Three feet separate Cardinals from turning point

By Paul Eide  |   Thursday, October 12, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

Arizona Cardinals
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If Neil Rackers' 51-yard field goal attempt at the end of regulation could have gone three feet to the left, it could've been the moment when the struggling Arizona Cardinals found their identity and finally got things going in the right direction.

Though it would have only tied the game at 23, it would have given the Cards momentum heading into overtime, thanks to a nicely executed drive by rookie quarterback Matt Leinart to keep them alive. On that drive, the Cardinals were able to move the ball from their own 10-yard line to the Chiefs' 33, where Rackers would ultimately miss the game-tying field goal.

It would have been the perfect first chapter for what Arizona is hoping will be a long and storied career for Leinart, a perfect introduction to a new era of Cardinals football.

Instead, the Cardinals find themselves back to the drawing board once again, trying to salvage a season on the brink of spinning out of control.

The Cardinals got off to a promising start and certainly had their chances to snatch victory away from the Chiefs during Sunday's 23-20 loss. On his second pass attempt, Leinart hit wide receiver Anquan Boldin in stride for a 49- yard touchdown pass. Leinart looked every bit the part of franchise savior when he connected with Larry Fitzgerald for a 5-yard touchdown and staked the Cards to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, the first time the Cardinals' offense had scored multiple touchdowns in a game since Week 1.

It was essentially all downhill from there, as the Chiefs outscored the Cards 23-6 over the next three quarters and won the game.

Though it left plenty to be desired, the offense was able to establish a nice rhythm at several points during the game, more so than it had for the last several weeks with Kurt Warner at the helm. The running game was stalled again, averaging 2.9 yards per carry, as the short passing game attempted to pick up where the lack of rushing success left off.

In Week 6, the Cardinals face the Chicago Bears in Arizona on Monday Night Football. It could prove to be a very long night for Leinart for two reasons:

1) No Larry Fitzgerald.
2) No running game.

Fitzgerald injured his hamstring during his touchdown reception against the Chiefs and will be out for the next several games. The Bears will likely double-team Anquan Boldin as a result, and blitz constantly, as they don't respect the Cardinals' other receivers as much as they would Fitzgerald.

Because the running game has been so inept and hasn't warranted or gotten any respect, the onus ultimately falls on Leinart to carry the offensive load and make good decisions, or this game could be over in a hurry.

But it's not all doom and gloom. Leinart's first pro action came against the Bears in Week 3 of the preseason, and he played very well, finishing 15-of-21 for 141 yards and led a touchdown drive against the Bears' first-team defense.

If the Cards can gain some confidence against the best team in the NFL, it could be the first step in turning the season around. The next four opponents (Oakland, Green Bay, Dallas and Detroit) have a combined record of 3-15 and may be the remedy to Arizona's disappointing 2006 campaign.

If not, the Cardinals find themselves on the fast track to a place they've come to be quite familiar -- positioning for a pick near the top of the next NFL draft.

Get weekly Arizona Cardinals coverage at RealFootball365.com
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