[Dark Horse]

If their last two games made anything clear it was that the Arizona Cardinals were looking for a running back. To get the balance back on offense and to get the pressure off Kolb, who was sacked 8 and 9 times in those two games.

The good news? They found him. The Bills had no answer for William Powell. To go from almost no rushing to a guy that rushes over 5 yards per carry is a huge step.

The bad news? The Cards OC. For some reason this genius decided to give the very effective Powell and the mostly ineffective Stephens Howling an equal chance. So Powell ended with 13 rushing attempts and 70 yards rushing, and Stephens Howling with 11 attempts and 22 yards rushing. To put this in perspective that average gives Powell a first down every two attempts, where the same ten yards would take the other guy five attempts.

It wasn't the last second missed FG that send the game into OT that lost the Cards this game. It was an OC who had his blinders on and didn't see what was clear to all.

I don't think I've ever seen anything this obvious overlooked by a coaching staff. And no, I wasn't on Cards.

[Dark Horse]

Quick look back at ARI @ MIN. Cards lost this game, which pushed ATS for the closing line. But Arizona actually solved quite a few of their recent problems. They won in just about every stat except the one that matters (see below). They had a nice running game game with Stephens-Howling this time, who rushed for 5 yards per carry.

Passing
Arizona 262 yards
Minnesota 58 yards

First downs
Arizona 21
Minnesota 12

Time of possession
Arizona 35 minutes
Minnesota 25 minutes

Running
Arizona 126 yards
Minnesota 166 yards

Interceptions
Skelton 1
Ponder 2


Sacks were still a big problem at 7. A bonehead play by Skelton, a missed FG, and a strange decision to go for it on 4th and 2 quite early in the second half, where they could have kicked a FG, didn't help. Overall, a much improved team that, other than in the scoreline, for the most part dominated the Vikings. Next week the home game against the Niners. Haven't seen the line, but after two weeks of passing on the Cards, I think the pendulum is starting to swing back towards value.