2008 NFC Champions Arizona Cardinals

2008 NFC Champions Arizona Cardinals The Cardinals, founded in 1898 and a charter member of the National Football League, hold the distinction of being the oldest continuously run professional football franchise in the nation. The team boasts a colorful history! Its fans have known the club as the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Cardinals, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cardinals, Racine Cardinals, the Normals, and the Morgan Athletic Club. Arizona After 28 years in St. Louis, the Cardinals relocated to Arizona in the spring of 1988 and made Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University their new home. Their first season in the Valley of the Sun began optimistically when the team raced to a 74 record and a share of the NFC Eastern Division lead. But untimely injuries struck and a five-game losing streak ensued to finish the year, dashing hopes of the club's first postseason berth since 1982. The Cardinals' new home provided club single-game (67,139 vs. Dallas in the Arizona inaugural game) and single-season (472,937) attendance records in the team's first autumn in Arizona. A new era began for the Cardinals as new Coach Ken Whisenhunt tried to bring the Steelers formula to the desert. In the opener the Cardinals gave the San Francisco 49ers all they could handle on Monday Night, but were stunned in the final minute as an Arnaz Battle touchdown gave the 49ers a 20-17 win with 22 seconds left. A week later in their home opener it was the Cardinals getting a dramatic win as Neil Rackers hit a 42-yard field goal in the final seconds to beat the Seattle Seahawks 23-20. Trailing the Baltimore Ravens on the road 23-6 entering the fourth quarter, Kurt Warner came off the bench to tie the game with two touchdown passes to Anquan Boldin, but in the end the Ravens would rebound and win the game as time expired on a field goal by Matt Stover. Warner would come off the bench again a week later as the Cardinals stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-14, delivering new Coach Ken Whisenhunt a satisfying win against his former team. With Matt Leinart out for the season with a broken collar bone the Cardinals gladly handed the reigns over to Kurt Warner who helped lead the way to a 34-31 win over the St. Louis Rams on the road that helped the Cardinals sit in first place at 3-2. However, the Cardinals hit a bump in the road as they lost their next three games. Needing to get back on track the Cards relied on their defense in Week 10 as LB Kurt Dansby intercepted two passes and forced a fumble as the Cardinals crushed the Detroit Lions 31-21. A week later it would be Antrel Rolle who would be the difference make as he intercepted three passes, returning two for touchdowns as the Cardinals stunned the Cincinnati Bengals on the road 35-27. However, with a chance to get back in the playoff picture the Cardinals suffered a monumental setback losing to the 49ers in heartbreaking fashion again as Kurt Warner fumbled in the endzone in overtime in a 37-31 loss at home. After a rebound win over the Cleveland Browns, the Cardinals again lost with a chance to get back in the playoff picture as they were doubled up by the Seahawks on the road 42-21. The Cardinals would end the season strong losing a shootout with the New Orleans Saints, before closing the season with two straight wins to post an 8-8 record, their best record in nine years. Best Season: 1998 & 2008 (9-7) Worst Season: 2000 (3-13) Retired Numbers: (5) 8 Larry Wilson S 1960-1972 40 Pat Tillman S 1998-2001 77 Stan Mauldin OT 1946-1948 88 J.V. Cain TE 1974-1977 99 Marshall Goldberg RB 1939-40,46-48 Super Bowl Champions: None Super Bowls Appearances: (1) XLIII (2008) NFC Championship Games: (1) 2008 Division Champions: (1) 2008 Playoff Appearences: (2) 1998, 2008 Record in Playoff Games: 4-2 .667 Coaches: (8) Gene Stallings 1988-1989 Hank Kahlman 1989 Joe Bugel 1990-1993 Buddy Ryan 1994-1995 Vince TobIn 1996-2000 Dave McGinnis 2000-2003 Dennis Green 2004-2006 Ken Whisenhunt 2007-Present Played As: Racine Cardinals 1920-1921 Chicago Cardinals 1922-1943 Card-Pitt 1944* Chicago Cardinals 1945-1959 St. Louis Cardinals 1960-1987 Phoenix Cardinals 1988-1993 Arizona Cardinals 1994-Present

» View the original video «

YouTube | February 3, 2009

Tags:. .streak. .boasts. .optimistically. .racine. .seahawks