MVN: Most Valuable Network

photo from azcardinals.com

The big game is tomorrow and the Arizona Cardinals were able to sell out avoiding a black out. Now that the stress of worrying if the Cardinals can make it on television is over, lets focus on the game itself.

Keys to the game...

• Arizona must get off to a quick start. Both the Cardinals and Falcons are historically good when they score first, and historically bad when they don't. Atlanta is 11-0 when they score first this season and 0-5 when they don't. Arizona hasn't won a game when they score second to a team that's over 500, but are 6-2 when they do put the first points on the board. For some reason Ken Whisenhunt has elected to kick off this season when Arizona wins the coin toss. In a home playoff game it's very important for the Cardinals to receive and get some points early. Don't Defer Ken!
  

• The Cardinals need to get pressure on Matt Ryan. This is a very mature rookie quarterback, but when he's had pressure on him this season he was not as successful. The Falcons were 6-0 when Matt wasn't sacked this season, they were 5-5 when he was. Arizona needs to get some hits on Ryan early and get him out of a rhythm. Maybe in the first quarter let him meet Adrian Wilson a couple times in the back field.
  

• Contain Michael Turner. Michael Turner arguably had the best season of any running back in the NFL rushing for 1,699 yards and 17 touchdowns. But Turner can be stopped and it's important the Cardinals do just that. In Atlanta's wins this season Turner averages 127 yards per game. In their losses Michael averages just 59 yards per game rushing. So we can obviously see that Turner dictates what happens to the Falcons offense. The problem is the Cardinals rush defense is very inconsistent. If the defense shows up on Saturday the Cardinals will win the ball game,if they don't then it's going to be very tough. 

• Protect Kurt Warner. As tough as Kurt is he's still human. When a person gets hit on every throw he makes it's going to mess with him a little. The last few weeks Warner has been getting beaten up and it's been throwing off the rhythm of the offense. If Kurt has some time to let plays develop down the field and get the offense clicking, then the Cardinals are going to win this game.

• The Run game has to show up. When I say show up I mean just don't be non existent. If Edgerrin James and his fresh legs can run like they did last Sunday against Seattle, then that will help out Kurt Warner and the passing game tremendously. But I think everyone already knows that, I'm stating the obvious when I say the Cardinals need a run game.
  

Alright, well no more talking about the game. At this point the game is out of our control as fans. All I can do is pray that Arizona will live to play another week. Even though the national media doesn't feel good about the Cardinals, I do. Arizona is going to win this game and show the world that they deserve to be in the playoffs. Go Cardinals!