Does the Slipper Fit? Arizona Cardinals Continue Playoff Run, Defeat Carolina

If the slipper fits….

For the Arizona Cardinals, it most certainly does.

Some would call it a fluke. An aberration. A lucky break, if you will.

But it’s not. They’re not.

The Cardinals defeated the No. 2 seed Carolina Panthers, 33-13, on the hands of six Jake Delhomme turnovers. After eight takeaways in their last six games to end the season, the Cardinals have already reached nine—seven interceptions and two fumbles recovered—in two playoff games.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

The Cardinals aren’t supposed to win playoff games—or rather, any game.
Arizona was 0-5 on the East Coast this year. They just won by 20 points on the East Coast. They’ve had only one other road win by 20 points in 15 years since their name change.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

Arizona was a 10-point underdog. Only thrice in 20 Divisional-round occurrences had a double-digit underdog prevailed, since 1978.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

The Cardinals were allowing 33 points, 385 yards, and 145 rushing yards in their last six regular season games. So much for that: The Falcons and Panthers have each gained under 270 total yards and under 80 rushing yards in two playoff games, while averaging just 19 points per game.

Did I mention that the Falcons and Panthers were in the top three in rushing yardage on the year?

Arizona had let opposing passers to obtain the third-highest passer rating in the NFL, at 95.4. Jake Delhomme had a 95.0 passer rating in his playoff career coming into tonight. Yet Arizona picked him off five times, and Delhomme ended the night with a 39.1 rating—which would have been less than 30 had he not thrown for a late, garbage-time score.

But you’ve seen this story before: Arizona’s sudden playoff roll harkens back to the defensive improvement the Indianapolis Colts had in their 2006 playoff run.

Those Colts gave up 173 rushing yards on the ground all year—their opponents rushed for at least 100 yards in every game. That is, until the playoffs, when they allowed just 83 yards per game and only one game over 100 rushing yards.

Those Colts allowed 22.5 points per game all year. Until they gave up 16 per game in the playoffs.

Those Colts won the Super Bowl. Of course.

The Cardinals weren’t supposed to win. No, they weren’t even supposed to get close. Vegas predicted a final score of 30-20, with the Panthers winning. Naturally.

At the end of all of it, the Arizona Cardinals defeated the No. 2 seed by 20 points on the road.

And so the slipper does fit, after all.