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 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
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.

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.

The Arizona Cardinals face their biggest test to date this Sunday when the Dallas Cowboys come to town. The Cardinals have played lights-out at home so far but they'll have to bring their A-game if they want to send the Cowboys home with a loss. Given the Cowboys' injury issues in the secondary and the fact that there offense isn't clicking right now, the Cardinals have a chance to register a big win in front of a near-national audience and stake claim to their legitmacy as a contender. Here's what they have to do in order to come out with a WIN:

Shut Down the Cowboys Running Game: Dallas' running game is potent and they've got the duo at running back and the offensive line to dominate a game. If they get MBIII and Jones going early, their offense can do just about anything they please. If the Cardinals can shut down the running game early or jump out to an early lead, the Dallas offense will become one dimensional though. The Redskins frustated the Boys' running game early in their game, then dropped 17 points on them in the fourth quarter before giving Dallas their only loss on the year. The result was the Boys only ran the ball 11 times for 44 yards. Make no mistake about it, this offense can be frustrated if things don't go right for them early in a game.

Win the Battle of Feild Position: This incorporates several aspects of the game including the kicking game, ball control and defense. In the kicking game, they need to cover punts and kicks well. On kickoffs, Felix Jones is amazing (27.5 avg) and he's already took a kick back for a score and he's got two 40+ yard returns. On punt returns, Adam Jones hasn't put it together yet (4.7 avg) but I'm sure we can all remember him from his days in Tennessee. The Cardinals can't allow a big return and they can't give the Cowboys offense a short field because of a turnover. The Cowboys are too good to give them a short field or easy scores.

Keep Warner Upright: The Cowboys' defense is based on pressuring the quarterback, especially with DeMarcus Ware and Greg Ellis. The Cardinals success as a team greatly depends on Kurt Warners ability to get the ball to his playmakers. Obviously this will be a big key for each team. The Cardinals offensive line, most importantly Mike Gandy and Levi Brown, have to play a good game and the Cardinals might have to keep an extra back or tight end in the backfield to pick up any extra blitzers. If they can limit the Cowboys pressure or force Dallas to bring 6 or more rushers in order to get to Warner, the passing game should have a big game.

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Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? What other things must the Cardinals do beat the Cowboys?

The Arizona Cardinals welcome the Dallas Cowboys to the desert this week and even though they're favored on the road, they've got their share of questions marks. They're secondary is dinged up, the offense isn't clicking and they've got more off the field questions every day. The Cardinals should be able to create some mismatches on Sunday and it'll be interesting to see how aggressive the game plan is on both offense and defense. First we'll take a look at what the Cardinals' defense will have to do in order to limit the Cowboys' offense. The Dallas offense is second in the league in scoring (30.2 ppg) and third in the league in total yards (407.4 ypg). Check out the breakdowns after the jump.....

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Normally fifth round picks enter the league in relative anonymity  but that's not the case the Tim Hightower. The Cardinals selected Hightower at least a round earlier than anyone else had him slotted and admitted after the draft that they almost took him in the fourth. Cardinals' running backs coach, Maurice Carthon, reportably offered the the Cards a 'money back guarantee' before the pick was made. He's been compared to recent Pro Bowl running back Marion Barber repeatably since draft day by the coaching staff and countless draft reviews. And so the legend grows.

Well today I ran across two separate interviews involving the man from Richmond. The first interview is with former pro scout Tom Marino who has more than 35 years of experience in the NFL and Marino makes no secret that he's a huge fan of Mr Hightower:

Most were surprised when the Cardinals selected Tim Hightower, what’s your take?

Tom Marino: Tim Hightower is a great pick. I’ve seen all the draft publications, and nobody ever mentioned him. I think in my mind that Hightower has a next level to him, beyond some of the first-rounders….In college, Hightower had a bulls-eye on him. He was a marked man in every game. He carried the ball over 300 times and almost ran for 2,000 yards.

What are Hightower’s biggest strengths?

TM: Hightower can catch, he can run, he has excellent vision and balance. The biggest thing about this guy is he never fumbled in 700 times carrying the ball. As a college football player that’s unheard of. I’d call him the best selection in the whole draft. This guy has a real chance of being a major contributor from the get go. He is one my favorite picks. In college, they couldn’t tackle the guy.

What’s Hightower’s style of play?

TM: Hightower is a North-South guy. He has a little burst with his vision and quickness. The Cardinals are going to be able to control the football with him. He is highly underrated. Hightower kind of reminds me of Marcus Allen, in style and how he runs the ball. Hightower is a fine pick. The Cardinals got themselves one of the best sleeper picks and the biggest steal.

The second interview is a short Q&A with Hightower himself and even though he doesn't compare himself to Marion Barber (like every else tries to) or any future Hall of Fame player (like Marino just did) he does say some of the things that make you like him already:

Dusty Wittig: Who were your favorite teams and players growing up?

Tim Hightower: I was always a San Francisco 49ers fan and my favorite players were Walter Payton and Barry Sanders.

DW: What are some of your goals for the upcoming season?

TH: I just want to contribute and help my team win. Any role they need me to play I will do it just to help my team be the best they can be.

DW: What are some of your strengths that you can bring to the Cardinals?

TH: Just my competitiveness. I compete in everything I do, wanting to be the best individually I can and to be part of the best team. I am always wanting to win.

DW: What are some things that you need to improve to become successful in the NFL?

TH: Right now, I just have to gain knowledge of the offense to be confident in what I’m doing. Pretty much just getting in great shape and learning this playbook inside and out.

Well I'm not ready to compare Hightower to any Pro Bowlers or Hall of Famers, I'm excited to see what he can do in camp and in preseason games. He seems to have the toughness and desire to contribute in some capacity from day one, even if just on special teams. He's presently fourth on the depth chart but Shipp and Arrington haven't exactly lit the NFL on fire throughout their career and their combined 2.5 yards per carry over the past two seasons (72 carries for 179 yards) is part of the reason why RB was a priority entering the draft. It's not out of the realm of possibility to think that Hightower could start the season as the #2 back at the end of camp if he can stay healthy and prove his worth. With Edge turning 30 years old about 2 months he could use some help shouldering the load. Is it crazy to think that Tim Hightower could unseat two veterans before the season starts or is anyone else getting caught up in Hightower's growing legend?

I recently exchanged emails with, newest Arizona Cardinal, Tim Hightower's former strength and conditioning coach at Richmond University. Coach Brandon Hourigan was kind enough to answer my questions and his enthusiasm and belief in Hightower's abilities are quite evident. Hourigan made sure to let me know how much he'll be missed by all in Richmond and that Hightower will win over fans and teammates with his outstanding work ethic. Since most of us had a fairly limited knowledge of Tim Hightower's college career and his strengths and weaknesses, my goal was to get some first hand knowledge from a coach who would know him best.

Q - The Cardinal coaching staff, and running backs coach Maurice Carthon specifically, seemed quite enamored with Tim after the draft. Did the staff show that much interest at Richmond's pro day?

A - I think having Coach Carthon at Tim’s Pro-Day says how important it was to Coach Carthon to work Tim out.

Q - Much has been made of Tim's speed, or perceived lack there of, but many had the same question marks about Marion Barber coming out of Minnesota. Do you see similarities between their running style or is Tim a different animal entirely?

A - He is a different animal that works continuously to get better at his speed. Whether its stretching-yoga-pilates or coming up with a new running drill, he will do it.

Q - What aspect of Tim's game do you think he'll have to improve on the most in order to become a featured back in the NFL, be it blitz pick up or receiving out of the backfield?

A - He will do fine at both, he just needs to keep staying hungry!

Q - Since not many Cardinals fans are familiar with Richmond, can you give us a short explanation of the kind of offense (spread, pro style, etc) that Tim was a part of?

A - Pro style- Our former head coach is now the Tennessee OC. If this gives you any idea of the background Tim is used too.

Q - Tim's career really took off during his senior season at Richmond. What would you attribute that too, whether it's better supporting cast or new work out regime? 

A - A Mind set to be the best!

Q - I read somewhere shortly after the draft that Hightower. Was a stand out special teams player prior to be a star running back, was that on coverage units or in the return game, or both and do you think that's where he'll have to make his mark early in his NFL career?

A - Tim did it all even after rushing 90 yards for a TD, the next play he is running down on the kick off team making the hit.

Q - Where you put Tim's 'ceiling' as far as NFL stardom? Can he produce the same results that he showed in his senior season?

A - It’s up to him – If he stay’s hungry with a mind set that no one can beat him-Watch out!

Special Thanks to Coach Brandon Hourigan.

It doesn't take long to figure out the impression that Hightower leaves on his former coaches. We'll see this kid on the field soon enough, but for now he seems like a heck of person. Hopefully Hightower can learn quickly from the coaching staff as well as Edge and show some of the abilities that helped him star at Richmond. Regardless, I can't wait to see him in the pre-season, thoughts?

The fifth round selection of running back, Tim Hightower, left some fans (myself included) scratching their heads, but the Cardinals had something on him that none of us knew about, a money back guarantee.

Offensive Coordinator, Todd Haley said, referencing Hightower's recommendation by running backs coach Maurice Carthon, "Mo guaranteed our money back."

Not sure how exactly they collect on that claim, but it does give some insight into the most questionable pick of the draft. Hightower isn’t the type of running back the Cardinals were supposed to be targeting, but they still seam pretty high on him. Unless you’ve been living under a rock during this week, you’ve heard the countless comparisons of Hightower to Marion Barber III (Cowboys RB). Both backs are about the same size (TH – 6’1 225, MB3 – 6’0 220), ran about the same forty time at their respective pro days (TH – 4.52, MB3 – 4.49) and both backs would prefer to run over a defensive back instead of around them. Now it’s a lofty comparison to project Hightower to have the success that MB3 has enjoyed in his young career (4.5 yard avg, 33 TDs & one Pro Bowl in three seasons), but at this point he should just worry about making the 53.

Hightower decimated the D-II Football Championship Subdivision his senior season, his third season as a starter for the Richmond Spiders. He totaled over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and averaged nearly six yards per carry. His first two seasons as a starter were productive but for whatever reason he didn’t get the rock near as many times as he got in 2007 (327 carries). His career yards per carry is a very respectable 5.3 and he’s a surprisingly good receiver out of the backfield (29 receptions per season) for a back of his size. His best asset though is his ability to succeed in short yardage and goal line situations. He scored 20 touchdowns his senior season and 34 over the course of his career. Some even view his role in the NFL as not much more than a goal line back or even a full back. It’ll likely to a couple years before we have any idea what Hightower’s future role will be for the Cardinals. I’d imagine he’ll have to contribute on some special teams units to get on the field this season although he’ll probably get at least a look in some short yardage situations at some point. Considering the age and workload on Edge, anybody that can take some of the weight off his shoulders is a welcome site to this fan. I’d have liked to see a guy drafted who have a better chance of taking over as the feature back one day but that’s a hard find in the fifth round. Thoughts?