Arizona Cardinals Fans Face Some Tough Choices

Even when they’re winning, it can be hard to be a Cardinals fan.

Ok, so my prognostication of the Cards squeezing their way to the No. 2 seed is unfolding exactly is it has to. So far anyway. But can it last? Can the Cardinals do what they need to do, and all the other chips fall in the right place, for them to actually pull it off?

The Cardinals scenarios are plain and simple. With the Vikings overtime loss to the Bears tonight, the Big Red can still be No. 2 if the Vikings lose to New York football Giants this weekend, and the Dallas Cowboys Beat the Eagles. This, of course, is assuming a Cardinals win against Green Bay Packers Sunday.

The Cardinals can also be the No. 3 seed. They wouldn’t get the bye, but they would get the Dallas Cowboys coming to town. A true hate-fest if there ever was one.

If the Cards win, the Eagles win and the Vikings lose , the Eagles would be the No. 2 seed, and the Cards and Vikings would be tied with an 11-5 record. The Cards, having beaten the snot out of Minnesota a few weeks back, would be No. 3 and the Vikings No. 4. The Packers would then be the No. 5 seed, and Dallas would be No. 6.

The best scenario, of course, is to sneak into that No. 2 slot, and have this weekend off.

But if the Cards end up with the No. 3 seed, the Cowboys would visit Glendale. Who in Cardinal-land wouldn’t want that?  Can you imagine the frenzy if Dallas comes here to play? The Cardinals 1000 percent winning percentage over Dallas in their head-to-head playoff history would be on the line!

And just as I was in Gods Toilet in Irving almost 11 years ago this week (when the Cardinals stuck the dagger into "the Dynasty," and sent them reeling on a decade-plus playoff win drought), it would be great to be there and see the Big Red stomp Dallas here in Arizona!

But here’s the hard part. For the Cards to get that No. 2-seed, Dallas has to beat the Eagles. And the Vikings have to lose to the Giants. Can you seriously think of two more hated and pathetic teams to have to ‘root for’ than Dallas and the Giants? I mean, I frankly don’t even think I’m capable of cheering for Dallas.

I can hope for, and want, the Eagles to lose . I almost always want that anyway. But to CHEER for DALLAS?!? I’d almost rather jam an ice-pick into my open eyeball 8,568 times, and then add salt.

But this is where we stand, Cardinals faithful! We often ask players to ‘take one for the team’, but rare is the time when we, the fans, are asked to do that.

Well, if there EVER was a time to chee...to roooo...(*sigh*...gathers personal strength) ...if ever a time to cheer for Dallas (OW! Ow! Ow! Ow! It BUUUUURNS!)...it would be now. We also have to pull for the Giants (*throws up*...regains composure).

But we MUST make a pact, Cardinals fans. If the Vikings beat New York, or if Philly beats Dallas...in other words ANY scenario wherein the Cardinals don’t get that No. 2 seed, I didn’t hear a peep. Did you? I didn’t hear a single Cardinals fan root for Dallas. I didn’t hear a single Cardinals fan cheering for the Giants either. Nope, not a peep.

What do ya say, Cards fans? Are you with me?

GBR!