Best Football Talk

photo credit: theSuperStar

The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 Saturday at Arizona. Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner opened up the game with a 42-yard touchdown pass to wide-out Larry Fitzgerald, who made a spectacular grab for a 7-0 lead. He later connected with Anquan Boldin on a 71-yard scoring play to seal the deal. This was a see-saw game before Arizona sent Atlanta home for the year Saturday. The game was played before a hostile, towel-waving Arizona crowd. This is what the playoffs are all about.

"A lot of people coming into this game said we were the worst playoff team ever to get in," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "... I think we rallied around that." I think they proved that with a never say die effort. Antonio Smith's quick tackle of Atlanta`s  Matt Ryan for a safety put Arizona in front 30-17 with 12:37 to play. On 4th and six, Ryan hooked up with Jeriuos Norwood for 28 yards to the Arizona 26- yard line. That led to Ryan's 5-yard scoring pass to wide-out Roddy White that put the score 30-24 Cardinals with 4:15 left in the game.

But after Warner hit Fitzgerald  and Steve Breaston with passes for first downs, the Cardinals ran out the clock and ran Atlanta back to Georgia. Ryan finished the game 26-40 for 2 touchdowns and 2 picks, and was sacked three times. Star running back Michael Turner was held to a season low 42 yards on 18 carries with 1 touchdown. Arizona did a great job of containing Turner who is headed to the Pro Bowl after finishing second to Adrian Peterson in rushing. These young Falcons played tremendous this year, in a year that they were supposed to be rebuilding. But it is Arizona who advances to play the Carolina Panthers and Steve Smith next Saturday night.