photo credit: Sister72 

 What can be said about this Superbowl that can't be said about any other Superbowl?   Well for starters The Arizona Cardinals had never been there. This can also be said, if the Cardinals ever get another chance to be there hopefully they will play a little better and have a lot less penalties.

     It was anyone's game going into this Superbowl. But it  destine to be a sixth win for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Arizona had impressed everyone with their win after win in the post season. Seemed as though everyone never thought they would even make it through the playoffs little less making it to the Superbowl.

     Okay now to the Superbowl. It seemed pretty even through the first half, well until James Harrison's 100 yard interception return with no time left on the clock in the first half gave the Steelers a huge momentum swing going into halftime. Thus this was the beginning of the end for the Cardinals. 
    The second half came and the third quarter seemed kinda drab. Finally in the fourth quarter, Kurt Warner stepped up and showed everyone why he and the Cardinals were playing in the Superbowl. Warner hit All-Pro receiver Larry Fitzgerald in stride for a 64-yard touchdown. Fitzgerald sped down the middle of the field, watching himself outrun the Steelers on the huge video screen. Kurt Warner and the Cardinals staged a remarkable rally to go in front 23-20 with 2:37 remaining. But it was not to be because Warner fumbled in the final seconds, the Cardinals' dream of winning their first NFL crown since 1947 were gone. The victory that didn't happen because the Steelers are as resilient as they come.With the Fumble and five seconds to play Pittsburgh just kneeled and ran the clock out.  
       In a contest that was decided by a razor-thin margin, the Cardinals cost themselves a chance for their first Super Bowl title with 11 penalties for 106 yards. Even though Kurt Warner out performed Ben Roethlisberger, it wasn't in the cards for him nor the Cardinals to have a Superbowl victory. The Cardinals haven't had a Superbowl victory in 62 years.

    Well it is now finally over, the Carolina Panthers lost at home to the Arizona Cardinals. Not only did they lose they were defeated at home as well. which hasn't happened all season long. well as the old saying goes "always a first time for everything...."
    I could start off with player stats, but that is kinda boring..   I will get to it later but i just want to start off simply by saying this. The reason the Panthers lost is one big problem that Jake Delhomme had and that was his Interceptions. Five might I remind you, five that is a very large reason why the lost came so easy. Jake only had twelve all season long and to have five in this post season game is unacceptable. If it wasn't for the pass Jake threw to Johnathon Stewart in the first quarter, and the desperate "try to at least get something on the board" throw in the fourth to Steve Smith, Carolina would not even have gotten the Pathetic thirteen points that they did get.

 
  Today is Jake's birthday and what a horrible way to turn a year older, with a very pathetic attempt to try to prove that you are a Professional Quarterback, and that even though your team had basically won all their games by the grace of their  kicker "the only original team member whom is John Casey" to kick field goals and win by three with only seconds left in the game. All I can say is this for the Panther fans I am sorry  that you got your hopes up and that you had to finally grasp the concept that the Panthers aren't that good and haven't been. Without their kicker they would never had even made this far.

     The Atlanta Falcons outscored their opponents 234-139 in the first half during the regular season. but were outscored by opponents 186-154 in the second half. The Arizona Cardinals defense harassed Atlanta rookie QB Matt Ryan the entire game.

     Kurt Warner opened with a 42-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald, the franchise's first home playoff game since the then Cardinals beat Philadelphia. Which let them win the NFL championship in 1947. Atlanta's 60 yards rushing represented a season low. Atlanta had to throw it around a little bit more than they were used to, which kind of put them behind the eight-ball. Matt Ryan was intercepted twice, and tackled in the end zone for a safety. Matt fumbled the ball away on a botched hand off, which lead to 27 yard return. That fumble was the element that put Arizona ahead for good.

     Atlanta's Michael Turner, the NFL's No. 2 rusher, was out performed by Edgerrin James. James ended the game with 16 carries and 73 yards where Turner ended his season at this game with only 42 yards after 18 carries. Warner, in the playoffs for the first time since leading the Saint Louis Rams to a second Super Bowl in 2001, was 19-of-32, for 271 yards with only one interception. Ryan, the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, completed 26 of 40 passes for 199 yards and two scores. But Ryan's first pass of the playoffs was intercepted by Ralph Brown.

      The Cardinals won their first playoff game since 1998, and their first home playoff game since 1947. They will travel to Carolina to face the Panthers. So will these birds be able to fly past the big cats? We shall see Jan.10th at  8:15

    The New England Patriots proved themselves just for the postseason, whipping the Arizona Cardinals 47-7 with a blizzard of points on a snow-covered field Sunday.  The Patriots scored the first 47 points of the game and scored on nine of their first 10 possessions.
      The Patriots showed total superiority to the struggling champions of the weak NFC West. Kurt Warner was pressured more tonight than anytime in his 11 pro seasons, and had one of his worst games as he only threw for 30 yards total. The Cardinals defense was worst than the weather, which allowed the Patriots to score on nine of their 10 possessions. All this happened before Matt Cassel got the rest of the game off.

Cassel completed 20 of 36 passes for 345 yards and three touchdowns. Matt Leinart replaced Warner with 3:27 left in the third quarter. Matt went 6-of-14 for 138 yards with an interception, a fumble and a 78-yard touchdown on which Larry Fitzgerald ran most of the way to cut the lead to 47-7 with 6:17 left. Kurt Warner went 6-of-18 for 30 yards, the fewest in any game in which he started. New England out rushed Arizona 183-44 yards, The Cardinals were held to under 100 rushing yards for the seventh straight game. The Cardinals went 0-5 on the East Coast this season, losing for the ninth straight time on the East Coast. Arizona had just four first downs and 45 total yards through three quarters.
    The Arizona Cardinals might have clinched their Division, but if they continue to play as horrible as they did today, their journey in the playoff's will be very short.