Chapter 829: Initial Signs of Trouble
The NFC West is called the "NFC West Death Group" this season, and for good reason. The San Francisco 49ers are one reason, the Seattle Seahawks are another, and the Arizona Cardinals are half a reason.
Last year, the Arizona Cardinals finished with a record of eight wins and eight losses, ranking second in the NFC West, just behind the San Francisco 49ers.
Patrick Peterson, a rookie cornerback from the same draft class as Cam Newton and Lu Ke, came out of nowhere. Although he was a backup and rotational cornerback, Peterson's presence was felt all over the fieldโas a wide receiver on offense, a return man on special teams, and a cornerback on defense. He was arguably the most important utility player on the team.
At the end of the season, Peterson was also selected to the Pro Bowl. If it weren't for the rookie quarterbacks last year who stole the spotlight, he would have received much more attention.
This year, Peterson took another step forward, completely taking over the starting cornerback position, and his performance has been outstanding. In a Week 2 victory over the New England Patriots, Peterson intercepted Brady in the final moments, sealing the game with a score of "20:18" for a Cardinals' victory at home.
This game showed the combat power of the Arizona Cardinals this season.
It's worth noting that Sherman intercepted Brady, and the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots. And Peterson intercepted Brady, and the Arizona Cardinals defeated the New England Patriots. What's interesting is that both Sherman and Peterson are 2011 rookies, and both Sherman and Peterson have a dislike for Lu Ke.
First, there was Sherman, and now it's Peterson. Lu Ke has now become the main target for all the top cornerbacks in the league. These head-to-head confrontations will only increase in the future, but the fact that all three players are from the same draft class makes the topic even more interesting.
However, the Arizona Cardinals' record this season has been a roller coaster. The most concentrated and direct manifestation of this is the struggle at the quarterback position.
At the start of the preseason, John Skelton was named the starting quarterback, but he only lasted for four preseason games and most of the first regular season game. In the fourth quarter of the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, he had to leave the game with an ankle injury, and backup quarterback Kevin Kolb took over.
After taking the field, Kolb's performance was outstanding. He first defeated the Seattle Seahawks and then led the team to a four-game winning streak to start the 2012 season, making them one of the best-performing teams in the league and solidifying the NFC West as a "death group."
But then, in a division matchup against the St. Louis Rams, their undefeated streak came to an end. Throughout the game, Kolb was sacked nine times, which broke their own shameful record. They became the first team in the league since the 2003 Arizona Cardinals to give up eight or more sacks in two or more consecutive games.
Then, against the Buffalo Bills, Kolb once again proved his worth, performing with exceptional toughness and skill. He kept the score tight throughout the game, but in the second half of the fourth quarter, with the score tied at "16:16," Kolb unexpectedly suffered a rib injury and was forced to leave the game. Skelton, who had recovered from his injury, re-entered the game.
After Skelton entered the game, he only completed two of ten passes, and his disastrous passing performance directly led to the Arizona Cardinals giving away the victory in overtime, with a score of "16:19," to the Buffalo Bills.
The Cardinals' nightmare was not over yet.
In Week 7 of the regular season, the team also lost on the road to the Minnesota Vikings. The "21:14" score was not bad, but they had suffered three consecutive losses after their four-game winning streak. In the following week, they were going to face the currently undefeated San Francisco 49ers. The importance of this game was beyond doubt. Not only was it a division matchup, but it would also determine the Arizona Cardinals' competitive state.
This was because the Cardinals were about to enter a brutal stretch of games, facing the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers, and the Atlanta Falcons, three absolutely strong teams. Then, they would face the St. Louis Rams again in a division matchup. This meant they would be facing tough opponents for four consecutive weeks.
If the previous three losses were more or less affected by the quarterback injury, making them understandable, then after one game to adapt, the team should have recovered its order. This week, facing the San Francisco 49ers, they had nowhere to retreat. They had to go all out to see a new dawn for their season.
Four consecutive wins, then three consecutive losses.
The Arizona Cardinals this season have truly experienced a great rise and fall. The instability and chaos at the quarterback position have become a major problem for the team. But after one game to adjust, they have finally returned to the way the coaching staff envisioned at the start of the season. The question is, is this a good thing or a bad thing? No one can say for sure.
Is this Arizona Cardinals team the same unyielding team that won four consecutive games, or the same desperate team that lost three consecutive games? Perhaps even the coaching staff themselves can't say for sure. With the personnel basically the same, with just the difference between two quarterbacks, John Skelton and Kevin Kolb, is the team chemistry that different?
The problem is that Kolb is not a top-tier quarterback either. After entering the league in 2007 as the 36th pick in the second round, he has always been a backup quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.
In 2010, he was named the starting quarterback, but he was plagued by injuries. Both he and Michael Vick were in and out of the lineup with injuries, and the two took turns getting injured and playing throughout the season, so they were never able to get into a rhythm. At the end of the season, the Philadelphia Eagles chose Vick and let go of Kolb, so Kolb came to the Arizona Cardinals.
It was the same with the Cardinals last year. In the first game of the regular season, Kolb had a super high QB rating of 130.0, but he was injured soon after. He was in and out of the lineup with injuries all season, and his excellent passing performances were never able to become consistent. By the time the preseason started this season, the team had chosen Skelton as the starting quarterback.
In a way, Kolb had some ability, but he was limited by injuries.
So, is the Arizona Cardinals team now led by the original starting quarterback Skelton the same team that defeated the New England Patriots on the road in Foxborough in Week 2 of the regular season? What kind of results can the Arizona Cardinals produce in the next few games against the San Francisco 49ers, the Green Bay Packers, and the Atlanta Falcons?
It is worth noting that of their three consecutive losses, two were on the road and one was at home. Of their four consecutive wins, one was on the road and three were at home.
From this, it can be seen that although the Arizona Cardinals are not a team with a huge home-and-away performance gap, playing at home is still a big advantage. This week, the game against the San Francisco 49ers will be held at the Cardinals' home, the University of Phoenix Stadium, which should be considered a factor that could influence the outcome of the game.
Although their form is a mystery and the outcome of the game is difficult to predict, one thing is certain: no one can or should underestimate the Arizona Cardinals.
Of course, for the San Francisco 49ers, especially for Lu Ke, no matter what, they have never lacked the motivation to defeat the Arizona Cardinals. Whether it was last year's loss at home to them or the abusive treatment they received on the road, it has filled the entire team with fighting spirit. A victory with their full effort is their only goal.
In a sense, this rivalry is even more deeply ingrained than the one with the Seattle Seahawks.
Against the Seattle Seahawks, the San Francisco 49ers have remained undefeated for two consecutive seasons, giving them a psychological advantage. Against the Arizona Cardinals, however, the San Francisco 49ers have the shadow of their undefeated streak being broken and the real-life experience of racial discrimination. In every way, this is an opponent they absolutely cannot lose to.
Even if the opponent is going through a quarterback crisis and has just suffered three consecutive losses, the San Francisco 49ers will not take them lightly.
This is what a true division rival is. It has nothing to do with the opponent's strength, form, or ranking. As long as both teams are on the field, they will inevitably fight with all their might, never giving up and never stopping until one of them is defeated. Even if they trample their opponent under their feet again and again, they will never be satisfied.
Because there will always be a next confrontation, and when that next confrontation comes, the cycle will repeat.
What's more, the current San Francisco 49ers are not invincible. They must stay vigilant. Behind one victory after another, the team still needs to face its own hidden problems.
Jim Harbaugh's mouth was slightly agape as he looked at Lu Ke, his face full of surprise. "Are you sure?"
Lu Ke nodded earnestly to confirm. "Yes, I'm sure."
Harbaugh couldn't help but laugh. "Bambi, I know you're worried about the team's form, but that's the coaching staff's job. As the quarterback, your job is to focus on training. As for the training content, let the coaching staff worry about that. I think Colin and Scott are doing well in the second-team training. Are you sure you want to demote yourself voluntarily?"
"Haha, no, no, you misunderstood. I'm not asking to be demoted. I'm asking to take on the responsibility of the offensive team captain," Lu Ke said with a happy laugh, waving his hands in denial. "I know Colin and Scott have always performed well in training, and that pushes me to work harder, or my starting position won't be secure. For now, I have no intention of giving up my spot voluntarily."
The joking words made Harbaugh chuckle. It was clear that he was in a very relaxed mood.
"But in passing drills, the current second-team receivers don't have enough chemistry, and the plays aren't good enough. I think they need to integrate into the team's tactical system quickly," Lu Ke then said, expressing his thoughts.
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