TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -The Arizona Cardinals had just lost to New England by 40 points. The defense had surrendered 514 yards. Coach Ken Whisenhunt walked off the snowy Gillette Stadium field “angry, embarrassed” that Dec. 21 afternoon.
In the rainy week that followed in Arizona, Whisenhunt threatened to bench players in the playoffs if they didn’t practice well. Then something clicked.
“Somewhere in that week we found ourselves again,” Whisenhunt said on Monday.
The Cardinals have not lost since in their improbable run to Sunday’s NFC Championship game at home against Philadelphia.
“We’ve been disciplined in staying in our gaps, in using our hands, in getting the right rush lanes,” Whisenhunt said.
An Arizona defense that allowed 183 yards on the ground at New England shut down the league’s No. 2 and No. 3 rushing teams – Atlanta and Carolina – forcing nine turnovers in the process.
nock balls down and be aggressive.”
Atlanta managed 60 yards on the ground against the Cardinals, Carolina 75. Of the playoff teams, only Tennessee has given up fewer yards per game than Arizona’s 259.5.
“I don’t know if the guys felt like, well, they’ll just save it for the playoffs or we need a couple of people to doubt us or whatever it is,” tackle Bryan Robinson said, “we figured out a way to get going at the right time.”
Arizona’s defense is built on speed and hard hitting. If there’s an energy shortage, it can get ugly, with missed assignments and missed tackles, as it was in the Cardinals’ 48-20 Thanksgiving night loss in Philadelphia.
“I had some turkey in my stomach, really didn’t feel like playing,” Robinson said. “I was out there sleepwalking a little bit.”
But when everyone is completing his assigned task, Arizona suddenly becomes a formidable opponent.
“I don’t think that we ever have questioned that we’ve had guys that could make plays on defense,” Whisenhunt said. “Where we’ve had problems has been in discipline.”
Five different players intercepted passes in Saturday night’s 33-13 victory over Carolina. The Cardinals got a sixth turnover when defensive end Antonio Smith stripped the ball from Jake Delhomme and recovered to set up a touchdown.
The key, Whisenhunt said, is for everyone to stay in their assignments with no freelancing.
oint we’ve made the last couple of weeks is you don’t have to make a play,” Whisenhunt said. “If you do your job the plays will come to you. That’s what we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks. That’s why we’ve had so many different guys make plays.”
He used Smith’s big play as an example.
“Darnell Dockett may be taking up a couple of blockers. That allows Antonio Smith to spin off a guy and knock the ball loose and fall on it,” Whisenhunt said. “Even though Antonio gets the credit for the sack and the fumble, Darnell has taken away two blockers. That’s what it’s all about.”
The secondary’s confidence “has grown tremendously,” Whisenhunt said, Antrel Rolle settling into his safety role and Rodgers-Cromartie taking on the opponent’s top receivers. He has an interception in each of his last three games.
“The one play Saturday night with Steve Smith where he ran it down, jumped up and made the play on the ball, that’s what the really good corners do,” Whisenhunt said.
Now the Cardinals have to deal with another tough threat in Brian Westbrook, who scored four touchdowns – two rushing and two receiving – in the Thanksgiving blowout.
The Cardinals believe they are a far different team than they were then.
“We feel like we’re a solid defense,” defensive end Bertrand Berry said. “We have some guys out here who can make plays. It’s just a matter of putting it all together for 60 minutes on Sunday. If we can do that, the sky’s the limit.”
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