Week 10 Keys to Victory

Just get Anquan the damn ball... and he'll leave.

It’s never as sweet the second time, so why don’t we look at this as a first opportunity to beat the Seahawks… in Arizona.

We’ve gone over the stalwart road record, but now it’s time to fix the problems at home. A divisional game, a rivalry between the two best franchises in the NFC West over the last few years, and one perfect chance to move a step closer to clinching.

So here they are.  The keys, the coaching points, the map to victory in Glendale.

1. Get the ball outside. It’s that simple. Get the ball into the hands of your playmakers on the outside. Seattle’s secondary has struggled with big receivers this year, and their lack of impact at the safety position has been well-exploited in 2009. No, the Seahawks aren’t the worst pass defense in the league, but at 17th overall, they’re nothing the Cards can’t handle. Warner knows that he just has to give Fitzgerald and Boldin a chance, and they’ll make the play 9 times out of ten against this defense. Which brings me to my next point.

2. Get the ball to Anquan. A lot. His success against Seattle is no secret. In nine career games against the ‘Hawks he has over 800 receiving yards. I know all about the whole “Arizona is 5-1 without Boldin” stat, but it doesn’t apply here. Boldin is on a mission right now. It’s a foregone conclusion that he won’t be a Cardinal forever, but the reason he’s so damned hellbent on playing this year is the same reason the Cards should target him at least 10 times today — he wants to make plays. He’s dying to make himself a more attractive trade prospect. After being shopped with minimal results last offseason, he’s a cinch to play as hard as anyone in the league.

3. Protect Kurt Warner. Sounds simple enough, right? It hasn’t been. The offensive line is 8th in the NFL in sacks allowed with only 15 given up, but nine of those came in the three losses. Of those three teams, only Indianapolis has been better at getting to the quarterback than Seattle. If left tackle Mike Gandy can’t go today (although he should), then his replacement (possibly rookie Herman Johnson…) will have a huge impact on the outcome here. Quick passes to superior receivers should help even the advantage, but the ground game will be just as important. If Beanie Wells can continue his recent three game run of above-mediocrity (5.3 yards a carry over the last three games), then the pressure will ease allowing Warner to play more like Chicago Kurt than Carolina Kurt.

4. Hit Hasselbeck. He’s older. He’s hurt. He’s missed some time already this season. Hit him. The Cards have been great at times when it comes to hustling opposing QBs, but there ought to be special emphasis placed on hitting the Hass today. If Arizona can cause some serious chaos in the backfield and put the pain on the Seahawks QB, then it could be over early. Seattle ranks 30th in rushing offense, so if the passing game struggles, it’s hard to imagine the upset. The Cards just need to jam the receivers at the line. These aren’t explosive guys, and if the timing is knocked off in the five-yard cushion, then Hasselbeck will become a slow-moving target.

5. Play your game no matter the score. Just overall, don’t panic. This isn’t a complete must win, but it’s important. Arizona needs to find a way to win at home against beatable competition. They couldn’t do it against Carolina or San Fran, but in this division there are apparently a few second chances. There are easily 10 wins on this schedule, but that’s counting this one. So here’s the deal, even if Seattle comes out hot, stay calm. The ‘Hawks have no ability to run out the clock to grind their way to a victory. There may not be a better quick strike team in the league when Arizona is at the top of their game. And hey, if we come out and take a big lead early, then for God’s sake, feed Beanie the ball. Tape it to his hands, surgically apply the ball if need be, but don’t let the Seattle pass rushers bring them back into the game by forcing Warner into hurried throws.

Yeah, on paper it looks like a cupcake game, but it carries more weight than most care to admit. Here’s a big winnable home game, Arizona. Let it happen.