Welcome to Wildcard Weekend, Arizona Cardinals fans. This week, your Cardinals return to the postseason for the first time since after the 2009 season. Today, they visit the Carolina Panthers. We'll have all the analysis you need as the game unfolds, so keep it locked right here throughout the action.
The Cardinals (11-5) backed into the playoffs after starting an NFL-best 9-1. Injuries were the obvious problem down the stretch, as with Ryan Lindley, who wasn't even on the roster until the week after Carson Palmer tore his ACL against the Rams in mid-November. He didn't play until Drew Stanton suffered his own knee injury against the Rams a month later.
Another obvious problem the Cardinals have had to deal with lately is tackling—or a lack of it—on defense. If the Cardinals want to get past Cam Newton and the Panthers, they need to do a better job of wrapping up ball-carriers.
This one should be fun to watch. The forecast is calling for about a 40 to 50 percent chance of rain at kickoff, according to Weather.com. If either team gains an advantage by a wet field, it's the Cardinals. The turf could be slick, so Newton could have a difficult time getting up to speed when he pulls it down to run.
That could allow the Arizona defense to keep him under wraps.
Game Time: 4:20 p.m. ET (2:20 p.m. Arizona time)
TV: ESPN (Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden in the booth, Lisa Salters on the sideline)
Radio: Arizona Sports 98.7 FM (Dave Pasch, Ron Wolfley in the booth, Paul Calvisi on the sideline)
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1I8vmI6
via IFTTT January 03, 2015 at 08:00AM
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