Playoffs are in the Cards

By Johnny Sunchips

The NFC West was supposed to be a two team race. Through eight weeks it was. Seattle and San Francisco were by many (including yours truly) the squads to battle for division supremacy, as well as an earned invitation to Super Bowl XXVIII this coming February 2nd at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey. The Seahawks have kept up their end of the bargain, cruising to a 10-1 record while the 49ers have "stumbled" to a somewhat disappointing 7-4. Nonetheless, the remaining five games should prove to be nothing more than post season positioning for last seasons championship runner up. Well...not the case.

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On the heels of a four game winning streak, a franchise that since 1988 has only three times won more games than lost, once appearing in a Super Bowl (2009), the Arizona Cardinals are heating up the wild card race, and challenging the Niners and the surging Carolina Panthers for a spot in the post season. In wins over Atlanta, Houston, Jacksonville and a sound thrashing of AFC South leader Indianapolis, the "Red Birds", behind a defense ranked 8th overall, and a rejuvenated QB in Carson Palmer directing a mistake free offense, can quench the undying thirst of a legion of fans. Palmer has been brilliant as of late with a touchdown interception ratio of 8 to 2 in the last month. Half of all pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald's 8 tds. have come in the same four game stretch. The Cardinals close out the season against their two aforementioned division rivals and with a little help, can reach the playoffs for the first time in four years