11-28-11: Arizona Cardinals Bird Droppings - Rams Aftermath

Time for some links after this big win, mostly on the huge game by Beanie Wells.

Arizona Cardinals News:

Beanie Batters The Rams
Wells' 228 yards breaks record as defense, Peterson lead Cards to win

Peterson To The House -- Again
Notebook: Rookie ties NFL record for punt returns; Acho shines vs. Rams

Arizona Cardinals sweep season series against division rival St. Louis Rams
Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt was leaving his postgame news conference Sunday when someone pointed out that his red challenge flag was poking out of the bottom of a pants leg. Yes, he knew that, thank you very much, and there it will stay. After Sunday's 23-20 victory against the Rams, the Cardinals are 3-1 since Whisenhunt moved the flag from his hip pocket. That little bit of superstition was too much for the Rams to overcome.

Beanie Wells is finally tapping his monstrous potential
Win the homecoming game, and the big boss is going to be mighty pleased. That's how strong Bill Bidwill feels about St. Louis, a city that once housed his football franchise. And yet Ken Whisenhunt chose to risk it all. Instead of running out the clock with a 23-20 victory already in pocket, the Cardinals' coach ordered one more carry for Beanie Wells, who was pursuing a franchise record. Wells also was limping noticeably, wearing a knee brace, had fumbled earlier in the quarter and isn't always the most reliable man on a football field. "It was a risk, and I totally understand that," Whisenhunt said. "But we told Beanie to hold onto it, and I was just trying to get one yard. The franchise marks are very important." Like a deranged bull, Wells snorted and stomped for 14 yards on that final carry, finishing with 228 rushing yards. The number is enormous, enough to catapult Wells into another class of tailbacks. And in a season that ultimately will be stamped a disappointment, Whisenhunt's gesture was a clever play.

Arizona Cardinals' Patrick Peterson ties NFL record
Patrick Peterson has played in just 11 NFL games, but he already has a place in league history. Peterson has returned four punts for touchdowns, tying Jack Christiansen (Detroit, 1951), Rich Upchurch (Denver, 1976) and Devin Hester (Chicago, 2007) for the most in one season. Peterson already has more punt returns for touchdowns than anyone in Cardinals franchise history.

Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Rams - Recap - November 27, 2011 - ESPN
No way Patrick Peterson thought he'd get another chance to return a punt for the Cardinals against St. Louis. Peterson tied the NFL record with his fourth punt return for a touchdown this season, three weeks after his 99-yarder in overtime beat the Rams, and Arizona won its seventh in a row in St. Louis with a 23-20 victory Sunday. "I was actually very, very surprised," Peterson said. "I just told the guys to be patient, that we'd get one sooner or later."

Wrap-up: Cardinals 23, Rams 20 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Thoughts on the St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals following the Cardinals' 23-20 victory at the Edward Jones Dome in Week 12:

Arizona Cardinals vs St. Louis Rams Recap - November 27, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
It was a record-setting day for Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells on Sunday. Wells rushed for a career-high 228 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, leading the Cardinals to a 23-20 win over the St. Louis Rams at Edward Jones Dome. Wells set the Cardinals' single-game rushing mark on a 14-yard run late in the fourth quarter, passing LeShon Johnson's previous record of 214 yards in 1996. Cornerback Patrick Peterson returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown, giving him four on the season to tie an NFL record.

Patrick Peterson's excellence in perspective - NFC West Blog - ESPN
A few notes regarding Arizona Cardinals rookie Patrick Peterson's 80-yard punt return for a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams in Week 12, with some help from Elias Sports Bureau:

Rams did not load up against Beanie Wells - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The Arizona Cardinals' Beanie Wells gained four yards on three carries when the St. Louis Rams had eight more defenders in the box, according to Doug Clawson of ESPN Stats & Information. Wells gained 224 yards on his remaining 24 carries. Why wouldn't the Rams commit at least eight defenders near the line of scrimmage more frequently? Sounds like a good question for coach Steve Spagnuolo.

Arizona Cardinals-St. Louis Rams play of the game
The setup: The score was tied 20-20. The Cardinals had the ball at their 38-yard line. There was 6:18 left in the game.

azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Post-game spread
I'm not sure I would tease a running back who just gained 228 yards for my team, but then I'm not Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald bestowed his "Paul Pierce" award upon running back Beanie Wells, who looked as if he had suffered a serious knee injury in the fourth quarter. Wells returned to the game to set up the winning score with a 53-yard run. Fitzgerald called Wells "Paul Pierce" in honor of the Celtic leaving an NBA Finals game with an alleged injury, only to return. Funny stuff. Fitzgerald also said he has given the award in past years to cornerbacks Greg Toler and Eric Green. I remembered Green going down against the Jets in 2008 as if he had suffered a torn ACL. I didn't remember him returning. Fitzgerald reminded me that Green grabbed one knee on the field and the other when he came to the sideline.

Arizona Cardinals rewind: What we learned in 23-20 win over St. Louis Rams
Kent Somers breaks down what we learned in the Cardinals' 23-20 win over the Rams in St. Louis. It was Arizona's third win in four games.

Word From the Birds Blog - Rams aftermath
Adrian Wilson was on the field and the Cardinals were about to use the victory/kneel-down formation at the end of Sunday’s game. But with Beanie Wells having a chance at history – to himself – the Cards took a delay of game and then Wells got his record-breaking run, a 14-yarder that put the exclamation point on a 228-yard day. It was a fantastic show by Beanie, and a necessary one. The Cards need to get Kevin Kolb back on the field at quarterback, odd in some ways to say after John Skelton went 3-1 as a starter, but the passing offense has grinded to a halt. You don’t want to get anything confused – the Rams’ after all, do have the NFL’s worst run defense and have dealt with 200-yard rushers earlier this season, after Dallas’ DeMarco Murray ran for a league-high 253 yards – but Beanie played well and to match his career-high in carries with 27 speaks to fighting through his knee soreness.

Peterson: 'I just told him don't kick it to me' - ArizonaSports.com
Patrick Peterson did it again. The rookie from LSU returned a punt off of the foot of St. Louis Rams punter Donnie Jones 80 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of the Cardinals' 23-20 win on Sunday. It was the 2nd time in the last four games that Peterson returned a punt for a score against the Rams. Just three weeks ago, he returned one 99 yards in overtime to clinch a Cardinals' victory. The Rams had to still be reeling from that, right? Surely they wouldn't let it happen again.

Wells, Peterson power Cardinals to win over Rams - ArizonaSports.com
Beanie Wells broke the franchise record for rushing yards in a single game with 228 and Patrick Peterson had an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown as the Arizona Cardinals hung on to defeat the St. Louis Rams 23-20 at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday. Jay Feely connected on a 22-yard field goal with 4:09 remaining to provide the winning margin.

Wells, Peterson lead Cardinals to win | ProFootballTalk
The 2011 Arizona Cardinals don’t have many stars, but the ones they have combined to get them their fourth win on Sunday.

Video: Beanie Wells has big day in Cardinals' win
Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic discusses the Cardinals' big victory over the St. Louis Rams.

Cardinals vs. Rams highlights
Beanie Wells rushed for 228 yards and a touchdown as the Cardinals go into St. Louis and get a win.

Cards Daily - Postgame Reaction STL
The Cardinals complete the series sweep of the Rams again in thrilling fashion. Listen to sounds from coaches and players after the game

Beanie Breaks Loose
Beanie Wells busts loose for a 71-yard run in the first quarter.

Patrick Peterson Makes History
Patrick Peterson ties an NFL record with his fourth punt return touchdown in one season.

Arizona Sports News:

ASU football's Dennis Erickson will be fired
Dennis Erickson is out as ASU football coach, and the end might come Monday. According to sources, Vice President of Athletics Lisa Love plans to meet with the coach Monday morning, when he will be relieved of his duties. It's possible Erickson could leave on his own terms as part of a negotiated retirement, but Erickson has given no recent indication that he wants to quit coaching. Erickson, 64, went 31-30 over five years at ASU, leading the Sun Devils to the 2007 Holiday Bowl. With six wins, ASU is eligible for a bowl this season, but it's not clear if Erickson will coach the team.

DePaul survives charge, beats ASU basketball
DePaul coach Oliver Purnell knows there are a lot of areas his team needs to improve on of its going to be a NCAA Tournament team at season's end. But after concluding its three days at the Old Spice Classic with a 68-64 win over Arizona State Sunday and a fifth place finish, he feels like at least there is a blueprint now for the Blue Demons to get there.

Arizona Wildcats' Rich Rodriguez getting to work
Rich Rodriguez will meet with Arizona Wildcats coaches Sunday to get a better sense of the team he has been left, and perhaps to consider a few members for his 2012 staff.

NFL News:

Rapid Reaction: Redskins 23, Seahawks 17 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks' 23-17 defeat to the Washington Redskins at CenturyLink Field in Week 12:

Matt Leinart's Injury Tops NFL Week 12 Medical Report - SBNation.com
With Week 12 of the NFL schedule almost in the books, SBNation Medical Expert Dr. Ali Mohamadi discusses some of the most significant injuries from Sunday's game, and their potential impact:

NFL Week 12 Highlights: Stevie Mocks Plaxico, Roy Helu Goes Hurdling, Caleb Hanie Can't Spike - SBNation.com
Highlights and lowlights from the NFL's Week 12, including Stevie Johnson's over-the-top TD celebration mocking Plaxico Burress, Brad Smith's crazy score off a deflection and the play that ended the Matt Leinart era in Houston before it truly began.

NFL Week 12 Debrief: Tim Tebow Should Thank Broncos' Defense - SBNation.com
The Packers stay perfect, Tim Tebow's not the reason for Denver's success and T.J. Yates and Caleb Hanie are leading serious playoff contenders. It's all part of the Week 12 NFL Debrief.

Week 12 Monday 10-pack | ProFootballTalk
Almost 12 weeks of the 2011 season are in the books, and there are only so many things we know. The Packers are good. The Colts are bad. And Ndamukong Suh is in trouble. For the 30 other teams and 1,700 other players, who knows what’s going on? Let’s try to make sense of some of it via 10 of the story lines coming out of Sunday’s (and one of Thursday’s) games.

Andy Reid's Dream May Be Over As "Fire Andy" Chats Erupt At The Linc - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid just can't seem to catch a break. After flying so close to the sun on several occasions during his winning tenure in Philly, his Dream Team was supposed to finally add the term "Super Bowl Winner" to his lengthy resume. It just hasn't worked out that way, and Philadelphia's notoriously, um, fickle fans are a little upset.

Brett Favre-To-Texans Rumor Squashed, And The Human Race Loses Its Way - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
On Sunday night, every single one of us had already been wondering for hours whether maybe -- just maybe -- the Houston Texans would attempt to replace injured quarterback Matt Leinart with Brett Favre. Peter King acknowledged our hopes and dreams before cruelly taking a hammer to them, saying, "I don't see it happening."

VIDEO: Bob Costas Lectures The NFL On Celebrations And Sportsmanship - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
...Because one thing the NFL's always needed is its very own version of Andy Rooney.

Ndamukong Suh Expected To Be Suspended At Least Two Games, According To Report - SBNation.com
Ndamukong Suh, the Detroit Lions' violent yet effective defensive tackle, is expected to be suspended at least two games for the stomp on Packers' lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith on Thanksgiving Day, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Matt Leinart Injury: Texans QB's Season May Be Over With Broken Collarbone - SBNation.com
Making his first start of the season in place of the injured Matt Schaub, Matt Leinart left before halftime with a shoulder injury. X-rays after the game were inconclusive, but the Texans fear he may have broken his collarbone, according to reports.

VIDEO: Stevie Johnson Touchdown Celebration Mocks Plaxico Burress, Jets - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
The only thing better than Stevie Johnson's play so far on Sunday has been his touchdown celebration. Quick recap: Johnson did a dance, pretended to shoot himself, pretended he was an actual Jet, crashed to the turf and earned a 15-yard penalty. Catch all of it after the jump.

ANIMATED: Vince Young Tackled By Julian Edelman; You Read That Right - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
All that stood between Vince Young and a touchdown was Julian Edelman. That's Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who is filling in on defense due to injuries. It was a one-on-one, open-field matchup and ... well, we're still perplexed about how Edelman came out on the winning end.

VIDEO: Jerome Simpson Successfully Executes The Thunder-Flop - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
If you're an enthusiast of the art of flopping to draw a penalty, you ought to be able to appreciate the work of Bengals receiver Jerome Simpson on Sunday. He dramatically and hilariously flail into the air after absorbing the mildest shove possible from the Browns' Scott Fujita, and that was after he grabbed Fujita's leg and yanked him out of the dogpile.

Jeff Triplette botches explanation of overtime rules | ProFootballTalk
Overtime of the Broncos’ victory in San Diego today got started with referee Jeff Triplette explaining the rules — and getting them wrong.

PHOTO: John Elway Has Become The Face Of The Broncos - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
You know how they say dogs and their owners begin to resemble each other after a while? I'm beginning to wonder if the same holds true for high-ranking NFL executives and their team logos. For instance, take a look at John Elway in the foreground and the Broncos logo in the background.

Is Nick Novak Peeing Or Tebowing On The Sidelines? - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
A full bladder was not to blame for San Diego Chargers kicker Nick Novak's missed overtime field goal against the Denver Broncos. With the game tied at 13-13 in the fourth quarter, Novak took the opportunity to relieve himself with a little more than 90 seconds left in regulation. The CBS cameras caught Novak taking care of business on the sidelines, discretely of course.

Johnson’s big game comes after Munchak calls out linemen in team meeting | ProFootballTalk
After Titans running back Chris Johnson gained 13 yards on 12 carries against the Falcons last Sunday, Tennessee coach Mike Munchak said of his team, "[W]e didn’t block well." Munchak had more specific words for his offensive line on Saturday night.

Stevie Johnson says he did not drop a game-winning touchdown | ProFootballTalk
Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has been the subject of a lot of scrutiny after Sunday’s loss to the Jets. One reason was the 15-yard penalty he drew for a celebration mocking Plaxico Burress. The other is that Johnson dropped a potentially game-winning touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter.

Washburn questioned Mornhinweg’s playcalling | ProFootballTalk
We mentioned last night that Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg got into a "heated discussion" on the sideline last night. Now we have a few more details on the matter.

Sunday’s five least valuable players, Week 12 - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports
Comprehensive National Football League news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more

Sunday’s five most valuable players, Week 12 - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports
Comprehensive National Football League news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more