Well, that’s a tough act to follow, Kurt Warner.
Clearly, Kurt sipped the fountain of youth before pretty much every game this season, then dumped the entire thing down his throat for last Sunday’s game against the Packers.
In the wild shootout, which ended up being the highest-scoring playoff game in NFL history, Warner went 29 for 33 with 379 passing yards and five touchdowns.
He had more touchdown passes than incompletions.
Can he keep up the sparkling effort in what’s sure to be another shootout against the Saints?
NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Matchup: Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans
- Cardinals-Saints Date: Saturday, January 16th
- Cardinals-Saints Kickoff Time: 4:30 ET
- Cardinals-Saints TV Network: FOX
- Cardinals-Saints Announcers: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
- Cardinals-Saints Point Spread: Saints -7
- Cardinals-Saints Over-Under Odds: 57
- Cardinals-Saints Spread Pick by Jerod: Cardinals +7
Note: The information above is taken from the NFL Playoffs Divisional round TV schedule, spreads, and picks post from earlier this week. Keep in mind that spread information is from early in the week. For updated spreads and other up-to-the-minute playoff handicapping info, here are some links for your convenience:
- DocSports: NFL Odds | NFL Picks
- DocSports: NFL Playoff Predictions | NFL Playoff Tree | NFL Playoff Brackets | NFL Playoff Schedule
Cardinals-Saints Analysis
Breaking down the Cardinals offense versus the Saints’ defense, it’s tough to imagine New Orleans stopping Warner. He did his damage last Sunday using Larry Fitzgerald, Early Doucet, and Steve Breaston…without Anquan Boldin. What happens if Boldin is ready for Saturday? How much more dangerous can Arizona’s passing attack get?
The Saints have home-field advantage, a loud building, and a real gamebreaker on defense in Darren Sharper. But, looking closer, they’re primed to allow plenty of points.
Everyone talked up the Saints’ ability to force turnovers this year – they had 26 interceptions, but the Packers led the NFL with 30 picks and had the NFC’s No. 1 defense entering the Wildcard game. Yet Warner shredded the Green Bay secondary with ease.
The Saints allowed 235.6 passing yards per game; that was the 26th-best mark in the league, easily the worst of any 2009 playoff team. Even if Sedrick Ellis gets hot and neutralizes Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower in the running game, Warner will inflict serious damage.
Now, that’s not to say Drew Brees won’t do exactly the same.
Let’s remember that Arizona allowed 45 points and let Aaron Rodgers throw for a Packer playoff-record 422 yards. This weekend, before the reeling secondary can recover, it faces the league’s No. 1 offense on the road. It’s not that the Cards lack talent; who wouldn’t want Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Adrian Wilson? It’s that they’re still a young group that lacks intelligence, takes chances at the wrong times, and bites on fakes.
New Orleans has so many tricks up its sleeve and so many talented targets for Brees that we’re sure to see the Saints score a ton. The main beneficiary should be Robert Meachem, who regularly gets open deep.
So, what have we learned? We know both these teams score a ton and don’t defend the pass well.
As for picking a winner, I’d lean toward the home team. The Saints have the boisterous crowd on their side and superior running game – the No. 6 unit in the NFL. Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell will move the chains if the Saints get a lead late.
From a wagering perspective, you’re probably safe betting over the total (most recently set at 57 points). But you aren’t too safe picking New Orleans to cover the seven-point spread. I expect a Saints win but a close Saints win, since New Orleans will struggle to stop Warner.
Cardinals-Saints Prediction (straight-up): Saints
Cardinals-Saints Pick: Cardinals +7
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* – Kurt & Brenda Warner photo credit: Things Fat People Hate
* – Drew Brees chair photo credit: BostonHerald.com
* – Drew Brees celebrating: Taking it to the House
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