| 2009 Arizona Cardinals season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Bill Bidwill |
| General manager | Rod Graves |
| Head coach | Ken Whisenhunt |
| Home stadium | University of Phoenix Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–6 |
| Division place | 1stNFC West |
| Playoff finish | WonWild Card Playoffs (vs.Packers) 51–45(OT) LostDivisional Playoffs (atSaints) 14–45 |
| Pro Bowlers | 5 SSAdrian Wilson WRLarry Fitzgerald DEDarnell Dockett CBDominique Rodgers-Cromartie DBAntrel Rolle |
| All-Pros | Adrian Wilson(1st team) Larry Fitzgerald(2nd team) Darnell Dockett(2nd team) |
| Uniform | |
 | |
The2009 season was theArizona Cardinals' 90th in theNational Football League (NFL), their 22nd inArizona and their third underhead coachKen Whisenhunt.
The Cardinals finished the season with a 10–6 record, an improvement from their 9–7 previous season record and the first time the team has won 10 games since1976. The franchise was able to successfully defend theNational Football Conference (NFC)West division title and earned a playoff berth in theNFC Wild Card round against theGreen Bay Packers, which theywon in overtime by 51–45, the highest scoring game for two teams combined in a playoff game. The following week on January 17, 2010, the Cardinals were blown out by the eventual Super Bowl championNew Orleans Saints 45–14 in theNFC divisional round. This game would be the final game of quarterback Kurt Warner's career, and this was the only playoff game in thirteen total appearances in which he failed to throw a touchdown pass.
The 2009 season was the team's first to secure back-to-back postseason appearances since its move to Arizona, and the first time the team did so since1975.
| Pos. | Player | Tag | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | Michael Adams | ERFA | |||
| RB | J. J. Arrington | UFA | Signed with Broncos[10] | ||
| DE | Jason Banks | ERFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[11] | ||
| LB | Monty Beisel | UFA | Signed with Kansas City Chiefs | ||
| DE | Bertrand Berry | UFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[12] | ||
| T/G | Elton Brown | UFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[13] | ||
| CB | Ralph Brown | UFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[14] | ||
| FB | Tim Castille | ERFA | |||
| LB | Karlos Dansby | UFA | Franchised tagged by Cardinals[15] | ||
| DE | Keilen Dykes | Re-signed with Cardinals[3] | |||
| CB | Wilrey Fontenot | Re-signed with Cardinals[3] | |||
| P | Ben Graham | UFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[6] | ||
| CB | Eric Green | UFA | Signed with Dolphins[16] | ||
| LB | Clark Haggans | UFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[17] | ||
| WR | Onrea Jones | Re-signed with Cardinals[3] | |||
| S | Dennis Keyes | Re-signed with Cardinals[3] | |||
| WR | Lance Long | Re-signed with Cardinals[3] | |||
| TE | Ben Patrick | ERFA | |||
| C | Scott Peters | UFA | |||
| TE | Leonard Pope | RFA | |||
| C/G | Pat Ross | UFA | |||
| C | Lyle Sendlein | ERFA | |||
| TE | Alex Shor | ERFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[11] | ||
| DE | Antonio Smith | UFA | Signed with Texans[18] | ||
| FB | Terrelle Smith | UFA | |||
| TE | Stephen Spach | ERFA | |||
| QB | Brian St. Pierre | UFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[6] | ||
| LB | Matt Stewart | UFA | Signed with Cowboys[19] | ||
| LB | Pago Togafau | ERFA | |||
| TE | Jerame Tuman | UFA | |||
| OT | Elliot Vallejo | ERFA | |||
| RB | Chris Vincent | ERFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[11] | ||
| QB | Kurt Warner | UFA | Re-signed with Cardinals[20] | ||
| DT | Gabe Watson | RFA | |||
| UFA: Unrestricted free agent; RFA: Restricted free agent; ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent | |||||
AsNFC champion and having lostSuper Bowl XLIII, the Cardinals had the second-to-last pick in the first round (31st overall).
| Draft order | Player | Position | Height | Weight | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Choice | |||||
| 1 | 31 | Chris "Beanie" Wells | RB | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 237 lb (108 kg) | Ohio State |
| 2 | 63 | Cody Brown | DE | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 248 lb (112 kg) | Connecticut |
| 3 | 95 | Rashad Johnson | S | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | Alabama |
| 4 | 131 | Greg Toler | CB | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | 182 lb (83 kg) | Saint Paul's College |
| 5 | 167 | Herman Johnson | G | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 382 lb (173 kg) | LSU |
| 6 | 204 | Will Davis | DE | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 268 lb (122 kg) | Illinois |
| 7 | 240 | LaRod Stephens-Howling | HB | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Pitt |
| 7 | 254 | Trevor Canfield | G | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 305 lb (138 kg) | Cincinnati |
| Arizona Cardinals 2009 staff | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
| |||||
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 13 | atPittsburgh Steelers | L 10–20 | 0–1 | Heinz Field | Recap |
| 2 | August 22 | San Diego Chargers | L 6–17 | 0–2 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 28 | Green Bay Packers | L 37–44 | 0–3 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | September 3 | atDenver Broncos | L 0–19 | 0–4 | Invesco Field at Mile High | Recap |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 13 | San Francisco 49ers | L 16–20 | 0–1 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 20 | atJacksonville Jaguars | W 31–17 | 1–1 | Jacksonville Municipal Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 27 | Indianapolis Colts | L 10–31 | 1–2 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | Bye | |||||
| 5 | October 11 | Houston Texans | W 28–21 | 2–2 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 18 | atSeattle Seahawks | W 27–3 | 3–2 | Qwest Field | Recap |
| 7 | October 25 | atNew York Giants | W 24–17 | 4–2 | Giants Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | November 1 | Carolina Panthers | L 21–34 | 4–3 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 8 | atChicago Bears | W 41–21 | 5–3 | Soldier Field | Recap |
| 10 | November 15 | Seattle Seahawks | W 31–20 | 6–3 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 22 | atSt. Louis Rams | W 21–13 | 7–3 | Edward Jones Dome | Recap |
| 12 | November 29 | atTennessee Titans | L 17–20 | 7–4 | LP Field | Recap |
| 13 | December 6 | Minnesota Vikings | W 30–17 | 8–4 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 14 | atSan Francisco 49ers | L 9–24 | 8–5 | Candlestick Park | Recap |
| 15 | December 20 | atDetroit Lions | W 31–24 | 9–5 | Ford Field | Recap |
| 16 | December 27 | St. Louis Rams | W 31–10 | 10–5 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 3 | Green Bay Packers | L 7–33 | 10–6 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| NFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (4)Arizona Cardinals | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 8–4 | 375 | 325 | L1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 5–1 | 7–5 | 330 | 281 | W2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 3–3 | 4–8 | 280 | 390 | L4 |
| St. Louis Rams | 1 | 15 | 0 | .063 | 0–6 | 1–11 | 175 | 436 | L8 |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 6 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
atUniversity of Phoenix Stadium,Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
With their NFC title on the line, the Cardinals began their season at home in a Week 1 divisional duel with theirNFC West rival, theSan Francisco 49ers. In the first quarter, Arizona trailed early as Niners kickerJoe Nedney got a 37-yard and a 50-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Cardinals got on the board as kickerNeil Rackers made a 44-yard field goal. San Francisco answered with running backFrank Gore getting a 6-yard touchdown run, while Arizona closed out the half with Rackers kicking a 29-yard field goal.
The Cardinals would tie the game in the third quarter as quarterbackKurt Warner completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald. In the fourth quarter, Arizona took the lead as Rackers nailed a 43-yard field goal. However, the 49ers regained their lead as quarterbackShaun Hill completed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Gore. San Francisco's defense would then prevent the Cards' offense from rallying.
With the loss, the Cardinals began their season at 0–1.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 10 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 31 |
| Jaguars | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
atJacksonville Municipal Stadium,Jacksonville, Florida
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the 49ers, the Cardinals traveled toJacksonville Municipal Stadium for a Week 2 interconference duel with theJacksonville Jaguars. The Cardinals scored on their first drive with a 1-yard run by running backTim Hightower. The Jaguars also scored on their first possession with a 30-yard field goal from kickerJosh Scobee. Arizona then answered with a 45-yard field goal by kickerNeil Rackers. In the second quarter, trailing 10–3, the Jaguars lined up for another Scobee field goal only to have it blocked by backup defensive endCalais Campbell and returned by free safetyAntrel Rolle for an 83-yard touchdown. The Cardinals would extend their lead by halftime as quarterbackKurt Warner completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to running backJason Wright.
Warner would find wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald in the third quarter for a 22-yard touchdown pass that increased the Cardinal lead to 28. Jacksonville would attempt to mount a comeback with quarterbackDavid Garrard completing a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight endMarcedes Lewis in the third quarter and a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverMike Sims-Walker in the fourth quarter, but Arizona held on for the victory.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 1–1.
Warner's performance (24/26, 243 yards, 2 TDs) would become the new NFL record for a single-game completion percentage (92.3%), snappingVinny Testaverde's old record set in 1993 (91.3%).
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 21 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
| Cardinals | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coming off their Week 2 road win over the Jaguars, the Cardinals went home for a Week 3 Sunday night interconference duel with theIndianapolis Colts. Arizona took flight in the first quarter with kickerNeil Rackers' 38-yard field goal. However, the Colts took a monster lead in the second quarter as quarterbackPeyton Manning completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverReggie Wayne, a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight endDallas Clark, and a 53-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverPierre Garçon.
The Cardinals tried to fight back in the third quarter as quarterbackKurt Warner hooked up with wide receiverAnquan Boldin on a 10-yard touchdown pass, but Indianapolis replied with Manning's 3-yard touchdown pass to running backJoseph Addai. Afterwards, the Colts closed out the game in the fourth quarter with kickerAdam Vinatieri's 26-yard field goal.
With the loss, Arizona entered its bye week at 1–2.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texans | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coming off their bye week, the Cardinals stayed at home for a Week 5 interconference duel with theHouston Texans. Arizona would get off to a very fast start as running backTim Hightower got a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, followed by quarterbackKurt Warner completing a 9-yard and a 26-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald in the second.
However, the Texans gained steam in the third quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run from running backChris Brown. Afterwards, Houston would tie the game in the fourth quarter with quarterbackMatt Schaub completing an 11-yard and a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverAndre Johnson. However, the Cardinals went back to work with two crucial defensive moments. First, cornerbackDominique Rodgers-Cromartie would return an interception 49 yards for a touchdown. Second, even when the Texans' offense got down to Arizona's 1-yard line on a 1st down play inside of the two-minute warning, the defense withstood three tries and held on for the victory.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 2–2.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 14 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
| Seahawks | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
atQwest Field,Seattle, Washington
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coming off their home win over the Texans, the Cardinals flew toQwest Field for a Week 6 NFC West duel with theSeattle Seahawks. Arizona took flight in the first quarter with quarterbackKurt Warner hooking up with wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald on a 2-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 2-yard touchdown run from running backTim Hightower. In the second quarter, the Cardinals would add onto their lead as kickerNeil Rackers made a 29-yard field goal. The Seahawks would then get their only score of the game as kickerOlindo Mare got a 28-yard field goal. In the second half, Arizona pulled away with Warner completing a 16-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverSteve Breaston in the third quarter and Rackers booting a 31-yard field goal in the fourth.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 3–2.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 0 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| Giants | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
atGiants Stadium,East Rutherford, New Jersey
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coming off their road win over the Seahawks, the Cardinals flew toGiants Stadium for a Week 7 Sunday night duel with theNew York Giants. After a scoreless first quarter, Arizona would trail in the second quarter as Giants running backBrandon Jacobs got a 4-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals would answer with rookie running backChris "Beanie" Wells, but New York came right back with quarterbackEli Manning completing a 62-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverHakeem Nicks. Arizona would end the half with kickerNeil Rackers nailing a 30-yard field goal.
The Cardinals would take the lead in the third quarter with running backTim Hightower's 1-yard touchdown run, followed by quarterbackKurt Warner completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to running backJason Wright. The Giants tried to come back in the fourth quarter as kickerLawrence Tynes booted a 20-yard field goal, yet safetyAntrel Rolle's final interception of the game sealed the deal for Arizona.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 4–2.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panthers | 7 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 34 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coming off their impressive road win over the Giants, the Cardinals went home for a Week 8 duel with theCarolina Panthers in a rematch of last year's divisional game.
In the first quarter, Arizona trailed early as Panthers running backJonathan Stewart got a 6-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals would respond as quarterbackKurt Warner completed a 14-yard touchdown pass to rookie running backLaRod Stephens-Howling. However, Carolina unleashed its fury in the second quarter with Stewart's 10-yard touchdown run, quarterbackJake Delhomme's 50-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverSteve Smith, and defensive endJulius Peppers returning an interception 13 yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals would begin their rally in the third quarter as Warner connected with tight endBen Patrick on a 1-yard touchdown pass, but the Panthers would answer in the fourth quarter as kickerJohn Kasay booted a 35-yard field goal. Arizona tried to come back as running backTim Hightower got a 1-yard touchdown run, but Carolina would seal the win as Kasay nailed a 31-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Cardinals fell to 4–3.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 14 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 41 |
| Bears | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
atSoldier Field,Chicago, Illinois
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the Panthers, the Cardinals flew toSoldier Field for a Week 9 duel with theChicago Bears. Arizona would deliver the opening strike in the first quarter as quarterbackKurt Warner completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald. The Bears would respond with quarterbackJay Cutler hooking up with tight endGreg Olsen on a 33-yard touchdown pass, yet the Cardinals would answer with Warner finding tight endBen Patrick on a 6-yard touchdown pass. In the second quarter, Arizona would unleash a firestorm as Warner found Fitzgerald again on a 17-yard touchdown pass, followed by tight endAnthony Becht on a 15-yard touchdown pass. Afterwards, the Cardinals would close out the half with a 43-yard field goal by kickerNeil Rackers.
In the third quarter, Arizona would get the period's only points as Rackers booted a 30-yard field goal. Chicago would begin to rally in the fourth quarter as Cutler found Olsen again on a 3-yard and a 20-yard touchdown, yet the Cards closed out the game with Warner hooking up with wide receiverSteve Breaston on a 4-yard touchdown pass.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 5–3.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coming off their dominating road win over the Bears, the Cardinals went home for a Week 10 NFC West rematch with theSeattle Seahawks. Arizona would trail in the first quarter as Seahawks running backJustin Forsett got a 20-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, Seattle would increase their lead as quarterbackMatt Hasselbeck found tight endJohn Carlson on a 31-yard touchdown pass. The Cardinals would get on the board with quarterbackKurt Warner's 28-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverSteve Breaston, but the Seahawks answered with kickerOlindo Mare getting a 32-yad field goal. Arizona would end the half with a 27-yard field goal from kickerNeil Rackers.
The Cardinals would tie the game in the third quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run from rookie running backChris "Beanie" Wells. Seattle tried to take control in the fourth quarter with Mare booting a 20-yard field goal, yet Arizona came out on top as Wells picked up a 13-yard touchdown run and Warner connected with wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald on an 18-yard touchdown pass.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 6–3.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Rams | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
atEdward Jones Dome,St. Louis, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Looking to improve to 5–0 on the road, the Cardinals went to their former home for a Week 11 duel against divisional rivalSt. Louis Rams. The Rams would score first, on aJosh Brown field goal following a fumble byChris "Beanie" Wells. However, the Cardinals would score the next 21 points, asKurt Warner connected withAnquan Boldin for a touchdown at the end of the first quarter, followed by a Warner toLarry Fitzgerald touchdown and a Beanie Wells rushing touchdown in the second quarter.
During the second touchdown drive of the second quarter, Warner was hit hard by St. Louis safetyO.J. Atogwe, with his head hitting the turf as he went down. Warner played the remaining six plays of the drive, but was replaced for the remainder of the game by backup quarterbackMatt Leinart. Leinart struggled with a more conservative game throughout the second half, and the Cardinals did not score for the remainder of the game. St. Louis attempted to rally; however, they were only able to muster a second Josh Brown field goal and aSteven Jackson touchdown.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 7–3; however, Warner's status remained questionable for the next week's game against theTennessee Titans.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Titans | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 20 |
atLP Field,Nashville, Tennessee
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
WithKurt Warner on the sidelines due to injury, and in the tenth season since he wonSuper Bowl XXXIV over the Titans, the Cardinals fell to a game-winning rally led by quarterbackVince Young as he raced the Titans 99 yards down field over the final 2:37, converted two fourth downs, and fired the winning ten-yard touchdown on the final play toKenny Britt. The win made the Titans the first team to win five straight after starting 0–6 as they improved to 5–6 while the Cardinals fell to 7–4.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Cardinals | 7 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 30 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 13 saw the return of star quarterback Kurt Warner to the line-up. The Cardinals took off in the first half building a 24–10 lead. Warner played exceptionally well, throwing for three first half touchdowns on his way to a 285-yard effort. The defense stifled Favre and the Vikings and held Adrian Peterson to a season-low 19 yards. The Warner led offense propelled the Cards to a stunningly one-sided 30–17 victory.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 8–4.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 49ers | 10 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 24 |
atCandlestick Park,San Francisco, California
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 7 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 31 |
| Lions | 0 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 24 |
atFord Field,Detroit, Michigan
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
With this win, The Cardinals got their 10th win of the season. The last time the Cardinals had double digit wins in a season was in1976.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 14 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 33 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
With the Vikings win earlier in the day, this game was rendered unimportant. The Cardinals pulled Kurt Warner along with other starters early in the 2nd quarter while the Packers continued to play their starters until the 4th quarter. Late in the 4th quarter, quarterbackBrian St. Pierre threw his first career touchdown pass.
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Game Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 10, 2010 | Green Bay Packers (5) | W 51–45 (OT) | 1–0 | University of Phoenix Stadium | Recap |
| Divisional | January 16, 2010 | atNew Orleans Saints (1) | L 14–45 | 1–1 | Louisiana Superdome | Recap |
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 0 | 10 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 45 |
| Cardinals | 17 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 51 |
atUniversity of Phoenix Stadium,Glendale, Arizona
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Entering the postseason as the NFC's #4 seed, the Cardinals began their playoff run at home in the NFC Wild Card game against the #5Green Bay Packers, looking to avenge their Week 17 defeat.
Arizona would take advantage of some Packer turnovers early in the first quarter by turning them into a 1-yard touchdown run for running backTim Hightower and quarterbackKurt Warner's 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverEarly Doucet. The Cardinals would also add a 23-yard field goal from kickerNeil Rackers. Green Bay would reply in the second quarter with quarterbackAaron Rodgers getting a 1-yard touchdown run, yet Arizona went right back to work as Warner found Doucet again on a 15-yard touchdown pass. The Packers would end the half with a 20-yard field goal from kickerMason Crosby.
In the third quarter, the Cardinals went back to work as Warner found wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald on a 33-yard touchdown pass, but Green Bay would answer with Rodgers completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverGreg Jennings followed by a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJordy Nelson. Arizona continued to show off its offense firepower as Warner hooked up with Fitzgerald again on an 11-yard touchdown pass. The Packers would tie the game in the fourth quarter as Rodgers would complete a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverJames Jones, followed by fullbackJohn Kuhn's 1-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals' offense continued to flex its muscles as Warner found wide receiverSteve Breaston on a 17-yard touchdown pass. Just then, Green Bay would tie the game again as Rodgers would complete an 11-yard touchdown pass to tight endSpencer Havner. The Cardinals drove down field in the final minutes, but a 34-yard field goal try byNeil Rackers with nine seconds remaining sailed wide left, forcing overtime.
Arizona's defense would rise to the occasion in overtime as linebackerKarlos Dansby recovered a fumble and ran it back 17 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
With the win, the Cardinals improved to overall record to 11–6.
The 96 combined points between both teams would become the highest point total in an NFL postseason game.Cardinals got hot winning 51-45, but lost to the Super Bowl Champion Saints 45-14.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinals | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Saints | 21 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 45 |
atLouisiana Superdome,New Orleans, Louisiana
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Coming off their shootout win over the Packers, the Cardinals flew to theLouisiana Superdome for the NFC Divisional Round against the top-seededNew Orleans Saints. On their very first offensive play of the game, Arizona came out fast as running backTim Hightower got a 70-yard touchdown run. The Saints would hugely respond with running backLynell Hamilton getting a 1-yard touchdown run, followed by quarterbackDrew Brees completing a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight endJeremy Shockey, along with running backReggie Bush getting a 54-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, the Cardinals would come right back as rookie running backChris "Beanie" Wells got a 4-yard touchdown run. However, New Orleans came right back as Brees threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverDevery Henderson and a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiverMarques Colston.
The Saints would add onto their lead in the third quarter with a 43-yard field goal from kickerGarrett Hartley, followed by an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown by Bush. Arizona tried to rally, but New Orleans' defense continued to shut down any possible comeback, effectively sealing a Cardinals blowout.
With the loss, the Cardinals' season ended with an overall record of 11–7.Saints won Super Bowl XLIV to the Colts 31-17 to win their first Super Bowl. In 2010 the Cardinals missed the playoffs their first time in 3 years with an record of 5-11.
| |
| Franchise | |
| Stadiums | |
| Culture | |
| Lore | |
| Rivalries | |
| Division championships (7) | |
| Conference championships (1) | |
| League championships (2) | |
| Retired numbers | |
| Current league affiliations |
|
