The Bye Week is over, and now the Cardinals are going into a matchup on Sunday with the now 3-2 Seahawks. The rest of the NFC West decided to get their act together for once this week and played well enough to keep the division from being the joke of the NFL (I thought the AFC West was worse before the year began though) for at least one week. Still, the one time where we need the NFC West to be its typical inept self, all 3 teams decided to get a win, and two of them (the Rams and the Seahawks) beat teams that everyone thought they would lose to, the other team (49ers) didn't really pull away until the end of the game, and that is because that Jason Campbell has been awful in Oakland this year.
On to some links, along with videos of Miles Austin being an idiot, and the lateral fest at the end of the Cowboys/Vikings game.
By the way, Aaron Frnascisco would have never pulled off that play where he got the one handed pick if he was still here...
KTAR.com - Maxmania reigns for rejuvenated Arizona Cardinals
Call it Maxmania, this resurgent energy surrounding the Arizona Cardinals.
ProFootballWeekly.com - Rhodes, Lenon helping Cards as Porter struggles
A big key to any success the Cardinals' defense might have moving forward after their Week Six bye will be the contributions they get from three starters who were obtained this past offseason — FS Kerry Rhodes, ILB Paris Lenon and ROLB Joey Porter.
NFC West QB rankings through Week 6 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
My weekly look at where NFC West quarterbacks stand (trending arrows indicate general direction, not necessarily a change in ranking from the previous week):
azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - After the (good) bye
A few notes while I enjoy a cup of strong coffee, which might just get me going after four days off.
Back to work Monday
The Cardinals were back at practice Monday to start up what will be the stretch run of 11 games. Plus, they are in an NFC West division that looks like it can be very interesting. Because there is no injury report, nothing official was said, although wide receiver Steve Breaston did return to practice and said there was “no doubt” in his mind he will play Sunday. Wide receiver Early Doucet is also hoping to play, although his status may be more wait-and-see. Injuries are always an iffy issue on a Monday like this anyway; because it isn’t a “normal” practice, the Cards usually err on the side of extra rest this early in the week.
Random Bye-Week NFL-Related Thoughts - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
Since our Arizona Cardinals were out of action this past weekend, we'll have to talk about something else (but still football). Here are some quick NFL-related-but-not-Cardinals-related thoughts:
KTAR.com - Arizona Cardinals mid-season roundtable
Sports 620 KTAR's radio hosts were asked four questions about the Arizona Cardinals after five games and coming out of their bye week.
Phoenix Coyotes' late rally stifled by Corey Perry, Anaheim Ducks
Corey Perry deflected Ryan Getzlaf's centering feed past Jason LaBarbera with 5:37 left, and Jonas Hiller made 36 saves in the Anaheim Ducks' 3-2 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes on Sunday night.
The Designed Rush, Week 6: The Great And Unavoidable Helmet-To-Helmet Freakout - SBNation.com
We saw several nasty collisions in Week 6, several of which resulted in concussions. Which inevitably brings up the topic of how to stop these hits. It's a conversation worth having ... if anyone knew what the solution is.
Week Six Monday 10-pack | ProFootballTalk.com
An exciting NFL season got even more exciting on Sunday, with a bunch of very good games, including two overtime contests, a do-or-die game in Minnesota, the return of Big Ben, and the sudden proliferation of hits to helmets. As usual, we distill it into 10 takes.
Cowboys' season of promise already reaching disaster-mode - Don Banks - SI.com
Early Sunday evening, with his dispirited team coming out on the wrong end of the game everyone was calling the Desperation Bowl, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones stood in the middle of a quiet and crowded Dallas locker room and gamely tried to answer the obvious question: What emotion is one rung below desperation? What reaction fits after watching a season on the brink quite possibly morph into a season over the brink?
Brandon Meriweather, James Harrison hits deserve hefty punishment - Peter King - SI.com
"This is crazy!'' Rodney Harrison said as we tried to process the sixth or seventh vicious NFL hit of the day in the NBC viewing room Sunday afternoon. Then, almost under his breath, Harrison said quietly, "Thank God I retired.''
Panthers bench Jimmy Clausen, turn back to Matt Moore - NFL - SI.com
The winless Carolina Panthers benched struggling rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen on Monday, turning over the NFL's worst offense back to Matt Moore.
Steelers' James Harrison: I don't care if I hurt players - NFL - SI.com
Steelers linebacker James Harrison states his objective matter-of-factly: He's out to hurt any opposing player who roams into his vicinity.
Junior Seau hospitalized after driving SUV off cliff - NFL - SI.com
Former NFL star linebacker Junior Seau drove off an embankment and was hospitalized with minor injuries Monday, less than nine hours after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
Power rankings revisited: Week 6 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
A weekly review of how teams performed in relation to last week’s Power Rankings:
That old Patriot magic, another QB quandary in Philly, more Snaps - Don Banks - SI.com
Musings, observations and the occasional Week 6 insight as we watch the NFL's most desperate two teams, Dallas and Minnesota, fight it out for an all important second win at the Metrodome ...
Week 6 Judgements: Moss brings back gloss to Favre - NFL - CBSSports.com Football
Randy Moss hasn't made much of an impact with the Vikings yet, right? Wrong. Clark Judge sees a revitalized Brett Favre, who again looks like the sharp passer of the past.
Misery loves company in the Bay Area - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
The crosstown rival Niners and Raiders, in the midst of eight mostly pathetic seasons, have a lot in common.
NFL.com news: Lack of toughness keeping 'Boys, Bolts from fulfilling promise
We hear coaches talk about toughness all the time, and I am sure most of you probably think, how can a team not be tough, certainly a player has to be tough to play in the league. But being tough is not for just one moment, it requires being able to overcome adversity and still focusing on the task at hand. It means being able to not worry about the future and doing your job. Toughness encompasses many things, as Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Russell once said, "Concentration and mental toughness are the margins for victory." At this point of the season, we are finding out which teams have mental and physical toughness to overcome bad starts, bad series, bad halves and bad results. All over the league Sunday, you could find the teams that have the toughness to focus, concentrate, fight through adversity and win the game.
Cowher should be on Cowboys owner's mind - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
Here are this week’s other losers and winners …
Deion Branch still contributing, Big Ben shines in return - Andrew Perloff - SI.com
Quick-hitting insights from the slate of 1 p.m. games.
Closing time for Cowboys' 2010 season - NFL Nation Blog - ESPN
This is where Cowboys seasons come to die. But unlike last year's trip to the unsightly Metrodome, which resulted in a 34-3 playoff loss, fans will be forced to endure 11 more games.
Seahawks vs. Bears - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
The way Jay Cutler got knocked around, Lawyer Milloy and the Seattle Seahawks couldn't wait for this game. When it came, they delivered another beating.
Chargers vs. Rams - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
A week after losing by 38 points to the Detroit Lions , the St. Louis Rams used their defense to rebound in a big way.
Raiders vs. 49ers - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
Alex Smith is realistic. He expected to get booed again. A win feels great, yet it's still only one. Somebody had to come through all the sloppiness - and Smith raised his game at last.
Falcons vs. Eagles - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
DeSean Jackson lay flat on the turf, motionless. A few yards away, Dunta Robinson was just as immobile. The Eagles and Falcons gathered around the players who seconds before collided so violently that the Linc fell silent.
Browns vs. Steelers - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
With Ben Roethlisberger reveling in the cheers he once feared he might not hear, the Pittsburgh Steelers looked like themselves for the first time all season. They also sounded like the team that loves to intimidate.
Dolphins vs. Packers - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
When Brandon Marshall found out that Green Bay Packers defensive standout Charles Woodson wouldn't be shadowing him for the whole game Sunday, he didn't need to tell quarterback Chad Henne what to do. Marshall told him anyway: Throw me the ball.
Lions vs. Giants - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
It wasn't pretty. It wasn't impressive. And it certainly wasn't a blowout like a week ago. The New York Giants simply found a way to keep winning Sunday, and the error-prone and road-awful Detroit Lions helped them along the way.
Saints vs. Buccaneers - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
Thanks to some unexpected help from a little-known rookie running back, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints played like Super Bowl contenders again.
Chiefs vs. Texans - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
Andre Johnson saved the Houston Texans and their shaky defense again.
Ravens vs. Patriots - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
Four years after leaving the Patriots, Deion Branch felt like - and played like - he'd never been gone. New England reacquired Tom Brady 's old reliable receiver five days after trading Randy Moss and, with less than a week of practice, Branch sparked a comeback from a 10-point deficit to a 23-20 overtime win Sunday over the Baltimore Ravens .
Jets vs. Broncos - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
LaDainian Tomlinson broke the Broncos' hearts again shortly after the field judge reached into his pocket to the disbelief of the orange-clad crowd. L.T. scored his second touchdown from 2 yards out with 73 seconds left after a 46-yard pass interference flag on fourth down and the New York Jets rallied past Denver 24-20 on Sunday.
Cowboys vs. Vikings - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
After another flat first half by Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings , Randy Moss riled them up and Percy Harvin heeded the message.
Colts vs. Redskins - Recap - October 17, 2010 - NFL - Football - SI.com
Peyton Manning threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns Sunday night, leading the Indianapolis Colts to a 27-24 win over the Washington Redskins .
Miles Austin jumps over Williams (via notredamearw)
romoderp (via apeyksk)