25Oct/0910:09 PM

Finally, a signature win for the Cardinals

By Vince Marotta

Kurt Warner and the Cardinals earned a rare victory at the Meadowlands. (Photo: Mel Evans/AP)

If you want to count how many times the Arizona Cardinals have missed opportunities to capture the national spotlight since they’ve been in Arizona, you and a friend will both have to use up all your fingers and take off your shoes and socks.

From the handful of Monday Night Football appearances (and losses) in the late 80’s and 90’s, to the playoff rout at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings during the 1998 season, to blowing a chance to knock off the mighty Chicago Bears on MNF in 2006, this franchise has missed golden opportunities to shine when the whole world is watching.

Even after a valiant effort on the sporting world’s biggest stage 8 months ago, many still believed that the Cardinals were a fluke–a team that qualified for the playoffs by feasting on a weak division and getting hot at the right time.

A lot of those people now have no choice but to shut up.

With the world watching Football Night in America, the Arizona Cardinals went to the Meadowlands and knocked off the New York Giants, a team that many believed was the best in football just 8 days ago, 24-17. The win for the Cardinals was their first at Giants Stadium since a 34-24 win in 1999.

The win was especially impressive because of the key injuries suffered to members of the secondary in the second half. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie suffered an ankle injury. Safety Adrian Wilson, who was a man possessed while he was on the field, battled cramps all night. The Cardinals finished the night with Greg Toler, a rookie from Division II St. Paul’s College and Michael Adams, known mostly for his special teams prowess, playing corner, yet still hung on for the win by forcing turnovers on the Giants’ last two possessions of the evening.

In the span of three hours, the Arizona Cardinals managed to open the eyes of many “haters”. Not only is Arizona back on top of the NFC West with a 4-2 record, they’ve announced to the rest of the league with their last two performances that taking their NFC crown will not be an easy task.