Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals / Photo: Newscom

Larry tweeted his health status shortly after last night’s game:

“Life is full of ups & downs. The trick is 2 enjoy the ups & have courage during the downs. Thanks 4 ur prayers 2nite guys. Im sore, but ok!”

(If the Detroit Lions were next on my schedule, I’d be feeling a lot better, too.) Things didn’t look good for Larry after this injury. I was sure he had, at the very least, sprained a ligament in his right knee. And that’s exactly what the diagnosis turned out to be, along with a bruised bone. I guess that’s as good as could be expected. Thankfully nothing was torn because that would’ve ended his season—and it would’ve probably ended his team’s chances of returning to the Super Bowl as well.

As it is, the Cards will need to cease and desist their Jekyll and Hyde routine or they won’t get past the Wild Card round (which they will probably be participating in) when the NFC playoffs begin next month. After beating down the 11-2 Minnesota Vikings last week, I had Arizona as the second best team in the NFC. But I’m rethinking that after the sorry exhibition they put forth last night in San Francisco.

Source: twitter.com/Lfitzgerald11

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Larry Fitzgerald Has Sprained Knee

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints / Image: Zuma Press

Balloting for the 2010 Pro Bowl will conclude on Monday, December 21 following the conclusion of Monday Night Football (New York Giants at Washington Redskins, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET). The teams will be announced at 4 PM (ET) Tuesday, December 29 on a special NFL Total Access 2010 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network. The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31, 2010 and televised live on ESPN at 7:20 PM ET from Dolphin Stadium in South Florida, also the site of Super Bowl XLIV a week later on Sunday, February 7. Fans can buy tickets to the 2010 Pro Bowl at NFL.com/probowl and TICKETMASTER.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

Listed below are the top 10 overall All-Star vote-getters:

1. Drew Brees, Saints (1,120,535)
2. Brett Favre, Vikings (1,120,174)
3. Peyton Manning, Colts (1,113,934)
4. Adrian Peterson, Vikings (1,079,993)
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals (684,698)
6. Tom Brady, Patriots (622,916)
7. Dallas Clark, Colts (603,492)
8. Cedric Benson, Bengals (565,763)
9. Chris Johnson, Titans (560,479)
10. Andre Johnson, Texans (546,693)

Source: NFL Media

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NFL Pro Bowl Top Ten, One Week Left to Vote

NFL Supports Breast Cancer Awareness / Photo courtesy NFL

Beginning on October 4 and continuing throughout the month, NFL Breast Cancer Awareness games will feature:

• Players wearing pink cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline caps, helmet decals, captains’ patches, sideline towels and quarterback towels
• Pink sideline caps for coaches and sideline personnel and pink ribbon pins for coaches and team executives
• On-field pink ribbon stencils and Crucial Catch wall banners
• Pink goal post padding in end zones
• K-balls with pink ribbon decals
• Pink coins used for coin toss
• Crucial Catch pink rally towels for all fans attending Sunday Night and Monday Night Football games on October 4-5

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco plans on taking the pink (which should clash with Bengals orange, mind you) to a new level. Yesterday, he three-tweeted:

“I’ll be wearing all pink gloves, shoes and wrist bands in support of breast cancer awareness throughout the Month of October. Oh and as for getting fined I probably will because my entire shoe is pink, gloves are all pink and wrist bands I’ll match the fine n donate. NFL is supporting the pink<_ I went a step further by having everything pink I’m wearing, mouth piece and chin strap too.”

Game-worn pink merchandise and K-balls will be autographed post-game and auctioned off at NFL Auction (www.NFLAuction.NFL.com), with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society and team charities. Special pink merchandise will be available at www.NFLShop.com and in stadium retail stores, with a portion of proceeds going to breast cancer charities.

NFL Supports Breast Cancer Awareness / Photo courtesy NFL

In addition, members of the NFL Referees’ Association will donate a portion of their game pay to breast cancer charities in October. Their donations will total $24,000. Officials will don pink-accented caps and pins for games throughout October.

As national spokespersons for the Crucial Catch campaign, both Tanya Snyder, wife of Redskins owner Dan Snyder, and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald are working on a cause that hits close to home.

For Mrs. Snyder, a longtime breast cancer fundraiser, the connection to breast cancer is a personal one. “Breast cancer affects one in eight American women and I was one of them last year,” she said. “I am proud to work with the league and the Redskins to remind fans about the importance of annual screenings.”

Larry lost his mother to breast cancer in college and has since devoted his time to breast cancer fundraising opportunities. “The Crucial Catch initiative reminds us all how important it is to take care of the women in our lives,” he said. “I hope to keep my mother’s legacy alive by taking part in this campaign.”

NFL Supports Breast Cancer Awareness / Photo courtesy NFL

From cleats to gloves, towels to caps, NFL partners including Nike, Reebok, adidas, Gatorade, Wilson, Under Armour, Cutters Gloves and McArthur Towel and Sports are creating pink merchandise for breast cancer awareness games. Many NFL licensees also will create special pink product, with a portion of proceeds benefitting breast cancer charities. In addition to creating pink sideline towels for players, Gatorade will produce 1.9 million pink ribbon bottles, on sale at retail stores throughout October; Gatorade sideline carts will feature pink ribbon decals during October. Trading card companies Panini, Topps, and Upper Deck will produce special pink trading cards featuring facts on breast cancer awareness; they will be available, free of charge with purchase, at stadium retail stores.

Fans can visit www.NFL.com/pink to learn more about breast cancer detection and prevention tips.

Many teams will extend the national platform with local efforts, including the distribution of 400,000 pink ribbons facilitated by volunteers from Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sorority. Teams will designate home games in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and plan special in-stadium or pregame events with local organizations. Team events include:

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals will partner with the American Cancer Society for their October 11 breast cancer awareness game, where they will recognize survivors by including them in game day activities and featuring their survivor stories during the game via video. The Cardinals are providing players at a local high school with pink gloves, jerseys and wristbands for their breast cancer awareness game. The high school football and cheer team will distribute pink ribbons to cardinal fans along with members of ZTA. Four Cardinals cheerleaders will participate in the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons Dazzle & Dine event will treat breast cancer survivors to a day of pampering at a Jamison Shaw Hairdressers and a night of fine dining at Capital Grille with Falcons players and wives on October 13. The survivors and a guest will also be invited to attend the October 18 game. The Atlanta Falcons Women’s Association is partnering with Tory Burch of Phipps Plaza to donate a portion of proceeds purchased during the morning of October 15 to Breast Friends Inc. During the October 18 game, the Falcons Fitness Flag Crew, presented by Flagstar Bank, will consist of breast cancer survivors outfitted in pink Falcons Fitness Flag Crew t-shirts and the cheerleaders also will be outfitted in pink apparel.

Baltimore Ravens

At their October 11 game, the Ravens will host a survivor tribute and distribute pink ribbons to fans as they enter the stadium, in partnership with ZTA. Representatives from Komen Maryland will be at the team’s annual women’s football festival on October 12 to share information on breast cancer and raise awareness. A team of Ravens staff, family members and fans will participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on October 18.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills will host their 4th annual Billieve breast cancer awareness game on October 11. Partners include Kaleida Health, Western New York Affiliate of Susan G. Komen, ZTA and the Bills Women’s Association. Game activities will include breast cancer survivors in Stampede Row during player introductions, ceremonial pink game ball delivery by a survivor and pink ribbon handouts at stadium gates. Jills Cheerleaders will wear pink jerseys and use pink pom poms. Bills retail partner Delaware North Companies will sell Billieve merchandise and pink-themed Reebok items with proceeds going to Komen and ACS. Players will autograph pink-themed merchandise at the Bills store on October 12.

Carolina Panthers

DeAngelo Williams and his mother, a breast cancer survivor, created a PSA for the local Komen Race for the Cure. Williams and the Panthers have partnered with Komen and Belk to create a Williams Warriors Komen race team, which has 500 registered members. At the October 11 game, Williams Warriors members will run on-field for a check presentation, which will feature DeAngelo’s mother, and the team will distribute 20,000 Think Pink ribbons to fans in partnership with ZTA. TopCats cheerleaders will use pink pom poms.

Chicago Bears

Bears Care, the charitable beneficiary of the Chicago Bears, has been selling Real Bears Fans Wear Pink t-shirts during September, with proceeds benefitting breast cancer charities. Fans will wear the t-shirts to the October 4 game. A breast cancer survivor finishing her treatment the Friday before the game will be honored on-field. Representatives from Wilson and NorthShore University Health Systems will participate in a pregame ceremony to recognize their support of breast cancer research. Also on October 4, 7-11 will be handing out pink ribbon decal tote bags to the first 40,000 fans to enter Soldier Field. Volunteers from ZTA also will be handing out pink ribbons to fans attending the game.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals will make an on-field, pregame presentation of the Marvin Lewis Community Fund’s Breast Cancer Survivor of the Year Award. The award winner will deliver the coin to game officials for the coin toss. ZTA will hand out pink ribbons to fans as they enter the gates, and University of Cincinnati’s Band will do a tribute to the breast cancer platform (formations and music selection) during their halftime performance. All will occur at the October 25 game.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns will partner with ACS and ZTA at their October 4 game. ZTA will hand out 20,000 pink ribbons and a Browns Women’s Organization (BWO) gate collection will benefit ACS. Members of the BWO are decorating commemorative jerseys that will be auctioned off in support of ACS. Breast cancer survivors will participate in the coin toss and will help with presentation of the Browns Spirit Flag during the pregame festivities. Several members of the Browns organization participated in the Race for the Cure in recent weeks.

Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys employees will take part in a Dallas Race for the Cure event on October 17. Bradie James and former First Lady Laura Bush will serve as honorary chairs for the race.

Denver Broncos

Partnering with Susan G. Komen, the Broncos will host breast cancer survivors on-field at halftime during their October 4 game. The Broncos will field a ‘celebrity’ team for their local Race for the Cure on October 4, lead by Broncos Cheerleaders. A large pink bow will be on the stadium throughout October. The team also will donate $10,000 to their Susan G. Komen chapter in the name of local breast cancer survivors.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are sponsoring the ACS’s local Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event on October 10, the day before their breast cancer awareness game. Captained by breast cancer survivor Jennifer Arapoff, a group of Lions employees will walk in the event. The team also will partner with ZTA to distribute breast cancer pins at the October 11 game. Pre-game ceremonies will include breast cancer survivors from the Lions, ZTA and the ACS. Survivors will form a tunnel for players during introductions. Lions’ Ladies (players and coaches wives and staff) will wear pink Lions’ t-shirts to the game.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers are using their halftime show to focus on breast cancer awareness. Local Oneida dancers will wear pink hats and perform a healing dance and survivors will hold large pin ribbons on the field. Packers cheerleaders will use pink pom-poms. In partnership with ZTA, volunteers will hand out pink ribbons in the parking lot.

Houston Texans

Texans cheerleaders, wives of players and coaches, and staff members will participate in their local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Video footage of this event will play for fans in-stadium during the October 4 breast cancer awareness game. The Texans also will partner with ZTA to distribute 20,000 pink ribbons to fans attending the game.

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts will partner with ACS, Clarian Health, the Colts Women’s Organization and ZTA to support breast cancer awareness. Activities planned for the October 4 game include a full-field pink ribbon presentation by survivors, free mammogram reminder cards, a limited edition t-shirt for sale by the Colts Women’s Organization, pink ribbon hand-outs, distribution of Colts pink trading cards and a special pink gameday program cover.

Jacksonville Jaguars

On October 4, the Jaguars and Baptist Health will distribute 42,000 pink towels at the gates and will be partnering with ZTA to give away pink ribbons and breast cancer detection information at the gates. Baptist Health also will sell A Crucial Catch t-shirts, with 100% of proceeds going to Baptist Heath Foundation for breast cancer prevention and treatment needs. Pink hats also will be sold with all proceeds going towards breast cancer research. The National Anthem singer and cheerleaders at the October 4 game will wear pink jerseys and one of the game’s honorary captains will be a patient of the Breast Center at Baptist Health. The team will feature Reggie Nelson in their game day program. Reggie lost his mother to breast cancer and hosts a breast cancer fundraiser each year.

Kansas City Chiefs

Tavia Hunt will lead the Chiefs Women’s Organization to distribute free pink ribbon buttons to fans as they enter Arrowhead Stadium. Breast cancer survivors will serve as Honorary Co-Captains at the game and take part in the coin toss alongside Chiefs players. The Chiefs will also deem their halftime show “A Tribute to Breast Cancer Survivors” and will feature a performance by pink-clad members of Jazzercise. The show’s performers have raised money in order to participate that will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Miami Dolphins

On September 29, Head Coach Tony Sparano and his wife Jeanette, along with Dolphins C.E.O. Mike Dee and Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schulz, a breast cancer survivor, will participate in a press conference to announce team activities for breast cancer awareness month. During the October 4 game, the Dolphins, continuing their 20-year support of the Don Shula Foundation’s breast cancer research projects, will recognize Coach Shula’s foundation. The Miami Dolphins Foundation will work with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to provide scholarships to students who lost a parent to breast cancer. Wives of players and coaches and alumni, will join Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and volunteers from the Komen and University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center to pass out pink ribbons at entry gates. Breast cancer survivors will be honored at halftime

Minnesota Vikings

In partnership with ZTA, the Vikings and the Vikings Women’s Organization are passing out pink rally towels and pins to fans as they enter the stadium for the October 5 Monday Night Football game. As part of their Hometown Hero program, the team will honor a male breast cancer survivor on-field prior to kickoff at that game. The team also will honor ZTA at the breast cancer-themed Monday Night Football Chalk Talk Luncheon that afternoon.

New England Patriots

On October 4, the Patriots will donate a pink towel to any fan who donates to their Susan G. Komen in-stadium collection. The team will also honor 10 breast cancer survivors who will line the field during team introductions flanked by cheerleaders in pink uniforms.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints are participating in their local Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure; Saints Owner/Executive Vice-President Rita Benson LeBlanc will participate in the race and serve as honorary chair. The October 4 and 18 games will feature breast cancer awareness reminders on message and halo boards. The Saints will partner with ZTA to distribute breast cancer awareness cards and pins at their October 4 game.

New York Giants

The Giants will continue their Tackle Breast Cancer initiative, now in its eighth year. The team will drape pink ribbon banners on the spirals of each gate into Giants Stadium. Working with ZTA, they will distribute pink ribbons in the parking lot pre-game. ZTA will also hosting a canning event, with funds going to breast cancer research. The team will have pink caps for sale in-stadium, with the proceeds of each cap going to breast cancer programs. The Giants will work with tattoo artist Mario Barth on breast cancer awareness t-shirts-proceeds will go to breast cancer programs. On October 11, the team will breast cancer survivors on-field for a pregame salute. The women will be escorted on-field by Gloria Gaynor, who will sing “I Will Survive.” They will be joined on-field by breast surgeons and oncologists

New York Jets

The Atlantic Health Jets Women’s Organization (AHJWO) will partner with Susan G. Komen for the Cure for their Style for the Cure event at the Short Hills Mall on October 17. AHJWO members will volunteer and staff educational and merchandise tables.

Oakland Raiders

On October 24, the Raiders will host a Football 101 clinic for both men and women. All proceeds from the event will go to the Alta Bates Medical Center to support breast cancer research. The Raiderettes will wear pink hats during the Raiders October 18 game. Pink hats will be for sale at the game and proceeds will go to the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center.

Philadelphia Eagles

As part of the team’s Tackling Breast Cancer campaign, the Eagles will partner with the Jefferson Breast Cancer Center to sell pink hats and scarves, with a portion of proceeds benefitting the Center. At the October 11 game, volunteers will sell these items in-stadium, cheerleaders will use pink pom poms, breast cancer survivors will be recognized on-field, and fans will receive pink bracelets at the end of the game. The stadium also will feature a large pink ribbon on the exterior.

Pittsburgh Steelers

On October 2, Steelers players will visit Magee-Women’s Hospital to offer a nutritional cooking class to breast cancer survivors and patients. Twenty survivors also will be honored in a pregame ceremony during the October 4 Sunday Night Football game. Fans entering the stadium for that game will receive pink rally towels.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams are providing information on mammography screenings by hosting a Mamo-Van during pregame at their October 11 game. They will also work with ACS for pregame activities recognizing survivors and fan giveaways. The Rams have partnered with ZTA to hand out pink ribbons to fans entering the stadium at that game.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers will partner with ZTA to distribute pink ribbons and information cards to fans entering the stadium on October 19 and will feature two pink ribbon flags on-field at that game.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers will recognize breast cancer survivors representing the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the ACS in a pre-game, on-field presentation at the October 4 game. During the presentation, public service annoucements will be shown and each of the survivors will be wearing pink 49ers caps. Additionally, the 49ers Gold Rush cheerleaders will be wearing pink jerseys for the second half of the game. Throughout the game, information about breast cancer awareness will be available in the Gold Mine area of Candlestick Park. Before the game, players’ wives will be in Faithful City distributing information about the upcoming Making Strides Walk Against Breast Cancer and selling raffle tickets for autographed items to support ACS fundraising efforts. Players wives will appear on a local radio show to talk about breast cancer awareness day at Candlestick.

Seattle Seahawks

On October 17, the Seahawks Women’s Association will host a Football 101 workshop to benefit their local Susan G. Komen chapter and the Breast Cancer Sisterhood. The event will be led by Linda Ruskell and Kaye Cole at the team’s headquarters. The workshop will feature classroom instruction, position break-out sessions and a mock game with special appearances by Seahawks players and alumni. At the October 18 game, ZTA will be passing out pink ribbons to fans entering the stadium, and the local Komen chapter will have a booth in Touchdown City, a pre-game fan festival. The Sea Gals will salute breast cancer survivors by featuring pink pom poms.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers are working with University Community Hospital, Moffit Cancer Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital to match the hospital’s funds so they can provide mammograms to underinsured and uninsured women. The team will also have breast cancer survivors participate in on-field introduction and an honorary coin toss ceremony at the October 18 game. They will partner with ZTA to distribute pink ribbons.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans will recognize breast cancer awareness during their October 11 Sunday Night Football game. Volunteers from ZTA, AMC and St. Thomas Hospital will distribute 20,000 pink ribbons and information cards to fans entering the game. Public service announcements produced specifically for this game will be featured throughout the prime-time game! Players also will visit the Dan Rudy Cancer Center of Saint Thomas Hospital in recognition of breast cancer awareness month.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins will host breast cancer luncheon for area women currently battling the disease featuring Chris Cooley and Derrick Dockery (9/29). The team’s annual “Think Pink” game will be held October 4, as Mrs. Snyder and her daughters join player and coaches’ wives and volunteers from ZTA to distribute pink ribbons to fans. Breast cancer patients will be on-field guests for player introductions. In partnership with George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, the Redskins will take the GW Mammovan into underserved areas to provide free mammograms. The GW Mammovan will be at the October 4 game.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

NFL Supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Andre Johnson, Houston Texans / Image: Zuma Press

Yesterday was just another Sunday for Andre as he caught 10 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns—this while being the focal point of one of the NFL’s best defenses in the Tennessee Titans. Did you hear him shooting off at the mouth about it afterward? No, he just goes about his job, striking fear in the hearts of defensive backs around the league. The only thing holding him back is his team. Yesterday, the Texans actually won a football game—something they’ll need to do a lot more of before Andre gets his deserved credit.

Source: NFL.com, Tennessean.com

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Andre Johnson is the NFL’s Best Receiver

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Fitzgerald, McNabb IHOP Commercials

Madden NFL 10 Wii / Image courtesy EA Sports

The first thing you’ll notice is the new look. And most obvious are the cartoonish new player models. Five unique body types were created for quarterbacks, receivers, linebackers, linemen and running backs. But that certainly isn’t where it ends. There’s also new grass, new lighting, new unis, new stadiums, new crowds, new Jumbotrons and gameplay animations—plus unique face textures and an all new suite of cams that encompass pre-plays, touchdowns, passes, blimp shots, post plays, big hits and more. There are also new sideline characters, objects and sky maps. Very slick.

Madden NFL 10 captures Wii’s pick up and play mentality with a host of new game modes designed to provide short, easy-to-digest gaming experiences. Madden Showdown is a 1-4 player tournament where you can enjoy classic 11-on-11 football or a quick 5-on-5, custom competition. There are three major feature components to Madden Showdown—Game Changers (like Tug of War, Fumbilitis, Turbo Mode, It’s Alive, Invisibility, All Passing Plays, All Running Plays and a Random option where you never know what you’ll get from one game to the next). There is also a Prediction System where you have a chance to guess the outcome of different categories in each game. And Spotlight Moments is where the gameplay slows to allow you to influence the biggest plays of the game (like open field tackles, a battle for the ball, sprinting to the end zone and a sack attack). Finally, Road to the Super Bowl allows 1-4 players to work together and play as a team through a partial or entire NFL season.

If you remember last season, Madden NFL 09 set a great precedent with their All-Play game mechanics. And since All-Play really lends itself, again to the Wii’s pick up and play style, it can be applied to features (of which I’ll name a couple) that appeal to both hardcore and casual players. A new passing mechanic features point and pass controls where you simply point at the receiver on the screen and press the A button to pass the ball. Same concept with All-Play Defense. Users can make an impact on defense by simply pointing and locking onto targets which then causes their defense to focus on that particular player. Swinging the Wiimote at the right time will perform the action appropriate to that situation, like swatting or picking off a pass, sacking the QB or sticking it to a running back.

Finally, there are a bunch of supporting features to round out your 2010 Madden experience. These features range from classic game modes to fan favorites. For instance, classic modes contain Franchise and Superstar in their entirety. Triggered Celebrations continue to be a fan favorite. And an all-new Wii specific roster screen contains all roster and player management functionality. The mini games are the same but they’ve been retrofitted with the new mechanics to let everyone hone their skills.

I’ve been at this game for almost a week (thanks to EA Sports for the pre-release copy—my review was embargoed until this morning at 9 a.m. ET) and I can say it’s definitely the best looking, most enjoyable Madden experience ever. Madden NFL 10 will be in-stores everywhere this Friday, August 14.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Madden NFL 10 Wii Review

Madden NFL 10 / Photo: Business Wire

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Fitzgerald, Polamalu on Madden 10 Cover

Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals / Photo: Newscom

Cards head coach Ken Whisenhunt confirmed the possibility of trading Anquan today:

“Before the Draft, you know there is going to talk about Anquan and his situation and a trade. Since not a whole lot has changed with his contractual situation, we know that will come back up. It would be foolish from our standpoint not to listen to those opportunities and see what actually exists. But I want to make the point — our goal is to re-sign him to a long-term deal. That hasn’t changed.”

Anquan hasn’t been happy with his contract situation for more than a year. He’s been clamoring for a long-term deal but the Cards have yet to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak. Unless the team gets something in the neighborhood of three Draft picks (with two in the early rounds) as compensation for losing Anquan, they’re absolutely nuts.

What the Arizona Cardinals currently enjoy are two of the best receivers in the National Football League. And as talented an athlete as he is, fellow receiver Larry Fitzgerald is successful largely because of Anquan. And Anquan, in turn, is successful largely because of Larry. One without the other will equal catastrophic results in Arizona. OK, maybe not catastrophic results. But they won’t get back to the Super Bowl without both of them. And really — what else is there?

Source: AZCardinals.com

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Cards Willing to Trade Anquan Boldin

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

The Arizona Cardinals finally came to their senses and took care of business with quarterback Kurt Warner today. Of course, my feeling is they never should’ve let Kurt leave town (he visited the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week), but what matters most, especially as far as AZ Cards fans are concerned, is that Kurt signed a two-year, $23 million deal to remain the starting quarterback. Typically, he kept things in proper perspective:

“It’s one of those things that can be bittersweet, especially at this point and time in the economy and where people are struggling. I understand all the dynamics. My whole role with having this blessing is understanding my role in it and having the most impact I can, whether it is with my family or the community. That’s how I look at it, as a responsibility.”

Let’s face it. Kurt needs receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. They’re probably the two best receivers in the National Football League. I’ve said that more times than I can remember, even before it became fashionable to do so. And while I won’t go so far as to say that Larry and Anquan need Kurt, they’re probably a lot better off with him than without him. I want to believe that backup QB Matt Leinart (who is cursing the Niners today) could step in and win games for Arizona, but the truth is we just don’t know. Not that he hasn’t had the chance to prove himself. Kurt just proved he was the better man for the job when the two have battled it out on a level playing field. So, while the Arizona Cardinals unfortunately won’t field exactly the same team that got them to Super Bowl XLIII last season, the parts that matter most are still intact. And I believe they’re still the team to beat in the NFC.

Source: AZCardinals.com, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Cardinals Re-sign Kurt Warner

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald continued tearing up the postseason by catching five passes for 81 yards and two touchdowns, winning the game Most Valuable Player Award as the NFC beat the AFC 30-21 in the annual Pro Bowl this afternoon. After the game Larry said teammate and fellow receiver Anquan Boldin wasn’t going anywhere, attempting to extinguish the ongoing rumors that “Q” will be traded this upcoming offseason.

“Q’s not going anywhere. We’re gonna try to keep him, do whatever we can to make sure he’s an Arizona Cardinal. He’s a huge part of what we’ve been able to accomplish this year and for us to continue to have success, he’s gonna have to be a part of it.”

Source: NFL.com, Photo: Newscom

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Larry Fitzgerald: ‘Q’s Not Going Anywhere’