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NFLweek 8 Power Rankings: Defense gives Cardinals extra lift
Many thought it would happen again this season to the Super loser in NFL week 8, the Arizona Cardinals -- the depression of getting so close, only to lose, somehow ruining the next season.
When the Cardinals lost their home opener to the San Francisco 49ers, the vultures circled like they were road kill, ready to pick the carcass bare. Guess this bird wasn't dead after all. The Cardinals went to New York and beat the Giants on Sunday night, putting Arizona at 3-0 on the road this season and allowing it to take over the top spot in the NFC West.
The interesting thing is that this Cardinals team is doing it a different way than we've come to expect. It is winning with defense. The team that went to the Super Bowl last year was a high-flying offensive show that featured Kurt Warner throwing to Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. The defense was that other side of the ball. Now the Cardinals are tied for seventh in the league in points allowed, giving up 18.2 per game.
The key? Stopping the run. Arizona is first against the run, with teams averaging 67.5 yards per game. That number could be misleading because the Cardinals have been way ahead in three games, forcing the opposition to pass in scramble mode, so the per-carry average is the important number. Arizona tops that category as well, giving up 3.0 yards per rush. The Cardinals are actually ranked higher in scoring defense than offense, which is 16th at 22.7 points per game.
Some might wonder why, but there's a very good reason for the improved defense. Maybe you say it's the change in coordinators, from Clancy Pendergast to Billy Davis. I say it's talent.
The crack scouting staff has stockpiled talent on the defensive side, young talent that is now coming into its own. Players like third-year defensive tackle Alan Branch -- who had two sacks against the Giants -- and defensive end Calais Campbell and safety Antrel Rolle. They join established stars in Darnell Dockett and Adrian Wilson to form a heck of a young
When I talked with Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt last week, we talked about the Super hangover. He said he didn't really think during the offseason that it would be an issue. Early on, he wasn't so sure it wasn't. "I told them they had to deal better with the expectations," Whisenhunt said. Well, here they come again. Let's see how they do. For More about all Power Rankings
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