Missed plays the hidden reason why the Cards are 4-1

Oct 5, 2012, 5:03 AM | Updated: 6:05 am

Many thoughts floated in and out of my head Thursday night:

I wondered if the Philly fan – while snarfing down a cheesesteak – was thinking to himself, just how did his beloved Eagles lose to this team. I wondered if the Patriots’ fan (sub out the cheesesteak, sub in a lobster or something) was wondering the same thing about his team.

I wondered if Kevin Kolb has a good dentist.

I wondered if Gambo misses Levi Brown.

A week ago Ron Jaworski told us that the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line play in that Monday Night game was the worst he’s ever seen. I wondered if he would care to revise that statement.

I know the focus will be on the offensive line, Kolb getting bloodied and battered, the 17 sacks given up over the last five days (according to Mike Sando there are a handful of teams that have given up 17 or fewer sacks in an entire season). I’m sure some will look at the Cardinals and decide that they are, in fact, not for real. Not after that game. Not with that line. That’s where the debate will live for the next week and a half until the Bills hit town.

But once you get past the obvious stuff, the fingerprints of this loss can be found in the first half. On all the missed opportunities. All the plays that, if even just a couple were made, might have changed the entire outcome of the game.

A bad pass to Rob Housler, Kolb not looking to Larry Fitzgerald’s side of the field (had he, he would have seen a wide open Fitz), a Michael Floyd drop, a Jay Feely missed FG, a Janoris Jenkins breakup of a pass that didn’t quite get to Rob Housler in stride, Andre Roberts open deep but missed, penalties that negated potentially great field position on a Patrick Peterson punt return, and on and on and on.

How many points did the Cardinals leave on the field in the first half? How would that have changed the dynamic of the game? Who knows. But it was a factor and a big part of this disheartening loss.

I’m not trying to take the focus off the historically bad protection; I am merely pointing out there were other reasons for this loss.

St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford throws during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) St. Louis Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola, right, catches a 44-yard pass as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson defends during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) St. Louis Rams wide receiver Danny Amendola, right, catches a 44-yard pass as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson defends during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) St. Louis Rams tight end Lance Kendricks is congratulated by Daryl Richardson, left, after catching a 7-yard pass for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) St. Louis Rams tight end Lance Kendricks catches a 7-yard pass for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb throws during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, right, scrambles as Arizona Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett gives chase during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, right, throws a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Lance Kendricks, left, during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, right, throws as St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) defends during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald is stopped by St. Louis Rams cornerbacks Cortland Finnegan (31) and Bradley Fletcher (32) after catching a pass during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, right, carries the ball as St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn tackles during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, left, scrambles as he is sacked by St. Louis Rams cornerback Bradley Fletcher during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, left, looks to throw as St. Louis Rams outside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar (58) dives through the line during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) St. Louis Rams defensive end Chris Long, left, celebrates after sacking Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, bottom right, during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams wide receiver Chris Givens catches a 51-yard pass for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams wide receiver Chris Givens, top, is congratulated by Barry Richardson after catching a 51-yard pass for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) St. Louis Rams wide receiver Chris Givens catches a 51-yard pass for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins, left, breaks up a pass intended for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Andre Roberts during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, center, is sacked by St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) with help from defensive tackle Kendall Langford (98) and defensive end Chris Long, right, during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb walks toward the sideline after being sacked during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson) St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, left, is sacked by Arizona Cardinals inside linebacker Daryl Washington during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals running back William Powell, top, leaps over St. Louis Rams cornerback Bradley Fletcher after catching a pass during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam) Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, front, intercepts a pass intended for St. Louis Rams wide receiver Brian Quick, rear, in the end zone during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, left, is sacked by St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. Cudjo was charged with an unnecessary roughness penalty on the play. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb, bottom right, is sacked by St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo, bottom left, as Cardinals' Adam Snyder gets in on the play during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. Cudjo was charged with an unnecessary roughness penalty on the play. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb reacts after being sacked during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, in St. Louis. The Rams won 17-3. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

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Missed plays the hidden reason why the Cards are 4-1