Friday, October 24, 2008

My Panthers-Arizona prediction

** For most of their history, the Arizona Cardinals have been a joke. They were somewhere out there in the desert, drawing fewer fans for actual games than some teams drew for training-camp practices. Nobody cared about them.

** These Cardinals, however, are no joke. Kurt Warner is a fence post in the pocket, but he's a fast-acting fence post. He gets the ball out as quickly as anyone in the NFL. If you ever do get a shot on Warner, he's prone to fumbling, but that's easier said than done.

** If the Panthers win this one, they go into the bye week at 6-2 feeling very good about themselves. If they don't, 5-3 is still halfway to 10-6, and 10-6 almost always makes the playoffs.

** I saw wonderful Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald horribly misused once in Bank of America Stadium. Pittsburgh came to town in 2003 to play Virginia in what was then known as the Continental Tire Bowl. Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris had the terrible idea to use Fitzgerald -- the best receiver in the country and the Heisman Trophy runnerup -- as a decoy practically the whole game. It didn't work. Virginia won, 23-16, behind quarterback Matt Schaub.

** I've picked the Panthers correctly the past four weeks in a row, but get your rotten tomatoes ready. I'm choosing the home team to lose this one. Not for any particular reason, really. Arizona is just a tough team, a playoff team, and it's been going so beautifully for the Panthers at home (where they are 4-0 this season) that I think they're about to hit a bump.
My prediction: Arizona 24, Carolina 20.

8 comments:

MichaelProcton said...

Good call, chief. The Panthers will lose because Arizona is a "playoff team?" Were they a playoff team when the Jets were putting up 56 (!!!) against them? Or was it those big wins against the 49ers and Dolphins that impressed you?

Robert said...

Come on Fowler are you losing it?
You (of all people) should know the Panthers will be victorous Sunday.

Administrator said...

Fowler your picture is weird AND creepy and did I mention gay?

I dont really do anything here at the Observer except get my snob on and hang with out the banking community.

Unknown said...

Wow, calling a picture gay. Great argument and right on topic. Why don't you provide actually arguments instead of adolescent bigotry?

Science Guy said...

Great analysis. I agree that Arizona is in every facet of the game equal to or superior to the Panthers. Plus, I think this weekend they'll want it more.

MichaelProcton said...

Yeah, Science Guy...like their AWESOME defense, which is 16th in scoring and has allowed more TD passes than all but one team in the whole league. Totally better.

MBPantfan said...

Are you kidding? if this score was based on thier passing game we just dismantled the Saints first ranked passing game and the Cards do not have a running game anywhere close to what the Def has shut down this season just warming up. My prediction Panthers 28 Cards 14 and that is if the Cards make a game out of it.

MichaelProcton said...

Hey Scott...how'd that reverse do for you? Loss of 6 yards, screwed up our down and distance for the first drive. Maybe we SHOULD do it more often.