Written by Josh Katzowitz at The Comeback
When the Seahawks so thoroughly dominated the Vikings last week, they made quite a statement, unleashing hell on Minnesota to stay three games behind first-place Arizona in the NFC West.
On Thursday, it was the Cardinals turn to face off vs. Minnesota, and Arizona got a much different Vikings squad. Arizona barely squeaked out the narrow 23-20 victory to officially clinch a playoff spot. But the way Arizona won showcased the reason the Cardinals are one of the scariest teams in the league — and the NFC’s best chance to win the Super Bowl. And why the Seahawks have almost no chance to catch the Cardinals in the division.
Two players — neither of whom racked up enormous stats during Arizona’s victory — were key. Two veterans who have been Cardinals teammates for the past eight years, and the two who have experienced all the organization’s ups and downs.
Thanks in large part to receiver Larry Fitzgerald and defensive lineman Calais Campbell, Arizona beat the Vikings on Thursday night and are 11-2, well on the way to a division championship and, perhaps, a chance to win its first NFL title since 1947, when the Cardinals played their home games in Chicago.
For Fitzgerald, it wasn’t about making the game-winning touchdown catch or grabbing some crazy, diving, third-down reception to keep a drive alive. No, the biggest contribution from Fitzgerald occurred when he blocked for one of his teammates, a block that allowed receiver Michael Floyd unfettered access to the end zone. Fitzgerald caught five passes for a pedestrian 41 yards, but this block — this one helluva block — was a gamechanger.
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