Arizona Cardinals healthy; no surprise inactives for NFC Championship Game
Jan 24, 2016, 3:32 PM
Arizona Cardinals fan John Guerriero poses for a picture outside Bank of America Stadium before the NFL football NFC Championship game against the Carolina Panthers Sunday, Jan. 24, 2016, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Aside from some bumps and bruises due to the normal wear-and-tear of an NFL season, especially one that is now entering its 20th week, the Arizona Cardinals are a healthy bunch heading into Sunday’s NFC Championship Game in Carolina.
“Alright, no injuries, again,” head coach Bruce Arians said Friday, the same statement he made prior to the Divisional Round game against Green Bay. “We upped some guys to full practice. We really don’t have anybody limited…ready to get going.”
The Cardinals’ final injury report listed seven players, all probable and all of whom practiced in full on Friday.
That would include running back David Johnson.
For the first time all season, Johnson’s name appeared on the injury report due to him spraining his toe late in the game against the Packers.
“I’m good; good to go,” he said. “Practiced all day today, felt great.”
In addition to Johnson, cornerback Justin Bethel (ankle), wide receiver John Brown (shoulder), linebacker Markus Golden (knee), defensive tackle Josh Mauro (calf), quarterback Carson Palmer (right finger) and defensive tackle Frostee Rucker (ankle) were full participants in the last practice of the week.
The Cardinals reported seven healthy scratches among their inactives announced 90 minutes before kickoff.
The Cardinals’ inactives included quarterback Matt Barkley, cornerback Corey White, running back Kerwynn Williams, linebacker Shaq Riddick, linebacker Jason Babin, offensive tackle D.J. Humphries and nose tackle Xavier Williams.
For the Panthers, defensive end Jared Allen (foot) is out due to injury.
“Not happy, plain and simple. I’m ready to rock,” he told reporters in the locker room Friday. “Coach’s decision. Got to live with it.”
Kony Ealy is expected to start in Allen’s place with rookie Ryan Delaire seeing significant playing time.
“There’s always a drop-off when you have a guy that has the kind of legacy that Jared’s left behind, with a young coming in, but it’s not much of a drop-off because those two guys are hungry,” Palmer said. “They want his spot and they’re fighting for it right now.”
The others not in uniform for Carolina are running back Cameron Artis-Payne, wide receiver Brenton Bersin, safety Dean Marlowe, wide receiver Kevin Norwood, running back Brandon Wegher and cornerback Lou Young.
The Cardinals are in the NFC Championship for only the second time in franchise history, but you wouldn’t have known it aside from the increased media presence throughout the week at the team’s Tempe headquarters.
“It was business as usual, nothing out of the ordinary,” Palmer said. “No difference in practice; no different energy or anything, just a very focused work-like week. That is how we have been all season. That is the kind of team we are, just very focused.”
