Revenge of the Birds - Cardinals Vs. 49ers preview: Niners Nation talks to Revenge of the BirdsAn Arizona Cardinals community -- the best one there ishttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51297/rotb_fav.png2012-10-29T21:56:16-06:00http://www.revengeofthebirds.com/rss/stream/33297532012-10-29T21:56:16-06:002012-10-29T21:56:16-06:00Cardinals Lose Yet Another on the Season
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>In a game that was highly touted amongst both teams Cards struggled early and never found a groove.</p> <p>How many of you stayed past the 3rd quarter? How many let alone stayed past the 1st half? If you did I admire your will and determination. I can honestly say I am sickened in the performance from our team. Want the stat line? Sure.<br><br>The <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> held the ball 28 minutes in the game. The Niners ran 49 total plays compared to our 61, and put up 24 points, two TD's to Crabtree, 1 TD to <span>Randy Moss</span>, and a Field Goal by <span>David Akers</span>. We had 7 yards on 9 rushes for a 0.8 yard per carry rate.</p>
<p><span>John Skelton</span> threw for 290 yards, and an INT. Those 290 yards were bases solely on the fact that he threw the ball 52 times, completing 32 of those throws. We made Alex Smith look amazing out there, as he threw 18/19 passes and 3 TD's. We converted less than one percent of our Third Down attempts.</p>
<p>The defense had one of their worst outings since finally making their turnaround last season.</p>
<p>Now I don't know about you guys but I am tired of our coaching staff. Grimm has failed to produce quality players, even if he does not have high round selections. Miller is... well atrocious, and needs to be left behind in favor of a better option. Things are done for unless we get our heads out of our... and make choices in the FO that will benefit our team. <span>Jake Long</span> has been speculation for the Cardinals but nothing has yet to come to fruition.</p>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/29/3574758/cards-drop-their-4th-straight-to-ninersROTB Fumbe2012-10-29T20:07:48-06:002012-10-29T20:07:48-06:00Cards/Niners 2nd half open thread
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<figcaption>Ralph Freso</figcaption>
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Cardinals</a> are down 17-0 after one half. It isn't looking good. But we know they like to come back. They were down 19-7 a season ago before winning 21-19.</p>
<p>Talk about it and stick around.</p>
<p>As a reminder, please keep the following in mind:</p>
<p>1. While we allow a bit more when it comes to language, if you can avoid swearing, it would be appreciated.</p>
<p>2. We still do not accept any personal attacks. Be passionate, but don't be out of line.</p>
<p>3. "Rec" your favorite comments. We will pull some comments to share with the whole site (What did Cardinals fans say?)</p>
<p>4. Do not ask for or post links to illegal streaming feeds of the game. Gamecasts, Slingbox, all that is cool. But sharing such links puts the entire network at risk of being shut down. If you do it, the comment will be deleted. If you persist, you will unfortunately be banned.</p>
<p>5. Have fun! Get to know each other!</p>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/29/3574180/cardinals-vs-49ers-monday-night-football-open-thread-2nd-halfJess Root2012-10-29T18:03:38-06:002012-10-29T18:03:38-06:00Heap, Snyder among Cards' inactives
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<p>In the Monday night matchup between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a>, the inactive lists are out and there are no real surprises for either team. The Niners are quite healthy and are missing no key players. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals will be without two offensive starters and a third if you consider quarterback <span>Kevin Kolb</span>. Guard <span>Adam Snyder</span>, who suffered a quad contusion in the loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Minnesota Vikings</a>, will sit out and be inactive and <span>Rich Ohrnberger</span> will replace him in the starting lineup. Tight end <span>Todd Heap</span>, who has not played since Week 2, will also sit on the bench. </p>
<p>Snyder has been much maligned this season for his play. However, he has been banged up almost all season. Do you think that Ohrnberger is an upgrade? Obviously the team does not, as he has not played over Snyder to begin with. What do you think, and if he plays well, should he stay in the lineup once Snyder has recovered?</p>
<p>Here are the full lists:</p>
<p><i>Cardinals:</i></p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">QB Kevin Kolb</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">WR LaRon Byrd</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">CB <span>Greg Toler</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">LB Jamaal Westerman</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">G <span>Senio Kelemete</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">G Adam Snyder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">TE Todd Heap</span></li>
</ul>
<div><i>49ers:</i></div>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">QB <span>Scott Tolzien</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">WR <span>A.J. Jenkins</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">RB LaMichael James</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">S Trent Robinson</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">RB <span>Brandon Jacobs</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">G <span>Joe Looney</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 9px;">NT <span>Ian Williams</span></span></li>
</ul>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/29/3573872/nfl-inactive-list-cardinals-vs-49ers-kevin-kolb-todd-heap-adam-snyderJess Root2012-10-29T17:45:10-06:002012-10-29T17:45:10-06:00Talk Cards/Niners in our MNF open thread!
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<figcaption>Christian Petersen</figcaption>
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<p>This game is the only one on. Time for the <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> to show their stuff. The last time the Niners came to town, they left with a loss. It would be very cool to see this happen again.</p>
<p>Can the offensive keep Skelton upright enough to make plays? Will the offense capitalize on opportunities this week? Can the defense limit <span>Frank Gore</span>? Will LaRod Stephens-Howling be able to repeat his success from a week ago?</p>
<p>Just some things you can talk about.</p>
<p>As a reminder, please keep the following in mind:</p>
<p>1. While we allow a bit more when it comes to language, if you can avoid swearing, it would be appreciated.</p>
<p>2. We still do not accept any personal attacks. Be passionate, but don't be out of line.</p>
<p>3. "Rec" your favorite comments. We will pull some comments to share with the whole site (What did Cardinals fans say?)</p>
<p>4. Do not ask for or post links to illegal streaming feeds of the game. Gamecasts, Slingbox, all that is cool. But sharing such links puts the entire network at risk of being shut down. If you do it, the comment will be deleted. If you persist, you will unfortunately be banned.</p>
<p>5. Have fun! Get to know each other!</p>
<p>I will shut this thread down during halftime and start a new thread. I will post the link.</p>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/29/3570146/nfl-week-8-cardinals-vs-49ers-monday-night-football-open-threadJess Root2012-10-29T09:01:33-06:002012-10-29T09:01:33-06:00What should we be keeping an eye on for the game?
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<figcaption>Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>What should fans be looking out for as the Cardinals host the 49ers for all the nation to see on Monday Night Football. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a> will host the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a> tonight on Monday Night Football hoping to end a three game skid and tie themselves for first place with the 49ers for the NFC West division lead. The Cardinals are having to overcome injuries to some very key pieces to their team, such as quarterback <span>Kevin Kolb</span>, which will make their task all the more difficult. </p>
<p>Speaking of Kolb, how will his replacement <span>John Skelton</span> play? Skelton, despite what the stats show, did not have the greatest of games against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.dailynorseman.com/">Vikings</a> last week and still has not shown that he can consistently lead the offense down the field. Against a stingy run defense, Skelton may be asked to throw the ball more than he is accustomed to. </p>
<p>Can the Cardinals keep Skelton upright, though? They have the worst pass protecting offensive line in the league and against some talented pass rushers in <span>Aldon Smith</span>, <span>Justin Smith</span> and <span>Ray McDonald</span>, the Cards will need to bring their A game. Guard <span>Adam Snyder</span> is questionable to play, so look for <span>Rich Ohrnberger</span> to take his place at right guard if Snyder cannot go. </p>
<p>Can the Cardinals' defense stop <span>Frank Gore</span> and the rest of the talented San Fran running backs? They allowed <span>Adrian Peterson</span> to rush for over 150 yards last week and they know that Gore is no walk in the park. The 49ers feature one of the best run blocking lines in the NFL, which should make for an interesting matchup. </p>
<p>If they can force Alex Smith into having to throw the ball a lot, the hope is that they can get pressure on him. Arizona did a good job of hitting <span>Christian Ponder</span> often last weekend, holding him to under 100 yards passing. </p>
<p>Perhaps the most interesting matchup will be between <span>Randy Moss</span> and the Cardinals secondary. If Arizona decides to put <span>Patrick Peterson</span> on him, it will be a battle between a future Hall of Fame receiver and the kid that grew up wanting to be him. </p>
<p>In all, this could be a low scoring game, so it may come down to which quarterback has the better game. Expect a great matchup for your Monday night. </p>
<p><b><i>We invite you to follow Revenge of the Birds on Twitter at <a href="http://twitter.com/revengeofbirds">@revengeofbirds</a> and like us on <a href="http://facebook.com/revengeofthebirds">Facebook</a>. Also, follow me on Twitter at </i></b><b><a href="https://twitter.com/#!/TylerNickelASU" target="_blank">@TylerNickelASU</a>.</b></p>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/29/3570290/cardinals-vs-49ers-what-should-you-be-watching-forTyler Nickel2012-10-29T07:01:25-06:002012-10-29T07:01:25-06:00Game info for Cards/Niners: Stats and connections
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<figcaption>Christian Petersen</figcaption>
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<p>Just a bunch of info about the two teams playing on Monday night.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Cardinals</a> play the <a href="https://www.ninersnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Francisco 49ers</a> for the first time this season. Being division rivals, they see each other twice annually. Tonight it will be with the whole world of football watching as it will be on ESPN for Monday Night Football. Let's look at the numbers, how they have done against one another and what players have played for the other team.</p>
<p><b>Stats:</b></p>
<p>Records: Arizona is 4-3, San Fran is 5-2.</p>
<p>Both teams are dominant defensively. Arizona's is ranked seventh overall and the Niners are number one. Arizona is 20th against the run. San Fran is 10th. Against the pass, Arizona is fourth and the Niners are first. In points allowed, Arizona has allowed 118 (under 17 a game), San Fran 100 (just over 14 a game).</p>
<p>Over the last 16 games, dating back to last season, these two teams have been prolific at not giving up touchdowns. San Fran is tops, allowing only 21 TDs. Arizona has allowed only 22.</p>
<p>Offensively, it is a story of contrasts. Arizona is terrible. They have the 31st ranked offense, while the 49ers are ranked ninth. But the Niners are only 29th in passing offense. However, they have the league's second best rushing offense and are tops in yards per carry.</p>
<p>Alex Smith, who threw only five interceptions the entire 2011 season, already have five picks this year, but still has a quarterback rating of 93.9. For Arizona, <span>John Skelton</span> gets the start. He has thrown one touchdown on the season but has only started two games.</p>
<p><b>Matchup:</b></p>
<p>In the all-time history, the Cards are 17-24 against the Niners, 9-10 at home. They split their games in 2011, each winning at home, while previous to that, one team liked to dominate, as series sweeps happened in the four years prior.</p>
<p>They last met at University of Phoenix Stadium and the Cardinals beat San Fran 21-19. Arizona fell behind 19-7 and then came back. Kicker <span>David Akers</span> missed his first kick of the year and there was a strange sequence of events that led to his miss. San Fran ran a fake that was gong to be a touchdown, but the play was ruled dead because Ken Whisenhunt had challenged the previous play. The replay was unsuccessful because the equipment failed, so the Niners had the play erased for nothing. Akers then missed the kick.</p>
<p><b>The connections:</b></p>
<p>San Francisco has two players that once were a member of the Cardinals. They have linebacker <span>Clark Haggans</span>, who was cut in the preseason this year. He played with Arizona for four seasons, from 2008-2011. They also have offensive lineman <span>Leonard Davis</span>, who played for Arizona for many years and was drafted orginally by the team.</p>
<p>Arizona has guard <span>Adam Snyder</span>, who was the 49ers' starting right guard last year. He signed with the Cardinals this past offseason. He started 69 games for San Francisco.</p>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/29/3570172/cardinals-vs-49ers-stats-matchups-and-connectionsJess Root2012-10-29T06:03:30-06:002012-10-29T06:03:30-06:00Check out all the broadcast info for the game!
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<figcaption>Christian Petersen</figcaption>
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<p>We have all the info you need to watch the Monday Night Football game right here! </p> <p>Planning on watching or listening to the Monday Night Football game between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a>? Get all the information you need below! </p>
<p><b>Kickoff time: </b>8:30 PM EST/5:30 PM MST, Monday, October 29, 2012. </p>
<p><b>Where: </b>University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona</p>
<p><b>TV info: </b>The game will be broadcast on ESPN for Monday Night Football. If you do not have ESPN, tune in to KTVK Channel 3 in Arizona. </p>
<p><b>TV broadcast team:</b> Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden will call the game. </p>
<p><b>National radio info: </b>Tune into SIRIUS channel 92 for the away stream, 93 for the home broadcast or 88 for the national announcers. Also, check your local listings for the ESPN Radio channel. </p>
<p><b>Local radio info: </b>For Arizona, turn your dial to 92.3 FM KTAR. For the 49ers, <a href="http://www.49ers.com/media-gallery/radio-network.html" target="_blank">check out one of the following local listings</a>. </p>
<p>Enjoy the game!</p>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/29/3570252/nfl-week-8-cardinals-vs-49ers-game-schedule-tv-radio-broadcast-infoTyler Nickel2012-10-28T16:00:04-06:002012-10-28T16:00:04-06:00How is the special teams unit for the Niners?
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<figcaption>Brace Hemmelgarn-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The 2012 version is not quite as good as the 2011 version, but it still is pretty good.</p> <p>Previewing the Monday Night Football tilt between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/">Arizona Cardinals</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ninersnation.com/">San Francisco 49ers</a>, I had one last question for <a href="http://www.ninersnation.com/">Niners Nation</a>'s David Fucillo. It was about the special teams unit for San Fran. I know that a season ago, it was perhaps the strongest unit in the league. They got great punting and kicking, superb coverage and good returns. </p>
<p>But what about 2012?</p>
<p>This is what Fooch said:</p>
<p>"The special teams has struggled in big parts this season, but they are coming off a strong night against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a>. <span>David Akers</span> has regressed a bit and currently has one of the lower field goal percentages of his career thus far. He had two big kicks against the Seahawks, so hopefully he is bouncing back. Punter <span>Andy Lee</span> remains a dominant presence and was NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. The 49ers coverage units have struggled even with Lee's big punts, so this could still provide an opportunity for <span>Patrick Peterson</span> to make an impact on special teams.</p>
<p>"The return game has been sort of middle of the road with some solid returns by Kyle Williams. <span>Ted Ginn Jr.</span> took over both punt and kick return duties against Seattle and had a strong day. He will likely fill both roles against Arizona and remains a tough threat. The key for the 49ers comes with their blocking and coverage groups. They have some strong special teamers, but the unit as a whole needs to come together. I don't think anything exemplifies the importance of teamwork quite like special teams play. The 49ers had it in spades last year, but is still trying to find some consistency this year."</p>
<p>Arizona also has a very strong unit, but recently there have been some struggles in the kicking game. </p>
<p>In this game, which unit will stand out? Will David Akers miss kicks like he did last year in Arizona en route to a loss? Will Jay Feely work his way out of his current slump? Can the Cards keep Ted Ginn from making a game-changing return and can Patrick Peterson finally bust out and find the end zone?</p>
https://www.revengeofthebirds.com/2012/10/28/3565780/cardinals-vs-49ers-preview-how-good-is-the-sf-special-team-unitJess Root