with a 14:05 advantage in time-of-possession. SUNDAY DRIVES The Cardinals second half domination of the 49ers in week one included two drives of 15+ plays (15 and 18), the first time the Cards have done so since 1/1/06 @ Indianapolis when they had drives of 15 and 16 plays. In their two long drives the Cardinals: Ran a total of 33 plays (18 pass; 14 rush) Ate up 16:43 off the clock Gained 127 total yards In the third and fourth quarters, the Cardinals had consecutive scoring drives of 15, 8, and 18 yards, and in that span: Outscored the 49ers 13-3 Held a time of possession advantage of 21:05 to 6:58 Ran a total 41 plays to the 49ers 13. Anquan Boldin and Edgerrin James were involved in 22 of the plays and accounted for 123 yards (Boldin-8 for 82; James-14-41). Last season, the Cardinals were in a similar situation in the second half of the season opener at San Francisco. With a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals could not sustain a final drive and had to punt, resulting in a 49er TD with under 0:30 remaining. Not this time. That was really important, head coach Ken Whisenhunt said of the final 18-play drive. It was almost like going back to the scene of the crime. We had the same situation last year and weren t successful. Now, in this situation, we were, and I could see our team recognize that. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 9 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
EDGING CLOSER TO 15,000 Edgerrin James needs 33 scrimmage yards this week to become just the 14 th player in NFL history with 15,000 scrimmage yards for their career, after rushing for 100 yards in the season opener last week, his 56 th career 100- yard game. Since entering the league in 1999, James has amassed 11,707 rushing yards and 3,260 receiving yards for his career. James would become the 12 th running back to join the list. The only non-running backs on the list are wide receivers Jerry Rice and Tim Brown. All-Time NFL Leaders Total Yards From Scrimmage: Yards Rk Player Yrs/NFL Yards to pass 1 Jerry Rice 20 23,540 8,574 2 Emmitt Smith 15 21,579 6,613 3 Walter Payton 13 21,264 6,298 4 Marshall Faulk 12 19,154 4,188 5 Barry Sanders 10 18,190 3,224 6 Marcus Allen 16 17,654 2,687 7 Curtis Martin 11 17,430 2,464 8 Thurman Thomas 13 16,532 1,566 9 Tony Dorsett 12 16,293 1,327 10 Tiki Barber 10 15,632 666 11 Eric Dickerson 11 15,396 430 12 Tim Brown 17 15,124 158 13 Jerome Bettis 13 15,111 145 *Edgerrin James 10 14,967 JAMES AIMS FOR TOP 10 Currently 13 th on the NFL s all-time rushing list, Edgerrin James entered the 2008 season poised to enter the top 10. With 11,707 yards on the ground after rushing for 100 yards last week, James needs 537 yards to pass Marcus Allen, who currently sits in 10 th place. With another 1,000-yard season, James would move as high up as the number eight spot, currently held by the legendary Jim Brown. All-Time NFL Rushing Leaders: Yds. to Rk Player Yrs/NFL Yds. Pass 1 Emmitt Smith 15 18,355 6,649 2 Walter Payton 13 16,726 5,020 3 Barry Sanders 10 15,269 3,563 4 Curtis Martin 12 14,101 2,395 5 Jerome Bettis 13 13,662 1,956 6 Eric Dickerson 11 13,259 1,553 7 Tony Dorsett 12 12,739 1,033 8 Jim Brown 9 12,312 606 9 Marshall Faulk 13 12,279 573 10 Marcus Allen 16 12,243 537 11 Franco Harris 13 12,120 414 12 Thurman Thomas 13 12,074 368 13 Edgerrin James* 10 11,707-14 John Riggins 14 11,352-15 Corey Dillon 10 11,241-16 O.J. Simpson 11 11,236-17 LaDainian Tomlinson* 8 10,747 18 Fred Taylor* 11 10,733-19 Ricky Watters 11 10,643-20 Tiki Barber 10 10,449 - * Denotes active players 100 YARDS AND THE WIN Including last week s 100-yard performance in San Francisco, the first for a Cardinals running back in the season opener since Stump Mitchell in 1988, Edgerrin James has now rushed for 100 yards seven times as a member of the Cardinals, with the team winning all seven games six coming against the NFC West. He is just one of seven running backs in NFL history with 50+ 100-yard games and the leader among active players. He needs just one more to tie Curtis Martin for the seventh most in NFL history. Career 100-Yard Games Emmitt Smith 78 Walter Payton 77 Barry Sanders 76 Eric Dickerson 64 Jerome Bettis 61 Jim Brown 58 Curtis Martin 57 *Edgerrin James 56 James teams are 50-6 (.893) when he rushes for 100 yards and the Cardinals are 7-0 in those games. JAMES LEADS ACTIVE RUSHERS Edgerrin James is the only active rusher to surpass the 11,000-yard mark. The next closest active rusher, LaDainian Tomlinson, trails James by 960 yards. Warrick Dunn, LaDainian Tomlinson and Fred Taylor all joined the 10,000- yard club last season. Top Active Rushers Player Yrs. Att. Yards TD 1. Edgerrin James, Ari. 10 2,875 11,707 77 2. LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D. 8 2,386 10,747 115 3. Fred Taylor, Jax. 11 2,294 10,733 61 4. Warrick Dunn, Atl. 12 2,492 10,235 47 5. Shaun Alexander * 8 2,176 9,429 100 6. Jamal Lewis, Cle 8 2,133 9,167 54 7. Ahman Green, Hou 11 1,946 8,779 56 8. Clinton Portis, Was. 7 1,733 7,799 63 9. Ricky Williams, Mia 8 1,773 7,136 47 10. Thomas Jones, NYJ 9 1,681 6,604 36 *Free agent; subject to developments HIGHTOWER WASTES NO TIME It didn t take long for rookie running back Tim Hightower, the Cardinals fifth round selection (149th overall) in the 2008 draft, to prove that his knack for reaching the end zone wasn t limited to preseason play. In his first NFL game, and fifth career rushing attempt, Hightower hit pay dirt with a two-yard TD run in the third quarter in last week s season opener in San Francisco. In doing so, he became the first Cardinals running back to score a touchdown in his NFL debut since Ottis Anderson rushed for a 76-yard TD against Dallas on 9/2/79. Hightower, a product of the University of Richmond, earned his regular season playing time with his standout performance in the preseason, where he ran for 107 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns on 28 carries. Hightower gained most of his yards catching the ball out of the backfield in week one, catching three passes for 21 yards on the day. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 10 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
BOLDIN BIG IN SECOND HALF Receiver Anquan Boldin didn t catch a pass in the first half of the Cardinals season opener vs. San Francisco last week but he more than made up for it in the second half, accounting for over half of the Cardinals yardage in quarters three and four. Boldin caught eight passes for 82 yards in the final two quarters, helping to lead the Cardinals on three second half scoring drives that put the game away. Six of Boldin s eight receptions on the day resulted in first downs for the Cardinals and at no stretch of the game was he more important than in the team s 18-play, 62- yard drive that virtually sealed the game. Boldin caught four passes for 29 yards on the drive with three of his receptions resulting in first downs. Boldin s four receptions on third down last week tied him with the Patriots Randy Moss as the NFL s third down receiving leaders while his eight receptions tied Reggie Bush for the second-highest reception total in the NFC in the first week of the season. THE TOUCHDOWNS KEEP COMING Larry Fitzgerald s one-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter of last week s game against San Francisco was his 10 th touchdown reception in the last eight games he has appeared in dating back to 2007. In fact, Fitzgerald has put up some impressive numbers over the last eight games, including 53 catches for 703 yards. Below is a look at what Fitzgerald has done in his last eight games: Date Opp Rec Yds TD 11/11/07 vs. Det 8 74 2 11/18/07 @ Cin 8 93 1 11/25/07 vs. SF 9 156 2 12/9/07 @ Sea 6 79 1 12/16/07 @ NO 2 27 1 12/23/07 vs. Atl 6 72 0 12/30/07 vs. StL 11 171 2 9/7/08 @ SF 3 31 1 53 703 10 NOT JUST A RETURN MAN Steve Breaston made the most of his time at receiver last week in the season opener, catching three passes for a career-high 54 yards, including a 40-yard pass from Warner that was the longest reception of the day for either team and set up Arizona s first touchdown. The 40-yard reception came in the second quarter with the Cardinals down 7-3 to the 49ers and facing a third-andseven situation. Breaston got open and hauled in the pass from Warner, taking it to the SF one-yard line and setting up fellow receiver Larry Fitzgerald s touchdown on the next play. Breaston impressed coaches with his improvement as a receiver in the offseason after spending the vast majority of his rookie season as the team s kickoff and punt returner in 2007, where he returned the first punt for a touchdown for the Cardinals since Vai Sikahema in 1986. BOLDIN STILL ON THE RISE Anquan Boldin has not stopped climbing the Cardinals career lists in 2008. Boldin continued the pace he set in the first five years of his career in the season opener last week, catching eight passes for 82 yards. With his sixth reception in the game vs. San Francisco, Boldin passed Bobby Joe Conrad for six place on the Cardinals career receptions list, currently with 421 receptions. Boldin has averaged 82.6 receptions per season since entering the NFL in 2003 and if he continues on pace this season, he would pass Frank Sanders for third place alltime. Catches Rnk Player (Years) Rec. To Pass 1. Larry Centers (1990-98) 535 115 2. Roy Green (1979-90) 522 102 3. Frank Sanders (1995-02) 493 73 4. Jackie Smith (1963-77) 480 60 5. Pat Tilley (1976-86) 469 49 6. Anquan Boldin (2003-) 421 - With a 100-yard receiving game this week vs. Miami, Boldin would tie Hall of Famer Jackie Smith for the most 100-yard receiving games in franchise history. 100-Yd Games Player (Years) 22 Jackie Smith (1963-77) 21 Anquan Boldin (2003-) Roy Green (1979-90) 18 Rob Moore (1995-2001) 17 Mel Gray (1971-82) 16 David Boston (1999-02) FITZ THROUGH FOUR With everything that wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has accomplished in his NFL career, it is hard to believe he is in only his fifth NFL season and just turned 25 at the end of last month. Fitzgerald recorded 330 receptions for 4,544 yards and 34 touchdowns in his first four years. He has been to two Pro Bowls and last season led the NFC in both receptions and yards for a receiver. Some of Fitzgerald s other accomplishments include: Joined Anquan Boldin as the only players in NFL history to have recorded two 100-catch campaigns in their first four NFL season. Should he reach the milestone again this season, he would become just the fourth player in league history with three or more 100-catch seasons. His 35 career touchdown receptions are more than any other Cardinals player since the team moved to Arizona in 1988. He needs just four more receiving touchdowns to pass Bobby Joe Conrad (38, 1958-68) and enter the top five on the Cardinals career touchdown receptions list. Has 3,795 receiving yards since 2005, the third highest total in the NFL in that period (Chad Johnson, 4263 and Reggie Wayne, 3,961). His 42 receptions of 25 yards or more since his rookie season of 2004 are the sixth most in the NFL in that period. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 11 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
WARNER CONTINUES STREAK; ANOTHER ENDS Kurt Warner was an efficient 19 for 30 passing for 197 yards with a TD and no INTs or fumbles and a 93.3 passer rating last week in the season opener at San Francisco. It was another solid outing for Warner, who has at least one touchdown in nine consecutive games. Warner s remarkable eight game stretch of multi-td games to finish the 2007 season ended last week in San Francisco but with his touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald in the second quarter, Warner now has at least one touchdown pass in his last nine games, the fourth-longest streak in team history. Most Consecutive Games Throwing a TD Pass Games Player 19 Neil Lomax (Game 9 in 1983-Game 11 in 1984) 16 Charley Johnson (Game 4 in 1964-Game 5 in 1965) 14 Neil Lomax (Games 1-2, 6-15 in 1988; Games 1-2 in 1988) 9 Kurt Warner (Games 9-16 in 2007; Game 1 in 2008) Last season, Warner threw for multiple touchdowns in each of the final eight games of the season, with 21 touchdown passes over that period, the most in the NFL in the second half of 2007. Warner s streak of multi-td games came to an end last week and it ends as the longest streak of any quarterback in Cardinals history. Jim Hart had a stretch of six consecutive games in 1974 while Neil Lomax (1963-64) and Charley Johnson (1963) each had a stretch of five games. Below are some of the NFL rankings for Kurt Warner for the final eight games of the 2007 season: TD Passes Passing Yards Pass Attempts Completions Player TDs Player Yards Player Att. Player Comp. 1. Kurt Warner 21 1. Tom Brady 2,375 1. Drew Brees 317 1. Drew Brees 215 2. Tom Brady 20 2. Kurt Warner 2,362 2. Tom Brady 311 2. Tom Brady 200 3t. Peyton Manning 17 3. Drew Brees 2,248 3. Kurt Warner 309 3. Kurt Warner 199 3t. Tony Romo 17 4. Jon Kitna 2,068 4. Jon Kitna 308 4. Jon Kitna 185 5. Drew Brees 16 5. Peyton Manning 1,982 5. Matt Hasselbeck 282 5. Carson Palmer 183 BREAKING DOWN WARNER AT HOME Won the first 15 home games he started. For his career he is 26-13 as a starter at home. ON THE ROAD Won 15 of his first 21 road games as a starter. For his career he is 22-24 as a starter on the road. IN A DOME Won 21 of his first 22 games as a starter in a dome. For his career he is 31-10 as a starter in a dome. OUTDOORS For his career he is 18-26 as a starter in games played outside. THROWING FOR 300 YARDS OR MORE Warner s teams are 26-15 when throwing for 300 yards or more Sept. 13 Oct. 7 Nov. 7 Dec. 15 Jan. 0 WHEN THROWING FOR 3+ TDs 22 of the last 24 games in which he has thrown for 3+ TDs, his team has won 25-4 when he throws for 3+ TDs in a game PINPOINT PASSERS This week s game will feature the two most accurate quarterbacks in NFL history in Kurt Warner and Chad Pennington. Among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 career passing attempts, Pennington s 65.5 career completion percentage rates just higher than Warner s 65.1. Warner, in his 11 th NFL season, has completed 1,945-of- 2,989 passes attempts while Pennington has connected on 1,285-of-1,962 passes. Highest Career Completion % (min. 1,500 attempts) 65.5 Chad Pennington, 2000-present (1,962-1,285) 65.1 Kurt Warner, 1998-present (2,989-1,945) 64.3 Steve Young, 1985-1999 (4,149-2,667) 64.1 Peyton Manning, 1998-present (5,454-3,498) 63.8 Carson Palmer, 2003-present (2,061-1,315) Warner has been with the Cardinals the past three seasons and he has already posted the two best completion percentages in team history. Completion Percentage Season (Cardinals) % Player (Year) Comp-Att 64.5 Kurt Warner (2005) 242-375 62.3 Kurt Warner (2007) 281-451 61.7 Steve Beuerlein (1993) 258-418 61.6 Neil Lomax (1984) 345-560 59.4 Neil Lomax (1987) 275-463 Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 12 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
WARNER S REVIVAL Kurt Warner accomplished a lot in 2007 after taking over for Matt Leinart as the starter. Warner managed numerous feats that brought back the memory of his 1999 and 2001 seasons when he was the NFL MVP. Among the things that Warner accomplished in 2007: Threw for over 3,000 yards in a season for the first time since 2001. Had back-to-back games with a passer rating of 100+ for the first time since 2001. Threw for multiple TDs in eight consecutive games for the first time in his career. His 10 multi-td games in 2007 were the most since he recorded 10 in 2001. Threw for over 400 yards in a game vs. San Francisco for the first time since 2001. Finished the season with 281 completions, the sixth best total in franchise history and his highest total since 2001 when he completed 375. Reached 3,417 passing yards on the season, the fifthhighest total in team history and his highest total since 2001 when he threw for 4,830 yards. TURNOVERS AGAIN PROVE CRUCIAL There were a few trends related to turnovers that emerged for the Cardinals in 2007. In each of the Cardinals eight wins last season, the team either broke even or won the turnover battle, with the team finishing 6-0 when they won the turnover battle. In contrast, the team went 0-6 when they lost the turnover battle. In the last eight games of 2007, the Cardinals had a 5-3 record, scoring 62 more points off turnovers than their opponents in those five wins. In the three losses, opponents scored 45 more points than Arizona. And those trends continue into 2008. In last week s 23-13 season opening win in San Francisco, the Cardinals finished the game with a plus-five turnover ratio. They played a turnover free game on offense and recorded five takeaways - four fumble recoveries and one interception. In the first half, the Cardinals managed three takeaways but did not manage any points of those turnovers and went into halftime tied with the 49ers at 10-10. During the second half, the Cardinals capitalized on both turnovers. They scored a touchdown following the 49ers fumbled a Neil Rackers pooch kickoff, giving the team a ten point lead they would never relinquish. The final turnover came when Travis LaBoy sacked and stripped QB J.T. O Sullivan with under two minutes remaining in the game, allowing the Cardinals to run out all but 0:16 seconds on the clock. The turnover battle is not just a secret of success for the Cardinals either. In 2007, the five teams with the best turnover differential in the NFL San Diego, Indianapolis, New England, Tampa Bay and Seattle all won their division and combined for a 59-21 record (.738). LEINART IN YEAR THREE Matt Leinart returns from a 2007 season that saw him land on injured reserve with a broken collarbone he suffered in the fifth game of the year. After his injury, backup Kurt Warner filled in and had a strong run as the Cardinals quarterback. Warner was named the starter after the final preseason game and a closely contested competition with Leinart, who head coach Ken Whisenhunt says is making significant improvements as he continues to grow in the system. He has started 16 games in this league, Whisenhunt said of his young QB. That is not a lot of games for a young quarterback. I am very excited about the progress he has made and his future with the organization. In his rookie season, Leinart showed the promise that made him the 10 th overall selection in 2006. After taking over as the starter in place of Kurt Warner in the sixth week of the season, he threw for 2,547 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. As a rookie starter, Leinart: Completed 60 percent or more of his passes in five of his last six games. Became the first rookie in NFL history to throw for over 400 yards in a game. Became the first Cardinals quarterback since Jake Plummer in 2001 to have three games in a season with a 100+ quarterback rating. Broke Plummer s rookie record of 2,203 passing yards, throwing for 2,547 yards on the season. JOHNSON PINS THEM DEEP Cardinals punter Dirk Johnson had an impressive line on the stat sheet following his Cardinals debut. Four punts for 180 yards, a 45.0-yard net average, two kicks downed inside the San Francisco 20-yard line and a long kick of 59 yards. None of Johnson s four punts was returned by the 49ers. Johnson s best kick of the day came at a crucial part of the game. With San Francisco up 7-3 heading into the second quarter, Johnson s 35-yard punt was downed by Clark Haggans at the San Francisco 1-yard line. After a three-n-out by the 49ers, the Cardinals used the short field resulted from the ensuing 49er punt to stage a six-play 58-yard touchdown drive that gave them a 10-7 lead. Johnson s 45.0 net average in the opener was the secondbest in the NFL in week one, trailing only Baltimore s Sam Koch, who had a 46.0 net average. Johnson, in his seventh NFL season, was signed by the Cardinals on 3/5/08 and was the team s only punter used throughout the offseason and preseason. The Colorado native has experienced his share of ups-and-downs in his NFL career. He was the punter for the Eagles from 2003-05, including an appearance in Super Bowl XXXIX vs. New England but has also supported held down a variety of jobs in between NFL gigs such as serving as a caddie, working in a liquor store, as a handyman, mowing football fields, and his own least favorite, a carpet cleaner. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 13 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
CARDINALS-DOLPHINS CONNECTIONS Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley (2004-06) and running backs coach Maurice Carthon (2003-04) coached with Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano (2003-07) for the Cowboys while Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland (2001-07) worked in the front office. Haley also coached with Dolphins defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni in Dallas while he was the tight ends (2005) and linebackers coach (2006-07). Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley s father Dick Haley is a Player Personnel Analyst for the Dolphins. Dick Haley has served in player personnel in the NFL for 42 seasons with tenures with the Steelers (1971-91) as Director of Player Personnel and with the Jets (1992-2007), serving the first 10 years as Director of Player Personnel. Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt (2000), Haley, Carthon (1997-2000) and strength and conditioning coach John Lott (1997-2004) were all with the New York Jets with Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington (2000-07). Whisenhunt was the tight ends coach, Haley was an offensive assistant/receivers coach, Carthon was assistant head coach/running backs and Lott served in his same position all while Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning (1998-2000) was in the same role and also coached quarterbacks. Cardinals offensive assistant Dedric Ward played wide receiver for the Dolphins from 2001-02, recording 40 receptions for 381 yards. In 2004 Cardinals defensive tackle Bryan Robinson played for the Miami Dolphins and started 13 of 16 games played. Dolphins safety Renaldo Hill was originally drafted in the seventh round (202 nd overall) of the 2001 Draft by the Cardinals and played for Arizona from 2001-04, starting 32 games. In 2007 Dolphins defensive end Quentin Moses was inactive for the first six games of the season with the Cardinals before being released. Dolphins wide receiver Derek Hagan played at Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona from 2002-05. He concluded his career first in Pac-10 history in receptions (258) and second in receiving yards (3,939) while also holding school career marks for receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns (27) and 100-yard receiving games (18). Dolphins quarterback John Beck is from Mesa, Arizona where he attended Mountain View High School. He led the school to a state championship as a senior and was named the Arizona High School Player of the Year. Cardinals defensive tackles Alan Branch (2004-06) and Gabe Watson (2002-05) as well as wide receiver Steve Breaston (2002-06) were teammates of Dolphins tackle Jake Long (2004-07) and quarterback Chad Henne (2004-07) at the University of Michigan. From 2000-01 Cardinals fullback Terrelle Smith led the way for Dolphins running back Ricky Williams to gain back-toback 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the New Orleans Saints. Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter (1999-2006) played in Pittsburgh while Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt (2001-06), assistant head coach/offensive line Russ Grimm (2001-06) and special teams coach Kevin Spencer (2002-06) were there. Joining Porter on the field in Pittsburgh were Cardinals linebacker Clark Haggans (2000-07), wide receiver Sean Morey (2004-06) and tight end Jerame Tuman (1999-07). CONNECTIONS TO THE U Cardinals running back Edgerrin James is from Immokalee, Florida and was a Parade All-American at Immokalee High where his number five is retired. He went on to play collegiately at the University of Miami from 1996-98 finishing his career ranked second all-time on the Hurricane s career rushing list. His cousin Javarris is currently a junior running back for the Hurricanes. James has always given back to his home area, in the spring of 2005 he purchased state championship rings for all the players, coaches and cheerleaders involved with the football team at his former high school and donated $100,000 to the school. In 2000 he donated $250,000 to the University of Miami athletics department, the largest donation by a former player. Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle is from Homestead, Florida and played at the University of Miami (2001-04). He was a Parade All-American at South Dade High School and in four seasons as a Hurricane was credited with 183 tackles and five interceptions. The All-American was also selected as Miami s ACC Male Scholar Athlete of the Year and was teammates with Dolphins tackle Veron Carey from 2001-03. Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell played his college ball at the University of Miami from 2004-07. He finished his career starting 25 of 36 games played with 158 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 39 tackles for loss and 30 quarterback pressures. The 2008 second round pick was named firstteam All-America by the NFL Draft report as a sophomore and was two-time All-ACC selection. THEIR HOME STATE OF FLORIDA Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin is a native of Pahokee where he was named the Florida s Mr. Football at Pahokee High School. He completed 133 of 233 passes for 2,482 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior. Boldin also starred as a quarterback and wide receiver at Florida State where he finished his career with 118 receptions for 1,790 yards and 21 touchdowns. Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie grew up in Bradenton, Florida where was an All-Area, All-Class 5A and All-District 11 defensive back and wide receiver for Lakewood Ranch High School. Cardinals cornerback Eric Green grew up about 80 miles from Dolphins Stadium in nearby Clewiston, Florida where he attended Clewiston High School, a rival of Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin s Pahokee High School. Green was named team MVP in 1999 as well as being elected to the Palm Beach Post All-Area team and earned All-State honors as a senior. Cardinals linebacker Ali Highsmith is a Miami, Florida native and was a four-year letterman at Central High School. He was a blue-chip linebacker rated among the best in Florida and the Deep South in 2003 as well as being the leader of the top defense (3.9 points per game) in Dade County in 2002. Ali s cousin Alonzo Highsmith was a former standout with the Miami Hurricanes and a seven-year NFL veteran that played for Houston, Dallas and Tampa Bay. Arizona assistant defensive backs coach Rick Courtright is a native of Miami where he attended Miami Christian High School and was an all-state linebacker. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 14 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
NEW ROLE SUITS HIM WELL The Cardinals newest free safety is not a recently signed free agent or a 2008 draft pick but converted cornerback Antrel Rolle. The fourth-year pro out of the University of Miami tackles a new position this season after having a breakout season last year as the nickel back in pass coverage. Rolle motivated coaches to make the move with his outstanding play as a nickel back last season. Playing as the extra defensive back, Rolle swiped five interceptions, returning an NFL-high three of them for touchdowns with an additional one errantly called back due to a penalty. In returning those interceptions, Rolle amassed an NFL-high 283 return yards, averaging 56.6 yards per return. After suffering a left ankle sprain during the first preseason game that kept him out of action for a large part of training camp, Rolle returned to a steep learning curve. He navigated the curve well in his first regular season game at his new position. Rolle was one off the team lead with seven tackles and collected his first career sack in the victory. Since being drafted in 2005, Rolle has started 29 of the 38 games he has appeared in at corner, nickel back and now safety. He has collected 164 tackles, seven interceptions and 20 passes defensed, three times collecting 11 tackles in a game. DOCKETT ANCHORS D-LINE Fifth year defensive tackle Darnell Dockett returns in 2008 after becoming the first Cardinals defensive tackle to make the Pro Bowl since Eric Swann in 1996. The 2004 thirdround draft pick, who set career-highs with nine sacks, 75 tackles and two forced fumbles for the season, doesn t appear to be slowed by his trip to Hawaii. In last week s game in San Francisco, Dockett led all defensive linemen with five tackles and his fierce hit on 49ers FB Zak Keasey forced a fumble, the first of five turnovers forced by the Cardinals in the game. Durability has made Dockett an integral part of the Cardinals defense. He has started 64 of 65 games in his first four-plus seasons in the NFL and he has started every game the last three-plus years, with his 50 consecutive starts ranking as the team s longest current streak. Previously seen as one of the team s most promising young players, Dockett fulfilled that promise in 2007. Entering last season, he had collected a total of six sacks in his career and had never accumulated a multi-sack game in his first three seasons. Last season, Dockett collected nine sacks included three multi-sack performances. He led all Cardinals defensive linemen with 75 tackles, 22 more than his previous single season high of 53 His sack total in 2007 led all NFL interior defensive linemen and it also tied Mark Smith (1998) for the second-highest total in franchise history by an interior lineman (David Galloway, 12, 1983). AS MOTIVATED AS EVER If anyone thought that making the Pro Bowl in 2006, a long overdue honor in many people s opinion, would make Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson less motivated, or that his injury and subsequent surgery during the season last year meant he wouldn t be the same player he was before, he has a simple message. They are in for a rude awakening, Wilson said prior to his eighth NFL season. I am more motivated because, like I ve always said, I feel like I m the best safety in the league, arguably. It s just for me to go out there and prove that. After missing the final seven games of 2007 due to a heel injury, Wilson, who had made 59 consecutive starts and appeared in 73 straight games prior to sitting out the game at Cincinnati last season, felt motivated in his return. Never one to shy away from any challenge, Wilson set his sights set high in 2008. His goal is to join an elite club among NFL defenders, the 20/20 club. With 16 career interceptions and 16 career sacks entering the season, Wilson is determined to become the ninth player in NFL history to join the 20/20 club. Players with 20 Sacks/20 INTs Player Sacks Ints S Ronde Barber (TB, 1997- present) 21.0 33 S LeRoy Butler (GB, 1990-2001) 20.5 38 LB Donnie Edwards (KC/SD, 1996-present) 23.5 28 S Rodney Harrison (SD/NE, 1994-present) 30.5 33 LB Seth Joyner (Phi/Ari/GB/Den, 1986-98) 52.0 24 LB Ray Lewis (Bal, 1996- present) 30.0 25 LB Wilber Marshall 45.0 23 (Chi/Was/Hou/Ari/NYJ, 1984-95) LB William Thomas (Phi/Oak, 1991-01) 37.0 27 Wilson got a good head start on his goal during the first game of the season, intercepting a J.T. O Sullivan pass in the second quarter at San Francisco for his 17 th career interception. In his career, Wilson has collected four interceptions in a season twice (2002, 2006) and he has collected at least five sacks twice (8, 2005 and 5, 2006). CARDINALS LONG TRIP EAST After the Cardinals host the Dolphins this week at University of Phoenix Stadium, they will head east for backto-back games against the Washington Redskins and New York Jets in what is being combined into one long road trip. The Cardinals will fly to Washington on Friday, Sept. 19 and following their game on Sunday, continue on in Tyson s Corner, VA for the week of practice leading up to the game against the Jets. The Cardinals will hold practices at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., which counts Cardinals President Michael Bidwill as an alum, having earned his law degree there in 1990. The trip next week will mark the first time the Cardinals have been on the road for an entire week of preparation for a game. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 15 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
BY THE NUMBERS 9 Number of consecutive games in which the Cardinals have scored 20+ points, the longest current streak in the NFL (Saints & Chargers, 7) and the 2 nd -longest such streak in franchise history (11, 1983-84). 6-2 The Cardinals home record in 2007, the team s best since going 6-1 in 1976. 22:38, 7:22 Time of possession for the Cardinals and 49ers, respectively, in the second half last week. 45, 15 Offensive plays run by the Cardinals and 49ers, respectively, in the second half last week. 18 Number of plays in the Cardinals final scoring drive in week one, the longest scoring drive for the Cardinals since a 19-play drive on 9/29/96. +5 The Cardinals turnover ratio in last week s game in San Francisco. 100 Rushing yards for Edgerrin James last week at SF; It was his 56 th 100-yard effort (most among active players) and made him the first Cardinal to reach the century mark on opening day since Stump Mitchell (9/4/88 at Cincy). 7-0 The Cardinals record when James rushes for 100 yards, with six of those wins coming against the NFC. James teams are 50-6 in his career when he tops the century mark. 1979 The last time a Cardinals rookie scored a rushing TD in his first NFL game before Tim Hightower s 3 rd quarter score last week (Ottis Anderson, 9/2/79 at Dallas). 6 Number of Cardinals who made their NFL debut last week in San Francisco CB Dominque Rodgers- Cromartie, RB Tim Hightower, DE Kenny Iwebema, DT Calais Campbell, LB Ali Highsmith, FB Tim Castille. 150.3 Warner s passer rating in his only other career game vs. the Dolphins. On 9/30/01 with the Rams, he was 24-31 for 328 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT. 11,123 Catches, receptions both career-high stats for senior wide receiver D.J. Boldin, the younger brother of Anquan Boldin in helping Wake Forest hold off Mississppi 30-28 last Saturday. D.J. s older brother had eight catches for 82 yards in the Cardinals victory. XLI, XLII Last two Super Bowls, which were played in the homes of the Dolphins and Cardinals. 2008 ROAD WARRIORS The Cardinals will certainly earn their frequent flyer miles as they have five East Coast games during the 2008 season, including the trip next week which will see them on the East Coast for 10 days as they face the Redskins and Jets. Arizona is looking to improve their road record this year just like they did last season with their home record, going from 3-5 in 2006 to 6-2 in 2007. They started well last week, winning in San Francisco, the first road victory to open the season since 1999. As they head east, the Cards will have to adjust to the time change as three of the team s trips will include a three hour difference and two just a two hour difference since the state of Arizona does not adjust their clocks during daylight saving time like the rest of the country. The Cardinals will again be one of the handful of NFL teams that will travel around the world in 2008. Arizona is among the seven teams that will travel at least 25,000 miles this season, the distance it takes to travel around the globe. Total 2008 NFL Miles Traveled 1. Seattle 34,766 2. Oakland 34,218 3. San Diego 33,403 4. San Francisco 31,530 5. New England 29,024 6. Arizona 26,073 QB PRESSURE BY COMMITTEE One of the things the Cardinals lost last season on defense when many of their highest profile defenders went down to injuries was their ability to put consistent pressure on the quarterback. The team loaded up on the defensive side of the ball in the offseason and that increase depth showed in the season s first game. The team collected four sacks of QB J.T. O Sullivan in the opener at San Francisco and looked poised, with their personnel, to make that a regular occurance. DE Bertrand Berry-Has 55.0 career sacks, 30 of those coming with the Cardinals since joining the team in 2004, the latest coming last week vs. San Francisco. LB Chike Okeafor-Has 45.0 career sacks, 16 coming in his first two years on playing with Arizona (missed all of 2007 with a torn bicep). Had sacks in the last five consecutive games he appeared in before last week. DT Darnell Dockett-Had a breakout season in 2007, leading all NFL defensive tackles with 9.0 sacks in a season that earned him a trip to the Pro Bowl. LB Clark Haggans-Recorded 31.5 sacks in his first eight season with Pittsburgh and had two sacks in the preseason. DE/LB Travis LaBoy-Collected 19.5 in his first four seasons in the NFL and was the defensive star last week, collecting five tackles, two sacks a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. LB Karlos Dansby-Has 20.5 sacks in his first four seasons in the NFL, good for 10 th on the Cardinals career-list. SS Adrian Wilson-A feared all-around defender, redefined the safety position when he collected eight sacks in 2005, the most by an NFL safety since sacks became an official stat in 1982. Has recorded 16.0 sacks for his career. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 16 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
THIS WEEK IN THE NFL All times MST Sunday, Sept. 14 Chicago at Carolina 10:00 AM FOX Tennessee at Cincinnati 10:00 AM CBS Green Bay at Detroit 10:00 AM FOX Buffalo at Jacksonville 10:00 AM CBS Oakland at Kansas City 10:00 AM CBS Indianapolis at Minnesota 10:00 AM CBS NY Giants at St. Louis 10:00 AM FOX New Orleans at Washington 10:00 AM FOX San Francisco at Seattle 1:05 PM FOX Atlanta at Tampa Bay 1:05 PM FOX Miami at Arizona 1:15 PM CBS San Diego at Denver 1:15 PM CBS Baltimore at Houston 1:15 PM CBS New England at NY Jets 1:15 PM CBS Pittsburgh at Cleveland 5:15 PM NBC Monday, Sept. 15 Philadelphia at Dallas 5:30 PM ESPN PRACTICE AND MEDIA SCHEDULE Wednesday, 9/10/08 Thursday, 9/11/08 Friday, 9/12/08 Sunday, 9/14/08 Practice, 10:40 AM-12:40 PM Kurt Warner available after practice Miami Conference Calls: Ricky Williams 11:10 AM Tony Sparano 11:30 AM Practice, 10:40 AM-12:45 PM Practice, 10:20 AM-Noon Cardinals vs. Dolphins, 1:15 PM University of Phoenix Stadium Photographers/videographers may shoot until the team portion of practice begins (approximately the first 25 minutes) Players and coaches will be available coming off the field each day and the locker room will be open for 45 minutes after practice. Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt will also be available following each session. CARDINALS PRONUNCIATIONS Monty Beisel Calais Campbell Tim Castille Oliver Celestin Early Doucet Clark Haggans Ali Highsmith Nathan Hodel Kenny Iwebema Chike Okeafor Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Antrel Rolle Lyle Sendlein Jerame Tuman Jerheme Urban Elliot Vallejo BYE-sull kuh-lay-us kuh-steel SELL-us-teen doo-sett HAY-gins ah-lee HOE-dul uh-web-uh-muh CHEE-kay oh-key-for dah-muh-neek AHN-trel SEND-line Jeremy Jeremy vuh-lay-ho RADIO BROADCAST SCHEDULE The following Cardinals radio broadcasts will air this week on Sports 620 KTAR: Big Red Rage w/ Bertrand Berry and guest Clark Haggans Marjele s Sports Grill Thursday, 6:00-7:00 PM Kia NFL Kickoff Show Sunday, 10:15 11:15 AM Hosted by Bill Lewis and Darren Urban Cardinals Pre-Game Huddle Monday, 11:15 AM 1:15 PM Hosted by Paul Calvisi, Hank Kuhlmann, Rob Moore and Rob Fredrickson Sat, Sept. 6 Mon, Sept. 1 Sat, Aug 30 Mon, Aug. 25 Tues, Aug. 20 Wed, Aug. 13 Mon, Aug. 4 CARDS RECENT TRANSACTIONS RECENT TRANSACTIONS Cardinals placed C Al Johnson (left knee) on injured reserve, elevated C Pat Ross to the 53-man roster from the practice squad, released S Oliver Celestin and released C/G Anthony Oakley from the practice squad. Cardinals signed CB Michael Adams, DE Jason Banks, DT Keilen Dykes, WR Lance Long, C Pat Ross, CB Wilrey Fontenot, WR Onrea Jones, and C/G Anthony Oakley to the practice squad. Cardinals released CB Michael Adams, CB Travarous Bain, DE Jason Banks, RB Steve Baylark, T Kelly Butler, T Peter Clifford, DT Keilen Dykes, LB Chris Harrington, G Jasper Harvey, S Dennis Keyes, WR Lance Long, G Carlton Medder, TE Brent Miller, CB DeMario Minter, LB Brandon Moore, QB Anthony Morelli, WR Jamaica Rector, C Pat Ross, TE Alex Shor, LB Matt Stewart, DE Joe Tafoya and RB Chris Vincent. Cardinals released CB Marcus Brown, WR Jemalle Cornelius, DE Bryan Robinson and C Hercules Satele. Re-signed RB Chris Vincent, released WR Ahmad Merritt and waived injured FB Dionte Johnson. Signed free agent LB Brandon Moore to a one-year contract and released LB David Holloway. Signed G/C Jasper Harvey to a one-year contract and released RB Marcel Shipp. Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 17 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
Arizona Cardinals / Week 1 / Through Sunday, September 07, 2008 / Regular Season Won 1, Lost 0 9/7/2008 W 23-13 at San Francisco 49ers Arizona Opponent Total First Downs 18 13 Rushing 7 3 Passing 10 9 Penalty 1 1 3rd Down: Made/Att 5/16 3/8 3rd Down Pct. 31.3% 37.5% 4th Down: Made/Att 2/3 0/0 4th Down Pct. 66.7% 0.0 Possession Avg. 37:05 22:55 Total Net Yards 285 291 Avg. Per Game 285.0 291.0 Total Plays 72 44 Avg. Per Play 4.0 6.6 Net Yards Rushing 109 108 Avg. Per Game 109.0 108.0 Total Rushes 39 20 Net Yards Passing 176 183 Avg. Per Game 176.0 183.0 Sacked/Yards Lost 3/21 4/12 Gross Yards 197 195 Attempts/Completions 30/19 20/14 Completion Pct. 63.3% 70.0% Had Intercepted 0 1 Punts/Average 4/45.0 2/43.5 Net Punting Avg. 45.0 35.0 Penalties/Yards 4/40 3/20 Fumbles/Ball Lost 0/0 5/4 Touchdowns 2 1 Rushing 1 1 Passing 1 0 Returns 0 0 Score By Periods Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 OT Pts Team 3 7 10 3 0 23 Opponents 7 3 0 3 0 13 Scoring TD Ru Pa Rt PAT FG 2Pt Pts N.Rackers 0 0 0 0 2/2 3/4 0 11 L.Fitzgerald 1 0 1 0 0/0 0/0 0 6 T.Hightower 1 1 0 0 0/0 0/0 0 6 Team 2 1 1 0 2/2 3/4 0 23 Opponents 1 1 0 0 1/1 2/2 0 13 2-Pt. Conversions: Team 0/ 0, Opponents: 0/ 0 Sacks: T.LaBoy 2.0, B.Berry 1.0, G.Hayes 1.0 Team: 4.0, Opponents: 3.0 Rushing No. Yds Avg Long TD E.James 26 100 3.8 10 0 T.Hightower 8 13 1.6 5 1 K.Warner 5-4 -0.8 0 0 Team 39 109 2.8 10 1 Opponents 20 108 5.4 41t 1 Receiving No. Yds Avg Long TD A.Boldin 8 82 10.3 18 0 S.Breaston 3 54 18.0 40 0 L.Fitzgerald 3 31 10.3 21 1 T.Hightower 3 21 7.0 12 0 L.Pope 1 5 5.0 5 0 T.Castille 1 4 4.0 4 0 Team 19 197 10.4 40 1 Opponents 14 195 13.9 37 0 Interceptions No. Yds Avg Long TD A.Wilson 1 28 28.0 28 0 Team 1 28 28.0 28 0 Punting No Yds Avg Net TB In Lg B D.Johnson 4 180 45.0 45.0 0 2 59 0 Team 4 180 45.0 45.0 0 2 59 0 Opponents 2 87 43.5 35.0 0 0 49 0 Punt Returns Ret FC Yds Avg Long TD S.Breaston 1 1 17 17.0 17 0 Team 1 1 17 17.0 17 0 Opponents 0 1 0 0 0 0 Kickoff Returns No. Yds Avg Long TD S.Breaston 3 39 13.0 19 0 Team 3 39 13.0 19 0 Opponents 4 64 16.0 44 0 Field Goals 1-19 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ N.Rackers 0/ 0 1/ 1 2/ 3 0/ 0 0/ 0 Team 0/ 0 1/ 1 2/ 3 0/ 0 0/ 0 Opponents 0/ 0 0/ 0 2/ 2 0/ 0 0/ 0 Fumbles Lost Opponent Fumble Recoveries: M.Ware 1, A.Smith 1, T.LaBoy 1, K.Dansby 1 Total: 4 Passing Att Cmp Yds Cmp% Yds/Att TD TD% Int Int% Long Sack Lost Rating K.Warner 30 19 197 63.3% 6.6 1 3.3% 0 0.0% 40 3/ 21 93.3 Team 30 19 197 63.3% 6.6 1 3.3% 0 0.0% 40 3/ 21 93.3 Opponents 20 14 195 70.0% 9.8 0 0.0% 1 5.0% 37 4/ 12 80.2 Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 18 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
Arizona Cardinals 2008 Defensive Statistics (based on coaches film review) QB QB SPECIAL TEAMS Name TT UT AT TFL Sacks/Yds INT PD FF FR PRS HITS TT UT AT FF FR BP/K Gerald Hayes 8 5 3 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - Antrel Rolle 7 2 5-1/1 - - - - - - - - - - - - Karlos Dansby 7 7 - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - Darnell Dockett 5 3 2 - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - Adrian Wilson 5 4 1 - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - Travis LaBoy 3 3 - - 2/5 - - 1 1 - - - - - - - - Aaron Francisco 3 1 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Chike Okeafor 3 1 2 - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - Bertrand Berry 2 1 1-1/6 - - 1-1 - - - - - - - Bryan Robinson 2 1 1 - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - Eric Green 2 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rod Hood 2 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Clark Haggans 2 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Kenny Iwebema 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Calais Campbell 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Antonio Smith 1-1 - - - - - 1 1 - - - - - - - Matt Ware - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - 1 - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - - - - - - 2 - - - - 1 1 - - - - Neil Rackers - - - - - - - - - - - 1-1 - - - Jerheme Urban - - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - - Miscellaneous: Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 19 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
Arizona Cardinals The Last Time RUSHING 200 Yards Rushing By Cardinals: 214 by LeShon Johnson at New Orleans, Sept. 22, 1996 By Opponent: 228 by Clinton Portis at Denver, Dec. 29, 2002 150 Yards Rushing By Cardinals: 165, Marcel Shipp vs. San Francisco, Oct. 26, 2003 (35 att.) By Opponent: 173, Shaun Alexander vs. Seattle, Nov. 6, 2005 (23 att.) 100 Yards Rushing By Cardinals: 100, Edgerrin James, at San Francisco, Sept. 7, 2008 (26 att.) By Opponent: 116, Frank Gore, vs. San Francisco, Nov. 25, 2007 (21 att.) Two 100-Yard Rushers By Cardinals: 126 yards, Ottis Anderson/102 yards, Wayne Morris at New Orleans, Oct. 5, 1980 By Opponent: 106 yards, Ahman Green/101 yards Vernand Morency at Green Bay, Oct. 29, 2006 Three Rushing Touchdowns By Cardinals: Marcel Shipp at St. Louis, Dec. 3, 2006 (1, 6, 9 yards) By Opponent: Shaun Alexander (4) at Seattle, Sept. 25, 2005 (25, 1, 1, 1 yards) Two Rushing Touchdowns By Cardinals: Marcel Shipp (3) at St. Louis, Dec. 3, 2006 (1, 6, 9 yards) By Opponent: Aaron Stecker at New Orleans, Dec. 16, 2007 (1, 6 yards) PASSING 500 Yards Passing By Cardinals: 522 by Boomer Esiason at Washington, Nov. 10, 1996-OT (35 comp., 59 att.) By Opponent: Never happened 400 Yards Passing By Cardinals: 484 by Kurt Warner vs. San Francisco, Nov. 25, 2007 (34 comp., 48 att.) By Opponent: 417 by Tim Rattay at San Francisco, Oct. 10, 2004 (38 comp., 57 att.) 300 Yards Passing By Cardinals: 300 by Kurt Warner vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (23 comp., 39 att.) By Opponent: 315 by Chris Redman vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 (28 comp., 42 att.) Six Touchdown Passes By Cardinals: Charley Johnson vs. New Orleans, Nov. 2, 1969 By Opponent: Bob Griese vs. Miami, Nov. 24, 1977 Five Touchdown Passes By Cardinals: Charley Johnson (6) vs. New Orleans, Nov. 2, 1969 By Opponent: Bob Griese (6) vs. Miami, Nov. 24, 1977 Four Touchdown Passes By Cardinals: Jake Plummer vs. Detroit, Nov. 18, 2001 By Opponent: Matt Hasselbeck at Seattle, Dec. 9, 2007 (7, 15, 17, 3) Three Touchdown Passes By Cardinals: Kurt Warner vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (21, 6, 20 yards) By Opponent: Matt Hasselbeck at Seattle, Dec. 9, 2007 (7, 15, 17, 3 yards) RECEIVING 200 Yards Receiving By Cardinals: 217, Anquan Boldin at Detroit, Sept. 7, 2003 (10 receptions, 2 TD) By Opponent: 203, Kevin Williams vs. Dallas, Dec. 24, 1995 (9 rec.) 150 Yards Receiving By Cardinals: 171, Larry Fitzgerald vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (11 rec., 2 TD) By Opponent: 162, Eric Johnson at San Francisco, Oct. 10, 2004 (13 rec., TD) Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 20 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
100 Yards Receiving By Cardinals: 171, Larry Fitzgerald vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (11 rec., 2 TD) By Opponent: 141, Roddy White vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 (12 rec.), 114, Laurent Robinson vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 (7 rec., TD) Two 100-Yard Receivers By Cardinals: 172, Larry Fitzgerald (11 rec.); 140, Anquan Boldin (9 rec.) at Minnesota, Nov. 26, 2006 By Opponent: 141, Roddy White vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 (12 rec.), 114, Laurent Robinson vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 (7 rec., TD) Four Receiving Touchdowns By Cardinals: J.T. Smith at Washington, Oct. 8, 1989 By Opponent: Earnest Gray vs. N.Y. Giants, Sept. 7, 1980 Three Receiving Touchdowns By Cardinals: Rob Moore vs. Washington, Dec. 7, 1997 (4, 29, 47 yards) By Opponent: Roy Williams at Detroit, Nov. 13, 2005 (7, 21, 29 yards) Two Receiving Touchdowns By Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (21, 6 yards) By Opponent: Roy Williams vs. Detroit, Nov. 11, 2007 (7, 7 yards) 10 or More Receptions in a Game By Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (11 for 171 yards, 2 TD) By Opponent: Roddy White vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 (12 for 141 yards) COMBOS 100-Yard Rusher/100-Yard Receiver By Cardinals: Edgerrin James, 102 yards rushing/larry Fitzgerald, 171 yards receiving vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 By Opponent: DeAngelo Williams, 121 yards rushing/steve Smith, 136 yards receiving vs. Carolina, Oct. 14, 2007. 100-Yard Rusher/Two 100-Yard Receivers By Cardinals: Johnny Johnson, 103 yards rushing/ernie Jones, 117 yards receiving/roy Green, 120 yards receiving vs. Green Bay, Nov. 18, 1990 By Opponent: Robert Smith, 117 yards rushing/cris Carter, 119 yards receiving/randy Moss, 104 yards receiving at Minnesota, Nov. 12, 2000 100-Yard Rusher/100-Yard Receiver/300- Yard Passer By Cardinals: Edgerrin James, 102 yards rushing/larry Fitzgerald, 171 yards receiving/kurt Warner 300 yards passing vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 By Opponent: Marshall Faulk, 100 yards rushing/torry Holt, 145 yards receiving/marc Bulger 329 yards passing vs. St. Louis, Nov. 23, 2003 Two 100-Yard Receivers/300-Yard Passer By Cardinals: 172, Larry Fitzgerald; 140 Anquan Boldin; 405, Matt Leinart at Minnesota, Nov. 26, 2006. By Opponent: 141, Roddy White; 114, Laurent Robinson; 315 Chris Redman vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 SCORING Four Total Touchdowns By Cardinals: Ronald Moore vs. L.A. Rams, Dec. 5, 1993 (4 rush) By Opponent: Shaun Alexander at Seattle, Sept. 25, 2005 (4 rush) Three Total Touchdowns By Cardinals: Marcel Shipp at St. Louis, Dec. 3, 2006 (3 rush) By Opponent: Roy Williams at Detroit, Nov. 13, 2005 (3 rec.) Two-Point Conversion By Cardinals: Obafemi Ayanbadejo run at San Francisco, Dec. 4, 2005 By Opponent: Kellen Winslow reception vs. Cleveland, Dec. 2, 2007 Safety By Cardinals: Gerald Hayes blocked Donnie Jones punt out of end zone vs. Seattle, Oct. 24, 2004. Ball goes out of the endzone. By Opponent: Mitch Berger pushed out of endzone at Seattle, Dec. 9, 2007. KICKING Six Field Goals By Cardinals: Neil Rackers vs. San Francisco, Oct. 2, 2005 (40, 45, 48, 23, 43, 24 yards) By Opponent: Has Never Happened Five Field Goals By Cardinals: Neil Rackers vs. San Francisco., Oct. 2, 2005 (40, 45, 48, 23, 43, 24 yards) By Opponent: Morten Andersen at Atlanta, Oct. 1, 2006 (34, 40, 36, 26, 28 yards) Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 21 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
Four Field Goals By Cardinals: Neil Rackers at San Francisco, Dec. 24, 2006 (25, 39, 37, 32 yards) By Opponent: John Kasay vs. Carolina, Oct. 14, 2007 (33, 43, 24, 45 yards) Three Field Goals By Cardinals: Neil Rackers at San Francisco, Sept. 7, 2008 (25, 31, 30 yards) By Opponent: John Kasay vs. Carolina, Oct. 14, 2007 (33, 43, 24, 45 yards) Missed Point-After-Touchdown By Cardinals: Neil Rackers at Washington, Oct. 21, 2007 (blocked) By Opponent: Josh Brown vs. Seattle, Nov. 6, 2005 (blocked) Blocked Punt By Cardinals: Sean Morey vs. Seattle, Sept. 16, 2007 (Ryan Plackemeier punt) By Opponent: DeDe Dorsey at Cincinnati, 11/18/07 (Mike Barr punt) Blocked Punt Return For Touchdown By Cardinals: Tommy Bennett at Washington, Sept. 14, 1997 (Matt Turk punt, blocked by J.J. McCleskey, recovered by Bennett in end zone) By Opponent: DeDe Dorsey at Cincinnati, 11/18/07 (Mike Barr punt, returned 19 yards) Blocked Field Goal Attempt By Cardinals: Calvin Pace at Seattle, Sept. 17, 2006 (Josh Brown 30-yard attempt) By Opponent: Adam Carriker vs. St. Louis, Oct. 7, 1999 (Neil Rackers 39-yard attempt) Blocked Field Goal Attempt For Touchdown By Cardinals: Aeneas Williams (Seth Joyner block) at Carolina, Nov. 19, 1995, 72 yards (John Kasay kick) By Opponent: Mike Bass (Verlon Biggs block) at Washington, Sept. 24, 1972, 32 yards (Jim Bakken kick) RETURNS Punt Return For Touchdown By Cardinals: Steve Breaston vs. Pittsburgh, Sept. 30, 2007, 73 yards (Daniel Sepulveda punt) By Opponent: Yamon Figurs at Baltimore, Sept. 23, 2007, 75 yards (Mike Barr punt) Kickoff Return For Touchdown By Cardinals: J.J. Arrington at Minnesota, Nov. 26, 2006, 99 yards (Ryan Longwell kickoff) By Opponent: Antonio Brown vs. Washington Redskins, Dec. 11, 2005, 91 yards (Nick Novak kickoff) Interception Return For Touchdown By Cardinals: Antrel Rolle vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (47 yards, Marc Bulger pass), Gerald Hayes vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (30 yards, Gus Frerotte pass. By Opponent: Oshiomogho Atogwe vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 (52 yards, Kurt Warner pass). Fumble Return For Touchdown By Cardinals: Antonio Smith vs. Denver, Dec. 17, 2006, 4 yards (Tatum Bell fumble) By Opponent: Tully Banta-Cain vs. San Francisco, Nov. 25, 2007, recovered in end zone (Kurt Warner fumble) DEFENSE Four Interceptions By Cardinals: Kwamie Lassiter vs. San Diego, Dec. 27, 1998 By Opponent: Never has happened Three Interceptions By Cardinals: Antrel Rolle at Cincinnati, Nov. 18, 2007 By Opponent: Marcus Trufant at Seattle, Dec. 9, 2007 Two Interceptions By Cardinals: Antrel Rolle vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 By Opponent: Marcus Trufant at Seattle, Dec. 9, 2007 Two Interceptions By Teammates By Cardinals: At Washington, Oct. 16, 1994 (Aeneas Williams and James Williams) By Opponent: At Baltimore, Nov. 16, 1978 (Bobby Boyd and Lenny Lyles) Four Quarterback Sacks By Cardinals: Bertrand Berry vs. New York Giants, Nov. 14, 2004 By Opponent: Never has happened Three Quarterback Sacks By Cardinals: Bertrand Berry at Oakland, Oct. 22, 2006 By Opponent: Patrick Kearney at Seattle, Dec. 9, 2007 Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 22 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
Two QB Sacks By Teammates By Cardinals: vs. Philadelphia, Dec. 24, 2005 (Adrian Wilson and Chike Okeafor) By Opponent: vs. New England, Sept. 19, 2004 (Rodney Harrison and Willie McGinest) Two Opponent Fumble Recoveries By Cardinals: Renaldo Hill at Carolina, Oct. 6, 2002 By Opponent: Rod Coleman at Atlanta, Oct. 1, 2006 TEAM SCORING 50 Points Scored By Team By Cardinals: St. Louis 56 at Minnesota 14, Oct. 6, 1963 By Opponent: At San Francisco 50, Arizona 14, Dec. 7, 2003 40 Points Scored By Cardinals: At Arizona 48, St. Louis 19, Dec. 30, 2007 By Opponent: At Seattle 42, Arizona 21, Dec. 9, 2007 20 First-Quarter Points By Cardinals: 21 vs. San Francisco, Sept. 10, 2006 By Opponent: 21 at Denver, Dec. 29, 2002 20 Second-Quarter Points By Cardinals: 21 vs. St. Louis, Dec. 30, 2007 By Opponent: 24 at Houston, Dec. 18, 2005 20 Third-Quarter Points By Cardinals: 20 vs. N.Y. Giants, Dec. 15, 1974 By Opponent: 21 at New York Giants, Sept. 11, 2005 20 Fourth-Quarter Points By Cardinals: 22 at St. Louis, Nov. 20, 2005 By Opponent: 21 at Buffalo, Oct. 31, 2004 30 One-Half Points By Cardinals: 31 in second half vs. Detroit, Nov. 18, 2001 By Opponent: 35 in second half at New York Giants, Sept. 11, 2005 Score Touchdown In Each Quarter By Cardinals: at St. Louis, Dec. 3, 2006 (7, 10, 7, 10 points) By Opponent: vs. San Francisco, Nov. 25, 2007 (7, 10, 7, 7 points) OFFENSE 500 Yards Total Offense By Cardinals: 552 vs. San Francisco, Nov. 25, 2007 By Opponent: 520 vs. Oakland, Nov. 24, 2002 No Sacks/No Interceptions Allowed By Cardinals: vs. Atlanta, Dec. 23, 2007 By Opponent: vs. Dallas, Nov. 12, 2006 DEFENSE Shutout By Cardinals: At Arizona 19, N.Y. Giants 0, Dec. 12, 1992 By Opponent: vs. Seattle 38, Cardinals 0, Sept. 14, 2003 Shutout At Home By Cardinals: Cardinals 19, N.Y. Giants 0, Dec. 12, 1992 By Opponent: at New England 31, Cardinals 0, Sept. 15, 1996 Shutout On The Road By Cardinals: Cardinals 38, at Dallas 0, Nov. 16, 1970 By Opponent: vs. Seattle, 38, Cardinals 0, Sept. 14, 2003 MISCELLANEOUS Overtime Win At Home By Cardinals: Dec. 23, 2007 vs. Atlanta, 30 27 By Opponent: Oct. 10, 2004 vs. San Francisco, 31 28 OT Overtime Win On The Road By Cardinals: Dec. 2, 2001 at Oakland, 34 31 By Opponent: Dec. 12, 2004 vs. San Francisco, 31 28 OT 10 Or More Penalties By Cardinals: 10, Dec. 16, 2007 at New Orleans (78 yards) By Opponent: 10, Dec. 23, 2007 vs. Atlanta (74 yards) Tie Game By Cardinals: Dec. 7, 1986 at Philadelphia, 10 10 Over 40:00 Time of Possession (Non-OT) By Cardinals: 41:31 vs. Cincinnati, Dec. 18, 1994 By Opponent: 43:07 at Tampa Bay, Nov. 4, 2007 Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 23 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
at San Fran. Miami at Washington at New York Jets Arizona Cardinals 2008 Participation Buffalo Dallas at Carolina GP/GS/DNP/IA No. Player 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Total 27 Adams, Michael PS N/A 28 Arrington, J.J. IA 0-0-0-1 62 Banks, Jason PS N/A 52 Beisel, Monty P 1-0-0-0 92 Berry, Bertrand P 1-0-0-0 81 Boldin, Anquan WR 1-1-0-0 78 Branch, Alan IAJ 0-0-0-1 15 Breaston, Steve P 1-0-0-0 61 Brown, Elton P 1-0-0-0 75 Brown, Levi RT 1-1-0-0 20 Brown, Ralph P 1-0-0-0 93 Campbell, Calais P 1-0-0-0 43 Castaneda, Eduardo PS N/A 46 Castille, Tim P 1-0-0-0 35 Celestin, Oliver - 0-0-0-0 58 Dansby, Karlos WLB 1-1-0-0 90 Dockett, Darnell DT 1-1-0-0 80 Doucet, Early IA 0-0-0-1 73 Dykes, Keilen PS N/A 11 Fitzgerald, Larry WR 1-1-0-0 47 Francisco, Aaron P 1-0-0-0 23 Fontenot, Wilrey PS N/A 69 Gandy, Mike LT 1-1-0-0 25 Green, Eric RCB 1-1-0-0 53 Haggans, Clark P 1-0-0-0 54 Hayes, Gerald MLB 1-1-0-0 95 Highsmith, Ali P 1-0-0-0 34 Hightower, Tim P 1-0-0-0 48 Hodel, Nathan P 1-0-0-0 26 Hood, Roderick LCB 1-1-0-0 91 Iwebema, Kenny P 1-0-0-0 32 James, Edgerrin RB 1-1-0-0 50 Johnson, Al IR N/A 9 Johnson, Dirk P 1-0-0-0 86 Jones, Onrea PS N/A 72 Keith, Brandon IA 0-0-0-1 55 LaBoy, Travis DE 1-1-0-0 7 Leinart, Matt DNP 0-0-1-0 19 Long, Lance PS N/A 76 Lutui, Deuce RG 1-1-0-0 87 Morey, Sean P 1-0-0-0 56 Okeafor, Chike SLB 1-1-0-0 89 Patrick, Ben TE 1-1-0-0 64 Peters, Scott IR N/A 82 Pope, Leonard TE 1-1-0-0 1 Rackers, Neil P 1-0-0-0 97 Robinson, Bryan NT 1-1-0-0 29 Rodgers-Cromartie, Dominique P 1-0-0-0 21 Rolle, Antrel FS 1-1-0-0 70 Ross, Pat DNP 0-0-1-0 63 Sendlein, Lyle C 1-1-0-0 94 Smith, Antonio DE 1-1-0-0 45 Smith, Terrelle P 1-0-0-0 2 St. Pierre, Brian IA 0-0-0-1 84 Tuman, Jerame IAJ 0-0-0-1 85 Urban, Jerheme P 1-0-0-0 68 Vallejo, Elliot DNP 0-0-1-0 22 Ware, Matt P 1-0-0-0 13 Warner, Kurt QB 1-1-0-0 98 Watson, Gabe IAJ 0-0-0-1 74 Wells, Reggie LG 1-1-0-0 24 Wilson, Adrian SS 1-1-0-0 at St. Louis P-Played, Position-Started, INJ-Injured, DNP-Did Not Play, IA-Inactive, IAJ-Inactive/Injured, IR-Injured Reserve, PS-Practice Squad, PUP-Physically Unable to perform list, SUS-NFL Suspension, NFI-Reserve/Non-Football Injury, RE-Roster Exemption San Fran. at Seattle New York Giants at Philadelphia St. Louis Minnesota at New England Seattle Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 24 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
Arizona Cardinals 2008 Starters OFFENSE Opponent, Date WR LT LG C RG RT TE WR QB RB TE at SF, Sep. 7 Boldin Gandy Wells Sendlein Lutui L. Brown Pope Fitzgerald Warner James Patrick Miami, Sep. 14 at Washington, Sep. 21 at NYJ, Sep. 28 Buffalo, Oct. 5 Dallas, Oct. 12 at Carolina, Oct. 26 at St. Louis, Nov. 2 SF, Nov. 10 at Seattle, Nov. 16 NYG, Nov. 23 at Philadelphia, Nov. 27 St. Louis, Dec. 7 Minnesota, Dec. 14 at New England, Dec. 21 Seattle, Dec. 28 DEFENSE Opponent, Date LE NT DT RE SLB MLB WLB LCB RCB SS FS at SF, Sep. 7 Smith Robinson Dockett LaBoy Okeafor Hayes Dansby Hood Green Wilson Rolle Miami, Sep. 14 at Washington, Sep. 21 at NYJ, Sep. 28 Buffalo, Oct. 5 Dallas, Oct. 12 at Carolina, Oct. 26 at St. Louis, Nov. 2 SF, Nov. 10 at Seattle, Nov. 16 NYG, Nov. 23 at Philadelphia, Nov. 27 St. Louis, Dec. 7 Minnesota, Dec. 14 at New England, Dec. 21 Seattle, Dec. 28 at SF, Sep. 7 RB J.J. Arrington DT Alan Branch WR Early Doucet T Brandon Keith QB Brian St. Pierre (3rd QB) TE Jerame Tuman DT Gabe Watson Only 52 players on roster 2008 Arizona Cardinals Inactives Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 25 of 31 www.azcardinals.com
Roster By Postion No. Name Pos. College Ht. Wt. Age NFL Exp. Defensive Tackles (4) 78 Alan Branch DT Michigan 6-5 332 23 2 90 Darnell Dockett DT Florida State 6-4 285 27 5 97 Bryan Robinson DE Fresno State 6-4 304 34 12 98 Gabe Watson DT Michigan 6-3 332 24 3 Defensive Ends (5) 92 Bertrand Berry DE Notre Dame 6-3 260 33 11 93 Calais Campbell DE Miami 6-8 282 22 R 91 Kenny Iwebema DE Iowa 6-4 274 23 R 55 Travis LaBoy DE Hawaii 6-3 250 27 5 94 Antonio Smith DE Oklahoma State 6-4 285 26 5 Linebackers (6) 52 Monty Beisel MLB Kansas State 6-3 244 30 8 58 Karlos Dansby LB Auburn 6-4 250 26 5 53 Clark Haggans LB Colorado State 6-4 243 31 9 54 Gerald Hayes MLB Pittsburgh 6-1 249 27 6 95 Ali Highsmith LB LSU 6-1 223 23 R 56 Chike Okeafor LB Purdue 6-5 247 32 10 Cornerbacks (4) 20 Ralph Brown CB Nebraska 5-10 185 29 9 25 Eric Green CB Virginia Tech 5-11 196 26 4 26 Roderick Hood CB Auburn 5-11 198 26 6 29 D. Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State 6-2 182 22 R Safeties (5) 35 Oliver Celestin SS Texas Southern 6-0 207 27 5 47 Aaron Francisco S Brigham Young 6-2 207 25 4 21 Antrel Rolle FS Miami 6-0 208 25 4 22 Matt Ware S UCLA 6-2 215 25 5 24 Adrian Wilson SS North Carolina State 6-3 230 28 8 Long Snapper (1) 48 Nathan Hodel LS Illinois 6-2 238 30 7 Punter (1) 9 Dirk Johnson P Northern Colorado 6-0 210 33 6 Kicker (1) 1 Neil Rackers K Illinois 6-1 202 32 9 Offensive Line (9) 61 Elton Brown G/T Virginia 6-5 332 26 4 75 Levi Brown T Penn State 6-5 322 24 2 69 Mike Gandy T Notre Dame 6-4 316 29 8 72 Brandon Keith T Northern Iowa 6-5 343 23 R 76 Deuce Lutui G USC 6-4 332 25 3 70 Pat Ross C Boston College 6-3 300 25 1 63 Lyle Sendlein C Texas 6-2 300 24 2 68 Elliott Vallejo T Cal-Davis 6-7 312 24 1 74 Reggie Wells G Clarion (PA) 6-4 308 27 6 Tight Ends (3) 89 Ben Patrick TE Delaware 6-3 260 24 2 82 Leonard Pope TE Georgia 6-8 258 24 3 84 Jerame Tuman TE Michigan 6-4 253 32 10 Running Backs (5) 28 J.J. Arrington RB California 5-9 212 25 4 46 Tim Castille FB Alabama 5-11 242 24 2 34 Tim Hightower RB Richmond 6-0 224 22 R 32 Edgerrin James RB Miami 6-0 219 30 10 45 Terrelle Smith FB Arizona State 6-0 250 30 9 Wide Receivers (6) 81 Anquan Boldin WR Florida State 6-1 217 27 6 15 Steve Breaston WR Michigan 6-0 189 25 2 80 Early Doucet WR LSU 6-0 211 22 R 11 Larry Fitzgerald WR Pittsburgh 6-3 220 25 5 87 Sean Morey WR Brown 5-11 193 32 7 85 Jerheme Urban WR Trinity 6-3 207 27 5 Quarterbacks (3) 7 Matt Leinart QB USC 6-5 232 25 3 2 Brian St. Pierre QB Boston College 6-3 230 28 6 13 Kurt Warner QB Northern Iowa 6-2 218 37 11 Cardinals vs. Dolphins Page 26 of 31 www.azcardinals.com