While waiting to hear about a key part of the Cardinals offense, here's a closer look at the defense the Panthers face Saturday.
We mentioned the Cards D this morning, and consider this nugget: Arizona held Atlanta to only 60 yards on the ground. Led by Michael Turner, the Falcons were the NFL's second-best rushing team during the regular season, averaging 152.7 yards a game. Against Arizona, they managed 2.5 yards a carry on 24 carries.
Of course, DeAngelo Williams ran for 108 yards when the Panthers beat the Cardinals 27-23 earlier this season, and he's even hotter now. Plus, the Panthers didn't have offensive tackle Jeff Otah and center Ryan Kalil for that game. Maybe a healthy line and a dominant D-lo -- plus that Panthers' home magic -- will do what the Falcons couldn't last weekend.
Even so, Fox and Co. can't ignore the Cards' clampdown on Turner. And if the Panthers take to the air, they face a D that delivered three sacks and two interceptions last week. No question Carolina will remain a heavy favorite, but the Cardinals already surprised one NFC South team this month.
UPDATE from St. Onge, 2:38 p.m.: A clue to the Cards' success on D? Defensive end Betrand Berry told Dan Patrick on his radio show today that Atlanta QB Matt Ryan didn't change his snap count all game Saturday. The Cards were able to time the snaps and get a great jump off the line, Berry said.
Not the kind of thing your coach wants you telling the nation (and your next opponent).
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Atlanta doesn't have the O-Line that the Panthers do. So long as the O-line and the D-line of the Panthers play well, this game shouldn't be much of a worry.
ReplyDeleteWill the real Jeff George please stand up?
ReplyDeleteMy only for the Panthers is how well Jake controls the game, and how well our can with Arizona's wideouts.
ReplyDeleteGO CARDINALS!!!
ReplyDeleteWHOOP UP ON THEM KITTIES!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteLOLOL right on!! panthers suck!
ReplyDeleteGo away, Cowboy fan! 44-9....enuf said:)
ReplyDeleteI love all of the haters that are so depressed that their team sucks and isn't one of the final 8 teams left in the NFL, that they feel the need to come on here and talk trash about the Panthers. People have been hating on the Panthers all year. This is our year.....better yet, it's Jerry Richardson's year. GO PANTHERS!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's right..I loved the team when they were 1-15 and love them now during playoffs. Our team is the HEART and soul of Jerry Richardson and they are IN IT TO WIN IT!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah...Turner was #2 and DWil was #3 in the league in rushing, correct? I had high hopes for DWil after the WAS preseason game. He certainly hasn't disappointed. The real question is the ARI D line. With Watson back in the lineup the 3-4 was 'better'. No one expects them to win anyway - +10 already? Please... - so why should they have any pressure. They played well in CLT this year already, and have to be at least as comfortable with the matchup as all of the Panther fans who are already punching their tix for the NFC Championship game...
ReplyDeletePeople are actually Cards fans? Evidently poorly schooled fans anyway (see comments calling us "fk azz"). Aren't you supposed to be in remedial english class right now?
ReplyDeleteYou didn't win last time and you won't win this time either. Hope you enjoyed your few moments in the sun after 60 some odd years cause it's a long plane ride back to Arizona as losers.
Stay in your trailers come Saturday. The Cardinals will handle your little team quite easily. When we are focused, we can't be beat. Your nice little playoff game will be over in a blur so make sure your buy a momento from the game. Of course if you wait until after the game you can but Carolina stuff for half price. Arizona 42 - Carolina 16. I would like to say it will be a close game, but your team tends to lay down when it goes down by two scores.
ReplyDeleteGet your Panther banners...half price...all year long!
ReplyDeleteMoron...our team lays down when down by two scores? Weren't we down by two scores when we came back to beat your very same Cards? How does your team do when it comes east anyway? Know your stuff before you come on here talking trash loser.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of over confident cards fans all over this board and others. They win one playoff game and now they are the best team ever. 42-16 are you f'n kidding me you tool. The Panthers are very stong and coming off of a bye week all rested up to kick the hell out of the Cards. Get you bags ready you will be ashamed that you ever believed in the Cards. Panthers by 10 and more if the D scores some points. GO PANTHERS!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteCats are going to feast on lil' birdies from Arizona...hahaha lol @ anonymous Birdies fans here.
ReplyDeleteGet your Panthers banner half price? Ha ha ha. At least you'd be paying for it. Cards fans have to pay someone to take their trash.
ReplyDeleteCats are going to feast on lil' birdies from Arizona...hahaha lol @ anonymous Birdies fans here.Cats are going to feast on lil' birdies from Arizona...hahaha lol @ anonymous Birdies fans here.Cats are going to feast on lil' birdies from Arizona...hahaha lol @ anonymous Birdies fans here.
ReplyDeleteI think the general population is greatly underestimating carolina panthers offense.. especially the ground game. Really, no one is talking about how carolina put up 30 points in 3 quarters against the giants.. that should scare you right there.
ReplyDeleteArizona got lucky and they ran with it with the snap count.... dont expect that with the panthers. Oh and i am sure we shall have something special for Kurt warner. This is one matchup the cardinals didnt want to have.
Nick from
www.carolinapanthersblog.com
carolina panthers blog
last1, you're right this time, if the Cards make some TO's then they'll get run out of BofA...no question. The two in the October game were horrible, with the late INT going in for a score being the killer. Don't fall into the trap of underestimating the Cards tho. Wiz has made some interesting changes and this team is playing well. I'm obviously a Cards fan, but I've been to 4 or 5 Panther's games for the each of the last 4 years. Went to school at Utah so I like the roster. Anyone who believes that either of these teams has an overwhelming advantage is just off base. This one will likely be close.
ReplyDeleteWOW! There are a lot of confident Arizona fans on this board. I guess time will tell; if you are TRUE AZ fans, do you travel to watch your team play? TRUE fans will.... The fact that some blow-hard predicts an average and over-achieving Cards team will beat the Panthers, in a divisional playoff game by 26, shows pure ignorance. Stop drinking the kool-aid and pay attention to professional football. You lost 4 of your last 6 games! Claim that they were resting their players.....you play in the WEAKEST division in all of football!!!! Get over yourself! Panthers - 31 Cards - 20
ReplyDeleteIt might be worth noting that Michael Turner was dealing with some baby mama drama earlier last week. He wasn't arrested, but police were called to his house to respond to a domestic dispute Monday.
ReplyDeletecards fans are cowboy fans who become cards fans when the cowboys lose...ever watch a dallas/arizona AT ARIZONA?...absolutely hilarious...85% cowboy fans to 15% cardinal fans for those games...cards are a step-child team that no one likes or cares about
ReplyDeleteWhen is the last time the Cards beat the Panthers?
ReplyDeletethey havent beat us since 2002...weve won the past FIVE in a row...and that game that they beat us in 2002 they won on some fluke plays in the last 2 min of the game....been complete domination ever since
ReplyDeletehere is a link for espn for voting on the matchups...panthers are up in just about every category...
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/poll/index?pCat=46&sCat=300
didnt carolina break kurt warners arm a few seasons ago.. then yall realized leinhart sucked so you had to put the old man back in..tell kurt it was fun but he needs to go back to the areana league.
ReplyDeleteI know Vinny Testeverde beat the Cards last year.
ReplyDeleteit will be a great game. i dont expect the panthers to underestimate the cards, but i think its gonna be close at the end.
ReplyDelete"I would like to say it will be a close game, but your team tends to lay down when it goes down by two scores."
ReplyDeletecorrect me if im wrong but werent the cardinals beating us by 2 scores and we came back and handed them a big fat "L"? same with the bears in week 2. might want to check your facts.
CARDIAC CATS
ReplyDeletei dont understand why the letdown when the cards travel east, but hopefully that wont happen this trip. boldins availability for the game will have a big impact on the cards gameplanning, but remember the cards were beating the panthers entering the 4th quarter before blowing the game, so they know they can compete with the panthers.
ReplyDeleteI wish the Panthers played in the NFC West. We'd be 14-2
ReplyDeleteCardinals season ticket holder here for the last 15 years. I don't think we Cards fans are over confident at all...but this is the matchup we wanted for two reasons... first we matchup better against the Panthers than the Giants, and second, this was the scenario we needed to still potentially host the NFC Championship. I think Philly will knock the Giants out. Having said that, I think it will only be natural for the Panthers' players and fans to underestimate the Big Red. I mean you guys are playing at home, and after all we are still the Carindals for Christsakes. But this Cardinals team loves to play with a chip on their shoulder and they love to prove naysayers wrong. I think the Cards win a close one 31 - 27.
ReplyDeletethe guy that said 85% to 15% cowboys fans to cards fans doesnt know what hes talking about. cards fans are NEVER outnumbered....at most 70-30 Cards fans to cowboys. im a season ticket holder, i know.
ReplyDeleteidk about charlotte, but everybody wants to live in Phoenix...they move here from all over.
a real fan goes to those games where the opposing team has fans showing up and gives it their all in the face of adversity. cards fans have the toughest skin in the league.
we respect you, but we think we CAN win. we should have beat you earlier, but we beat ourselves.
we arent that same team anymore.
oh and by the way....youll see some red in the stadium.
to the guy above who says I dont know what I am talking about...here is an article that was written about it....how the cardinals tried to come up with some elaborate plan to keep out dallas fans because there arent enough card fans...read and weeeep HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/New-ticket-plan-aims-to-keep-Dallas-fans-out-of-?urn=nfl,94980
your the one who doesnt know what your talking about!!!!
also...you clowns couldnt even sell out your first playoff game in FOREVER on time...the NFL had to give you guys special permission and your game SHOULD have been blacked out!!!! YOU KNOW YOUR BAD WHEN YOU CANT SELL OUT A HOME PLAYOFF GAME ON TIME....here is the link
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/sports/football/03tickets.html
Its not that there aren't enough Cards fans, just would be hard for any team to keep the Cowboys fans out when you're two hours away from the Mexican border. You should know that, ese.
ReplyDeleteCats are going to feast on lil' birdies from Arizona...hahaha lol @ anonymous Birdies fans here.
ReplyDeleteDie Hard Cards Fan since '88
ReplyDeleteThe cards shouldn't win this game (weather, 10 pt dogs, east coast road game, etc), however they are talented enough to win. Our coaching is very savvy and could be a difference maker.
We'll see Saturday night...go red birds!
Charlotte will be so loud Sat., the Curds won't be able to think straight.
ReplyDeleteA Solid Squad, however.......
ReplyDeleteThe Cards are an average team in a poor division. And I'm not knocking them, they won their division.
However, the rest of the NFC west all finished below .500. I wasn't surprised that the Cards beat the Falcons. Atlanta surprised everyone in the NFL, call it luck or flying under the radar. Most teams figured that a game against the Falcons represented an easy win and were under prepared. Not to knock the Falcons, a great season for them, indeed.
But the Carolina Panthers are a very different team than the one in week 8.
The Panthers have improved at offensive line and in the running game. That's a scary thought for any team in the Playoffs.
The Panthers will win by 8 points, take that to the bank!
Big AL
Panther players are going to feel like they are still in their bye week playing their PS3 games. Bye week=sleeping panthers.
ReplyDeleteGo Cards!