Arizona Cardinals receiver Andre Roberts lives up to praise

by Sarah McLellan and Kent Somers - Sept. 19, 2012 07:55 PM
azcentral sports

The information may have come second-hand, but word of the compliment eventually reached Cardinals receiver Andre Roberts.

When the praise is that encouraging, it's bound to sneak around the locker room.

A week ago, coach Ken Whisenhunt assessed Roberts' skill set, namely his physicality, and mentioned how his blocking skills reminded him of former Steelers great Hines Ward.

"(Hines) sets the standard, and I see a lot of that in Andre," Whisenhunt said. "That's pretty high praise for a young guy like Andre, but I think it's pretty accurate."

Rather than slink under the comparison, Roberts has seemed to thrive.

His 2-yard touchdown reception on Sunday against the Patriots was his second in as many games and tied his career high for a single season. He's now hauled in four touchdown passes in his past six games, continuing to build on the momentum he gained at the end of last season.

"You definitely love hearing things like that," Roberts said. "But just as he says that, you want to work to be that. You want to work to be better than that."

The recent surge in production is what Roberts wants, but he recognizes he's second in the pecking order.

"I'm not a No. 1 guy," he said. "I know I'm not always going to have a 100-yard game. I'm not going to have a touchdown every game, but it's always good to be a part of the offense."

Quick kicks

Defensive end Calais Campbell was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his five-year career.

Campbell is the first player in Cardinals history to win player of the week in two categories. He was the special teams player of the week in 2009. Campbell had two sacks, 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and three QB hits in the victory over New England last Sunday.

Starting tight end Todd Heap missed practice with a sprained knee on Wednesday, casting doubt on the chance he will play Sunday against the Eagles.

Whisenhunt said Heap, who suffered a sprained PCL, is improving. But Wednesday is a heavy day of practice, and missing it is not a good sign.

Heap, however, is in his 12th season, so he wouldn't need much mental preparation to be ready for the Eagles.

Heap was injured when he was hit late and out of bounds by Patriots safety Steve Gregory. Gregory could be facing a fine from the league for the hit.

If Heap can't play, Rob Housler will assume a larger role, especially in passing situations.

"It's not like I was preparing any differently in Week 1 or Week 2," Housler said.

"Now it's a matter of executing when they call your number. Obviously I might have my number called a little more now that 86 might be down, but it's all a matter of taking advantage of the opportunity."

Quarterback John Skelton (ankle) was the only other Cardinals player to miss practice.

Whisenhunt is not going to rule Skelton out, but it would seem difficult for him to play after missing an important day of practice.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-cardinals-receiver-andre-roberts-lives-up-praise.html
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb set to face former team in Philadelphia Eagles

by Kent Somers - Sept. 19, 2012 05:39 PM
azcentral sports

When it comes to serving an NFL apprenticeship, Philadelphia can be the worst, and best, of places. Four years there taught quarterback Kevin Kolb to accept pats on the back and kicks in the backside with the same facial expression.

Those four years served him well over his 14 months in Arizona, where very little has gone right for him.

He missed seven games last season because of injuries. The Cardinals had to bail out of the Peyton Manning pursuit last spring because they had a deadline for paying Kolb a $7 million signing bonus.

Then Kolb played poorly in the preseason and lost the starting job to John Skelton.

Kolb has handled the events of the past year as well as anyone could expect. He didn't lash out and he didn't sulk. He credits his even temperament to spending four years in a city where the words "even" and "tempered" rarely go together.

"The biggest thing I took is when it's high there, when things are going good, you can't buy into it because there is a lot of hype," he said. "Everybody is patting you on the back. And when it's low, good gosh, is the sun going to come up tomorrow?

"Although it's not quite like that here, it is the NFL and that's the way it is nowadays. As a quarterback especially, you have to be able to ride those waves and stay level-headed with every experience."

Kolb is not riding atop the wave now, but at least he's not crashing, either. He led the Cardinals to the go-ahead touchdown when Skelton went down in the season opener. And he played efficiently last week in an upset over the Patriots.

With Skelton still hobbling, Kolb is expected to start Sunday against his old team.

"I think Kevin is a heck of a quarterback," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "I had him here and I know what he's capable of doing. You've seen here the last couple of games, how he's played and managed the game."

The Eagles were willing to trade Kolb because they had Michael Vick, who took over as starter after Kolb suffered a concussion in the opening game of the 2010 season.

He and Vick maintain a strong friendship.

"We just text one another about what's going on in our daily lives," Vick said. "We kind of kept football aside from everything that we had going on because at the end of the day, football is not everything. Kevin and I, we both appreciate our positions but we appreciate each other more."

Kolb still has a long way to go to prove the Cardinals made a wise decision in trading for him. They gave up cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick for Kolb and will have paid him $21 million by the end of the season.

Coaches wanted him to win the starting job this off-season, but in their view, Skelton outplayed Kolb

Kolb was disappointed in the decision, but he didn't mope, quarterbacks coach John McNulty said.

"During the week, I noticed he did a lot with the younger receivers, the linemen, talking to the backs," McNulty said. "He was working behind the scenes, so to speak, helping guys get ready for the game.

"Sometimes guys can be embarrassed, sulk or kind of hide. He really helped everybody during the week, and he obviously prepared himself well."

Coaches aren't asking Kolb or Skelton to be the next Kurt Warner, at least not now. What they want is for the quarterback to avoid negative plays and to make the obvious ones.

Kolb has done a good job of that the past two weeks, although he missed on two pass plays that could have resulted in big gains against the Patriots.

Still, there have been more bouquets than rocks tossed at Kolb this week. He learned in Philadelphia that it's important to know how to dodge both.

"I think, for the most part, people just try to criticize everybody in the world nowadays, so I don't even pay attention to it (criticism) and move on with my life."

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-cardinals-quarterback-kevin-kolb-set-face-former-team-philadelphia-eagles.html
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Arizona Cardinals DE Calais Campbell named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

by Kent Somers - Sept. 19, 2012 09:28 AM
azcentral sports

Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell on Wednesday was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his five-year career.

Campbell is the first player in Cardinals history to win Player of the Week in two categories. He was the Special Teams Player of the Week in 2009.

On Sunday, Campbell had two sacks, 10 tackles, two tackles for loss and three quarterback hits in the victory over New England.

The Cardinals held New England to 18 points, snapping the Patriots streak of 25 consecutive home games scoring at least 20 points.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/19/20120919arizona-cardinals-calais-campbell-nfc-defensive-player-of-week.html
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Teams feeling the Arizona Cardinals rush

by Kent Somers - Sept. 18, 2012 09:52 PM
azcentral sports

It was big news in New England last Sunday that Stephen Gostkowski, the most accurate kicker in Patriots' franchise history, missed a 42-yard field-goal try with one second left to assure the Cardinals of victory.

But for the Cardinals, watching a reliable kicker miss was business as usual. And it provided proof more that their prowess for blocking kicks and punts might be messing with the minds of opponents.

"We put so much pressure on the field-goal teams," cornerback Patrick Peterson said. "They have to do nothing but respect what we do." - What the Cardinals do is block a lot of kicks: 15 since 2008. That's more than anyone else in the NFL. - They blocked five in 2011 and have two this year: a blocked field-goal against Seattle in the season opener and a blocked punt last week against the Patriots.

Success helps. Last week, linebacker Quentin Groves almost blocked a punt early in the game. He begged special teams coach Kevin Spencer for another opportunity. Spencer gave it to him, and Groves blocked a punt that the Cardinals turned into a touchdown.

"It's a little bit like blood in the water for sharks," Cardinals kicker Jay Feely said. "You get a little taste and you want more."

And the Cardinals believe that ability leads to more missed field goals, because opponents know they have to get to the ball quickly and get the ball high enough.

"You absolutely see it," Feely said. "You get in those situations and guys speed up, they change their technique. You worry about getting it blocked instead of focusing on the fundamentals that are going to help you make the kick."

It's a theory that's hard to prove, but the Cardinals have plenty of anecdotal evidence.

In 2010, Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski missed a 32-yard field at the end of the game.

Last year, 49ers kicker David Akers set an NFL record by making 44 field-goal attempts. He missed only eight -- and four of those came against the Cardinals.

Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey had made 26 consecutive field-goal tries when he missed a 49-yarder at the end of the fourth quarter.

And the Bengals Mike Nugent had missed only twice in the first 14 games last year. In the 15th, against Arizona, he missed twice.

"I'm not pretending I'm an expert on what they go through and their approach to making kicks or whatever," linebacker Paris Lenon said, "but I would liken it to basketball. If you've got a known shot blocker in your way, it might have an effect on your shot."

The Cardinals credit their success to a unique blend of talents, attitude and coaching.

Not many teams have a defensive end like 6-foot-8 Calais Campbell rushing from up the middle.

He had three blocks a year ago and the blocked field goal against Seattle was the sixth blocked kick of his career.

The Cardinals also have speed off the edges from defensive backs Patrick Peterson and rookie Justin Bethel. Bethel blocked nine kicks in college at Presbyterian, and he had three in the preseason.

Just as importantly, the other players on the field are willing to do some dirty work. That means guys such as defensive linemen Darnell Dockett and David Carter working hard to get a push up the middle. That might mean Lenon pushing Campbell from behind, maybe getting him a yard or so deeper than he would otherwise.

Lenon also makes the calls on the field and can adjust how the Cardinals rush, based on what the punt team is showing.

"People don't see the push or the guys inside," Campbell said. "I kind of just ride the stream and jump up and balance myself. I think everybody tries to block it; it just helps that I'm 6-8."

There is more than one field-goal rush call, too. Spencer has a handful that he uses, some more than others.

"We try to get matchups and find weaknesses, just like offensive and defensive coaches," Spencer said. "The guys have just bought in and I'm proud of it. And it hasn't just been pink frosting. We've won some games with these things."

Coach Ken Whisenhunt emphasizes rushing kickers, not only because of the potential big play that could result, but also a means of measuring his players' efforts.

A team that's given up won't rush a point-after attempt nearly so hard as one that isn't just going through the motions.

"You can give up on that play, especially after a touchdown," Lenon said. "It's like, 'I'm just trying to get to the sideline.' A lot of guys could approach it that way, but we don't. It's a big part of what we do."

It's an attitude that Whisenhunt and Spencer brought with them from the Steelers. Former coach Bill Cowher emphasized it as a way to measure a team's mental toughness.

"Sometimes guys are tired," Spencer said. "It could be the end of a 10-play drive. They are disappointed and sometimes guys go through the motions. We don't tolerate that here. It's a football play."

The Cardinals are Feely's fifth team and this is his 12th NFL season. He's never been with a team that emphasized blocking kicks more than the Cardinals do.

"Some coaches will say, 'Well, let's not give up a fake, let's be safe,' " Feely said.

"We're a very aggressive team. I've never heard a head coach put an emphasis on field-goal block like this team. He talks about it all the time."

No one on the Cardinals sideline felt good when Gostkowski took the field for the final kick last week. But they felt hopeful, because they had witnessed good kickers fail in that situation before.

Maybe Gostkowski just mis-hit the kick, something he might not do again this season. Or maybe he hit it poorly because he was worried about a block. Who can say?

But Spencer knows one thing.

"I thought, 'If I have to be in this situation, this is a heck of a group to be in it with.' "

Coach's corner

"That's what today's NFL is. You have to have your young guys play. Patrick (Peterson) did it for us last year a lot. David Carter did it. Sam Acho did it. Young guys have got to step up and fit in. If you can get that to happen, it builds a pretty strong team, because now those guys understand how they have to do it. Jamell is under a lot of pressure from Patrick, from some of these young players, to do it the right way. And when you see it show up on the field it makes a difference for you."

--Ken Whisenhunt when asked about rookie Jamell Fleming playing 98 percent of the defensive plays.

Stat pack

2-0 - The Cardinals are 2-0 for the first time since 2008 and for the fourth time since 1988 (2012, 2008, 1991, 1989). They haven't been 3-0 since 1974 when they won their first seven.

9 of 11 - The Cardinals have won 9 of their last 11 games. Four were in overtime. The other five were decided by fewer than five points.

62.3 - In his past four games, which included an abbreviated appearance versus the 49ers in 2011, Kevin Kolb has completed 62.3 percent of his passes with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

2 - RB Ryan Williams has fumbled in each of the two NFL games in which he's played.

1 - The Cardinals yielded one sack against the Patriots. That's fewer than in any game in 2011.

The Cardinals have blocked 15 kicks since 2008 - That's more than anyone else in the NFL.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/18/20120918teams-feeling-arizona-cardinals-rush.html
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Outside the huddle: Arizona Cardinals CB William Gay discusses QB background, girlfriend and more

by Bob McManaman - Sept. 18, 2012 09:17 PM
azcentral sports

Each week, azcentral sports spotlights a Cardinals player for a series of on-the-spot, off-beat questions.

Today: William Gay, cornerback

Question: So you were teammates at Louisville with your current teammate Kerry Rhodes. Tell me, was he as talkative then as he is now?

Answer: Yeah. Kerry is a born leader. He had that at Louisville and he had that being a quarterback back in high school. You take those characteristics from the position you played and you still keep them. He's always been a guy that motivates so I'm pretty used to it.

Q: You were a quarterback at Rickards High School in Tallahassee, Fla., weren't you?

A: I wouldn't call it a quarterback, I'd just say athlete.

Q: What do you mean?

A: When I played quarterback, the most I usually threw in a game was like six passes. They were deep throws, but I never threw the ball 20 times or anything like that. We ran the option.

Q: So you were like Michigan's Denard Robinson then?

A: Yeah, pretty much. He's a great quarterback. But when I got to Louisville, they told me they didn't need me to play quarterback, just play defensive back.

Q: I understand you have a girlfriend that's quite an athlete. She's a track star, right?

A: Yes, her name is Natasha Hastings and she runs the 400 meters. A great athlete, an Olympian. She made the 2008 team and has been on world-championship teams. She's got gold medals everywhere, just a natural-born athlete.

Q: How long have you been going out with her?

A: Two and a half years.

Q: How'd you meet her?

A: I met her down in Miami during the off-season. She was there celebrating her birthday and we ran into each other. I couldn't let her go after that.

Q: What was the one line or thing you said that made her fall for you?

A: I don't know. I was just being myself. It must have just been the swag and the demeanor that I have about myself.

Q: Confidence. Is that what it is?

A: (Laughs) I'm from Florida. That's all we do.

Q: Yeah, Darnell Dockett tells me that all the time. But hey, when you came here on your free-agent visit, you weren't so confident or cocky that you demanded to be a starter, correct? You were just willing to fill whatever role you could?

A: See, the demeanor I have, coming from where I come from, it's all about wins. You don't worry about stats. You don't worry about whether you're starting. It's about Ws , because at the end of the day, that's what the fans care about, that's what the league cares about and that's what people remember you by. They don't care if you started eight, nine 10 years. Who cares? How many games did you win? How many championships you got? That's my demeanor.

Q: The Cardinals have embraced that type of philosophy lately. Could you see some of that in this team when you signed here?

A: Well, before I even signed, I asked the head coach what direction the team was going because it starts at the top with leadership. And he (Ken Whisenhunt) told me, "We're all about wins and winning championships." That's the only thing I wanted to know. He said, "I don't care what the name is on the back of the jersey, I just want to win." When he said that, that's what brought me to the mindset where you know it's legitimate.

Q: So Coach Whiz has some swag, too, huh?

A: Yeah. Because he let me know, "I'm not promising you nothing. I'm putting the best guys on the field." I told him, "Good, that's all I can ask for."

Q: The defense has played two pretty stellar games now. How happy are you to see the progression you're making as a unit?

A: We've got a lot more to do. Going 2-0 don't say nothing about our season, so you just move on and you've got to know you've been here before, you know how to win. You've got to stay on an even keel or you're going to get knocked down by somebody. That's what you're going to see out of me all year. I'm not going to get too high and I'm not going to get too low.

Q: Tell us about the William Gay off the field that we don't know. What's he like?

A: The same. I don't change for nobody. What you see on the field is what you see off the field. Like I said, I don't get too high and I don't get too low.

Q: Yeah, but you seem really approachable and introspective about things. Do you consider yourself a deep thinker?

A: Not necessarily a deep thinker. I'm from the South so my Southern hospitality makes me approachable.

Q: If you invited me and a date over to you and your girlfriend's place, what kind if hospitality would we get?

A: First, I'm going to offer you a bottle of water to make sure you're not thirsty. And then I'll let my girlfriend entertain y'all because she knows how to entertain guests. Whatever you need, this is your house for the moment. It's not my house. I'll sit back, y'all sit back, and we'll just enjoy ourselves.

Q: Sounds great. But what if I wanted a beer instead of a bottle of water?

A: (Laughs) Ain't no beer in our house, man. We're athletes.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/18/20120918outside-huddle-arizona-cardinals-cb-william-gay-discusses-qb-background-girlfriend-more.html
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Arizona Cardinals get back to work after stunning road victory over New England Patriots

by Bob McManaman - Sept. 17, 2012 10:21 PM
azcentral sports

It should have been a day for more high-fives and fist bumping, a victory Monday worth celebrating like never before.

After all, the Cardinals' 20-18 upset victory over the New England Patriots -- on the road, no less -- was that special. It was probably their most significant regular-season victory in the Ken Whisenhunt era, perhaps in their entire Arizona history.

"Well, I think there was a couple regular-season wins where we clinched the division. Those have been pretty big wins for us in the past," the coach said. "... It's hard to look at the second game of the season as a huge win.

"Well, I shouldn't say that," Whisenhunt said, catching himself. "I mean, it is a big win for us because it was on the road, it was against a very good football team. But as a defining moment, I think Patrick (Peterson) said it (Sunday), 'We've got a lot of games left to play.' We've still got a story to tell as far as who this team is going to be."

Maybe, but Sunday's unexpected victory was like Larry the Cable Guy winning an Oscar. Nobody gave the Cardinals a sniff of a chance. They were 14-point underdogs.

And yet there they all were a day later, victorious but not ready to bask in any glory or puff out their chests as they went about their business Monday at the team's Tempe training facility.

"It's a marathon, not a sprint," said Peterson, a second-year Cardinals cornerback. "We have 14 games left. Starting 2-0 is fantastic, but at the end of the day it's not going to reveal those next 14 games."

"He's right," defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. "We've got to stay humble and stay hungry and keep working hard week in and week out."

It's almost sad this team can't celebrate its victory a little bit longer, but being able to turn the page is a must. They face the 2-0 Philadelphia Eagles at home Sunday, and that's where their focus has settled.

Even the plane ride home was tame by usual NFL standards.

"I think they were excited about the win," Whisenhunt said, "but you know it wasn't like we just won the Super Bowl or something like that.

"I think they were proud of what they had done, the significance of winning a game in New England. I think it sunk in a little bit after the game, but it seemed like they put it behind them and we're moving on."

But how can you forget a game like Sunday? Maybe it helps that the Cardinals always seem to have another unpredictable and exciting finish up their sleeves.

Dating to 2010, the Cardiac Cardinals' past 11 wins each have been decided by seven points or fewer, with the average margin of victory 3.7 points.

In their past five games, four have come down to the final play, and all four of those were Arizona wins.

"We like it that way. We get better TV ratings that way," wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said, smiling. "We like to make sure our fans' blood pressure is on the rise every week."

In the Cardinals locker room Monday, it was calm and mostly quiet, except for the constant banging of free weights in the adjacent workout room, where players were pumping iron with a fury.

"It's intense in there right now," defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said. "That tells me something, and it makes me feel good. Guys aren't satisfied. They're going to keep working hard.

"Mondays and Tuesdays aren't off days around here. If you want to win, if you really want to win, you've got to put your work in seven days a week."

If you thought Sunday's win was something, just wait for the raw energy that is sure to fill University of Phoenix Stadium to the rafters -- and maybe through the retractable roof.

"It will be loud, it will be a great atmosphere and that will feed the confidence of our guys," Whisenhunt said. "Now that's great, but we've got to play smart and not make mistakes. That's where our focus has to be this week."

Given the lack of high-fives and fist bumps and virtually no celebrations at all on Victory Monday, that doesn't sound like it's going to be a problem.

18 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/17/20120917arizona-cardinals-get-back-work-after-stunning-road-victory-over-new-england-patriots.html
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Tears, relief for Arizona Cardinals running back Ryan Williams

by Paola Boivin, columnist - Sept. 17, 2012 10:03 PM
azcentral sports

A day after the Cardinals recorded the biggest upset of the young NFL season, an indelible image remained with fans who watched the game on TV: tears spilling from the eyes of running back Ryan Williams after the New England Patriots missed a field-goal attempt, securing a victory for the Cardinals.

"I was just trying my best not to cry on the field, national TV," Williams told reporters after the 20-18 victory, "and I end up crying anyway."

To appreciate that moment is to understand where the tears were rooted. It's a story line of adversity that began three years ago and came to a head in the final minutes of Sunday's game in Foxborough, Mass.

It was just Williams' third NFL game after missing his 2011 rookie season because of a severe knee injury. He gained much respect within the organization for the work he put into his comeback.

"He means the world to us," Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said Monday. "Those of us who were around the training facility saw how hard he rehabbed during those 12 months."

Williams was feeling good as he returned to the field with 2:06 remaining in the game Sunday and the Cardinals up by two. Minutes earlier, defensive lineman Darnell Dockett had looked over at Williams and saw him talking to running back Beanie Wells.

"Beanie was telling Williams, 'Hold onto the ball,' " Dockett said. "He was doing a little signal (with his hands) like 'grab onto the ball, hold onto the ball.' "

The Cardinals were trying to eat up the clock and preserve the victory. Williams ran for five yards, then 13 yards, doing exactly what he was supposed to do. He lost four yards on his next carry and then gained one, setting up a 3rd-and-13 at the Cardinals 35.

"Then I just pitched it (to Williams)," Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb said. "You're kind of taught as a quarterback late in the game like that to trail the ball, trail the runner in case something happens. I was just pivoting around to get back in line and I saw the ball pop out."

During the carry, Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes had barreled toward Williams and used his helmet to pop the ball out.

Now the Patriots had the ball at the Cardinals' 30-yard line with 1:01 remaining. With Tom Brady, most interpreted the moment as a sure New England victory.

"He fumbled and I'm like, 'You got to be bleeping me, right?' " Dockett said. "I was thinking, 'Is this how lucky the Patriots really are?' Like, really? We'd been beating them all game and it comes down to a play and they kick a field goal and win the game?"

Williams walked to the sideline in disbelief. He was crushed.

Kolb approached him.

"Man, the guy put his helmet right on the ball," the quarterback said. "There's nothing you could do."

Wells shared how, during his rookie season in 2009, he fumbled four times.

Bidwill told him to keep his head up and that he would be winning a lot of games in the future for the team.

"He was just nodding," Bidwill said. "He was devastated, still grappling with what happened."

Cornerback Greg Toler found him and said: "Hold your head up. We're all professionals in the NFL, and guys make mistakes. We're a team and we're your brother's keeper."

Williams shook his head.

"Man, I cost us the game," he said. "I lost the game."

Williams surely had a difficult flashback.

In 2009, as a redshirt freshman for Virginia Tech, he fumbled with two minutes to go in the fourth quarter that allowed North Carolina to kick a game-winning 21-yard field goal as time expired.

History didn't matter to the Cardinals defense.

"Everyone's looking at each other and saying, 'Let's go,' " said Cardinals linebacker Quentin Groves, who blocked a punt earlier in the game. "We have to make a stand and we have to pick him up because he's our brother. We didn't get mad. We don't do that here."

The Cardinals defense did make a stand, aided by two New England penalties. That set up a 42-yard field-goal attempt by Stephen Gostkowski, the most accurate kicker in Patriots history.

Groves couldn't watch.

"My head was down and I was praying, 'Please miss this field goal, please miss this field goal,' " he said. "Then I hear someone say, 'He missed! He missed!' It was the best thing."

"I was watching," Kolb said, "but I didn't believe it."

Gostkowski's kick went wide left. He dropped to the ground. As the Cardinals went onto the field to shake hands, one player remained on the bench for a while, his head hanging. It was Williams.

The TV cameras caught him crying.

Afterward, several players and team executives hugged him.

"There were no tears of joy, not at all, even with the win," he told reporters.

Later, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt sought him out and told him a story about Jerome Bettis.

In 2006, the great Pittsburgh running back fumbled in a playoff game against Indianapolis with 1:20 remaining. The Colts' Nick Harper scooped it up and would have found the end zone except that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger made a game-saving tackle. In subsequent weeks, Bettis was key in the Steelers' run to the Super Bowl.

"That's the kind of mentality you have to have," Whisenhunt told him. "You have to learn from it and you have to go forward."

There were plenty of encouraging words for Williams going around Monday at the practice facility.

Williams wasn't there. He had just learned of the death of his grandfather.

"It kind of puts things in perspective," wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said.

Reach Boivin at paola.boivin@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/PaolaBoivin. Listen to her on "Big Guy on Sports" every Monday at 12:30 p.m. on XTRA Sports 910.

18 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/17/20120917tears-relief-arizona-cardinals-running-back-ryan-williams.html
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Arizona Cardinals tight end Todd Heap has MRI on injured knee

Greg M. Cooper-US PRESSWIRE

Sept. 16, 2012 - Cardinals tight end Todd Heap (86) is tackled by Patriots linebackers Brandon Spikes (top) and Jerod Mayo during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

A compilation of fan bloggers' opinions, observations and speculation from azcentral sports' partner, Bleacher Report.

18 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/17/20120917arizona-cardinals-todd-heap-mri-injured-knee.html
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Arizona Cardinals leave New England Patriots, Bill Belichick looking for answers

by Dan Bickley, columnist - Sept. 16, 2012 07:30 PM
azcentral sports

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Four years ago, the Cardinals came to New England and rolled over in the snow, losing by 40 points to a Patriots team that was missing Tom Brady.

They did not squander their shot at redemption.

The Cardinals' uprising was so surprising that the home crowd booed the Patriots eight different times during their team's 20-18 loss Sunday. It was also the first time New England lost its home opener at Gillette Stadium.

Maybe the best part was watching coach Bill Belichick search for answers on the sideline and find very little. Or maybe it was the uncomfortably brief postgame session with the media.

Enjoy:

Question: Any questions about playing it as safely as you did to set up that field goal at the end?

Answer: We scored a touchdown; got it called back. We had a touchdown called back.

Q: You have to be disappointed to see Rob Gronkowski have back-to-back penalties in that situation.

A: There are a lot of things we could have done better today all the way around, all of us. I'm sure everybody on the team feels the same way -- every player and coach.

Q: Can you point to the things Arizona did defensively?

A: They did a good job. They have good players, good coaches. They did a good job.

Q: How much effect did losing Aaron Hernandez have?

A: I don't know.

Q: Did that throw the game plan off significantly?

A: Well, you can't go into the game just counting on one guy, any guy. Everybody has to be ready to adjust. It's not the first time a player has been injured in a game.

Q: Do you have an update on Aaron Hernandez?

A: No, we'll check it out like we usually do and see what the story is.

Q: You talked a lot about keeping everybody focused this week for an opponent you didn't know much about. Did you see signs during the course of the week during practice that they weren't as prepared as you might've liked?

A: I don't know. That's what practice is for. Practice is never perfect. There are all these little things to correct in practice. That's why we practice.

17 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/2012/09/16/20120916arizona-cardinals-leave-new-england-patriots-bill-belichick-looking-answers.html
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Langkah Sebelum Menentukan Pernikahan

Langkah Sebelum Menentukan Pernikahan Menikah satu kali untuk seumur hidup menjadi harapan setiap orang. Tapi apakah ia pasangan yang ideal untuk berbagi? Setiap pertanyaan yang muncul selalu membuat kita bimbang untuk memasuki dunia baru ini.

Bagi kaum pria memasuki dunia pernikahan berati kebebasan mereka akan terenggut. sedangkan bagi kaum wanita, trauma diduakan sering menjadi pemicu keraguan untuk melangkah ke pernikahan.

Lalu, adakah alasan lain yang menyebabkan seseorang takut menikah? Untuk mengetahui lebih dalam, liat dibawah ini beberapa alasan mengapa seseorang takut menikah, seperti yang dilansir Boldsky.

1. Terenggutnya rasa kebebasan
Jika kebebasan yang penting bagi Anda, hindarilah pernikahan. Hai ini akan membuat Anda terkontrol oleh pasangan. Apapun yang Anda lakukan, Anda harus dapat bertanggung jawab pada pasangan. Kebebasan berkumpul dengan teman dan ruang lingkup pun akan menjadi terbatas. Pemicu inilah yang menjadikan seseorang lari dari pernikahan.

2. Tidak ada  flirting
Setelah menikah, tentunya Anda akan kehilangan kebebasan untuk melirik lawan jenis yang mempesona. Yang terburuk adalah Anda tidak dapat menggoda atau berkenalan dan memulai rasa crush. Komitmen 100% terhadap pasangan sering terlupakan, 2-3 pria sering melupakannya, dan hal ini menjadikan pasangan mereka lebih posesif.

3. Berbagi kehidupan
Usai pernikahan, Anda harus percaya pada konsep berbagi. Tidak hanya berbagi diri secara fisik saja, tetapi juga berbagi tempat tidur, kamar mandi dan yang sering terjadi masalah yaitu berbagi keuangan. Sering kali kita masih memiliki rasa ketakutan untuk berbagi uang dengan alasan bagian si dia lebih besar dari milik Anda.

4. Tak dapat berteman dengan lawan jenis
Sebelum menikah, mungkin Anda memiliki sahabat dekat lawan jenis. Tetapi setelah mengikat simpul pernikahan semuanya menjadi dipertanyakan. Pada awalnya pasangan Anda mungkin akan menerima, tapi 2-3 bulan ke depan mungkin dia akan bereaksi. Hal ini terjadi karena pasangan Anda merasa memiliki saingan.

5. Berat badan bertambah
Banyak pria dan wanita yang mengalami perubahan bentuk tubuh setelah pernikahan. Tak jarang banyak orang yang merasa pesonanya menghilang, hal ini sering sekali dirasakan oleh kaum wanita terutama pada saat mereka telah melahirkan.

Lima alasan di atas sering sekali menjadi alasan utama seseorang untuk lari dari dunia pernikahan. Jika Anda benar tidak ingin memasuki dunia, siapkanlah alasan yang tepat untuk pasangan Anda nantinya Langkah Sebelum Menentukan Pernikahan

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