9-19-11: Arizona Cardinals Bird Droppings - Redskins Aftermath

The Cardinals lost to the Redskins last night, it was a game they could have won but their Defense couldn't get stops when it had to and the offense couldn't kill some clock when it had a lead late in the game. Off to Seattle now...

Arizona Cardinals News:

Unable To Finish In Washington
Cardinals can't make Fitz bomb stand in 22-21 loss to Redskins

Arizona Cardinals fall to Washington Redskins
Who said no one inside Washington, D.C.'s beltway ever changes his mind? The Cardinals waffled through much of Sunday afternoon, alternating between the extreme positions of playing like a competent football team and an incompetent one. In the end, the inconsistency cost them, and the Redskins won, 22-21, overcoming an 8-point deficit in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals had one final chance, with the ball at their 20 with 1:45 left. But receiver Chansi Stuckey lost a fumble after a 12-yard gain, and the Cardinals record for the season evened at 1-1.

Arizona Cardinals vs Washington Redskins Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Graham Gano kicked a 34-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining to send the Washington Redskins to a 22-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

Rapid Reaction: Redskins 22, Cardinals 21 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Thoughts on the Arizona Cardinals' defeat against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field in Week 2:

Arizona Cardinals vs. Washington Redskins - Recap - September 18, 2011 - ESPN
After Rex Grossman threw his second interception, running back Tim Hightower figured the Washington Redskins quarterback needed a word or two of encouragement. "I went over to him and told him to keep throwing the ball," Hightower said. "He looked at me and kind of laughed -- as if those plays never even happened." Selective memory was much needed Sunday by Grossman and the Redskins, who surely needed to do a lot of laughing -- if only to keep from crying during a game full of self-destruction that wiped out their statistical domination. They blew so many chances that they found themselves trailing the Arizona Cardinals by eight early in the fourth quarter before a late rally pulled out a 22-21 victory.

Washington Redskins running back Tim Hightower a pain for the Arizona Cardinals
As if everyone didn't know Sunday's game against the Cardinals was special for Redskins running back Tim Hightower, he emphasized it on the first possession. Hightower blocked linebacker Paris Lenon after the play, and the two ended up in a tussle. Somehow, that ended with an unnecessary-roughness penalty on safety Kerry Rhodes. Hightower was a pain for the Cardinals when he carried the ball, too. Hightower gained 96 yards on 20 carries, with 83 yards on 15 attempts in the first half.

Cardinals rewind: What we learned in loss to Redskins
Kent Somers breaks down what we learned in the Cardinals' 22-21 loss to the Redskins on the road.

Arizona Cardinals-Washington Redskins play of the game
The setup: The Cardinals were trailing 22-21. There was 1:45 remaining in the game. It was first and 10 from the Arizona 20.

No defense for Cardinals performance in 22-21 loss to Washington - Phoenix Arizona Cardinals | Examiner.com
The Arizona Cardinals defense has been exposed - and it's there for all to see! Last week, the Cardinals gave up 596 yards to the Carolina Panthers, including 422 yards passing to rookie Cam Newton. Sunday, Arizona continued it's generosity allowing the Washington Redskins 463 yards of offense, with QB Rex Grossman passing for 291 yards and two touchdowns.

There's no defending this Cardinals defense - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Sunday wasn't the first time a long touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald gave the Arizona Cardinals a fourth-quarter lead they could not hold. They lost Super Bowl XLIII when their defense let Pittsburgh go 78 yards for the winning touchdown with 42 seconds left. Three years and two defensive coordinators later, the Cardinals' defense is statistically worse through two games than at any point since at least 1940. While Arizona's 22-21 defeat to the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field reflected shortcomings in all facets of the game, nowhere were the problems more glaring than on defense.

Fitz Catch Ties Franchise Records
Notebook: In Washington, defense struggles for second game

Word From the Birds Blog - Redskins aftermath
Beanie Wells, like his teammates, was frustrated. The running back sat at his locker after Sunday’s one-point loss to the Redskins, having seen one slip away. He had watched friend and former teammate Tim Hightower light up the Cards in the first half, and then Wells – who had just six yards rushing on only three first-half carries – roared back in the second half. He ended up with 93 yards on 14 carries and nearly overtook Hightower (96 yards on 20 carries) despite the latter’s head start. His second-half coming out was "just about opportunity and execution," Wells said, and I’m sure he wasn’t thrilled it took a half to get there. More importantly, his comment serves well the Cardinals’ entire game Sunday. They had opportunity. They didn’t execute. The defense is going to have a chance to rally big next week playing in Seattle. Clearly the Seahawks are offensively challenged. Of course, the Cards don’t have the luxury of making any assumptions right now.

Four Down Territory: Cardinals at Redskins - ArizonaSports.com
On the one hand, if you look at the numbers, the Cardinals were lucky they didn't get whacked the way they usually do when they jump a couple of time zones. On the other hand, if you were watching the game you know it was a game the Cardinals could have won……should have won. A weird game as we take a trip into four down territory.

Revamped Arizona Cardinals defense has a long way to go
In the NFL, you can make plays or you can make excuses. The Cardinals defense did none of the latter, which is a good character trait. But they did very little of the former, and that's fast becoming a problem. In a 22-21 loss to the Redskins on Sunday, the revamped unit (a) yielded 455 yards, hiking their two-game total to a whopping 932; (b) allowed the Redskins to score every time they tried in the fourth quarter, including a fourth-down touchdown pass from a mediocre quarterback; (c) invoked painful memories of that Super Bowl loss to the Steelers, the most-notable late-game collapse in team history.

azcentral.com blogs - Kent Somers - Sunday night spread
The Cardinals could cope better with Sunday's loss to the Redskins if they were able to look back at the game and find proof they had improved from week one. But I don't see how they can make that case. They didn't regress, but they didn't progress, either. Last week, the Cardinals couldn't stop the pass. This week, they couldn't stop the run. The offense made mistakes at inopportune times, just as it did last week.

Cardinals vs Redskins highlights
Highlights from NFL Network of the Cardinals 21-22 loss to the Redskins.

Cards Daily: Postgame Reaction Washington
Coach Whisenhunt and players talk about the tough loss to the Redskins

Arizona Sports News:

Arizona Diamondbacks beat San Diego Padres to cut NL West magic number to 5
The Diamondbacks began the weekend with a magic number of six and departed Petco Park with it down just to five, and although that might not sound like much, you could hear the collective relief in the voices within the visitors' clubhouse late Sunday afternoon. To call their 5-1 win over the San Diego Padres desperately needed might be overstating things, but no one was downplaying its importance, perhaps psychologically as much as mathematically, in the grand scheme of a season that has just nine games remaining.

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver at center of labor storm
Laughingstock owners are not new to Arizona. Once, it was Bill Bidwill. Now it's Robert Sarver. The Suns owner no longer is just a local irritant. To the national media, he is an obstructionist, one of two men most responsible for the NBA lockout. Along with Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, they are portrayed as the buffoons in the room, the reason for no season. The recent developments only exacerbate Sarver's unfortunate legacy: He is the man squandering the prime of Steve Nash's career, an unforgivable sin on Planet Orange.

NFL News:

Wrap-up: Cowboys 27, 49ers 24 (OT) - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers' 27-24 overtime defeat to the Dallas Cowboys at Candlestick Park in Week 2:

Wrap-up: Steelers 24, Seahawks 0 - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Thoughts on the Seattle Seahawks' defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in their Week 2 matchup at Heinz Field:

Jamaal Charles Injury: Chiefs RB Reportedly Out For Season With ACL Tear - SBNation.com
According to ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter, via his twitter feed, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is likely out for the season with an ACL tear. Charles suffered the injury in the Chiefs' game against the Detroit Lions when he slipped on the first down marker on the sidelines following a play.

Tony Romo Injury: Cracked Rib No Obstacle In Overtime Win - SBNation.com
A cracked rib did not prevent Tony Romo from leading the Dallas Cowboys to an overtime win against the San Francisco 49ers. Romo came back into the game late in the third quarter, after most starting asking how many weeks he would miss.

Miles Austin Injury: Cowboys Receiver Suffers Pulled Hamstring, Could Miss Game Time - SBNation.com
On Sunday afternoon at Candlestick Park, Miles Austin was absolutely fantastic. The Dallas Cowboys' star needed to step up in the absence of Dez Bryant, and he did just that with nine catches for 143 yards and a career high three touchdowns. Unfortunately, it appears as if he's suffered a pulled hamstring once again, according to ESPN NFL reporter Chris Mortensen.

Arian Foster Injury: Gary Kubiak Says Texans RB Is Fine, Wanted To Play - SBNation.com
Arian Foster left Sunday's win over the Miami Dolphins, apparently aggravating the hamstring injury that kept him out of the Houston Texans' season opener. According to head coach Gary Kubiak, you shouldn't dump him from your fantasy team just yet. Kubiak said after the game that Foster was held out of the second half with what he classified as "really fatigue more than anything."

Tim Tebow Plays Wide Receiver, Was Bored In Practice - SBNation.com
Injuries during the preseason and the first two weeks of the season have left the Denver Broncos thin at a number of positions. That frailty was none more apparent than when wide receiver Eddie Royal suffered a groin injury early in the second quarter. This forced quarterback Tim Tebow to assume the slot receiver role, mostly appearing on third downs.

ANIMATED: Vince Wilfork's Acrobatic Interception And Rumbling Return - SBNation.com
Fat guys almost scoring touchdowns are always relevant to your interests. And when the fat guy is Vince Wilfork ... well, it's a uniting force. We were all rooting for it, and we were all disappointed when he was stopped short of the end zone.

Braylon Edwards Injury: 49ers Receiver Injures Right Knee, Return Questionable - SBNation.com
Braylon Edwards left the San Francisco 49ers' game against the Dallas Cowboys in the first quarter after suffering a right knee injury. It's not yet known if he'll return -- he reportedly limped to the locker room, and the team has dubbed his return as questionable.

Felix Jones Injury: Dallas Cowboys RB Diagnosed With Separated Shoulder - SBNation.com
Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones reportedly suffered a separated shoulder on Sunday.

Michael Vick Injury A Concussion, Andy Reid Says - SBNation.com
Michael Vick's injury was shrouded in a bit of secrecy after he left the field abruptly in the third quarter of the Philadelphia Eagles' matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. We weren't sure what, exactly, was ailing him, but it didn't look good. Vick was seen spitting up blood on the sidelines, and generally looked dazed before heading to the locker room. Though the initial reports said Vick had a neck injury, Eagles head coach Andy Reid told reporters it was a concussion that knocked his star quarterback out of the game. Vick never did return from the locker room, where he was reportedly undergoing further tests.

Michael Vick, Tony Romo Among Big Names Suffering Injury In Week 2 - SBNation.com
Michael Vick, Tony Romo, Jamaal Charles -- there was no shortage of big-name players going down with an injury during Week 2 in the NFL. SB Nation's Medical Expert recaps the damage and offers limited prognosis with the info we have.

VIDEO: Dunta Robinson's Hit On Jeremy Maclin, Which Will Likely Draw Punishment From NFL - SBNation.com
Falcons CB Dunta Robinson laid an illegal hit on WR Jeremy Maclin in Sunday's game against the Eagles and he can expect to hear from the league office about that.

In Kansas City, blame goes all the way to the top | ProFootballTalk
It’s become fashionable — and easy — to point to coach Todd Haley as the man responsible for the Kansas City clusterfudge. But in light of eight quarters of football in which, on average, the Chiefs have been outscored at a rate of more than 11 to less than two, the buck doesn’t stop only on the head coach’s desk. Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star accurately points out at the finger of blame should be pointed higher.

Carson Palmer won't budge in Cincinnati Bengals boycott, sources say - ESPN
Carson Palmer finally appeared in public Saturday, tailgating before USC's game, but anyone that had any questions about whether he would report to the Bengals this season now has an answer.

Sunday’s five most valuable players, Week 2 - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports
Comprehensive National Football League news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more

Sunday’s five least valuable players, Week 2 - Shutdown Corner - NFL Blog - Yahoo! Sports
Comprehensive National Football League news, scores, standings, fantasy games, rumors, and more

NFL Game Recaps:

Green Bay Packers vs Carolina Panthers Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Aaron Rodgers threw for 308 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Green Bay rallied from an early 13-point deficit to down Carolina, 30-23.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Dustin Keller caught six passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, helping the New York Jets destroy the Jacksonville Jaguars, 32-3, in Week 2 action.

Chicago Bears vs New Orleans Saints Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Drew Brees completed 26-of-37 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns, as New Orleans trounced Chicago, 30-13, at the Superdome.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
LeGarrette Blount's four-yard touchdown run with less than a minute left in the game gave the Buccaneers a 24-20 comeback victory over the Vikings.

Kansas City Chiefs vs Detroit Lions Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Matthew Stafford threw four touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions rolled to a 48-3 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs at Ford Field.

Seattle Seahawks vs Pittsburgh Steelers Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers emphatically rebounded from a Week 1 loss by shutting out the Seattle Seahawks, 24-0.

Oakland Raiders vs Buffalo Bills Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
David Nelson caught a six-yard touchdown pass with 14 seconds remaining to give Buffalo the lead and Da'Norris Searcy picked off Oakland's last-second heave in the end zone, as the Bills held on for a 38-35 win over the Raiders in a wild shootout at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Cleveland Browns vs Indianapolis Colts Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Peyton Hillis ran for a pair of touchdowns and Colt McCoy threw for a score, as the Cleveland Browns notched their first win of the season at the expense of the suddenly-woeful Indianapolis Colts with a 27-19 triumph at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Matt Hasselbeck threw for 358 yards and a touchdown in the Tennessee Titans' convincing, 26-13 victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Dan Bailey hit a 48-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into overtime and then nailed a 19-yard chip shot to give the Cowboys a 27-24 victory over the 49ers. Tony Romo suffered a fractured rib in the first half and missed some time in the third quarter, but engineered the game-tying drive late in the fourth and hit Jesse Holley with a 77-yard pass to set up the game-deciding field goal.

Cincinnati Bengals vs Denver Broncos Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Kyle Orton threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-25 passing and the Denver Broncos defense came up huge at the end of the game to preserve a 24-22 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Houston Texans vs Miami Dolphins Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Matt Schaub threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns, as the Houston Texans earned a 23-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

San Diego Chargers vs New England Patriots Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes, BenJarvus Green-Ellis added a score on the ground and the New England Patriots opened the home portion of their 2011 schedule with a 35-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Atlanta Falcons Recap - September 18, 2011 - NFL - SB Nation
Michael Vick started a game in Atlanta for the first time since he wore a Falcons uniform, but didn't get to finish it. He didn't even get to walk away a winner. Michael Turner rushed for the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter, and the Falcons survived a grudge match Sunday night by scoring 14 unanswered points to beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 35-31.