Vin+ 3,121 Posted December 10, 2015 (AP) -- Amid their extended run of success, the Arizona Cardinals are far from satisfied. The Minnesota Vikings simply hope they're good enough to bounce back from a second humbling defeat in the last three weeks. That won't be easy for the banged-up Vikings, who try to prevent the host Cardinals from winning seven straight for the first time in 41 years Thursday night. If it weren't for undefeated Carolina, Arizona (10-2) would be the hottest team in the NFC. After losing two of the first three in October, the Cardinals are eying their first seven-game winning streak since 1974. Arizona could secure a playoff spot as early as this week, and would clinch the West with a victory and a Seattle loss or tie at Baltimore on Sunday. But even that might not bring enough gratification. "We're still looking to improve," hard-to-please Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told the team's official website. "I've got to find reasons to holler at them. "There is time to look back on the journey and enjoy it but this isn't it." Though the Cardinals are emerging as Super Bowl contenders, Arians would never allow his players to think that - at least not out loud in public. Instead, Arizona will try to be better than their last game, but on a shorter turnaround. "It's how you finish. Lot of football left," defensive end Calais Campbell said. The Cardinals are coming off their most dominating performance over the last six games with Sunday's 27-3 win at St. Louis. Carson Palmer threw for 356 yards with two touchdowns, David Johnson and Kerwynn Williams combined for 158 rushing yards while Michael Floyd and John Brown together caught 13 passes for 217 as the NFL's top-rated offense racked up a season-high 524 yards. The league's fourth-ranked defense held the lowly Rams to nine first downs and 212 yards. Even after that effort, the Cardinals still believe they can be better. "We're held to a very high standard," said Palmer, second in the NFL with 29 TDs and a 106.3 passer rating. "We're coached extremely hard and we're still shooting for a perfect game ... That hasn't happened yet." Perhaps it comes against the Vikings (8-4), who are tied with Green Bay atop the North but currently hold the conference's fifth seed based on their 30-13 loss to the Packers on Nov. 22. Minnesota rebounded with a 20-10 victory at reeling Atlanta the next week, but were pounded 38-7 to Seattle last Sunday in its worst home defeat in 31 years. "We're not quite as good as we think we are," said Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, whose team set season lows with nine first downs and 125 total yards Sunday. Adrian Peterson is still the NFL's leading rusher with 1,182 yards, but he wasn't happy after carrying the ball only eight times for 18 yards - the third-lowest yardage total of his career. Down 21-0 at halftime, Minnesota essentially abandoned the run but Teddy Bridgewater went 17 of 28 for 118 yards with an interception, was sacked four times and failed to throw a TD for the second consecutive contest. "You come out and get your teeth kicked in and you realize you're not as good as you think you are," defensive end Brian Robison said. "For me, it means that we've still got a lot of work to do to get to where we want to be." The task remains difficult against a Cardinals defense that has held the last two opponents to 133 yards on the ground. With nose tackle Linval Joseph (foot) out, and linebacker Anthony Barr (groin/hand) and safety Harrison Smith (hamstring/knee) forced to leave the game, Minnesota allowed a season-high 433 total yards - 173 on the ground - against the Seahawks. Those three were among eight Minnesota defensive players whose statuses are uncertain for this contest. "Not having them, obviously, we need them back," defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd said. "Everybody helps. Everybody counts. We've just got to man up and keep playing ball." And leave the excuses at home. "If it wasn't a challenge half of us wouldn't even be here right now," Floyd said. "More of these guys like to fight than they like to go into an easy game. So if it was easy, the pizza man would be doing it. But I'm glad we get the chance to do it." Minnesota has won its last three meetings with Arizona, but this is the first since 2012. Peterson has averaged 5.0 yards per carry while gaining 540 and rushing for five TDs in five games against the Cardinals. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bay 2,003 Posted December 10, 2015 Sorry to say, the Cardinals are going to whoop the ever loving dogshit outta Minneosta. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted December 10, 2015 No Barr, No Joseph, No Harrison Smith... The Vikings are gonna get fuccccccked. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted December 10, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4qzPbcFiA Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vin+ 3,121 Posted December 11, 2015 Vikings declared FS Harrison Smith, SLB Anthony Barr, NT Linval Joseph, QB Taylor Heinicke, LB Brandon Watts and C Nick Easton inactive for Week 14 against the Cardinals. Source: Matt Vensel on Twitter Cardinals declared WR Jermaine Gresham, RB Andre Ellington, QB Matt Barkley, CB Jerraud Powers, LB Shaq Riddick, OT D.J. Humphries and DT Frostee Rucker inactive for Week 14 against the Vikings. Gresham is week to week. Ellington is expected to return in Week 15. David Johnson is making another start in Ellington's absence, and is a legitimate RB1 against the Vikings' injury-ravaged defense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cherry 1,302 Posted December 11, 2015 Incoming BWare rant in 3....2...1... 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bay 2,003 Posted December 11, 2015 Still feels like the Cards should have won by a larger score. No matter. AP and Teddy had their moments. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted December 11, 2015 ...and Teddy still sucks major balls. Jesus Christ, how do you make that mistake and not even give your team a chance to tie? Puh-thetic.What a great performance by the defense in the wake of so many injuries, and fuck you Shariff Floyd for taking away an INT. I don't know if Palmer still would have thrown it if not for the flag but he might have.You know, are the offsides penalties really necessary in order to get a good, consistent jump on the ball? No. Stop that shit, guys. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OSUViking 505 Posted December 11, 2015 Teddy overall played alright. His stats were inflated by YAC, but he didn't suck by any means. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OSUViking 505 Posted December 11, 2015 Still feels like the Cards should have won by a larger score. No matter. AP and Teddy had their moments. Honestly, without that fumble gaffe by AP in the second half, the game may have ended differently. We'll never know, and hypothetical situations are dumb anyway. However, the Vikings played this one pretty close. Even with Waynes in, we deserved to be in that game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted December 11, 2015 Good game by both teams. One the best primetime games this season. Sorry Bware, I hit the negative rep by mistake. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted December 11, 2015 (edited) Good game by both teams. One the best primetime games this season. Sorry Bware, I hit the negative rep by mistake. It's a random neg, not one of my toes. I'll survive. Thanks for letting me know, anyway. This is the kind of thing that makes you a great poster, Ben. Always polite. If only America could be more Canadian like that, this country would be in good shape. Edited December 11, 2015 by BwareDWare94 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bay 2,003 Posted December 11, 2015 Honestly, without that fumble gaffe by AP in the second half, the game may have ended differently. We'll never know, and hypothetical situations are dumb anyway. However, the Vikings played this one pretty close. Even with Waynes in, we deserved to be in that game. It just felt like the Cardinals were the better team. You guys just aren't quite there yet. Fighting for a wild card, I'd still be pretty happy. Not the Vikings fault who's on their schedule and that some teams in the NFC really suck so they have a chance to represent the NFC in the playoffs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen07 285 Posted December 11, 2015 It's a random neg, not one of my toes. I'll survive. Thanks for letting me know, anyway. This is the kind of thing that makes you a great poster, Ben. Always polite. If only America could be more Canadian like that, this country would be in good shape. Ok Don't knock Teddy too much. He had a decent game. Vikings are gonna be force IMO in a year or so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bay 2,003 Posted December 11, 2015 It's a random neg, not one of my toes. I'll survive. Thanks for letting me know, anyway. This is the kind of thing that makes you a great poster, Ben. Always polite. If only America could be more Canadian like that, this country would be in good shape. Agreed, need more outstanding young men like Matt Duchene. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted December 11, 2015 What I'm most excited about after last night's game: MyCole Pruitt needs to get more targets. He's so much better than Rudolph lol. Ellison and Pruitt should be the primary TEs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ATL_Predator+ 1,196 Posted December 11, 2015 Battle of the two top teams in the NFC...and clearly the Cards are kings of the conference Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cherry 1,302 Posted December 11, 2015 It was all Teddy. Those speedy receivers are some of the best in the league. Can get open in a flash. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OSUViking 505 Posted December 11, 2015 We desperately need a big play WR. Diggs could be pretty good, but I don't think he'll ever be an elite #1 WR. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BwareDWare94 723 Posted December 12, 2015 We desperately need a big play WR. Diggs could be pretty good, but I don't think he'll ever be an elite #1 WR. Diggs and Wallace ARE big play receivers. Teddy can't get them the ball downfield. Teddy is the problem. Stop ignoring the issue with the lack of big plays. Minnesota will not get big plays so long as Teddy Bridgewater can't consistently hit WRs downfield. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cherry 1,302 Posted December 12, 2015 Diggs and Wallace ARE big play receivers. Teddy can't get them the ball downfield. Teddy is the problem. Stop ignoring the issue with the lack of big plays. Minnesota will not get big plays so long as Teddy Bridgewater can't consistently hit WRs downfield. You can't say that Wallace doesn't halfass his routes with a straight face. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OSUViking 505 Posted December 12, 2015 Diggs and Wallace ARE big play receivers. Teddy can't get them the ball downfield. Teddy is the problem. Stop ignoring the issue with the lack of big plays. Minnesota will not get big plays so long as Teddy Bridgewater can't consistently hit WRs downfield. I'm not ignoring a problem so much as you're inventing one. If Teddy fixes his throwing mechanics, he could be special. He's still decent now, but he won't reach that next level. But our WR corps is nothing great. Wallace isn't a game changer and I think I said Diggs could end up being a great slot WR or something. But neither are game changing WRs at this point, and it's not Teddy's fault either. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
