Cards Business-like Pounding of Rams Produces Several Milestones

Admit it, Cardinals fan, that as the seconds ticked off at the end of the first quarter, you were a little anxious. This wasn’t what you expected (or I predicted). The cardinals and the Rams were having an old fashioned defensive struggle. It was the ‘85 Bears vs the 2000 Ravens! Or not.

But just as you were wondering if this team is going to be prepared for what promises to be a very difficult playoff run, Cards QB Kurt Warner reached down, and pulled out that Hall of Fame form. Our fearless leader seemed to say to himself “Ok, the heck with this! I want to rest time in the 2nd half!” (Note: Most NFL players wouldn’t actually say ‘heck’, but Kurt would.) Warner then went about securing his 99th and 100th touchdown passes as a Cardinal while throwing for an incredible 196 yards in a sweet 2nd quarter fury. He joined Fran Tarkenton as the only 2 players to toss 100+ TD passes for two different teams.

Safety Adrian Wilson showed why he was justifiably chosen as the NFC’s top safety in votes cast by the fans. A-dub joined some very talented and very select players in NFL history by getting his 20th NFL sack (He now has 20.5 in his illustrious career), and intercepting 20+ passes. His 23rd career pick, and 5th this season, was the ‘nail in the coffin’ in the 4th quarter that led to backup QB Matt Leinart’s grass-stained knee.

Those tid-bits being said, lets get to the Report Card.

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With so many teams out of the playoff race already, a mock draft may be the perfect remedy for those ailing fans.  The Rams, if the season ended today, would be on the clock to pick first overall, and it’s really no secret which direction they are looking with that selection.

1.  St. Louis Rams:  Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

The Rams need a player to build their franchise around, and Suh is that kind of player.  He is a game-changing force at defensive tackle and he demands a double-team on every play.  He will make former first-round picks Chris Long and Adam Carriker much more effective on their young, talented defensive line.

2.  Detroit Lions:  Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

The Lions will be hard pressed to pass on Gerald McCoy or Russell Okung in this spot, but Berry is too talented to pass on.  He is arguably the top prospect available in this draft, and he has drawn comparisons to Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens.

3.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

The Bucs would likely be fine with either McCoy or Suh here, as there is little talent drop-off between the two.  McCoy is an elite defensive line prospect who will be a cornerstone for the Bucs to build around.

4.  Cleveland Browns:  Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB, Georgia Tech

A lot of people think the Browns need a quarterback, but I am not one of them.  I think Brady Quinn played well enough in the last couple of games before going down to have earned, at the very least, the top QB spot heading into training camp in 2010. 

Enter Derrick Morgan, arguably the top pass-rushing prospect available in the draft.  He would give the Browns a great pass rush option off the edge and he is also stout against the run.

5.  Kansas City Chiefs:  Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

Kansas City’s pass protection is absolutely dreadful and Okung would be a huge step in the right direction to fixing that area of their team.  Matt Cassel, the team’s franchise player, needs to remain upright to do much of anything for the Chiefs.

6.  Washington Redskins:  Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland

The Redskins could look to one of many places with this pick, but taking a local kid in Campbell would be a strong step in the right direction for the organization.  Campbell is a very athletic tackle who would be able to step in to protect the blind side of whatever quarterback will be under center in Washington.

7.  Buffalo Bills:  Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas

The Bills need a reason for fans to come to games as well as a franchise quarterback, and Mallett gives them both.  He is an exciting prospect with a strong arm and phenomenal size.  Some think he will go back to school, but with Jake Locker’s decision to return and the possibility of a rookie money cap in 2011, Mallett may be inclined to take it while it’s hot.

8.  Seattle Seahawks:  Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

The Seahawks need to move on from Matt Hasselbeck and take their quarterback of the future with this pick.  Jimmy Clausen is getting mixed reviews, but he has all of the tools to succeed in the NFL and would be a solid pick for the Seahawks.

9.  Denver Broncos (from Chicago):  Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama

It seems like McClain to Denver is the closest thing to unanimous as you will find on mock drafts, and for good reason.  McClain has the makings of an elite linebacker prospect who will lead a defense for the next decade-plus.  He has outstanding size and would be a great heir to Andra Davis to play alongside D.J. Williams in the middle of Denver’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

10.  Oakland Raiders:  Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

The Raiders may finally get one right in 2010 if they go for Anthony Davis.  They need to upgrade their offensive line in a bad way, as they rank near the bottom in most offensive categories.  Davis is an intriguing prospect with great size and athleticism, and the Raiders may fall in love with his measurables.

11.  San Francisco 49ers:  Joe Haden, CB, Florida

Dre’ Bly and Nate Clements are not getting any younger, and the 49ers could look to simply the best player available here.  In both cases, I think they need to look at Joe Haden, who has no business falling outside of the top 10.  He is the closest thing to a shutdown corner in this draft.

12.  San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina):  Navorro Bowman, DE/OLB, Penn State

With their next pick, I think the 49ers should look to either an offensive lineman or a top-flight pass rusher, and Bowman fits the latter.  He brings a great force off the edge and would give the Niners a complete group of young linebackers.

13.  Jacksonville Jaguars:  Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

Mike Sims-Walker cannot do it all on his own, and while Tim Tebow has been the popular pick for this team, there is simply no way the Jags take him this high.  Dez Bryant is too good to pass on here.  Plain and simple.

14.  Pittsburgh Steelers:  Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

Despite the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is behind his offensive line 100 percent, I think they could stand to be upgraded.  Trent Williams is a very solid prospect who could easily go in the top 10.  Pittsburgh would likely welcome him with open arms.

15.  Houston Texans:  Taylor Mays, S, USC

This is a great fit, and I probably won’t change this pick unless I hear definitively otherwise.  Mays is a freakish athlete, similar to 2009 first-round pick Brian Cushing, and he fills a huge void at safety for the Texans.  Great pick.

16.  New York Jets:  Carlos Dunlap, DL, Florida

Dunlap is good value here, and the Jets need help along the defensive front.  Terrence Cody is another possibility here, but Dunlap is a better prospect.

17.  Atlanta Falcons:  Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

John Abraham is not getting younger and the Jammal Anderson project was a complete failure.  Jason Pierre-Paul is a stellar pass-rushing prospect who is really rising up draft boards fast.  He would be a nice addition to the Atlanta defense.

18.  Tennessee Titans:  Dan Williams, DL, Tennessee

The loss of Albert Haynesworth has clearly hurt the Titans’ defense, and they could use some more size along their defensive front.  Dan Williams is a good-sized prospect with excellent athleticism. 

19.  Miami Dolphins:  Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida

There is a chance Miami could go for a nose tackle here, but I like them to take a defensive signal-caller for the future to pair with Channing Crowder in the middle of their 3-4 scheme.  Spikes is a solid prospect whose stock has taken a bit of a fall lately.

20.  New York Giants:  Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas

Kindle is good value here for the Giants.  He is a great pass rusher who could line up at end or outside linebacker with his elite athleticism.  He is having one of the most productive seasons of his career as a senior, and will be a solid NFL player wherever he goes.

21.  Baltimore Ravens:  Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame

I’m not usually a fan of smaller wide receivers going in round one, but Tate reminds me a lot of Reggie Wayne of the Indianapolis Colts.  He plays a lot bigger than his size and is a beast after the catch. 

22.  Seattle Seahawks (from Denver):  C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

After fixing their atrocious quarterback situation, the Seahawks get a huge steal here with Clemson star C.J. Spiller, who reminds me a lot of Chris Johnson.  He has absolutely blazing speed and is a dangerous threat in the return game.

23.  Green Bay Packers:  Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

The Packers’ pass protection is awful and Aaron Rodgers is not going to last long if he is consistently on his back.  Bulaga is no lock to come out early, but if he does he is good value here for the Packers.

24.  Arizona Cardinals:  Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Big shocker here, but hear me out on this one.  Kurt Warner may play one more year at the very most, so Bradford could potentially sit for a year.  I think it’s safe to say that Matt Leinart is not a good fit for the Cardinals’ system, so enter Sam Bradford.  Bradford sits for a year behind Warner, if he comes back, and becomes the starter in 2011.

25.  Cincinnati Bengals:  Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma

The Bengals have long needed a top-flight, pass-receiving tight end and Gresham falling into their laps would be a huge stroke of luck.  He gives Carson Palmer a huge target to stretch the field, and is a big-time mismatch for linebackers.

26.  Dallas Cowboys:  Earl Thomas, S, Texas

This pick is a major steal.  Earl Thomas is a top-15 prospect, but I have him falling due to other teams’ needs.  Dallas would jump at the opportunity to pick him up and fortify their defensive backfield.

27.  New England Patriots:  Jahvid Best, RB, Cal

The Patriots really are just going with the best player available here, since no player available really fits a glaring area of need, though Best does fit the need of a speed back, which New England lacks.  In fact, they really lack a lot at the running back position, so this would be a nice selection for the Patriots.

28.  Philadelphia Eagles:  Brian Price, DL, UCLA

The Eagles are always looking to beef up their front seven, and Price would be an excellent fit there.  He is rising quickly up draft boards, and is having a great junior season.

29.  Minnesota Vikings:  Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

I’m ready for this pick and the Sam Bradford pick to be the main focus of attention of this mock, but this really is a good fit.  Tebow reunites with former teammate Percy Harvin and becomes an exciting prospect for Minnesota, who could also use help at linebacker.  I think Tebow is a good fit for this team.

30.  San Diego Chargers:  Terrence Cody, DL, Alabama

Jamal Williams’ time is nearly up, and “Mount” Cody would be a nice replacement for him.  He is a space-eater who has been questioned in the past for his work ethic.  He is an elite level run stopper, and he is much more athletic than his size would indicate.

31.  New Orleans Saints:  Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri

The Saints would be wise to upgrade their front seven with this pick, and Weatherspoon is a solid prospect for an outside linebacker in the 4-3.  He has been on NFL radars going on three years now.

32.  Indianapolis Colts:  Mike Iupati, G, Idaho

The Colts’ offensive line is one of the best in the league, but their only weaknesses lie in the guard positions.  Iupati plays with a chip on his shoulder and would be an excellent addition to this Colts’ offense.

Read more Minnesota Vikings news on BleacherReport.com

So even the Arizona Cardinals got it right, eventually.

There’s something wrong with the world in which I now live. Since when did they change slapstick and make it into refined theater?

The Arizona Cardinals are now a championship contender for two years in a row.

The blind squirrel found a nut—twice.

The Arizona Cardinals? Winners, two years in succession? About to wrap up another divisional title?

It’s like the Marx Brothers playing Shakespeare. Buddy Hackett reading Hemingway on stage. The Keystone Kops getting their man.

Maybe I woke up in one of those parallel universes. The kind where the sun rises in the West and human beings answer the phones at the utility company and the Arizona Cardinals are (gulp) good.

The Cardinals, who visit the Lions on Sunday and who will most likely leave Detroit 9-5 and in tune for the playoffs, used to be lockstep with all the inglorious losers in professional sports.

You could break up a room at just about any comedy club with the mere mention of their name.

The Lions have kept their losing confined to one city; the Cardinals have traveled the country, dropping turds from Chicago to Phoenix.

The Cardinals used to be the Los Angeles Clippers of the NFL when they played in Chicago. They shared a big city with a legitimate team, the Bears, and provided comic relief. And financial turmoil.

Here’s Pat Summerall, who was a Chicago Cardinal before he made it big with the New York Giants and CBS television.

“We used to get paid and run to the bank immediately,” Summerall once told NFL Films. “There’d be fights in the locker room. They’d dump our paychecks on the floor and make us fight for them. Then it was a race to the bank, to cash them before they bounced.”

The Cardinals got nudged out of Chicago and took their vaudeville act to St. Louis in 1960.

The Cardinals passed through the Gateway to the West and were semi-transformed. An occasional winning season would break out. Then, as if they’d signed a one-year pact with the Devil, the following campaign would be a return to fumbling, bumbling, and stumbling.

St. Louis wasn’t westward enough, though. The Cardinals pressed on in 1988, taking their sideshow all the way to Phoenix.

Phoenix! How fitting; the Cardinals move to a city named after a bird that rose from ashes.

But the losing followed them, like that annoying neighbor kid who won’t leave you alone.

The Cardinals even tried changing their affiliation. After six years of being known as the Phoenix Cardinals, they decided that one city’s reputation wasn’t enough to sully, so they indicted the entire state; they became the Arizona Cardinals in 1994.

The Cardinals, until last year, were among those sitting at the table at the back of the room—filled with those who’d never played in a Super Bowl.

The Lions, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Houston Texans lost a member, when the Cardinals plowed their way through the 2008 playoffs and made it all the way to the Big One.

The Cardinals, like the Lions, are owned by a Bill.

Bill Bidwill, 78, has been the sole owner since 1972, after sharing the honor with his brother Charlie for 11 years. Other than his signature bow tie, the only thing Bill Bidwill was known for was losing. And being clue-free about how to win. Sound familiar?

Bidwill also has a kid named Bill. The comparisons to the Lions would be spooky, if not for one thing—the Cardinals are actually winning football games.

Which brings me to my opening state of confusion.

The Arizona Cardinals can’t be winners. This might be one of the first signs of the Apocalypse. Maybe that stuff about 2012 is true, after all.

They have an aging quarterback, Kurt Warner, who’s trying to recover from a concussion. But they also have a young, gun slinging lefty named Matt Leinart who’s stepped in and the Cardinals haven’t really missed a beat with the USC grad at the helm.

Leinart is young, good-looking, and from California. Which means he’s hated by every defensive lineman in the league and by sports writers in their mid-40s.

The Cardinals have a superstar wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, whose name sounds like he should be a friend of Beaver Cleaver’s. The have a running back named Beanie Wells, and I’m back to the Cleaver thing.

“Mom, can Larry and Beanie come over for dinner?”

The offensive line actually blocks. The defense is capable. The Cardinals are, you know, a real football team.

It should bring hope to Lions fans everywhere. If the Cardinals can do it, then…

Of course, Lyle Lovett did get Julia Roberts, albeit briefly.

The Cardinals are winners. Two years in a row. The clock broke at 11:59. Ice crystals are forming in Hades. I hear Steven Seagal is up for a Golden Globe.

My call to the cable company really is very important to them. The check really is in the mail. Comcast must be done buying things.

In such a parallel universe, you’d think the Lions could even be successful.

Instead, we get Jason Hanson missing field goals.

Maybe the Lions can find a player named Lumpy.

Read more Arizona Cardinals news on BleacherReport.com

Over the last four to five weeks JaMarcus Russell, whether you support him or not, has been a hot topic within the Raider Nation.

Whether it be his play, him being benched, a recent interview, or even just his overall demeanor, chances are  if your a Raider fan, his name has entered at least a few of your conversations.

Some have suggested that Russell’s days in Oakland are numbered and that Al Davis is going to give up on his first-overall draft pick of 2007.

They say he is playing and talking himself right out of Oakland and it only makes sense for the Raiders to cut ties with him.

Because it only makes sense… I’m sorry your a fan of what team again?

Oh yea, the Raiders. You know the team that: Drafted Darius Heyward-Bey seventh overall. Traded away one of the NFL’s top receivers for a fourth rounder. Has fired two coaches(Shanahan and Kiffin) without pay. Has drafted two kickers in the first round(Ray Guy and Sebastion Janikowski). Traded away Jon Gruden. Let Marcus Allen go because he didn’t see eye-to-eye with Al Davis. And so many other questionable decisions.

Sure, Al Davis is the maverick of sports owners, but he is also stubborn. And the reason for the Raiders successful history as well as there shortcomings over the last seven years.

JaMarcus not wanting to restructure his contract is by no means reason to cut ties with him.

It wasn’t Al Davis or a coach or even his fellow teammates asking him if he would accept a pay cut, it was just reporter/blogger Jerry McDonald.

Sure past Raider greats have restructured to help better the team and add cap space. Tim Brown took a pay cut so the Raiders would have cap space to sign Jerry Rice. But with no real reason to take a pay cut, no one within the Raiders organization asking, and next year being an uncapped year. Why would he take a pay cut?

Like he said that’s over and done with and he already talked to Al.

The Raiders are not giving up on Russell after his third year. Did they give up on Nnamdi or Huff after three years? Did other teams give up on Matt Leinart, Vince Young, Alex Smith, JP Losman, Kyle Boller, or Rex Grossman. Sure some of these guys never actually panned out but they were still giving more than three years.

So obviously Al Davis already traveled that route and made the decision to keep Russell already.

JaMarcus Russell isn’t going anywhere. Tom Cable and Bruce Gradkowski on the other hand…they may be the ones whose days in Oakland are numbered.

First off, Tom Cable has made life easy for Raider haters everywhere. With his losing record, horrible playcalling, and clear history of violence, he has made it easy for the media to drag his name through the mud along with the Raiders.

Actually, Tom Cable has never had a winning record. Last year he was 4-8. Sound familiar, we were 4-8 just last week. The Raiders clearly haven’t improved under Cable from one year to the next.

As a Raider head coach, he is 8-17. And as a head coach in college his career best was a 5-6 season with an overall record of 11-35. So far as a head coach in the NFL and in college his combined record is 19-52. That’s a winning percentage of less than 25 percent and if an NFL season comes out to four wins a year, maybe less. 

Just like the Raiders over the last seven years, Tom Cable has a clear history of losing. And with a loser at the helm the Raiders will not be able to change there losing ways.

Then there’s the fact that Tom Cable has given up on Al Davis’s last three prized first round draft picks. It is very possible that Al Davis is going to part ways with Tom Cable for failing to utilize these players talents. Tom Cable may have sealed his fate the day he benched Darren McFadden, Darius Heyward-Bey, and JaMarcus Russell.

Then there’s the Raiders injured hero, Bruce Gradkowski. Who went down with two knee injuries: A MCL sprain in one knee and a partial tear in the other MCL. Even with all that, some sources say he isn’t ruled out for Sundays game.

Despite two games where his fourth quarter heroics led to game winning TDs, he hasn’t been that great. Actually, he’s only had one good game…against the Bengals he was decent, not good.

The guy is also on a contract year. With the whole world seeing what he did against the Steelers there are bound to be a few teams interested and bidding for his services.

Bruce knows this, the Raiders know this, and so does the whole NFL. Why wouldn’t the guy want to test the free agency waters and get paid?

Before the Raiders re-sign Gradkowski, they have to ask themselves a few questions: How much does he want? How much is he worth? And does he even want to play in Oakland next year?

Also the Raiders just signed a former first rounder in QB JP Losman , looks like the Raiders are already preparing for life without Gradkowski

So without further ado, let me introduce you to your 2010 Raider QBs: JaMarcus Russell, Charlie Frye, and JP Losman

Read more Oakland Raiders news on BleacherReport.com

As we prepare for the Cardinals-49ers Monday Night Football matchup, with a chance for Arizona to claim its second NFC West crown in a row with a win, lets take a look back at the season to date to see what we have learned.

What have we learned? I don’t have to tell any of you that we can all watch every snap and come away with very different versions of what we saw. So maybe it is more appropriate to say, what have I learned?

I have learned that the 2009 Cardinals are a new improved version of the 2008 Cardinals. Sounds simple enough doesn’t it?

More precisely, the 2008 model was good enough to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in team history, but inconsistent and unreliable, especially at the most inopportune times such as the excruciating Steelers‘ game winning drive.

Last year, the teams primary weaknesses, arguably of course, were giving up the big play way too often, not winning on the road, and general inability to run the ball.

This year the Cardinals are not giving up nearly as many big plays on defense, are 5-1 on the road, and have increased their team yards per carry average from 3.5 last year to 4.1.

But it goes further than the numbers.

This team has demonstrated that they are more mature and resilient. Arizona is more focused and physical.

Additionally, key players have simply gotten better with each passing week.

An alarming number of players are playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level. Defensively, Antrel Rolle, Adrian Wilson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Karlos Dansby, and Darnell Dockett should at least get consideration.

Not to mention special teams warrior LaRod Stephens-Howling, punter Ben Graham, and kicker Neil Rackers.

Offensively, the usual suspects Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald could all be locks for the Pro Bowl.

Forget about the Pro Bowl for a minute though. Calais Campbell, Lyle Sendlein, Deuce Lutui, Reggie Wells, and Tim Hightower have all improved.

Don’t bother doing the math, I’ve already done it: that is 13 out of the starting 22 that are either playing at a Pro Bowl level or have in the least improved their game.

On special teams, Graham and Rackers have played nearly flawlessly, and LSH has been an upgrade on kick returns and return coverage.

This team has more character, even when they lose. In my not so humble opinion, the Titans game was a huge character win despite the loss.

Matt Leinart had some things to prove that day, and he did. There were more players making plays in that game than most I’ve seen.

True, the Cardinals again let a QB execute another two-minute drill to perfection—their Achilles heel—and lost the game, but they can’t win them all can they?

As I recall the 12 games played to date, by my count the 8-4 record can be broken down as follows:

Of the four losses, two were well played games that ended in a loss (Week One vs. 49ers and Week 12 vs. Titans), and two were games that the Cardinals simply laid an egg (Week Three vs. the Colts and Week Eight vs. the Panthers).

Of the eight wins, all of them had at least two quarters of dominating play by Arizona.

Finally, I have to talk about head coach Ken Whisenhunt for a moment. He has a methodical, patient approach, and his teams’ progress is a reflection of that.

In his first season he took an under-achieving talent-laden squad to their first 8-8 record in many moons. Last year they improved to 9-7, but caught fire and made it to their first-ever Super Bowl.

This year their weaknesses have been shored up even moreso—defensively they are more consistent and the rushing attack is better—and the Cardinals have cleared yet another hurdle.

Now, the Cardinals are becoming one of the elite teams in the NFL right before out very eyes.

Read more Arizona Cardinals news on BleacherReport.com

Over the last five weeks we have all watched with amazement as the Tennessee Titans, fueled by the re-emergence of Vince Young and the seemingly unstoppable Chris Johnson, have reeled off five straight victories after opening the season 0-6.

During that stretch, their competition consisted of two teams that beat them earlier in the season—Jacksonville and Houston—the somewhat inept Buffalo Bills, the surprisingly stout San Fransisco 49ers, and the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals.

Despite close scores in the last two games, they really didn’t struggle too much against any of them.

But this week is different. This week, they face the inter-division rival Indianapolis Colts in Indy.

The undefeated Colts.

Needless to say, this game is huge for the Titans. Not only do they need the win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, but the Colts wil be the truest test yet of whether Vince Young and Chris Johnson are what we think they are, to steal a phrase. As evidenced by their undefeated record, Indy is no push-over.

Peyton Manning is the type of quarterback who can hurt you quickly; it could be that no matter how well Young and Johnson play, their defense wil let them down; though their play has improved of late, the Titans’ secondary hasn’t exactly faced off with Hall of Fame-bound competition.

Not to take anything away from these guys—after all, they were skilled enough to make it to the NFL—but the names David Gerrard, Trent Edwards, Alex Smith, Matt Schaub, and Matt Leinart don’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of defensive backs throughout the NFL.

Manning, on the other hand, has accomplished enough in his career to schedule his Hall of Fame jacket fitting.

Indianapolis’s defensive unit isn’t populated by slouches either; along with ranking third in total points allowed, the group boasts 26 sacks, 12 forced fumbles, and 13 interceptions, two of which they have returned for touchdowns.

The group also includes names like Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, and Bob Sanders, all names that deserve the utmost respect for their ability.

Couple the stiff competition with the fact that Tennessee is on the road, and what you have is a season-maker, or a season-breaker.

Win, and the Titans not only make the AFC wildcard race that much tighter, but they justify the accolades that Young, Johnson, and others have pulled in over the last month.

Lose, and not only are post season hopes a pipe dream, but Young’s ability to win the really critical games, his supposed maturity, his growth as a professional quarterback, will be called into question.

With Indy playing to earn the top spot in the post season, and Tennessee fighting just to get in, neither team has the luxury of playing this one close to the vest.

The question is, will the combination of Young and Johnson prove to be as effective against a team that looks destined to go all the way as it has against lesser talent?

Or will their detractors be proven correct, and will their play show that they are nothing more than slightly above-average players when faced with top-notch competition?

One thing is for certain if they lose; Vince Young will have an opportunity to show just how much he’s grown and matured over the last year.

So even if the Titans lose the game, Vince Young could walk out with a huge win in proving that he is finally ready to be a professional quarterback.

I’m just guessing, but I would bet money that Young and the Titans would rather have the “W”.

Read more Tennessee Titans news on BleacherReport.com

Some contend that Minnesota is the most complete team in the NFL.

No one will deny that the Vikings have been the better overall team to date, but how much better are they than the Cardinals?

Let us microscope the Vikings’ and Cardinals’ schedules and results to get a better feel for just how much actually separates them this season.

Disclaimer: Make no mistake, this has no hope of being unbiased. I am a Cardinals fan and have not watched every snap of the Vikings’ games, so I am surely missing some key points in their analysis. I have however watched every second of Arizona ball.

Arizona:

1. San Francisco L  16-20 (0-1): Hard fought game, division rival.

It can be said that with the departure of Todd Haley, the flow of the Cardinals’ offense wasn’t quite in sync with Ken Whisenhunt’s first time out calling plays in awhile.

Held Frank Gore to 30 yards on 22 carries.

2. @ Jacksonville W 31-17 (1-1): The Cardinals’ nemesis last regular season was winning on the road. In their first attempt, they completely dominated Jacksonville for three quarters.

Jacksonville’s 17 points were a little deceiving as it came up against prevent defense.

Held Maurice Jones-Drew to 66 yards on 13 carries, but 36 came on one run.

3. Indianapolis L 10-31 (1-2): After a promising start to the game, this was a poor all-around effort by the Cardinals.

They were flat and out of sorts in all phases for most of the game.

Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Pierre Garçon embarrassed Arizona, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in particular.

4. BYE WEEK

5. Houston W 28-21 (2-2): Arizona again completely dominated for three quarters.

When they went to prevent defense, Matt Schaub and company mounted a comeback.

A goal-line stand by Arizona prevented the Texans from tying to force overtime.

6. @ Seattle W 27-3 (3-2): Arizona completely dominated this game from start to finish.

One of their most complete wins in team history.

Held Matt Hasselbeck to 112 yards passing and Seattle to 14 yards rushing on 11 carries.

7. @ NY Giants W 24-17 (4-2): In a signature win, the Cardinals stymied the Giants who were 5-1 before this game, by forcing four turnovers and holding last year’s best rushing team to 107 total yards on the ground.

The Giants could only muster three second-half points.

8. Carolina L 21-34 (4-3): Another poor all-around effort by the Cardinals, who were dominated by the previously stagnant Panthers, in a revenge game.

The Cardinals had embarrassed the Panthers last postseason on their home turf, to which the Panthers returned the favor.

Arizona came into the game with the top ranked run defense, but were exploited for 270 ground yards.

9. @ Chicago W 41-21 (5-3): Cardinals rebound nicely by dominating the Bears. It was 31-7 at halftime.

In prevent defense, the Bears got back into the game. Matt Leinart helped them out by throwing an INT on his only attempt, and was immediately replaced with Warner.

10. Seattle W 31-20 (6-3): Seattle gave it everything they had, playing maybe their best game of the season, only to lose by 11 points to a superior team.

11. @ St. Louis W 21-13 (7-3): With Kurt Warner at the helm, the Cardinals were cruising with a 21-3 halftime lead.

He suffered a concussion at the end of the second quarter however, and the still rusty Leinart was unable to lead the team to points.

The defense held strong and mopped up, securing the win.

12. @ Tennessee L 17-20 (7-4): Playing the hot Titans, who had won four straight, without Warner.

Leinart improved, and the Cardinals held a 17-13 advantage with two minutes remaining before Vince Young’s now instant classic, 18-play 99-yard drive, won the game on the last play of the game for Tennessee.

An all around well-played game by both sides.

Minnesota

1. @ Cleveland W 34-20 (1-0): Okay so the Vikings beat the Browns.

If there is a negative here it is they gave up 20 points to the second-worst scoring team in the NFL.

2. @ Detroit W 27-13 (2-0): Slayed the mighty…err, a…Lions.

3. San Francisco W 27-24 (3-0): Barely escaped with a win on the final play of the game, a fantastic desperation heave perfectly placed by Brett Favre and wonderfully received by journeyman Greg Lewis in the end zone.

Hey a win is a win, even if it is by the hair on a chinny-chin-chin.

4. Green Bay W 30-23 (4-0): The Aaron Rodgers/Brett Favre Bowl I. The Vikings survive by a touchdown.

5. @ St. Louis W 38-10 (5-0): A dominating victory by the Vikings.

6. Baltimore W 33-31 (6-0): The Vikings get the ‘W’ when the Ravens miss their attempt at a game-winning field goal on the last play of the game.

7. @ Pittsburgh L 17-27 (6-1): The Steelers hand the Vikings their first ‘L’ in a defensive battle.

8. @ Green Bay W 38-26 (7-1): The Aaron Rodgers/Brett Favre Bowl II. Minnesota holds off Green Bay who scored 23 second-half points.

9. BYE WEEK

10. Detroit W 27-10 (8-1): Wow they beat Detroit again.

11. Seattle W 35-9 (9-1): Well at least the Cardinals aren’t the only ones who can utterly dismantle the Seahawks.

12. Chicago W 36-10 (10-1): Again, at least the Cardinals aren’t the only ones who can pile on a crumbling squad.

Conclusion

Using this breakdown as evidence, you can see that Arizona has put up dominating performances in five of their seven wins. Minnesota also has put up five or six.

Arizona’s opponents are 55-66, and Minnesota’s are 45-76.

So what is the point of this process, and what does it all mean?

While it would be simple-minded to attempt to draw only one meaning from all of this data, I would like to point out that these two teams are more evenly matched than the media would have us believe.

Game on.

Read more Arizona Cardinals news on BleacherReport.com

When this week began, I thought I had a clear upset pick that nobody would think about. A Titans win over the Colts.

Why not?

Vince Young is 9-0 in his last nine starts and maneuvered a 99-yard touchdown drive to beat Arizona to cap off his best NFL performance yet.

Chris Johnson has rushed for more than 125 yards in six straight games leading the league with 1,396 rushing yards. It’s not coincidental that Johnson has rushed for 800 yards since VY has started at quarterback. Both compliment each others game well.  

Defensively, the Colts are 23rd against the run and 28th against the pass. With Bob Sanders out and Dwight Freeney questionable, their defense seems more vulnerable to give up more points than usual.

The Colts really hurt with Sanders out of the lineup and a banged-up Freeney can free up Young for more opportunities for bigger plays.

Everything is going better than expected for the Titans at this point, and what a perfect time to play the undefeated Colts in their late playoff push.

Young went old school last week against opposing quarterback Matt Leinart with a winning-touchdown drive, Johnson is now considered the No. 1 running back in the league, and the Titan defense is finally coming to their own.

All this was taken into consideration when I thought the Titans were going to give the Colts their first loss of the season. But then after noticing that there were more people than I thought who believed the Titans were going to beat the Colts it hit me. There are many people who still underestimate the power of Peyton Manning.  

The Colt’s quarterback has been 11-0 before in 2005-06, and has lead the Colts to a NFL best 11-plus wins in a season for seven straight seasons. The Colt’s lead by Manning can be considered one of the best NFL teams in a seven-year stretch.  

The nine-time pro bowler seems to be successful year in and year out adjusting to new players and coaches. This fact highlights Manning’s ability to maintain his winning ways with whom ever around him.

Manning is on another mission this time to finish the season a perfect 16-0 and only with a few teams left in his way don’t expect Manning to go down lightly.

The only thing that worries me about Manning right now is that he has thrown two interceptions in his last three games.

But in the month of December, Manning turns on a switch throwing for 30 touchdowns and five interceptions in his last three Decembers. 

What a time to be on the brink of breaking the regular-season record of 21 straight wins held by the slightly-hated Patriots.

The last time Manning lost in December at home was in 2007 against Tennessee. Manning only played the first half of that game resting up for the playoffs and with winning his last 11 home games the power of Peyton is extra potent in the month of December at home.

Read more Indianapolis Colts news on BleacherReport.com

The statistics are startling. When you combine the quarterback stats of Brett Favre, a certain Hall of Famer who could have retired over two years ago (before the sea-saw unretire/retire charade), and Kurt Warner, a certain Hall of Famer who became one in the last 2 years, it nearly boggles even the most sophisticated football mind.

Chances are very good that together, before their Sunday Night Football match-up in Glendale is through, they will have thrown for over 100,000 total regular season NFL yards. 100,000 yards! That’s almost 57 miles! As you might imagine, with Favre being in the league nearly twice as many years as Warner, he has thrown for about 38 of those miles, to Warner’s 19 or so.

For a little national perspective, that’s approximately from Manhattan to Bethlehem, Pa.; Dallas to Waco, Texas; New Orleans to Biloxi, Miss.; Orlando, Fla. to Daytona Beach, Fla.; Chicago to Kenosha, WI, or San Diego to Long Beach, CA. It’s ridiculous!

They have league MVPs, Super Bowl MVP’s, and many, many ‘good guy’ awards between them. They both play on and guide extremely potent offenses, either handing off or throwing to guys almost two decades their junior. And all the hype, as you might expect, is surrounding this HoF match-up. Even NBC saw the potential beauty (as well as rating$), and ‘flexed’ it to the marquee game of the week.

Sorry Buffalo and Miami, but…well, no. No I’m not sorry. You both stink. No soup for you!

But (and there’s always a but), this classic-in-the-making may not even happen. What with Warner missing last weeks game (a loss in Tennessee) because of lingering effects from a face plant/concussion in St Louis, the Cardinals may be going with backup Matt Leinart. If that happens won’t be known until nearly game time, according to Cards head coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Last year, as most Cardinals fans know, Favre tied yet another NFL record when he tossed 6 touchdown passes against our befuddled gridiron heroes in ‘Jiosey.

It was an embarrassing loss wherein the Cards defense was lit up for 56 points! Eight (8) total TDs! And that’s with Favre wearing NY Jets green, and not having Adrian Peterson and this cornucopia of young receivers behind him!

Favre has been ridiculous this year. His stats are off the charts! He has thrown 24 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. You read that right. I didn’t forget the one or the two before that three, something you’d typically see from the former Green Bay Gunslinger. The mellowed but more dangerous former mustard and relish madman has matured into the wise, experienced, and patient deadly force.

Warner never was the outwardly chance-taking kind. He’s certainly confident enough in his own abilities to throw ‘chancy’ passes, and it has obviously served him well. But as a pocket passer that runs and scrambles more akin to Brett Michaels than Brett Favre, and therefore wasn’t throwing across his body, underhanded, shot-putting, or behind the back, on the fly, etc., his true gunslinger opportunities were more limited.

Both have been on a literal tear of late, too. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find two more inferno-like QBs in the entire NFL at the moment. Yes Vince, that even includes you.

In his last 4 starts, Favre has thrown 12 touchdown passes and a quite un-Favre-like zero interceptions. In his three most recent starts, Warner has tossed 9 TDs, and the same amount of picks. Lets be honest, with these two guys, the superlatives and the hype are justified.

And while both will obviously have an impact on the outcome, its how those around them play, that will determine who wins and who loses this game. The Vikings arguably have the most talent in the NFC. The Cardinals aren’t far behind, if at all. It will depend on which Cardinals team shows up.

The football Gods saw fit to break up the Cardinals offensive line’s 41 game starting streak this week, of all weeks. Mike Gandy hasn’t recovered from a nagging groin injury, and looks to be out for Sunday night. That means former Cardinal Jeremy Bridges, who returned this year after a three year hiatus in Carolina, will be making his first start of the year. And he’ll be making it against all-everything DE Jared Allen. Yikes!

That means that the Cards must give Bridges help, or they’ll be scraping Warner off the field with a snow shovel. The Bears tried to put their LT, Orlando Pace, on an island against Allen. He answered with 2 sacks, an interception, and general havoc-wreaking.

The guys in the middle, Reggie Wells, Lyle Sendline, and Deuce Lutui, will have their hands full with the non-related Williams brothers. The last thing Warner needs is to have Allen on his back all day.

Maybe Lutui can somehow induce a punch in the face from Allen on the game’s 4th play, and get tossed from the game. That’ll help.

RB Tom Hightower is becoming a decent blocker, and expect him to chip either Allen, or help out RT Levi Brown a little, before making himself a relief valve in the flat for Warner. Don’t be surprised if he has double digit receptions, regardless of who starts for the Cardinals. Don’ be surprised to see 2 TE sets relatively often, too.

If given enough time, there’s no reason to think that Warner, or to a lesser degree Leinart, will be able to get the ball to Larry Fitzgerald (who still yearns to beat his hometown Vikings), Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. Both the top two should, and all three can have a very good game. You won’t see a lot deep, but if Hightower and Beanie Wells can keep the safeties honest, there will be a few shots at big plays. RAC yards will be especially important.

On the other side of the ball, I expect a huge game from recently beastly DT Darnell Dockett. Double D, Nine-O, or whatever he’s going by this week, wants to show the world he’s the next defensive lineman deserving of ridiculous Albert Haynesworth-type money (how’s that working out for you, Daniel Snyder?).

He’ll want to show the country, as well as his peers ..and their coaches, and Allen, and Haynesorth, and ..well, everybody, that he’s just as good as the more marquee Allen, and the best D-lineman on the field Sunday night.

He’s been sneaking up the chart for a Pro Bowl invite, and this could be his last big chance to show his stuff before a national audience until…well, next Monday night in San Francisco.

Favre, as noted above, has been fabulous in avoiding picks this year. But he IS Brett Favre, and he has been prone to 20+ interception seasons over the years. I’m not saying that just tossing three picks this year for Brett Favre is a fluke in that regard…

Well wait, yes I am, because it is a fluke. That’s not ‘mean old biased Cardinals fan-hater’ saying that, the record book says it. His history says it. While you can’t prop 488 touchdown passes enough, you can’t say this year isn’t a fluke from a guy that has thrown over 300 interceptions, either.

I have the feeling with a little pressure from Dockett, fellow D-lineman Calais Campbell, and with an occasional LB (or our All Pro safety Adrian Wilson) blitzing, this could be the game that those picks he prone to, will come to light.

A blindside cornerback blitz or two wouldn’t surprise me either. The Cards may blitz a little more with Favre this week than they did against Vince Young last week. But like last week against Chris Johnson, they have the NFL’s other best running back in Adrian Peterson to respect, too. So they won’t go blitz crazy.

I see at least one, and maybe 2 picks from the ancient yet golden arm of Mr. Favre. And it won’t be solely based on whatever pressure the Big Red D can muster.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will look to take advantage of the youth and relative inexperience of WRs rookie Percy Harvin and 3rd-year pro Sydney Rice, respectively.

As I mentioned last time I wrote about this guy, Rice recently had a three game stretch wherein he caught more passes for more yards, than he did in his first two seasons combined. I see DRC with at least one pick.

I’m obviously basing this on Warner starting, in general. But it pretty much applies if Leinart plays too. He was able to take 50 percent of the snaps with the starters this week, and last week’s performance should give him the confidence to build on. The only real advantage would be that, as a southpaw, Leinart wouldn’t have Allen on his blindside. But this will be a better, more meaningful game, if Warner gets the nod.

The defense kept the Titans out of the end-zone for the most part last week, and they’ll need to step up again and do it this week. No one cares how many yards they give up, as long as most end in punts and field goal attempts. If Leinart starts, the defense will just have to step up that much more, and they have the players to do it.

The team that wins, regardless of who starts, will be the team that wants it more. These are two pretty similar teams in talent. Minnesota and Favre have worked hard to get to that lofty 10-1 record. Statistically, Favre is having the best year of his superstar career, as his equally lofty 112.+ QB rating will attest to.

Forget the fact that 40 percent of those Viking wins were against teams with a combined 4-29 record, and 60 percent against a combined 12-43 mark. Forget that a miracle pass as time ran out against San Francisco, and a shanked, otherwise very makeable field goal as time ran out against Baltimore, turned two of their would-be-losses into 20 percent more of their W’s. Forget that the only team they played with a winning record (besides Favre’s former mates in Grudge-Bowls I & II – 2009), beat them by double digits.

This is the reigning NFC Champs against a team many say will unseat them. This is Hall of Famer, former MVP sizzling-hot Brett Favre vs Hall of Famer, former MVP, inferno-hot Kurt Warner (maybe). This is a game that showed so much promise, it was flexed to the national stage. This should be a hell of a football game! I can hardly wait! That being said…

The Brady Hunch:
Cardinals 31
Vikings    29

Read more Arizona Cardinals news on BleacherReport.com

Working near Cleveland, I deal with a lot of Browns fans on a daily basis. They are a pretty resilient group for the most part, but these certainly are trying times for the Dawg Pound.

One Browns fan gave me a piece of advice yesterday for this weekend’s Browns-Chargers game: Start all of your Chargers in fantasy leagues.

Sounds reasonable, right?

It makes a lot of sense. The Browns are…well…awful this season. No offense, no defense and one superstar—Josh Cribbs—on special teams. Cribbs is the lone bright spot on what has become a fantasy football black hole in northeast Ohio.

Heed his advice my friends. Start any and all Chargers worth starting this weekend in fantasy leagues. It should be a stat-padding Sunday for San Diego.

A few injury updates before start and sit advice for Week 13:

DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles

Despite claiming earlier this week that he does not think he could play this weekend, the Eagles have yet to declare Jackson officially out for this weekend’s game. Kind of surprising given what the Eagles have been through already this season with Brian Westbrook’s concussions.

Kurt Warner, QB, Cardinals

Looks like a game-time decision , kiddos. Make sure to have a backup plan in place Sunday morning as the Cardinals-Vikings play Sunday night on NBC. If you want to wait out Warner, it would be a great idea to add Matt Leinart right now.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers

Williams has Tampa Bay. If he cannot go, however, Jonathan Stewart would be a great start.

Start ‘em

Quarterbacks

Joe Flacco @ Packers
Flacco and the Ravens got a big win against Pittsburgh last weekend and look to stay hot against the Packers.

Alex Smith @ Seahawks
Yeah, I mentioned Smith yesterday in this week’s Desperation Plug-and-Plays . Again, I think he should be a good start.

Running Backs

Matt Forte v. Rams
Finally, a matchup Forte should exploit, and just in time for desperate Forte owners. Hopefully y’all still have a chance to get in the playoffs.

Knowshon Moreno @ Chiefs
The rookie played strong against a once-heralded defense last Thursday and gets a favorable draw this Sunday in KC.

Wide Receivers

Chad OchoCinco v. Lions
He has struggled lately. But nothing heals a struggling fantasy player quite like the Detroit Lions’ defense.

Steve Smith v. Buccaneers
New Carolina quarterback Matt Moore should be able to understand this one important thing: Get the ball to Smith.

Tight End

Jason Witten @ Giants
There was an Antonio Gates sighting in the end zone last weekend (two TDs). This weekend, it could be Witten’s turn.

Sit ‘em

Quarterbacks

Drew Brees @ Redskins
OK, no one really is going to bench Brees. But this could be a downer against one of the league’s best pass defenses.

Matt Cassel v. Broncos
The Broncos got back on track last Thursday against the Giants and had a few extra days to prepare for the Chiefs this Sunday.

Running Backs

Brandon Jacobs v. Cowboys
Hard to trust Jacobs anymore, even harder to trust him if Ahmad Bradshaw is back in the lineup.

Tim Hightower/Beanie Wells v. Vikings
Hightower has the best chance of contributing via the passing game, but running the ball could prove difficult against a stout run D.

Wide Receivers

Calvin Johnson @ Bengals
Megatron is banged up and the Bengals surrender few fantasy points to wide receivers. Could be a recipe for disaster.

Greg Jennings v. Ravens
Hard to bench Jennings in such a high-powered offense, but the Ravens are going to try and limit the big-play and that is what Jennings brings to the table.

Tight End

Greg Olsen v. Rams
This is a personal vendetta. I started him over Vernon Davis the last two weeks and got eight points out of him. Y’all can have him from now on. I am done!

For more great fantasy roster advice this week, including a plethora of Start & Sit links and consensus rankings, head over to the Fantasy Football Librarian . Don’t forget to grab your library card.

Read more San Diego Chargers news on BleacherReport.com