Cardinals’ Calais Campbell enjoying second trip NFC Championship Game
Jan 18, 2016, 10:35 AM | Updated: 4:38 pm
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) scrambles as Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell (93) pursues during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
The last time the Arizona Cardinals advanced to the NFC Championship Game, Calais Campbell was a 22-year-old rookie reserve defensive lineman.
Seven years later, the Cardinals are again one win away from advancing to the Super Bowl. Sunday, Arizona (14-3) will face the Carolina Panthers (16-1) at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte for the NFC Championship.
Campbell’s role with the team has changed since the last time he was in this position.
“Completely different,” Campbell told Doug and Wolf Monday morning on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “As a rookie, you’re just happy to be there. It’s impossible to appreciate it the way you do now after playing eight years in the league and having some down years and struggling to win.”
Campbell had two total tackles and deflected a pass that led to a Rashad Johnson interception in the Cardinals’ thrilling 26-20 overtime win over the Green Bay Packers Saturday night at University of Phoenix Stadium. He appreciates those down years (Arizona went 18-30 from 2010 to 2012) now that the Cardinals are on the doorstep of a second trip to the NFL’s biggest dance.
“You get a great team, you know a team that has confidence and believes, and you fight and you do everything you can to protect the possibility and now you’re 60 minutes away from a chance at the Super Bowl,” he said. “It’s a completely different feeling. Now, it’s my responsibility to make sure we’re on point and we’re focused and that we capitalize on this opportunity.
“As a rookie, I was just a guy happy to be around, try to do everything I can not to mess it up, you know.”
Campbell and the Cardinals defense were tested against Green Bay, especially in the first half. Aaron Rodgers marched the Packers on two 17-play drives that took a combined 15:21 off the clock. But to the Cardinals’ credit, they held Green Bay to just six points on those drives.
“We found a way to make a play and hold them to field goals,” Campbell said. “That turned out to be huge toward the end of the game. They’re playing for a chance to tie it up instead of a chance to win it.”
The Packers did tie it, ultimately. Rodgers found receiver Jeff Janis on a 41-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass with no time remaining to send the game to overtime. Instead of playing it safe and employing a prevent defense with six or seven defensive backs in the end zone, the Cardinals opted to blitz Rodgers.
Some were surprised by the decision. Campbell wasn’t.
“That’s who we’ve been all year. We’re and aggressive team, go get ’em, and try to make a play,” Campbell said. “You can’t take anything away from what Aaron Rodgers did on that play, because we hit him when he threw the ball, he put the ball right on the money where his receiver had a chance.”
