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Rookie Blunders Doom Cardinals

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By Ira Kaufman, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 27, 2007

Good judgment is usually linked to experience - and what Cardinals fans just experienced won't be forgotten for quite a while.

Arizona's 37-31 overtime loss to the 49ers on Sunday was forged by a flurry of rookie blunders, including some beauties by first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Instead of taking a powerful stride toward an NFC playoff berth, the bumbling Cardinals fell to 5-6 while being swept by a 3-8 club with little to play for.

"It's tough to lose like that to a team we know we can beat," LB Karlos Dansby said after Arizona wasted 552 yards of offense.

The Cardinals turned the ball over four times and didn't register a takeaway, but the mental mistakes hurt the most as San Francisco ended an eight-game losing streak.

"This might be the worst way we have lost since I've been here," CB Eric Green said.

And if you've followed the Cardinals for a while, you know that's saying a mouthful.

Here are the lowlights:

•Rookie Steve Breaston, who returned four kicks for TDs at Michigan, foolishly decided to field two punts within his own 5-yard line.

Breaston got away with the first gaffe, but his second mistake in judgment came in OT, when he grabbed a punt that easily would have been a touchback and managed to return it 13 yards.

Rookie TE Ben Patrick was flagged for a block in the back on the return, so Arizona was pushed back to its 3-yard line, leading to QB Kurt Warner's fumble in the end zone for the winning points.

That's where the game was lost, but Whisenhunt played a key role in determining why the game wasn't won earlier by the Cardinals.

With Arizona trailing 31-28 and six seconds remaining in regulation, the Cardinals had a first down on the 49ers 1-yard line. As the play clock wound down, Warner didn't spike the ball and Whisenhunt hurriedly called his final timeout.

Instead of trying to punch it in on the ground, the Cardinals had time only for a pass into the end zone, which was broken up before Neil Rackers forced OT with a 19-yard FG.

•It appeared the Cardinals had won when Rackers converted from 27 yards out in OT, but a delay-of-game penalty nullified the kick, which came on second down.

Delay of game on a FG attempt?

Instead of settling his team down and running one or two more plays from scrimmage, Whisenhunt ordered Rackers to kick it again on second down ... and he hooked his 32-yard attempt.

"For us, the challenge will be for us to stick together," said Arizona's Sean Morey, who turned Warner's simple flip into a 62-yard gain to set up Rackers for the potential game-winner.

The Cardinals already have shown some resiliency, rebounding from a loss at Tampa to force 10 turnovers while beating the Lions and Bengals. Now that composure will be tested again after a shocking setback laced with culprits.

"We're not out of it yet," offensive coordinator Todd Haley shouted in the Arizona locker room after Sunday's debacle. "A lot of teams are. You decide."

HUDDLE UP: The Bucs are 4-0 this season with Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan handling the broadcasting chores for Fox. And yes, the tandem is slated to work Sunday afternoon's game at New Orleans. ... The 3-yard TD catch by Bernard Berrian that forced OT at Soldier Field was a masterpiece of concentration and adjustment as Chicago's speedy young receiver displayed astonishing focus with the game on the line. ... If the Chiefs are serious about rebuilding their offense, they will trade Larry Johnson as soon as he's healthy, turn the running duties over to Kolby Smith and draft a QB in the first round. ... It's more than coincidence that WR Braylon Edwards has developed so well in Cleveland working next to Joe Jurevicius every day. ... Second-year QB Vince Young looks confused and it hasn't helped that Tennessee's ground game has gone south during a three-game tailspin. ... Not sure which WR looked worse over the holiday weekend - Santana Moss or Calvin Johnson.

It appears the league finally found someone it can't bully - the cable operators who are playing hardball with the NFL Network. ... Don't you have the feeling Donovan McNabb has played his last game in Philadelphia? ... I'm still not sold on the Chargers. ... John Fox is a good head coach, but his time in Charlotte is up. ... Win or lose, Carson Palmer is a consummate pro. ... If Jacksonville can establish a running game at the RCA Dome, the Jags will hang with Indy. If they don't, the Jags will lose by 20. ... When the Patriots deem you expendable, you're gone, but they are willing to reward their core players. And as we were reminded Sunday evening, CB Asante Samuel isn't going anywhere.

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