By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff
These Arizona Cardinals are rare birds.
With a win over the San Fransisco 49ers on MNF, the Cardinals will win consecutive division titles for the first time in over 30 years. A generation has passed since the last time the Cardinals franchise has had this kind of success.
Some may say, including myself for much of the season, that the Cardinals are only winning division titles because of the weak competition in the NFC West. While the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers are not exactly NFL powerhouses, the Cardinals are starting to show that they are more than a team that wins just because of their schedule. Need proof? Then look no further than last week when the Cardinals dominated the Minnesota Vikings, handing Brett Favre and the Vikings just their second loss of the season.
Kurt Warner has been the key to the turnaround in the desert. Warner has been on fire lately, throwing 12TDs and no picks in his last four games. Having weapons like Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, who is finally healthy, certainly makes life much easier for any QB, but it all comes back to Warner. After missing a game in Tennessee due to a concussion, the Arizona offense struggled with Matt Lienart under center. Once Warner returned to action, the offense was clicking again. If the Cards are going to do any real damage in the playoffs, then it is imperative that Warner stay healthy.
Although the offense generally gets the headlines for Arizona, the defense has also contributed. Last week they harassed Brett Favre, sacking him 3 times, and intercepting him twice. The run defense was also impressive holding all pro running back Adrian Peterson to a season low 19 rushing yards.
If the Cards can play like this the rest of the season, then they could be one of the few teams in the NFL that could upset the New Orleans Saints. The Cardinals however should not be looking too far ahead, and must first deal with the 49ers. The Cards have played down to their competition at times (think of the home loss to Carolina), and the 49ers have started to look better on offense. Alex Smith has started to show signs of looking like a franchise QB at times, and Michael Crabtree has helped get the 49ers offense moving.
If the 49ers are going to pull off the upset at Candlestick however, it will be with their defense. Constant pressure must be applied to Warner if the 49ers have any shot. Problem is that the Vikings, who have a better defense than San Fransisco, were not able to do that last week with any real consistency.
In the end, Kurt Warner will have another big day, and Cardinals will have their back to back division titles.
Prediction: Cardinals 34 49ers 13
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