 The Arizona Cardinals are in first place in the NFC West with a 5-3 record. This is something to celebrate in at the University of Phoenix Stadium because, though the record is not very impressive, it does mean that the Cardinals have successfully avoided the Super Bowl loser curse for the 2009 season. The Cards started the schedule a little shaky, but by Week 4 they were rolling again. The offense is not as proficient as it was in 2008, down a couple points, but the elements are all there. Quarterback Kurt Warner has been a good for the most part. He has had his ups and downs, including a five-interception game against the Panthers followed by a five-touchdown game against the Bears. Still, he is the lifeline for this team. This is because the Cardinals cannot run the football. The team is second in rushing yards per game seventh to last in the NFL in yards per carry. Luckily, Arizona has Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and Anquan Boldin running three-receiver sets most of the game. It seems that eventually Beanie Wells is going to replace Tim Hightower as the starting tailback. The two backs are already basically splitting carries, but Wells is averaging 4.4 yards a carry compared to Hightower's 3.6. The only reason to hesitate to make this roster adjustment is that Hightower has caught 40 passes while Well has just 4 receptions. The passing game, even the short passing game, is such an important part of the Arizona Cardinals offense that the extra .8 yards a carry may not be enough to trigger the move. The scoring defense has been quite good. The Cardinals are 12th in the NFL by giving up just 20.5 points a game. Unfortunately, the defense has not been as effective forcing turnovers. They have 13 takeaways which is quite fine, but the offense has turned the ball over 19 times. The NFC West is not the most challenging division in football to win, but the victors will need to force more turnovers to make it anywhere in the playoffs. The Cardinals have a rather easy road ahead with just three games giving fans fits. Get your Arizona Cardinals tickets with OnlineSeats to see one of the four home games at the University of Phoenix Stadium in person.
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