ADAM GREEN

Notes from the Nest: Cardinals vs. Seahawks

Sep 9, 2012, 7:10 PM | Updated: 11:59 pm

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:18 left in fourth quarter

Wilson throws incomplete on fourth down and the Cards escape with a 20-16 win.

How ’bout that.


:30 left in fourth quarter

Seahawks call a timeout. Problem is, they didn’t have one. Refs haven’t figured this out, and confusion has ensued.

Somewhere, Chris Webber is smiling.


:38 left in fourth quarter

Gay is called for pass interference and the drive continues. Seattle is at the Arizona six.


:42 left in fourth quarter

Cardinals dodge a bullet, as Wilson appears to hit Baldwin in the end zone. Receiver can’t hang on and the drive continues. It’s 3rd and 10 here, and an exhausted defense needs to find a way to come up with one more stand.

The tension, as they say, is palpable.


:52 left in fourth quarter

Peterson flagged for pass interference. Looked like the right call. Seahawks get the first down and have the ball at the 13. Ugh.


:59 left in fourth quarter

Seahawks face a fourth-and-six at the 27. Ballgame is in the balance.


1:39 left in fourth quarter

Seahawks get a first down and keep their drive alive. First and ten from the 31. Clock is not an issue here.


2:00 left in fourth quarter

Arizona’s defense has played well today, but they need one more stop. Seattle has put a nice drive together, reaching the Cards’ 42. Seahawks are down four and need to reach the end zone, but are picking up chunks of yardage this drive.

This would be a nice time for a turnover, don’t you think?


Still 4:59 left in fourth quarter

Seahawks will start their drive at the 20. Defense is well-rested, crowd has new life.


4:59 left in fourth quarter

Play-clock ticking down and Whiz tries to call a timeout. Refs don’t see it and Kolb hits Roberts for a six-yard touchdown. Cardinals have the lead and the makings of a QB controversy…again.


6:45 left in fourth quarter

Skelton has an ankle injury, and Kolb has the offense moving. Some nice passes to Fitz, a pass interference, and Arizona has the ball at the Seattle 32.

Kolb entered the game to boos (really, folks?); can he leave with them cheering his name?


8:33 left in fourth quarter

Skelton hits Roberts for a first down, but gets hit and is down hurt. Looks like a knee.

Kevin Kolb is warming up, looks like he’ll be coming into this game shortly.

Not good. Not good at all.


Still 9:20 left in fourth quarter

Drive will begin at the 20 and, if things stay the same, end somewhere around the 27.

This is about the time last season when Skelton would really step his game up. Cards could use that magic again.


9:20 left in fourth quarter

The defense holds AGAIN and forces Seattle to settle for a field goal. Hauschka is good from 39 yards out. The Seahawks have a 16-13 lead which, from the way Arizona’s offense has not moved the ball this half, appears insurmountable.


10:58 left in fourth quarter

Some things never change: the Cardinals still can’t run a screen.

Offense goes three-and-out again and punts away. Leon Washington with a nice return, and Seattle has the ball at the Arizona 16. Return was good for 52 yards.

Seahawks’ offense is just as inept as Arizona’s, but special teams are coming up big for them.


12:44 left in fourth quarter

Defense does the job once again, forcing the Seahawks to punt.

Third quarter stats are in front of me now, some notes:

Skelton completed as many passes to Seahawks as he did to Cardinals (1)
The Cardinals picked up 11 yards on six carries
Arizona had 14 yards of offense


End of third quarter

The quarter mercifully comes to an end, and it’s one the Cardinals would just as soon forget ever happened.

Then again, if an offense takes the field but doesn’t gain any yards, did it really ever take the field? Something to ponder.

Don’t have the exact stats in front of me — really don’t even want to look at them. Things were as bad as they looked, I’m sure.

Cards could use a turnover in the worst way, but more than that, a first down or two would be most excellent.


:15 left in third quarter

The teams traded punts. Fun.

Seattle has the ball once again, this time at their own 28. The Cardinals offense has netted 14 yards in five third quarter possessions. That’s not going to get it done.

One can only ask so much of the defense, right?


3:45 left in third quarter

The offensive line has fallen apart.

Skelton has no time to throw, the backs have no room to run. Cards go three-and-out, will punt the ball away.


5:13 left in third quarter

Defense comes up big and forces a field goal after the turnover. We’re all tied up at 13. Cards need the offense to wake up. They’ve been pretty lethargic in the second half, and that ain’t gonna gut it.


7:42 left in third quarter

Skelton was rolling out and trying to throw the ball away, and it’s somehow picked off by Seahawks corner Richard Sherman. He did a great job of trying to keep his feet in bounds. It’s close — refs will review it but I have a feeling there won’t be enough evidence to overturn it.

What a poor turn of events for the Cards this half.


7:51 left in third quarter

WIlson hits Rice for a 10-yard touchdown on third down, and just like that it’s a close game again. Tough to fault the defense when they are put in a bad spot to begin with, but they still could have held Seattle to a field goal.

Ahh well, we have ourselves a football game.


9:47 left in third quarter

Leon Washington returns the kickoff 83 yards, giving the visitors the ball at the Arizona 24. That’s not good.


10:00 left in third quarter

Yeah, about that…

Cards get nothing going offensively and are forced to settle for a Feely field goal. He boots it through from 31-yards and the score is 13-3. A touchdown sure would have been nice after the turnover, have to capitalize on those opportunities.


Still 11:03 left in third quarter

IT’S A FUMBLE!!!!

Cards get the ball at the Seattle 17. A touchdown is practically a must here.


11:03 left in third quarter

Russell Wilson tosses it to Lynch, who got popped right when the ball arrived. Ruled an incomplete pass on the field, the Cards are challenging. They think it was a backwards pass, which would mean it was a fumble, which would mean the Cards would get the ball with great field position.


13:14 left in third quarter

The offense made a statement, and it reads: We can’t run block.

Wells stuffed on 3rd and 1 and Zastudil kicks it away. Holding penalty+meager return has the Seahawks pinned at their own 14 to start the drive.


15:00 left in third quarter

Cards will begin the half from their own 20. Offense has a chance to make a statement with this drive.


Halftime

Wilson’s final pass of the half is picked off by Adrian Wilson, who gives the ball to Patrick Peterson and lets the kid go to work.

After a lot of running sideways and backwards it appeared as if PP21 might break this one, but alas he could not.

We’re all very disappointed in him.

Cards take a 10-3 lead into the locker room and will get the ball to start the second half. Not bad.


:17 left in second quarter

Shows how much I know.

Wilson hits Miller down the middle of the field for a big gain, and now the Seahawks have the ball at their own 43.


:45 left in second quarter

Drive stalls, Cards punt. Seattle has the ball on their own 14, likely to be somewhat conservative here.


1:02 left in second quarter

The Cards come out firing, choosing to try and add more rather than just sit on their lead. It’s working.

Skelton finds Fitz deep and has the Cards at midfield for a third-and-five.

Team is forced to burn a timeout after coming back from…a timeout. No, wait, can’t do that. Cards get a delay of game.


1:35 left in second quarter

Defense holds and the Cards will have a shot. Starting from their own 23, it will be interesting to see how conservative the Cards are. They’ll get the ball to start the second half, so don’t want to give Seattle a chance to close the gap here with a mistake.


4:05 left in second quarter

So much for that, Wilson finds Sidney Rice on third down and the Seahawks move the chains.


Still 5:58 left in second quarter

Kickoff sails out of the end zone and the Seahawks have it at the 20. Big chance for the defense to make a statement. Force a three-and-out and the offense gets another shot this half. They’re well-rested…


5:58 left in second quarter

Skelton, looking every bit the NFL QB, drives the Cards down for the score. Refs missed a blatant hold on Fitzgerald the prior play (two guys held him so maybe they cancel each other out?), but Larod Stephens-Howling punches it in from one yard out.

Cards take a 10-3 lead, offense looking pretty solid.


11:20 left in second quarter

Peterson’s return nets only 17 yards, and the Cards have the ball at their own 42.

Good field position, let’s see if Skelton can build off that last drive.

Some first quarter stats:

Skelton 4/7 for 41 yards
Roberts: 2 catches for 26 yards
Ryan Williams: 6 carries for 9 yards


12:00 left in second quarter

Following a comedy of errors (some by the refs, some by the Seahawks), Seattle is forced to punt from its 29. Patrick Peterson gets a shot to make a play.


End of first quarter

The refs making their presence felt once again.

The Cards get a sack, the teams get off-setting personal fouls, and the spot of the ball is in question. Coach Whiz threw the challenge flag, but apparently the spot of the ball is un-challengeable. That’s new to me.

Anyway, the quarter ends with the teams tied 3-3. Seattle has the ball on its own 17 for a 2nd and 10.


:27 left in first quarter

Seattle will begin on its own 17.

Make that the 22, as Adrian Wilson got a bit of a head start on the snap count. Oops.


:34 left in first quarter

Skelton does a good job of moving the chains, but the offense bogs down near the goal line and the Cards settle for a 21-yard Feely field goal.

Skelton almost made a great play on third down, flipping the ball to Ryan Williams when it looked like the play was about to end. Just missed him.

We’re all tied up.


7:26 left in first quarter

The defense bends but doesn’t break, forcing the Seahawks to settle for a field goal. Hauschka is good from 27-yards out and the visitors have the lead.

Early impression of Russell Wilson: Meh. He’s a rookie.


Still 10:24 left in first quarter

The fumble stands. A career-first for Williams.

Seahawks have the ball at the Arizona 42.


10:24 left in first quarter

Ryan Williams gets the start at running back and goes virtually nowhere on his first two carries. As if that’s not bad enough, he fumbled on the second attempt.

Maybe.

The refs are going to take a look at this one to see exactly what happened. Going to be honest, I have no idea.


11:15 left in first quarter

Defense stands, forcing a 50-yard FG attempt. Hauschka misses and the Cards have excellent field position.

You’re up, Skelton.


12:45 left in first quarter

We get our first replacement ref call, and it’s a pass interference on Patrick Peterson. Ball was thrown out of bounds, not catchable?

Not the start Arizona had in mind.


14:25 left in first quarter

Short return followed by a two-yard Marshawn Lynch run. Teams get up pushing and shoving.

I guess these guys don’t like each other?


1:00 until kickoff

Seattle won the coin toss and elects to receive. We’ll get an early look at Russell Wilson. Let’s see what the rook’s got.


10:00 until kickoff

Well folks, it’s time for another season of Arizona Cardinals football.

Here at the stadium with my front row (in the press box) seat. Solid media meal included an omelette bar, which is always a plus. But you don’t care about that (I don’t think).

The Cards are set to face NFC West-rival Seattle in a game that could very well set the tone for the season.

How will John Skelton look? Will the line give him time to throw? Is the defense truly ready to build on a successful finish to 2011?

We’ll find out soon.

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