It's A Dry Hot Seat... - Arizona Cardinals Madden 13 CCM

[UK0wnag3]

THE REPUBLIC

Week 1 recap, QB controversy, Sack heard around the world & other stuff:

Week 1 Recap:

I didn't discuss the week 1 game at great length in last week's blog, but I did look at the positives. And I felt there were more positives from the loss to the Patriots. The defence continues to impress, Beanie Wells ran well minus the fumbles and although the offence is worrying, it looked much better with John Skelton under center. Which leads me to my next item...

QB Controversy:

There is a quarterback controversy brewing in the desert. Believe it. John Skelton being handed some garbage time should tell you as much, that Rhys Withenshaw wanted another look at his other options. And Withenshaw must have liked what he saw, because although he named Kevin Kolb the starter for week 3 at home to the Eagles, he also said "Kevin needs to improve, and fast. He knows this, and he's working as hard as ever in practice. We have three quality quarterbacks on this roster, and Kevin is aware that if he doesn't improve, he could be on the sidelines watching someone else taking snaps under center." How long before Skelton gets a start if things carry on the way they are? This is just one journalists opinion, but week 4.

Sack heard around the world:

On Sunday, Patrick Peterson levelled Tom Brady with an almighty hit, followed by a moment of silence by the home crowd, waiting to see if Brady was even moving. Though the play was technically an incomplete pass, fans and journalists were soon coining the phrase "the sack heard around the world". When asked about it, Peterson said "I can't say how loud it was for sure, but I must have hit him hard because I was still hurting from it on the plane journey home".

Other stuff:

Stewart Bradley's injury likely means Quan Sturdivant will see more playing time in his absence. When he entered the game on Sunday, he made four tackles and recovered a fumble in limited time.



Joe Bloggs
Arizona Cardinals beat writer for The Republic

[UK0wnag3]

Matchup Preview | September 23, 2012
	@
Philadelphia Eagles (1-1-0, 1-0-0 Away)		Arizona Cardinals (0-2-0, 0-1-0 Home)
Offensive Stats Comparison 1055 Total Yards 791 690 Total Offensive Yards 463 427 Passing Yards 299 263 Rushing Yards 164 31 Points Per Game 3 23 First Downs 23 Defensive Stats Comparison 850 Total Yards Allowed 811 604 Passing Yards Allowed 581 246 Rushing Yards Allowed 230 63 Points Allowed 39 1 Sacks 3 2 Fumble Recoveries 3 1 Interceptions 4 Injury Report Stewart Bradley - Partial ACL Tear 6 Weeks Mike Patterson - Pulled Groin 4 Weeks Michael Floyd - Dislocated Elbow 3 Weeks Brian Rolle - Broken Ribs 1 Week Game Notes The Arizona Cardinals are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2005. That year they went 5-11, finishing third in the NFC West.

[UK0wnag3]

THE REPUBLIC

Helter Skelton!
John Skelton comes off the bench to clinch the W!



There was a quarterback controversy. But after the events of last nights thriller between the Eagles and the Cardinals at the university of Phoenix stadium, it may be moot as Arizona backup John Skelton came into the game for an injured Kevin Kolb to lead the Cardinals to their first win of the season.

The first quarter, was honestly a forgettable one. Arizona had a chance to take the lead, but Beanie Wells fumbled the ball in the redzone, his third fumble of the season. Ultimately though, neither team touched the scoreboard, with former Eagle-turned Cardinal QB Kevin Kolb and the man who effectively replaced him in Philadelphia, Michael Vick both throwing first quarter interceptions to DeMeco Ryans and A.J Jefferson respectively. But, oh boy, was the game going to get better.

At the start of the second quarter, the Eagles offense started clicking, with Michael Vick using both his arms and his legs to drive down the field, first for a field goal, and later from his own 20 all the way to the 1 before putting a TD on a plate for Brent Celek, to give the Eagles a 10-0 lead. With the horrible offensive play offered up by the Cardinals thus far, you'd have been forgiven for thinking this one was done and dusted. But when Kevin Kolb ran onto the field, for one series at least, he looked like the QB the Cardinals were hoping for when they traded for him last year. With time against him, and aided by the odd running play, Kolb drove up the field, attacking the sidelines and getting the ball in the hands of his receivers. It was a Beanie Wells run that got the Cards into the redzone for the second time of the day, a place where Wells himself had fumbled earlier in the half. A place where Kevin Kolb's play has gone from bad to downright awful this year. But it took just one play for Kolb to get the Cards first touchdown of the season, by doing two things he hasn't done all year: completing a pass in the redzone, and throwing on the run. With pressure coming from the left, Kolb rolled to the right and whilst on the move, hit Larry Fitzgerald in the end zone for the score, making it 10-7. But the quarter wasn't over, and Vick, not to be out done by Kolb, masterfully drove up the field again, placing the Eagles in field goal range to make it 13-7 at the half.

To start the third quarter, Kolb, who was looking the best he has all season, drove the Cards into the red zone again, but a false start penalty killed any hopes of another touchdown, and the cards settled for a Jay Feely field goal, only for it to be cancelled out by a Philadeplhia field goal on the Eagles next possession making its 16-10.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the Cards were marching down the field, when Kevin Kolb took a big hit from DeMeco Ryans. He stayed down. Kolb was assisted off the field, with what turned out to be a broken collarbone. Enter John Skelton. A man who, despite an impressive preseason, was made to watch the brutal Cards offense from the sidelines, spare for some garbage time. But this was no garbage time. This was a game on the line, for a winless team. Skelton would start at the 50, facing an unenviable 3rd and 10. Bang! Stephen Williams. 14 yards. First down. From that amazing entrance, Skelton didn't look back. The cards drove up to the field, reaching into corners of the playbook never before seen, including an handoff to Larry Fitzgerald for twenty yards. The Cards got into the redzone, and eventually to the 1 yard line. 3rd and goal. The pocket collapses, Skelton steps up, then rolls to the right and starts to move, towards the sideline and the end zone at a parable rate. He gets hit hard as he is holding the ball at arms length, desperately stretching for the endzone. The referees rule it a touchdown. John Skelton looks surprised. Eagles defenders look horrified. The referees review it, and make the right decision, overturning the call. How they made it in the first place, we'll never know. But all the same, it was a fourth and goal on the 1 yard line. And the Cards went for it. And the cards got it. On a 1 yard run by Beanie Wells, who went crashing into the endzone. Jay Feely obliged with the PAT, and for the first time in the game, the Cardinals lead, 17-16.

But there was a lot of time left for Vick and the Eagles. Vick got connecting with his receivers again as he drove down the field, but when he hung a ball up for Jeremy Maclin, the Eagles wide receiver was dwarfed by Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson, who made the pick to get the Cards possession again. After three first downs, John Skelton seemed to mis-communicate with Todd Heap, throwing an interception to Oshiomogho Atogwe, which after the return, placed the Eagles easily in field goal range. It looked for all intense and purposes that John Skelton had literally gone from hero to zero in seconds. The Eagles reached the redzone with under two minutes left. Do or die time. Now or never.

Die. Never. Vick threw a second pick of the quarter to that man again, Patrick Peterson. The cards had the ball back, but due to the positioning of Patrick Peterson when he made the grab, the Cards found themselves at their own one yard line, needing to get out of it if they were to deny the Eagles another possession, whilst also preventing a safety. The cards tried an end around to Andre Roberts, but got no gain. The cards took a risk, coming out with Skelton in the shotgun formation, placing him firmly in their own endzone. He got the ball out quickly, but couldn't find Larry Fitzgerald, meaning an incomplete pass and the clock stopping. 3rd and 10. Skelton had been here before. He turned it into a fresh set of downs with his first play of the game. This one was of much more significance. Skelton took the snap, pump faked towards Larry Fitzgerald, the man who was surely going to be the go-to-guy in a tough spot like this. But as everybody but Skelton stared towards Fitzgerald, Skelton hit little known tight end Jeff King for a 14 yard gain up the middle. The clock continued to run, as did the Cards, who soon after found themselves at fourth and 1 on the thirty.

If they punted, the Eagles would have had fifty nine seconds to drive down the field, with no timeouts, burning them to stop the clock after various Arizona run plays. If they went for it and got it, the game was over. If they went for it and failed, the Cards would have surely thrown away the game from a winning position. All signs pointed towards a safe punt, to put the pressure on the Eagles.

Say what you want about first year head coach Rhys Withenshaw, but he's got guts. No doubt. He motioned his offense to stay on the field. And John Skelton, who had come off the bench with such a clutch performance that Tim Tebow himself would have been proud of it, needed one more play for the win. He hit Larry Fitzgerald for four yards, to get the first down, thus enabling him to kneel for the victory.

The Cardinals have their first victory. And no matter how many they get this year, I doubt any will be as thrilling as this.

[JaymeeAwesome]

I know how awful Kolb is but you might want to think about changing your INT slider so you throw less picks. At least until you figure out how to throw with Kolb.

[UK0wnag3]

Quote: Originally Posted by jaymee13

I know how awful Kolb is but you might want to think about changing your INT slider so you throw less picks. At least until you figure out how to throw with Kolb.

Thanks man, I'l bear it in mind.

With Kolb injured for the foreseeable future, I'll see how I do with Skelton before making any drastic changes, but if it carries on at this frequency then I'll have to do something about it.

[JaymeeAwesome]

I would hate that your great storylines could be ruined by all these INTs...

[UK0wnag3]

Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals
Sep 23, 2012	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	OT	SCORE
Philadelphia Eagles (1-2-0)	0	13	3	0	N/A	16
Arizona Cardinals (1-2-0)	0	7	3	7	N/A	17

Team Stats Comparison
	PHI	ARI
Total Offense	305	404
Rushing Yards	139	132
Passing Yards	166	272
First Downs	17	20
Punt Return Yards	0	0
Kick Return Yards	76	90
Total Yards	432	467
Turnovers	3 (+1)	4 (-1)
3rd Down Converstion	8/14	12/19
4th Down Conversion	0/0	2/2
2-Point Conversion	0/0	0/0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	1/2	2/1
Penalties	1/5	2/13
Posession Time	31:28	28:32

Scoring Summary
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		PHI	ARI
14:21	(PHI) A. Henery, 47 YD FG	3	0
2:37	(PHI) B. Celek, 1 YD Pass From M. Vick (A. Henery Kick)	10	0
1:16	(ARI) L. Fitzgerald, 6 YD Pass From K. Kolb (J. Feely Kick)	10	7
0:06	(PHI) A. Henery, 39 YD FG	13	7
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		PHI	ARI
9:31	(ARI) J. Feely, 30 YD FG	13	10
4:44	(PHI) A. Henery, 33 YD FG	16	10
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		PHI	ARI
11:12	(ARI) B. Wells, 1 YD Run (J. Feely Kick)	16	17

Philadelphia Eagles PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Michael Vick 19/27 185 1 3 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD LeSean McCoy 26 87 3.3 0 Michael Vick 6 46 7.6 0 Dion Lewos 3 9 3 0 DeSean Jackson 1 -3 -3 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Brent Celek 6 40 6.6 1 Chad Hall 3 26 8.6 0 Jason Avant 3 48 16 0 LeSean McCoy 2 39 19.4 0 DeSean Jackson 2 12 6 0 Brock Bolen 1 7 7 0 Jeremy Maclin 1 10 10 0 Clay Harbor 1 3 3 0

Arizona Cardinals PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kevin Kolb 18/32 201 1 2 John Skelton 5-9 71 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Beanie Wells 33 112 3.3 1 John Skelton 2 -1 -0.5 0 Anthony Sherman 1 2 2 0 Ryan Williams 1 -2 -2 0 Andre Roberts 1 0 0 0 Larry Fitzgerald 1 20 20 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Larry Fitzgerald 8 96 12 1 Beanie Wells 6 66 11 0 Early Doucet 3 43 14.3 0 Todd Heap 2 26 13 0 Jeff King 1 14 14 0 Stephen Williams 1 14 14 0 Andre Roberts 1 9 9 0 Anthony Sherman 1 4 4 0

[UK0wnag3]

Quote: Originally Posted by jaymee13

I would hate that your great storylines could be ruined by all these INTs...

Thanks for the concern, its appreciated.

Hell, reading your Ryan Mallett dynasty got me interested in doing a dynasty in the first place.