Let's Get Ahead of Ourselves (The Cardinals Plan for the #2 Seed)

by Bezekira on Dec 7, 2009 10:18 AM MST Comment 24 comments

While we're still all high-fiving and patting each other on the back I figured I'd throw out this pipe dream. I'm sure as Cardinals fans we all want Kurt Warner and company to have the best possible playoff seed heading into the post season and at this point the best case scenario looks like the #2 seed. With that in mind last night win over the Vikings was obviously huge and it opens a whole can of "what if" worms. The Cardinals are in the drivers seat to secure the #3 seed but the #2 seed still might be attainable, but what will it take?

First and foremost the Cardinals will most likely have to win out. That sounds more daunting that it actually is considering the rest of their schedule contains four very "winnable" games. To start, the Red Birds will most likely be favored in each game, only one team remaining can boast an above .500 record and the four game stretch includes teams which have combined for a 15-32 (.469) record. Two of the games, including the most difficult (Packers), are at home and road trips to San Francisco and Detroit aren't exactly buzzkills. If the Cardinals can win their remaining four games they'll be sitting at a very healthy 12-4, but will that be enough?

Currently the Vikings are 10-2 so they have a two game lead with four to play, but their remaining schedule isn't near as favorable. Next week they'll host the 9-3 Bengals, who are 4-1 on the road and a road trip to Carolina will follow. It's concievable that the Vikings could lose to the Bengals and then beat the Panthers leaving them at 11-3 but still holding a one game lead over the Cardinals. The Vikings remaining two games include a road trip to Chicago to take on the rival Bears then a home tilt against the upstart Giants. Despite the lack of quality play from the Bears this season we all know how quirky rival games can be and as the Cowboys learned yesterday, the Giants are no pushover. It's again concievable that the Vikings lose one of these games and leave them sitting at 12-4 with the Cardinals.

If, and I realize that's a big IF, this scenario plays out the Cardinals will enjoy much needed bye week heading into the playoffs before hosting a game at UoP. The only question now is, can it be done? Thoughts?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Revenge of the Birds' (ROTB) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of ROTB's editors.

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I think there is a better chance of it happening than people give credit for

I wouldnt say there is a good chance it will happen but I wouldnt be totally surprised either. The Vikes lost there RT for who knows how long yesterday. Obviously there leader at LB is gone (Henderson – boy that was nasty), and there secondary is pretty dinged up. That being said they face a good team in the Bengals, Panthers, and Giants. Going to Chicago this time of year is never easy especially for a team that plays in a dome.

Never do card tricks for the group you play poker with.

by sc464 on Dec 7, 2009 10:35 AM MST reply actions

Loadholt returned to the game.

Unless he got hurt again in the 2nd half and I didn’t notice, I don’t think he’ll miss any time.

The bigger injury is definitely EJ. The Vikings cannot say enough good things about him.

by jallred350 on Dec 7, 2009 11:04 AM MST up reply actions

Definitely.

Our biggest challenge will be the 49ers because they always play us tough and the Pack. They are very underrated and lost to some good teams (besides TB). They have a top notch D, with probably the best CB duo in the league. That will make it hard for us.
We will also see how good the Viks are coming out of this loss. They could go 3-1 but probably 2-2 is what I think. I think we exposed their passing game a little bit, I mean Dansby playing a third safety? And it worked? The coaches must have saw something on film.
Honestly, I think we drop a game to the Pack because the team doesn’t get as hyped up as it did against the Vikings and the Vikings squeeze by us for the 2nd seed.

They are who we thought they were!

by Jessesb on Dec 7, 2009 10:35 AM MST reply actions

Wasn't Al Harris lost for the year?

Woodson can only cover 1 WR.

What? I didn't break it, I was just testing its durability, and then I placed it in the woods becuase it's made out of wood and I just thought he should be with his family.
Revenge of the Birds

by Andrew602 on Dec 8, 2009 6:18 PM MST up reply actions

I believe

Tramon Williams is good for 3-5 pass interference calls a game, and seeing as how we loooove going deep… We should get to the red zone every drive!

by tw3kr on Dec 9, 2009 1:27 AM MST up reply actions

Al Harris on IR

Al Harris was place on IR list in November.

by WeiWuWei on Dec 9, 2009 4:38 PM MST up reply actions

Cards 12-4

OMG – I’m hyperventilating just thinking about it!
12-4 – it just shows how far this team has come that you can say those words about the Cardinals and it actually looks possible.

by CardsIrish on Dec 7, 2009 10:50 AM MST reply actions

The playoff bye hasn't necessarily been a good thing for the earning team

Just ask the Titans, Giants and Panthers of last year. If the Cards steam into the playoffs at 12-4 I’d actually prefer to just keeping rolling into the Wild Card weekend with that momentum intact. Then again, I may be in the minority with that opinion.

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

by Hawkwind on Dec 7, 2009 11:28 AM MST reply actions

+1

by Pyromnc on Dec 7, 2009 11:34 AM MST up reply actions

I see the logic

and I agree to an extent, but as a lifelong Cards fan who couldn’t even think about the playoffs until the Whis, earning that bye would feel like a huge accomplishment

by manphibian on Dec 7, 2009 12:48 PM MST up reply actions

Good point

then again, its tough to argue being automatically one game closer to the SB..

by Fitz Jizzle on Dec 7, 2009 11:19 PM MST up reply actions

It would be nice but . . .

this sounds a lot like the dribble I read last week on Niners Nation that they we still in the hunt to win the divsion when they were 2 games behind with 5 left. We’re 2 games behind with 4 left from the Vikings who have some significant injuries after last night’s beating. We lost too many games early and are quite likely going to end up the number 3 seed.

The bright side though is as the number 3 seed with Minn and NO as 2 and 1, we get to paly all indoor games up til Miami if we makwe the SB run again. I like how thing are shaping up.

by Drullin'OverDaCards on Dec 7, 2009 1:13 PM MST reply actions

Then again, I didn't think we could beat the Vikings that soundly

so what do I know. I was hoping we could keep it close and sneak out a W in the forth quarter.

When HT fumbled the first drive and we had the 12 men penalty the second I thought, “Here we go again.” Glad I was wrong. Pretty much from that point on the cards owned the Vikings.

by Drullin'OverDaCards on Dec 7, 2009 1:26 PM MST up reply actions

u know all this sounds great, it really does, but...

I am so happy that Arizona is first and foremost in the SBowl conversation, let alone playoffs conversation, for the second year in a row. Not only that, the team that Whiz is building looks to be competing for years to come. So, byes are great, and I would celebrate it, and 12-4 is an awesome thought. But I don’t really care what the seed is, especially knowing we can beat any team, including the Colts and Saints. This could be our year to win the Super Bowl regardless of seed.

http://undrafteds.com/

by Undrafteds on Dec 7, 2009 2:11 PM MST reply actions

Home field advantage in divisional game..

That’s what I’d want as a #2 seed, more than the bye week. That way, I see it being Cards-Vikings Round 2, again at home. Of course, many would chalk it up as a revenge game for the Vikings, but the Cards (and Warner) would have the healthy edge this time. Cards dominate physically again and roll to a 24-10 win and return to the NFC Championship game!

by ajotanelsona on Dec 8, 2009 11:08 AM MST reply actions

+1

Well said — the more playoff games at home, the better.

by Long Beach on Dec 8, 2009 12:14 PM MST up reply actions

It would still be the same # of playoff games at home, one most likely

but they would have one less game to worry about in wildcard weekend

Section 135, Row 35

by AJ BirdWatcher on Dec 8, 2009 12:22 PM MST up reply actions

Good point, but

my thinking about #2 is that if New Orleans (likely #1) gets beat in their opener we have home field throughout, whereas if we’re not #2 the odds of both #1 & #2 losing are pretty slim, and like you noted it is one less game to have to play.

Either way, if we play the way we did the other night I’ll take us against anyone, regardless of location.

by Long Beach on Dec 8, 2009 12:43 PM MST up reply actions