Division Standings
	San Francisco 49ers	2 - 0
	Seattle Seahawks	1 - 1
	Arizona Cardinals	1 - 1
	St. Louis Rams	0 - 2

I have higher hopes for this team than any other team I’ve been on in the (15 years) I’ve been here. -- Mack Strong

There's no reason not to expect a great season from this team. And I'm talking about offensively, defensively and special teams. We have the talent, the coaching and the experience to do whatever we want to do this year. -- Lofa Tatupu

Best, Worst, Most Absurd	And the winner is ...
Tatupu!!!!!	NICE momentum swinging interception!
Burleson makes the catch!	Is he exciting to watch or what?!?
A Feisty Coach Holmgren	He let us go for it on 4th down instead of going for a field goal! And we made it! Good call, Mike Holmgren!
Just when I'm impressed ...	...we let the clock run out while we're down 3 and still have two time outs. HUH???
Branch is back!	And he made some terrific receptions!
Enough Already!	Bleah, bleah, bleah, bleah, I get so tired of everyone dogging Shaun Alexander. He starts slow. That's how it works. Quit dogging him in the first quarter only to sing his praises in the 3rd!!!
If I have to hear it one more time...	I got SO tired of hearing the announcers talking about how scared Hass was of the Cardinals defense!
What's with that?	That was a weird AZ crowd. They were jeering and making cat calls throughout the whole game. Too weird.
Dropped the ball	Where was our HD broadcast? The guys looked like blurry blobs! (OK, I'm an HDTV snob, I admit it!)

Seahawks Play-by-Play & Commentary

Whew. Barely made it home in time for the game! Just walked in the door from a trip to St. Joseph, MO. Sat down, fired up the computer and saw that the players are on the field ready to receive the kickoff! That’s timing it closely!

The Cardinals kick off – Josh Wilson took a knee in the end zone. Where is our high definition coverage, huh? The players look like blurry blogs on the TV screen. Usually we can see their eyelashes. Today we’re lucky to be able to identify a player.

1st and 10 from the 20. Pass to Bobby Engram. Complete for a nice gain.
2nd and 3 – Pass to Branch for a first down. Nice to see Branch complete his first pass of the regular season.
1st and 10 for the Seahawks from the 34. Hass to pass. Has time. Complete to Bobby Engram for a first down. Very nice. 14 yard gain.
1st and 10 for the Seahawks from near mid-field. Hand off to Shaun Alexander but there are flags and the play is dead. False start on Mack Strong. You don’t see that very often.
1st and 15 – Chris Gray got a false start this time and Holmgren is justifiably fuming on the sidelines!
1st and 20 – Shaun to run on
1st and 20. A Cardinal player helped him to his feet after the gain of next to nothing.
2nd and 18 – Alexander to run. Short gain.
3rd and 15 – Hass under pressure. Runs. We’ll have to punt. That was a disastrous possession due to our own penalties.
4th and 9 – Plack gets off a nice punt that goes out of bounds around the 13 yard line.

1st and 10 for the Cardinals – (missed the play – sorry!)
2nd and 10 – Edgerrin James to run for a very short gain. Tatupu on the tackle.
3rd and 8 – Complete pass. Defensive coverage was sloppy on that one. It was a blitz but Trufant let the receiver get out of trouble on
3rd down.
1st and 10 – Edgerrin James to run for a short gain again.
2nd and 8 – Leinart to throw low, complete. Nice gain for Arizona.
3rd and 3 – Pass to Fitzgerald in traffic, complete, first down.
1st and 10 – James to run to the right side for a decent gain.
2nd and 5 – Leinart has time, throws to the turf in front of his receiver.
3rd and 5 – Thought we had a sack – definitely had pressure on Leinart and he had to throw it into the turf. Good job defense!!!
4th and 5 – Cardinals to punt from the 45. Burleson takes the punt at the 4 yard line and runs. Got out to the 20 yard line on the return. There was a story in the papers this week about how not every play for Burleson has to be a BIG play, but I think he forgot his own advice as he ran all over the field trying to make something big happen on that return!

1st and 10 for the Seahawks – Alexander was stopped nearly at the line.
2nd and 12 – Pass to Branch but it wasn’t close to being complete.
3rd and 12 – Has to pass. Goes to Weaver who keeps his feet going but can’t get to the first down marker.
3rd and out for the Seahawks.
4th and 5 – Punt is blocked. It goes out at the 41 yard line and the Cardinals fans are going wild.

1st and 10 for the Cardinals – From the 31 yards line, James to run for an 8 yard gain. Bentley on the tackle.
2nd and 2 – Pass to Boldin for a first down.
1st and 10 from the red zone – James to run. Short gain.
2nd and 8 – Leinart threw it out of bones after the play fell apart. Pressure on Leinart.
3rd and 8 – Quick pass to Fitzgerald short of the first down and Fitzgerald is upset. Great catch on a high pass.
4th and 2 – Cardinals to try for a field goal – 28 yards and it’s good.

Cardinals 3 - Seahawks 0

Penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct on the Cardinals. Cards kick to Pearman – WHO????? Sheesh, I’ve gotta meet the Seahawks.

1st and 10 for the Seahawks from the 32 – Hasselbeck throws to Pollard who drops the ball after a fantastic game last week. They say he’s the oldest starting tight end in the league.
2nd and 10 – Lots of jeering from the crowd. Hass goes deep to Burleson. It’s not even close. Hmmm. About 48 yards in the air.
3rd and 10 – Another incomplete pass and there are no flags even though the receiver and defender fell to the ground before the ball arrived.
4th and 10 – Nice punt by Plack. Returns to the 30.

1st and 10 for the Cards – Leinart to pass. Has time and hits Boldin who is wide open in the middle of the field. Leinart was under pressure and takes a hit after the pass. The Cardinals are walking all over us.
1st and 10 – James to run and we miss a tackle; he gains 5 yards.

*** END OF FIRST QUARTER ***

2nd and 5 – James to run, Tatupu to make the tackle.
3rd and 1 – Lienart to pass. Pope is wide open and scores a touchdown. Good grief.

Cardinals 10 - Seahawks 0

We’re getting our booty kicked.

Cardinals boomed it into the end zone again. We took a knee and downed it.

1st and 10 for the Seahawks from the 20 – SACK. Hass had time to throw but no one was open. He stayed in the pocket for a long time, felt the pressure and took the sack. That’s OK. Better to do so than to force something and make a huge mistake.
2nd and 13 – Draw to Shaun. Nothing.
3rd and 13 – COMPLETE to Burleson for a first down!!! Hey!! Something good happened!!! This is the first encouraging play in a while. Good job Nate! Good job Matt!
1st and 10 - Shaun to run. He’s had 5 carries for 5 yards.
2nd and 8 – Hass to throw parallel to Alexander who slips.
3rd and 7 – In and out of the hands of Engram. Incomplete.
4th and 7 – Plack to make his
4th punt of the game – GREAT punt. Fair catch called for the Cards.

1st and 10 for the Cardinals – Leinart deep. Jennings in coverage and the height advantage won it for Fitzgerald. 39 yard gain.
1st and 10 for the Cardinals – Overthrew his receiver by miles.
2nd and 10 – Leinart under pressure, scrambles, throws to the turf.
3rd and 10 – This would be a good time to hold them. They’re not in field goal position yet. We look lackluster. The announcers keep saying how intimidated Hasselbeck is over the Cards defense. Doesn’t instill confidence, does it? Incomplete pass. GOOD JOB Seahawks!
4th and 10 – Burleson back to receive. Downed by the Cardinals on the one yard line.

1st and 10 for Seattle at the 1 yard line. Gulp. Shaun to run and barely gets across the goal line.
2nd and 10 – Hass to Branch – not even close.
3rd and 10 – Hass is 1 of the last 7. Sheesh! Time-out. We ran out of time on the clock. Incomplete to Branch. In and out of his hands. Ohhhhh, that is not nice.
4th and 10 – Plack will have to punt from deep, deep, deep in the end zone. We look SO ugly. NICE kick by Plack.

1st and 10 for the Cardinals at the 37 – James to run. Nice gain if you’re a Cardinals fan.
2nd and 3 – I can’t believe we’re only down by 10.
3rd and 2 – Flags. Delay of game. We’ll take it.
3rd and 7 – Pressured. Nearly sacked. Leinart gets the pass off and somehow it’s complete to Johnson. As ugly as it gets but it worked. Aaauugghh.
1st and 10 – James stumbles and nearly falls but since there’s no Seahawk defender in sight he’s able to regain his balance and get more yards.
2nd and 1 – James leisurely trots into the end zone. Oh my, this is humiliating. We’re doing nothing right.

Cardinals 17 - Seahawks 0

Another booting kick-off into the end zone. We take a knee. OK, we need some mojo. I’m feeling mighty. This is going to be the start of our comeback!

1st and 10 – Hass to Engram. Mighty pass. Quick release. I like it.
1st and 10 – Do it again. Same mighty play. Shaun to run not very mightily. The announcers are driving me CRAZY talking about Shaun’s sprained wrist. Good grief.
2nd and 8 – Pass to Mack Strong for a mightly first down. NICE!
1st and 10 – Pass to Pearman for a yard gain.
2nd and 9 – Hass to throw it away after having time and no where to go.
3rd and 9 – We need another mighty play. NICE completion to Branch. Flags. Off-sides defense. MIGHTY FIRST DOWN!!!
1st and 10 – Weaver to make a nice run and get out of bounds. That was mighty! He’s a mighty runner – stout. I like him.
2nd and 4 – What’s with the catcalls from the crowd? A mighty pass to Branch on the slant for a first down.

**** TWO MINUTE WARNING ****

1st and 10 for the Seahawks – Shaun to run. Ran to the outside and tried to turn it up but didn’t get the mighty burst.
2nd and 8 – MIGHTY TOUCHDOWN BURLESON!!! He got a pass and fought for the end zone!!! Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!! That was definitely mighty!!!!

Cardinals 17 - Seahawks Mighty 7

Seahawks to kick off to the Cards. 1:16 left in the half. Nice kick into the end zone. They take it out anyway and Herring made a mighty hit!

1st and 10 for the Cards from the 13. Running play for an 8 yard again.
2nd and 2 – Passing play to the 35. Time-out Cardinals.
1st and 10 - :36 left in the half. Passing play to the center of the field.
2nd and 3 – Fitzgerald gets a huge pass completion.
1st and 10 - :06 left in the game. I agree with the announcers that the Cardinals are running a very peculiar series. Now Seattle takes a time out. Holmgren looks miffed. He also looks like he can’t breathe. Does he have allergies?! Slant to the middle of the field. They’re in field goal range. 53 yard field goal attempt. They said he was hitting them from 60 in the pre-game. It hits the upright and bounces out. No good.

***** HALF TIME *****

Seahawks kicked off to the Cards and they took a knee in the end zone.
1st and 10 for the Cards – Pass to Fitzgerald for a 4 yard gain.
2nd and 6 – Leinart has time. Passes to James. We miss a tackle and he got a first down.
1st and 10 – James to run and this time we snuff him.
2nd and 7 – Leinart to pass; tipped by Russell. Fell incomplete.
3rd and 7 – Pressure. Near sack but he gets the pass off and its complete. Good grief!! That is some seriously good play by Leinart. He doesn’t seem to be getting rattled.
1st and 10 – PICK!!! Long pass downfield and it’s picked off by a MIGHTY TATUPU!!! I love it, I love it!!

Emotion aside, we needed that. Boy oh boy, did we need that.

1st and 10 – Sacked. Hass threw the ball at the end of the play. Grounding? Yep, intentional grounding.
2nd and 20 – Shaun to run. Got a little.
3rd and 18 – Short pass to Alexander. Bah. Oh wait. Flags. 5 yard face mask penalty.
3rd and 9 – Complete to Engram who keeps his feet moving and makes some yardage! YA HOO!!!! Sweet!!!!!
1st and 10 – Pass to Strong who is mauled by the defender trying to strip the ball.
2nd and 4 – Ball was tipped, nearly intercepted, Ohhhh, that got my heart pounding.
3rd and 4 – Alexander to run. Does he get the first down? Depends on the spot. We are going for it on
4th down. SHOCKING!
4th and inches – I can’t look. ALEXANDER TOUCHDOWN!!! WA HOOO!! We had to work HARD for that one!!! WA HOOOO!!!! Whew. Maybe I can breathe now!! That was mighty! Mighty, mighty!! Good job Shaun!!! NICE CALL HOLMGREN!!!!

We have a team of MVP’s on that one. Tatupu for getting us the ball, Engram for a big first down play, Strong who fiercely protected the ball, Alexander to pound it in and Holmgren to let the boys go for it on
4th down! I LIKE IT!!!!!!!

Cardinals 17 - Seahawks 14

Seattle kicks off to the Cardinals. It goes into the end zone and they take a knee.

1st and 10 – Pass play. Nice yardage.
2nd and 5 – James to run for a first down.
1st and 10 – James to run.
2nd and 5 – Pass to Fitzgerald who almost made a spectacular reception but the ball popped out. He got hit hard in the head. He’s dinged. I hope he’s OK That was a major hit.
3rd and 5 – Leinart took a hit in the pocket; threw an incomplete pass. Good job, Seahawks. Nice defensive stand.
4th and 5 - Cards to punt. Fielded by Burleson. He’s hard to get down!!!

1st and 10 for the Seahawks – Alexander to run up the middle and he actually had some running room. Cool.
3rd and 4 – Alexander to run again. Locklear comes over to help him up.
1st and 10 – Ohhh, my heart!! Branch bobbled the ball and it popped up in the air in a circle of red jerseys, and it ends up on the ground incomplete. Whew.
2nd and 10 – False start, Seahawks.
2nd and 15 – Branch makes a NICE catch and a MIGHTY run after the catch! Nice, nice!
1st and 10 – Shaun to run to the 10 yard line. Nice!
2nd and 5 – Pass to Pollard and I’m not sure Pollard was looking that way. We’re lucky that one fell incomplete.
3rd and 5 – Threw out of the end zone, everyone was covered.
4th and 5 – Field goal.

Cardinals 17 - Seahawks 17

Best commercial: The Madden commercial where the guy throws the gnome and the guy cuts off the topiary head of the giraffe! FUNNY!

Nice kick off long into the end zone. Josh is kicking amazingly well today.

1st and 10 for the Cardinals from the 20 – Running play for 3 yards.
2nd and long – James to run for a first down.
1st and 10 – James to find a huge hole.
1st and 10 – James to run, we held them on that one.
2nd and 8 – Leinart to Fitzgerald and the Cards have found their groove again. I can’t even believe Fitzgerald is in the game after that hit earlier. He’s tough.
1st and 10 – James to run for next to nothing.

***** END OF THIRD QUARTER *****

2nd and 8 – False start.
2nd and 13 – Cardinals to … trip. That’s our first sack. Leinart stumbled and stayed on the turf till we downed him.
3rd and 18 – Completely overthrows his receiver. The Cardinals were our own best friends on that play. Are the Cards getting boo’d? These fans are peculiar. There have been cat calls through the whole game when the Hawks are on the field.
4th and 18 – Cards to punt. We stay away from it. Downed at the 12.

1st and 10 for the Seahawks at the 12 yard line. Nice pass to Branch.
2nd and 1 – Shaun to run for a first down.
1st and 10 – Hass to a wide open Branch. Easy first down. This is lousy camera work, by the way.
1st and 10 – Pass to Courtney Taylor – his first catch!
2nd and 4 – Miracle pass and catch to Branch! Hass was under pressure and Hass had to sort of lob it. He had to come back for it and then tiptoed down the sidelines!!!!
1st and 10 from the 20 – Hass took a timeout. Shaun to run. Gets a few yards.
2nd and 7 – Pass to Burleson but it sails over his head and we are lucky it wasn’t intercepted. There wasn’t a defender in sight, luckily for us.
3rd and 7 – Draw play to Mack Strong and I don’t think he got the first down. It’s close but .. yeah, they’re saying it’s about a foot short. He’s going for the “sure thing” with the field goal this time, rather than going for it on
4th. Brown is good for his 28 yard field goal.

Cardinals 17 - Seahawks 20

Seahawks to kick off to the Cards. Another great kick into the end zone where the ball falls incomplete.

1st and 10 for the Cardinals from the 20 – 9:52 remaining. James to run; late flag. Kerney on the tackle. Holding on the Cardinals.
1st and 20 – I like the field position here. Leinart to pass and the receiver his hit by Bentley and Tatupu immediately.
2nd and 13 – Referee is in the way for the tackle for that one. Nice pass just shy of the first down.
3rd and 2 – Good grief, Arrington got the first down and a lot more. He was wide open.
1st and 10 – From the 40, they run. We sniffed that one out right away. Kerney again on the tackle.
2nd and ? – Beautiful pass to Boldin who nearly gets to the red zone. This is unbelievable! Bolding just kept running past tacklers.
1st and 10 – James to run; hit early by Tatupu who slowed him down.
2nd and 9 – Ball tipped and the Seahawks went flying for it but couldn’t come down with it. Flags all over the place. Holding on the offense.
2nd and 19 – Leinart threw this one away.
3rd and 19 – Leinart to pass, has time, hits the receiver’s hands and it falls incomplete.
4th and 19 – They’ll try a field goal from 52 yards. He missed from 52 earlier. He nailed that one!

Cardinals 20 - Seahawks 20

Cardinals to kick off to the Seahawks.

4:44 left in the game. The kickoff goes out of the end zone.

1st and 10 for the Seahawks from the 20. Shaun to run parallel. Hmmmm.
2nd and 9 – Pass to Engram who is hit immediately after the catch.
3rd and 1 – The crowd is loud. Mack Strong runs a mighty run for the first down.
1st and 10 – Shaun to run and misses tackles. Good running! I thought the Cards were off sides on that one.
2nd and 1 - Shaun to run on that one and he gets the first down.
1st and 10 – 2:24 left in the game. Hass to Mack Strong to the 40 yard line.

***** TWO MINUTE WARNING *****

1st and 10 – Flag. Pass was to Burleson with the touch but … OHHH! OFF SIDES CARDINALS! Since the pass was incomplete we’ll take it.
1st and 5 – Fumble. Cards recover. Oh dear. Shaun and Hass didn’t make the exchange.

1st and 10 for the Cards. They run.
2nd and 4 – James to run. First down.
1st and 10 – They’re in field goal range. :33 left. James to run. Arizona takes a time out. Seattle is content to run out the clock I guess. Hmmm.
2nd and 3 - :14 left in the game. I guess Holmgren plans to hold them. James to run.
3rd and short. :04 left in the game. Cards call a timeout. Here’s the field goal to win the game. 42 yard attempt. It’s good.

Cardinals 23 - Seahawks 20

We made our share of mistakes but that one’s on Holmgren’s head for bad clock management. He didn’t give us a chance to get back into the game. I almost feel sorry for him with the look on his face right now. Almost.

Ouch.

:01 left on the clock. The Cards kick off. Pearman to run. Game over.

Seahawks 20 - Cardinals 23