Sunday afternoon at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona gave Cardinals fans something to get excited about. It was not just the overtime win over NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks. It was also not just the fact that the team was able to finish the season with an 8-8 record, thus avoiding a losing season. It wasn't even that superstar wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, put on what was probably his best performance of the year. It was the fact that all of these things were accomplished without their starting quarterback and starting running back. With these key players back next year the Cardinals will have high hopes of returning to the top of the NFC West division.
The Arizona Cardinals once again disappointed fans with another season that did not live up to expectations. A strike shortened off season limited the reps that new starting quarterback, Kevin Kolb, was able to get with his new teammates and new offensive system. Key injuries to Kolb, backup quarterback Max Hall, and starting running back Chris (Beanie) Wells all contributed to the team stumbling out of the gate to a 1-6 start to the season.
Week 9 of the NFL season showed the emergence of a different Cardinals team. With a home win over the St. Louis Rams the team went on a run that saw them win 7 of their next 9 games to finish with an 8-8 record. While the team did miss the playoffs there was plenty to be excited about for next year.
Quarterback John Skelton showed that he is a capable back up and possible starter in this league. With the team waiving Max Hall after a shoulder injury the back up spot is clearly Skeltons with a possibility of a starting spot on the line if Kolb doesn't respond well in the preseason next year. Speaking of Kevin Kolb, he has a track record of excelling in the second year of a new offensive scheme. He will now have a complete off season and preseason to gain more confidence in the system and hopefully become the player that the Cardinals thought he was when they traded for him in the offseason. Larry Fitzgerald will be back as the top reciever in the NFL again despite suffering a bruised lung and coughing up blood on the sidelines during the final game against the Seahawks. In addition to his playmaking skills, Fitz should provide plenty of confidence as a go to guy for Kolb. Beanie Wells should be healthy but that is said every year so the team would be best served to acquire a top line running back either through the draft, trade, or free agency. Perhaps the most exciting player to look for next year is defensive back/punt returner Patrick Peterson. As a rookie this year, in addition to making the Pro Bowl, Peterson set the rookie record for punt return yardage with 699 yards and was within one takle Sunday of breaking the record for the most punt returns for a touchdown with five. It is also worth noting that on Sunday he also blocked his second field goal attempt of the year, and this while he almost missed the game with an achilles tendon injury.
If the Cardinals are going to get to a level that they want to be at next year they need to stay healthy and shore up the team through trades, free agency, and the draft. The team is in desperate need of a starting wide reciever to take some of the pressure off of Larry Fitzgerald as well as a play making running back to spell the often injured Beanie Wells. If the team can address these needs they can excite their fans in 2012. If not, the fans will be shaking their heads at the "same old Cardinals".
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