honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 7:24 a.m., Saturday, January 24, 2009

Super Bowl: Profiles of key Arizona Cardinals

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. — Projected starters and key players for next Sunday's Super Bowl:

ARIZONA CARDINALS OFFENSE

Kurt Warner, QB (13). 6-2, 218, 11th season, Northern Iowa.

Came from Arena League and NFL Europe to lead St. Louis Rams to 2000 Super Bowl win after Trent Green was injured in exhibition. Had played just one NFL game before that season ... Was MVP and Super Bowl MVP in 1999 season and won MVP again in 2001 before Rams lost Super Bowl to New England ... Injuries curtailed his 2002 and 2003 seasons and he was released by Rams and joined Giants ... Started nine games there and gave way to Eli Manning ... Went to Arizona in 2005 and started 10 games ... Beat out "QB of the future" Matt Leinart at midseason last year and again this season ... At 37, threw for 4,583 yards and 30 touchdowns with passer rating of 96.3, highest since 1999-2001 in St. Louis.

Edgerrin James, RB (32). 6-0, 220, 10th season, Miami.

Third season in Arizona after seven in Indianapolis ... Rushed for more than 1,500 yards four times with Colts and had double-digit touchdowns rushing four times ... Had 50 or more receptions five times with Colts ... Production fell off in Arizona, where he has averaged under 4 yards a carry ... Lost his job at midseason this year to Tim Hightower, then reclaimed it in playoffs ... Rushed for 203 yards in three playoff games after getting 514 for 3.9 average during regular season, when he complained about being benched for first time in career ... Fourth overall pick in 1999 draft, first non-quarterback taken.

Tim Hightower, RB (34). 6-0, 216, rookie, Richmond.

Fifth-round draft pick last April ... Started seven games ... Rushed for 399 yards and 2.8 average with 10 touchdowns ... Had 34 receptions for 399 yards ... Biggest play of career was 6-yard run on fourth-and-1 from Philadelphia 49 during Cardinals' winning TD drive in AFC title game ... Caught 8-yard screen pass for winning touchdown.

Terrelle Smith, FB, (45). 6-0, 250, 9th season, Arizona State.

Almost exclusively a blocking back ... Had no carries and just two receptions during season ... Of 58 career carries, 29 were as a rookie with New Orleans ... Also played for Cleveland ... Joined Cardinals in 2007.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR (11). 6-3, 220, 5th season, Pitt.

One of the game's best receivers and a player the Steelers must control to win ... Third overall pick in 2004 draft, had 96 receptions for 1,431 yards this season and 12 touchdowns ... Has already broken Jerry Rice's playoff record with 419 yards receiving on 22 catches, an 18.2 average ... Has ability to leap over defenders even when covered to make catch ... Has five TD catches in three playoff games ... Signed $40 million, four-year contract with $30 million guaranteed last summer.

Anquan Boldin, WR (81). 6-1, 217, 6th season, Florida State.

Combines with Fitzgerald in NFL's best receiving tandem ... Second-round pick in 2003, was Offensive Rookie of the Year with 101 catches ... Had 89 receptions for 1,089 yards and 11 TDs this year despite playing 12 games after sustaining facial injuries on a devastating hit against Jets ... Has running back skills and gains many of his yards after the catch ... Wants contract comparable to Fitzgerald's and has said he will not re-sign with Arizona when his deal expires in 2010.

Steve Breaston, WR (15). 6-0, 189, 2nd season, Michigan.

Had 77 catches for 1,006 yards after just eight catches as a rookie, joining Fitzgerald and Boldin to give Cardinals three 1,000-yard receivers ... Had 77 catches for 1,006 yards ... A fifth-round pick in 2007 ... Also serves as punt returner and sometimes kickoff return man ... Averaged 7.2 yards per punt return and 20.2 on kickoffs.

Leonard Pope, TE (82). 6-8, 258, 3rd season, Georgia.

Started just eight games and had just nine catches in regular season ... Had two catches for 21 yards against Eagles in NFC title game ... Has started 23 games since being taken in third round of 2006 draft.

Mike Gandy, LT (69). 6-4, 316, 8th season, Notre Dame.

Signed with Cardinals in 2007 as free agent from Buffalo ... Third-round pick of Chicago in 2001, played three years with Bears before going to Bills ... Inactive for rookie season, played four different OL positions with Bears: both tackles and both guards ... Has started every game since 2002 season.

Levi Brown, RT, (75). 6-5, 322, 2nd season, Penn State.

First-round pick, fifth overall by Cardinals in 2007 draft ... Started 11 games as a rookie and all 16 this season ... Allowed 11 sacks for 82 yards this year.

Reggie Wells, LG (74). 6-4, 308, 6th season, Clarion.

Has spent entire career with Cards after being sixth-round pick in 2003 ... Started 88 straight games since becoming regular in his seventh season ... Only 10 holding calls against him in five years as starter.

Deuce Lutui, RG (76). 6-4, 332, 3rd season, Southern Cal.

Second-round pick in 2006 ... Became a starter midway through his rookie season ... Blocked in college for both teammate Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer ... Born in Ha'api, Tonga, Cousin of former NFL running back Vai Sikahema, first Tongan to play in NFL.

Lyle Sendlein, C (63). 6-4, 300, 2nd season, Texas.

Started all 16 games after appearing in 12 games as a rookie with two starts ... Converted to center from guard in high school ... Grew up in Scottsdale, near Cardinals' training facility.

ARIZONA CARDINALS DEFENSE

Travis LaBoy, DE (55). 6-3, 250, 5th season, Hawaii.

Signed last spring as a free agent from Tennessee, where he had double-digit sacks twice ... Injured a quad muscle in NFC championship game after missing time earlier with ankle injury ... Second-round pick by Titans in 2004.

Antonio Smith, DE (94). 6-4, 285, 5th season, Oklahoma State.

A utility player who has been starting more this season ... Sack of Jake Delhomme forced fumble that he recovered for game-turning play in second-round playoff upset in Carolina ... Fifth-round draft pick in 2004.

Bertrand Berry, DE (92). 6-3, 260, 11th season, Notre Dame.

Used in passing situations ... Has 69 sacks in career that began as third-round pick of Colts in 1997 ... Also played for Broncos ... Had 14½ sacks in 2004, his first season with Cardinals, and made Pro Bowl that season ... Had four sacks in a game against Giants in 2004.

Darnell Dockett, DT (90). 6-4, 285, 5th season, Florida State.

Has started 79 of his 80 games since Cardinals made him the first pick of the third round in 2004 ... Tackle on Michael Turner in playoff game against Atlanta knocked ball loose for Antrel Rolle to return for game-changing TD ... Has started 65 straight regular-season games ... Made Pro Bowl in 2007 after registering career-high nine sacks.

Bryan Robinson, DT (97). 6-4, 304, 12th season, Fresno State.

Undrafted free agent who signed with Rams in 1997 ... Spent six years with Bears and also played with Dolphins and Bengals ... Signed with Cardinals last spring and started 15 games.

Chike Okeafor, OLB, (56). 6-5, 247, 10th season, Purdue.

Like Berry and Robinson, brings experience to relatively young defense ... Third-round pick by San Francisco in 1999. Also played for Seattle before joining Cardinals in 2005 ... Has 48½ career sacks.

Karlos Dansby, OLB (58). 6-4, 250, 5th season, Auburn.

One of team's young stars, was the first Cardinal to get the franchise player tag to prevent him from becoming free agent after 2007 season ... Has 24½ sacks and nine interceptions since being taken with first pick in second round of 2004 draft.

Gerald Hayes, MLB (54). 6-1, 249, 6th season, Pitt.

Third-round pick in 2003, has been a starter the last three seasons after missing all of 2005 with a knee injury ... Had one of five interceptions off Jake Delhomme in Cardinals' upset victory of Carolina in second round of playoffs ... College teammate of Larry Fitzgerald.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB (29). 6-2, 185, rookie, Tennessee State.

First-round draft choice last April, 16th overall ... Started 11 games and had four interceptions to lead team ... Added interceptions in both Atlanta and Carolina playoff victories ... Cousin of San Diego's Antonio Cromartie.

Roderick Hood, CB (26). 5-11, 198, 6th season, Auburn.

One of a handful of Cardinals with Super Bowl experience — his was with Philadelphia in 2005 ... Signed with Arizona in 2007 after being extra DB with Eagles ... Has started 30 regular-season games the past two seasons.

Ralph Brown, CB (20). 5-10, 185, 9th season, Nebraska.

Has started just 16 times in 113 games with the Giants, Vikings, Browns and Cardinals ... Had five career interceptions going into playoffs, added one in each of first two postseason games ... Was on injured reserve as rookie with 2000 Giants, who went to Super Bowl in Tampa.

Adrian Wilson, SS (24). 6-3, 230, 8th season, North Carolina State.

One of the three best safeties in the game, along with Pittsburgh's Troy Polamalu and Baltimore's Ed Reed ... Going to only his second Pro Bowl, an indictment of a system that rarely rewards players on bad teams ... Ferocious run-stuffer and blitzer, had eight sacks in 2005 ... Has 18 career interceptions ... One of the rare Cardinals standouts who has chosen to stay with historically challenged franchise — most leave and excel elsewhere.

Antrel Rolle, FS (21). 6-0, 208, 4th season, Miami.

The eighth overall pick in 2005 draft, was switched to safety from cornerback this season ... Scored go-ahead TD in first-round win over Atlanta by plucking fumble out of the air and carrying it in ... Had three interceptions for touchdowns in 2007, second most for a single season in NFL history. Two of the TDs came in one game, tied for most in NFL history. He had another called back by penalty in that contest.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Neil Rackers, K (1). 6-1, 202, 9th season, Illinois.

Made 25 of 28 field goals this season ... A 77.1 percent kicker for his career, the first three years of which were with Cincinnati ... Had 15 touchbacks on 85 kickoffs.

Ben Graham, P (5). 6-5, 235, 4th season, no college.

An Aussie and a former Australian rules football player ... Spent the last three seasons and part of this one with the Jets before being cut ... Signed Dec. 1 to replace Dirk Johnson, who was cut ... Averaged 42 yards on 20 punts, just slightly better than Johnson.

J.J. Arrington, KR (28). 5-9, 212, 3rd season, Cal.

Backup running back who is primary kickoff return man ... Averaged 22.7 yards per return ... Had 93-yard return for touchdown on opening kickoff in overtime win over Dallas ... Middle man on flea-flicker TD pass from Warner to Fitzgerald in championship game.

Sean Morey, WR (87). 5-11, 193, 7th season, Brown.

A special teams standout who has caught just 11 passes in his career, eight in 2007 with the Cardinals ... One of Cardinals with Super Bowl experience, he played with Steelers in 2005 ... Made Pro Bowl as the NFC's special teamer ... Pro Bowl alternate with Steelers in 2005.