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Arizona Cardinals Beat the Cowboys 31-24: How Bout Them Cards?

The Arizona Cardinals didn't pick up a pretty win and they couldn't even finish off their opponent in regulation but it took just :55 seconds of overtime for the Cardinals to pull off a dramatic overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys. The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead when JJ Arrington returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown but they'd find themselves down seven in the third quarter. After they rattled off 17 unanswered points, the game looked like it was completely over. The Cowboys wouldn't go quietly though as they'd add ten points in the final 1:17 to tie the game and send it into overtime. Dallas won the toss but after three unproductive plays they'd line up to punt and as they say, "the rest is history." Sean Morey raced in, practically untouched, and blocked the punt. Monty Beisel, aka 'Johnny on the spot' picked up the loose ball and tumbled into the end zone from just a couple yards out. All in all, it's awful hard to call this anything but a solid team win. Here's the guys that had great games (and I apologize to anyone that I leave out because there were quite a few):

Sean_morey_medium

Sean Morey and Monty Beisel: These guys only made one big huge colossal play, but I've got to list them first, in order to say that I was wrong about both of them. They combined for the play that won the game and I didn't want either of these guys on the roster at the end of camp. Who knows how the game would have played out if Dallas gets that punt off but Sean Morey made sure that we didn't have to find out. Belsel was there to scoop up the loose ball but he might have blocked it if Morey hadn't have gotten there first.

Defensive Pressure: Travis LaBoy, Darnell Dockett, Antonio Smith and Bertrand Bertrand_berry4_medium
Berry practically lived in the Cowboys backfield and they knocked down Tony Romo nearly 20 times. They were even better than the boxscore would indicate because they should have had at least one more sack (negated by tuck rule) and two more forced fumbles (one of which was recovered for a TD). Okeafor, Dockett and Berry recorded sacks and Okeafor and Berry's sacks led to Romo fumbles. If the Cowboys send three offensive linemen to the Pro Bowl, the Cardinals should send four defensive linemen.

Steve Breaston: If you haven't fallen in love with this kid during the past two games, what's wrong with you. Breaston finished with eight receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown and he's been the Cardinals leading receiver each of the past two games. With defenses focusing on Fitzgerald, Breaston has seized his opportunity and fights for every yard after the catch. He also had a pretty decent game returning punts with 45 yards on 5 returns (9.0 avg) with a long return of 15.

Run Defense: This should probably be the defense as a whole but the run defense was exceptional yesterday. The Cowboys were held to just 73 yards on 22 attempts (3.3 avg) and their long run was just 14  yards. The Dallas running game was ranked 7th in the league with just over 138 yards per game but they couldn't get anything going against the Cards. Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes both finished with six tackles and they were a big reason why Marion Barber and the running game could get going.

Arrington3_medium JJ Arrington: Why this guy was ever inactive, I'll never know. Arrington took the opening kickoff back 93 yards for a touchdown and got the game and the crowd jumpstarted. His ability to change a game every time he touches the ball is something that you just can't coach. He added a reception for 10 yards (in which he made a nifty move to evade Zach Thomas) and a two yard rush.

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Overall it feels like this win couldn't have come at a better time considering that we'll have two weeks to bask in it's glory. It's also a good time because I'm sure they're are more than a handful of guys who need a week off to rest up and get back to 100% health. It also feels like a win that many Cardinals teams of years past would have lost. After the Cowboys came back and forced overtime, many teams in that past would have simply rolled over and accepted defeat. This 2008 version of your Arizona Cardinals didn't accept anything though and instead they reloaded and did what they had to do to win. Only time will tell if this is just another game in a 16 game season or if it'll turn out to be a season defining win that leads to something special, but for now I'll just say that it feels amazing.

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You forgot Larry "Highlight Reel" Fitzgerald!

Some of his catches yesterday were amazing.
One of the MANY questionable calls was his catch over Pacman for the TD and he went straight back to the same corner of the endzone and made an even better one!
The catch down the middle of the field was amazing too!

You were right though there were too many players to mention.
Hightowers effort on that 3-17 play was amazing too!

by CardsIrish on Oct 13, 2008 7:08 AM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

yep, Fitz and TH were two guys that definitely deserved to be mentioned

I was watching the game with plenty of Cowboys fans they couldn’t believe the deep pass that Fitz went up and snagged. All I could say was, “he could do that all day long.”

I’ll do a full story on the RB situation sometime in the next week and a half but Hightower definitely looks impressive when he gets his hands on the ball. I kept telling the guys I was watching the game with, “3rd and short means Hightower right up the middle for a first down.” And what do you know, he came through several times. That 3rd and 17 was nothing short of special.

by cgolden on Oct 13, 2008 7:25 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hightower

In the game thread I was saying that it looked like a decision was made to give Hightower more touches at halftime. He really came up big in the second half!

by CardsIrish on Oct 13, 2008 7:30 AM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

that is a pretty good point

I didn’t notice it during the game b/c the running plays were so few and far between, but each of Timmy’s seven rushes came in the second half. Edge had just three rushes in the second half. Hopefully that trend carries over to future games.

by cgolden on Oct 13, 2008 7:46 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'd like to point out

that cg was in favor of cutting Morey before the season and I was his biggest cheerleader. Just thought I’d mention that.

I love the smell of commerce in the morning

by Red Reign on Oct 13, 2008 9:21 AM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Remember, we were/are wanting Lance Long instead

When’s the last time we conciously thought of Lance Long? Week 1?

We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!

by Hawkwind on Oct 13, 2008 9:23 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Not I...

I love the smell of commerce in the morning

by Red Reign on Oct 13, 2008 9:40 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Lance Long -- what a blast from the past

Maybe next year kid, I think Morey’s job is pretty safe, huh.

by cgolden on Oct 13, 2008 9:46 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

My game ball goes to the Providence Airport

As they had the game on as I got off our plane; I was able to see the final play “live” and to scream and whoop like a maniac. Monty Biesel, I’ve always liked the guy and I’m glad he was able to overcome his back injury to be there on that last play. Sean Morey, I’m sorry I ever thought you weren’t worth a spot on the 53-man roster. I am wrong. Thank you for showing that speed and instinct to get to the ball like you showed last year.

We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!

by Hawkwind on Oct 13, 2008 9:21 AM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

YES!

And I deleted 6+ hours of my wife’s craft show crap from the “To Do List” to assure it doesn’t get deleted before I watch it!!!

We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!

by Hawkwind on Oct 14, 2008 4:06 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I didn't

I was watching streaming on a P2P site and it cut out just before Folk attempted the FG at the end.
I had to go to CBS gamecenter to “watch” the rest of the game. Man I nearly broke my laptop when I jumped up!
I have tivo’ed NFL Gameday today so I’ll see the highlights when I get home from work.

by CardsIrish on Oct 13, 2008 9:52 AM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Best game experience ever!

Throughout my few, formative years as a Cardinals fan, this is without a doubt the greatest game I have attended.

-The ups and downs, even including the sickness I felt in the last two minutes of regulation
-The arrogant Cowgirl fans all around me talking smack the entire time, right up to the blocked punt, and their somber faces walking out of the stadium
-The drunken Cowgirl fan who crashed the field and got tackled by the police midfield
-Hooting and Hollering, and the high fives all around to any stranger I encountered wearing Cardinal red.
-Walking back through the parking lot, yelling my lungs out “Not in Our House!” and “Get your popcorn ready!” to the opposition.

Unfortunately, I was stuck in traffic and missed Arrington’s kick return. I was however walking through the tailgaters when it happened, and you could hear the roar eminating from the stadium.

by AJ BirdWatcher on Oct 13, 2008 10:00 AM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

"Get your popcorn ready" -- that's a classic

When did the girl run on the field and do you know if it was during a TV timeout?

by cgolden on Oct 13, 2008 10:19 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I should clarify...

It was a drunken male ‘Cowgirl’ fan:

Don’t remember exactly, but I think it was early in the 4th, while we had the lead. I think they make it a point to not show these things on TV.

by AJ BirdWatcher on Oct 13, 2008 10:45 AM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Have to agree with you!

I had drove in from San Diego the night before and decided to get to the game two hours early because there wasn’t much else to do and I wanted to avoid trafffic. That was the best thing I’ve done this year. That opening kick off was amazing. Just to see it live and at home I knew it was going to be a hell of a game!

At 3:18 left in the 4Q (24-14) the Cowboy fan in front of me shook my hand and headed out to beat traffic. I was surrounded by ABSOLUTE MORONS and I started to feel great, they had shut up and we were on our way to the win. All of a sudden the touchdown happened and like you AJ I was feeling those high’s and low’s like never before. That 4Q was ridiculous and it made me hate the Cowboys more than ever before.

But it was all the sweeter when the defense turned up the heat in OT and the special teams unit redeemed that end zone that Warner had fumbled in last year in the OT loss to the 49ers.

I was at that game too which made this win all the sweeter!

by CardsFan08 on Oct 13, 2008 9:38 PM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

One shoe

Talk about to much Kool-aide. LMAO

by badmatty53 on Oct 13, 2008 1:03 PM MDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Ha! Didn't notice that at first.

The dude about to tackle him looks like he’s enjoying himself. Probably the highlight of his day.

by AJ BirdWatcher on Oct 13, 2008 1:04 PM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

If I saw the second guy running after me like that

I would probably have to drop to the ground and start laughing!

by AJ BirdWatcher on Oct 13, 2008 2:24 PM MDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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