Moments after the Cardinals made it official Thursday night and drafted Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd with the 13th overall pick, Larry Fitzgerald happily weighed in on the selection.

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Profile: Michael Floyd | Discuss Cards’ pick on Facebook

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“In this league you have to be able to beat press man coverage on third down,” Fitzgerald told The Republic via text message. “He is a big guy who has suddenness and can win on third down and make plays in the red zone.”

Fitzgerald wasn’t done.

“And he’s from Minnesota. Enough said. LOL.”

Floyd, who was born in St. Paul, is the player Fitzgerald, Arizona’s six-time Pro Bowl receiver from Minneapolis, wanted the Cardinals to draft all along. The two struck up a friendship when Floyd was in high school and Fitzgerald has since served as a mentor.

“It’s exciting just knowing that he’s on the opposite side of me, one of the best receivers in the game,” Floyd said Thursday night on a conference call with Arizona reporters. “It’s a good learning experience for me to know when I get down there I’ll be able to learn from one of the best.”

Not only will he learn, but he will help — and right away, too. In Floyd — a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder — the Cardinals just found the No. 2 wide receiver they haven’t had since Anquan Boldin bolted for Baltimore.

“There’s been a lot of talk about us needing a No. 2,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We’ve said all along we felt like we have some good young players, and now we’ve added another player to that mix who’s physical, fast, big and can make some of those back-shoulder catches and red-zone plays.”

Floyd has the size and speed to get open downfield, which will force defenses to temper their double coverage on Fitzgerald.

That, in turn, will allow a receiver such as Early Doucet to work underneath and operate more out of the slot position, at which he might be more comfortable. It also opens opportunities for Andre Roberts.

Floyd is exactly what Fitzgerald wanted, and he’s exactly what the Cardinals needed. He adds a dimension they didn’t have, and his presence helps the offensive line on two fronts.

He will draw special coverage himself, making defenses perhaps think twice about sending too many blitzes at Kevin Kolb or John Skelton. Plus, Floyd can block with the best of them.

“He’s an outstanding blocker,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Thursday night. “Whether he’s getting the football or not, he’s a guy who never complained.”

Whisenhunt raved about Floyd’s blocking abilities, too, which will open doors for running backs Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams. But it’s Floyd’s offensive prowess and ability to make the big play that made him a first-round pick.

“As you see the highlights of this young man, you can see some of those catches, the ones in the red zone, down the sideline,” Whisenhunt said. “Those are the types of catches you have to make in the NFL.

Today the Indianapolis Colts finally ended a season’s worth of speculation and released Peyton Manning, the quintessential franchise quarterback. While the Colts will most certainly move on swiftly by drafting a quarterback with their first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, Manning is now left with deciding his own future.

Assuming he doesn’t want to retire, he now will have full control over where he plays in 2012. For the sake of this discussion, let’s also assume that Manning will be ready to play once signed. He is supposedly recovering his arm strength and looks to be getting ready to audition for a new team.

There are certain things that I think Peyton is going to want in his next team. First and foremost is a team that is ready to win and make the playoffs. In that regard, what we need is a team that has recently had some success, or is poised for a breakthrough with the right quarterback. Secondly, I think he would like to play in the best weather conditions possible. I can’t see him playing most of his games in a season in the frigid confines of the outdoor stadiums of the AFC East or the NFC East. A team with a dome or at least great weather year-round would preserve his body and neck better.

He also needs a coach that is good with veterans. Someone who won’t be insecure with having someone the stature of Manning on his team. Good management and ownership also go along with that. Having some leadership with great character already present on the team is also helpful.

I think the Arizona Cardinals provide him with that in spades. Their recent success a few years ago with Kurt Warner shows that this is a team that does know how to win with the right pieces. Their current quarterback, Kevin Kolb, was thought to be the next great qb in Arizona, but he has yet to justify the big contract that they gave him to lure him away from Philadelphia in 2011. Management obviously can get along with a star quarterback (Warner), and Coach Whisenhunt is solid. They make sure to limit the drama on and off the field as much as possible.

Larry Fitzgerald is in the prime of his career, and he is that marquee receiver that Peyton has been missing since Marvin Harrison retired. Many think that Colts’s long-time receiver Reggie Wayne, also a free agent, will sign with whatever team Manning does. Todd Heap is an excellent receiving tight end, and the Cardinals’ running game has Beanie Wells and LaRod Stephens-Howling. With these weapons, Manning can pick up right where he left off in 2010, at least offensively.

Peyton would be out of the spotlight a bit in Arizona, and he’d play all his home games in warm conditions. The NFC West is still one of the weakest divisions in the NFL. He’d also have a lot of high character guys on his team like Larry Fitzgerald. I think all those reason are excellent selling points to a guy like Manning. Besides, do you really think he’d be happy in Miami with a star receiver who is not only petulant but a dropper?

Julie is a Featured Contributor for the NFL and has followed the game her entire life. She lives in Denver (no, Manning isn’t coming here), but her heart lies with the Chicago Bears.

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Read More: Darnell Dockett (DT – ARI), Peyton Manning (QB – IND), Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals

The Indianapolis Colts have a press conference planned for Wednesday afternoon, where they’ll announce the departure of their iconic quarterback, Peyton Manning. This move has been expected for some time but the news of his release has caught the eye of Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett, who took to Twitter on Tuesday night and said: “Peyton to AZ!!!!!!”

The Cardinals are expected to be one of the teams in on the pursuit for Manning. They have Kevin Kolb under contract after signing him to a longterm deal last year, but that’s not expected to stop them from at least exploring the idea of adding Manning.

Clearly, Dockett realizes what Manning could do for Arizona. He’s one of the league’s all-time great quarterbacks and these types of players rarely hit free agency.

The fact that Larry Fitzgerald, one of the game’s best receivers, is with the Cardinals probably doesn’t hurt Dockett’s Manning campaign.

For more on the Colts and their decision to release Manning, visit SB Nation’s Colts blog, Stampede Blue. And for an Indiana perspective, visit SB Nation Indiana.

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The NFL says the Arizona Cardinals will play the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 5 to kick off the preseason in the Hall of Fame game.

Last season’s Hall of Fame game was canceled because of the NFL lockout.

New Orleans will be playing in the game for the fifth time, most recently in a 20-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007. Arizona will be back for the fourth time, and first since 1986.

The game comes a day after six players, including Saints tackle Willie Road, are inducted into the Hall of Fame.

NFL Network will televise the game, which starts at 8 p.m. EDT, the league announced Wednesday.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The NFL says the Arizona Cardinals will play the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 5 to kick off the preseason in the Hall of Fame game.

Last season’s Hall of Fame game was canceled because of the NFL lockout.

New Orleans will be playing in the game for the fifth time, most recently in a 20-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007. Arizona will be back for the fourth time, and first since 1986.

The game comes a day after six players, including Saints tackle Willie Road, are inducted into the Hall of Fame.

NFL Network will televise the game, which starts at 8 p.m. EDT, the league announced Wednesday.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Arizona Cardinals update:

The Cardinals preseason will be longer than usual if coach Ken Whisenhunt has something to say about it.

The Cardinals reportedly are under consideration to play in the Hall of Fame game on Aug. 5. That means they would open training camp earlier than usual and play a fifth preseason game. Whisenhunt doesn’t want to do that every year, but he thinks 2012 would be a good one for it.

The Cardinals are still trying to find themselves offensively, especially at quarterback. Extra time in training camp and the preseason would aid that.

Mike Jurecki of XTRA-910 reported that he had heard the Cardinals are under consideration. And the Saints reportedly have accepted an offer to play in the game.

The Cardinals haven’t played in the Hall of Fame game since 1986, when they were in St. Louis. The Cardinals played in the very first Hall of Fame game in 1962.

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 12:17 PM

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Arizona Cardinals update:

Go ahead, call the NFC West soft. You might just get punched in the nose.

That was the sentiment expressed Friday by a couple of coaches in the division.

Asked if the division would become more physical now that Jeff Fisher was coach of the Rams, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said: “I think it’s independent of that; I think it’s already headed that way. It’s all based on how we (the division) play this year.

“All those questions about the NFC West being a weak division dried up pretty quick. We all know San Francisco had a really good year. A lot of teams respected the way we played and the way Seattle played, not so much maybe from a won-loss record, even though we both did better in the second half of the season, but I certainly think in the way our teams were physical, the way they went about the game.

“Let me tell you something, no matter what you want to say about the Rams record, they were a very physical football team as well, and they played hard, no matter what. I have a lot of respect for that organization and the way they play. And I know coach Fisher will do a great job there.”

Whisenhunt thinks the division has evolved in his five years as a head coach. There are more star players, he said.

Fisher said the division looks as if it will be strong for years to come.

“Obviously, the success the 49ers had was extraordinary,” he said, “especially considering the circumstances. You got a lockout, you got no time to install, you got a first year head coach who comes in and does that kind of job. Seattle is very, very competitive. Arizona is a few years away from being in the Super Bowl. I think this division will stand on its own for a number of years now.”

Friday, February 24, 2012 at 10:32 AM

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It’s the $63 million question.

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Cardinals vs. Seahawks | Cardinals fans | Box score | NFL scoreboard

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When the Cardinals report to training camp next fall, will coach Ken Whisenhunt put the starting-quarterback position up for grabs between Kevin Kolb and John Skelton?

Kolb signed a five-year, $63million contract with Arizona upon being acquired from Philadelphia for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round draft pick.

But injuries and ineffectiveness left him 2-6 in his eight full games as a starter this season. Skelton, meanwhile, went 6-2 when he started or played most of the game.

After Sunday’s season-ending 23-20 overtime victory over Seattle, Skelton was asked if he felt he deserved a fair shot to unseat Kolb as the Cardinals’ starter next year.

“I hope I do. That is for the coaching staff to determine,” he said, adding, “Kevin and I have a great relationship. We push each other, and we always help each other out. We will see what happens this off-season.”

As the Cardinals cleared out their lockers Monday, Kolb told reporters he fully expects to be in a battle with Skelton for the starting job, saying it only would be fair given how things played out.

He also looks forward to putting this season behind him and getting a clean slate with which to work in 2012.

“I’m looking forward to the fruits of the labor and having a great season next year,” he said.

But Whisenhunt will decide who starts next season and on Monday, he reminded reporters that he’s always had open competitions for starting positions and that won’t be different at quarterback.

“That’s the way we’ve always been,” he said.

When informed of Kolb’s comments about having to earn the starting job again, Whisenhunt nodded appreciatively.

“I would hope that every player thinks he has to earn it,” he said. “… I think you’ve got to have that with your team. You can go back and look at all the spots, and that’s the way we’ve operated no matter what the situation has been.”

Health scares

News surfaced after Sunday’s game that Skelton and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald each were dealing with some health concerns.

Skelton, who passed for 271 yards and a touchdown, fainted and fell before the game shortly after having his knee drained in the training room.

Fitzgerald took a hit in the third quarter and suffered a bruised lung, which reportedly made him spit up blood at one point.

Doctors checked out both players thoroughly, Whisenhunt said, and allowed them to play.

Whisenhunt said Skelton joked with him about the fainting spell, calling him “Mike,” as in offensive coordinator Mike Miller.

“I knew he was OK after that,” Whisenhunt said.

Skelton said he’s never passed out before and called it a “a freak thing.” He added, “I think everyone was more worried than I was.”

As for Fitzgerald, who caught nine passes for 149 yards, including three big receptions on the team’s winning drive in overtime, he was re-evaluated by doctors after the game and again Monday.

Whisenhunt said everything checked out fine.

Free-agency talk

The Cardinals have several players set to become free agents, including defensive end Calais Campbell, defensive back Richard Marshall, left tackle Levi Brown and kicker Jay Feely.

Campbell likely will be given a multi-year extension or be presented with the franchise tag. Marshall and Feely each said Monday they would prefer to return. And Whisenhunt said he hopes Brown will be back as well, although given what it likely will cost the team to retain him, that might not occur.

What’s next

Whisenhunt said he and his staff will meet for the next week evaluating the team and grading players and each position as well as every play. After that, they will take a break and do it all over again, so as not to make any judgments based on emotion from the season just having ended.

As for any potential coaching changes, Whisenhunt said Monday that it was too early to make any decisions, adding that he must sit down with his own bosses and be evaluated first.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – What a fitting way for the Arizona Cardinals to finish their season.

They win, in overtime of course, with Larry Fitzgerald’s spectacular plays making the difference.

Fitzgerald had two such catches in the game-winning drive, leading to a 28-yard field goal by Jay Feely that gave the Cardinals a 23-20 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Arizona’s fourth overtime victory — all at home — in the last nine weeks of the season. The four overtime wins in a season are an NFL record.

“I wish we could play more games in overtime,” Fitzgerald said. “If we play 16 games in overtime next year, we might go 16-0.”

Fitzgerald made a leaping grab against two defenders early in the drive for a 26-yard gain, but he saved the best for last, a diving, one-handed catch for eight yards that got the team within field goal range and eventually set up the winning score.

“I actually thought it was too far,” quarterback John Skelton said of his throw. “I just saw his arm stick out, stick it, and stick the landing. We come to expect that from Larry. It’s almost like it’s not even a shocker anymore because he does it so often.”

Skelton didn’t mention it, but he fainted in the locker-room before the game after getting fluid drained from a knee.

“Pre-game he scared us all. He fell out and he had a little fainting issue in the locker-room,” Fitzgerald said. “We were all nervous about him being able to play today and he fought through that and was able to go out there and perform and get our team a win. That shows the kind of toughness he has.”

Arizona (8-8) finished the season 7-2 after a six-game losing streak left it 1-6.

“We’re 1-0 in 2012,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said, hoping that the strong second half of the season will propel the team into a successful 2012 campaign.

Seattle (7-9) had rallied to tie the game after trailing 20-10 early in the fourth quarter.

Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 149 yards after one reception for two yards in the first half. It was his 32nd career 100-yard receiving game, sixth this season.

“The performance of Larry Fitzgerald, he is an incredible football player,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “He is as good as you can get in this game and he showed it. I just marvel at the things he does. He has done it before and he did it again and it proves who he is.”

Fitzgerald joined Jerry Rice, Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison as the only players to top 1,400 yards receiving in four seasons.

Skelton completed 22 of 40 for 271 yards and a touchdown with one interception for Arizona. Tarvaris Jackson was 21 of 35 for 222 yards and a touchdown with one pick for the Seahawks.

The Cardinals earlier had overtime victories over St. Louis, Dallas and Cleveland. The Seahawks finished with the same record as a year ago, when 7-9 was good enough to win the NFC West.

“We know we have a better team this year,” Seattle safety Earl Thomas said. “We are young but the experience that we got this year and all the plays we made we can build on that next year.”

Arizona’s Patrick Peterson, who made the Pro Bowl on special teams as a rookie, returned a punt 42 yards to set up a field goal, then blocked Steven Hauschka’s 24-yard field goal attempt. It was the NFL-leading fifth blocked field goal for the Cardinals, two of them by Peterson.

Seattle won the toss heading into overtime, and Leon Washington’s 47-yard kickoff return gave the Seahawks the ball at their own 40, but they failed to move it and had to punt.

Arizona’s game-winning drive started at the 19. On third-and-3 at the 26, Skelton threw over the middle to Fitzgerald, who caught it between two defenders for a 26-yard gain to the Seahawks 48. Skelton’s quarterback sneak on fourth and less than a yard gave Arizona a first down at the Seattle 37.

Arizona had it second-and-9 at the 36 when Skelton threw toward but not particularly close to Fitzgerald, who somehow gathered in the ball with one hand and cradled it as he fell to the ground. A review confirmed that it was a catch. LaRod Stephens-Howling, filling in for the injured Beanie Wells, rushed three times to the Seattle nine, and Feely’s third field goal of the game gave the Cardinals the win.

Down 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, Seattle tied with a pair of big plays by two rookies, Richard Sherman and Lockette. First, Sherman stepped in front of intended receiver Andre Roberts for an interception that set up a chip shot field goal by Hauschka, then Jackson lofted the long pass to Lockette, who beat cornerback Marshay Green, and it was 20-20 with 7:47 remaining. Green had just been activated from the practice squad on Saturday.

After Washington’s 48-yard touchdown run tied it at 10-10 with 10:56 to go in the third quarter, the Cardinals went 80 yards in eight plays. Skelton was 6 for 6 for 70 yards, capped by a 13-yard TD toss to Todd Heap, the tight end’s first score in an injury-plagued first season with Arizona, putting the Cardinals up 17-10.

Skelton’s 42-yard pass to Fitzgerald led to Feely’s 43-yard field goal that boosted the lead to 20-10 12:18 to play.

Seattle responded, driving from its 20 to the Arizona 6. But the offence stalled, and Peterson rushed untouched from the end to block the short field goal try.

Peterson, who had been slowed in practice all week by a strained Achilles tendon, nearly broke free for what would have been an NFL record fifth punt return for a touchdown. Instead, punter Jon Ryan tripped him up at the Seattle 31. Still, the 42-yard return set up Feely’s 41-yard field goal that put Arizona up 10-3 with 3:28 left in the first half.

Wells was a surprise inactive. He had been listed as questionable but had played through the pain in his left knee through the season.

Skelton finished 5-2 as a starter, 6-2 if you count the San Francisco game.

Quarterback Kevin Kolb missed the final three games of his frustrating first season with Arizona because of a concussion, the result of a knee to the head on the Cardinals’ third play of the game against San Francisco on Dec. 11. He missed four games earlier in the season with a right turf toe injury.

Notes: Marshawn Lynch’s string of 11 straight games with a touchdown came to an end. … Peterson set an NFL rookie record for punt return yards (699), the second-most of any player in league history. … Seattle’s Doug Baldwin became the first undrafted rookie free agent to lead his team in receptions and yards receiving since Bill Groman of did it for the Houston Oilers in 1960. … The University of Phoenix Stadium roof was closed even though it was sunny and 28 C outside. … The stadium already had extra seats installed for Monday night’s Fiesta Bowl matchup between Oklahoma State and Stanford.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll needs to test receiver Deon Butler on Sunday (Jan. 1). Butler is healthy again after suffering a broken leg in a game against the San Francisco 49ers last December. He has played a little bit in the last four games, but hasn’t really been tested by quarterback Tarvaris Jackson or the Seahawks . Now is the perfect opportunity to line him up against the first-string defense of the Arizona Cardinals and see what he can do.

Butler was a third-round draft choice in the 2009 N FL Draft coming out of Penn State University. He played in all 16 games during his rookie year, catching 15 passes for 175 yards. Before he got hurt in 2010, he had played in 13 games, catching 36 passes for 385 yards and 4 touchdowns. He had shown flashes of talent on deep routes , including a very nice 63-yard touchdown reception on one game. When he broke his leg though, his progression was de-railed for a bit.

Butler may have just 5 catches for 40 yards this season, but he still shows that same passion for the game in practices. Only Butler truly knows what he could provide for the Seahawks at receiver though, and I would like the coaching staff to really give him the chance to have a breakout game. There is no harm in letting him become a primary target for Jackson on Sunday (Jan .1) and what if they end up being a perfect tandem on the field? That can only benefit the team for the 2012 season.

The receiver positions have been a void of injuries this year, and heading into Week 17 both Doug Baldwin and Ben Obomanu are recovering from injuries. With Mike Williams and Sidney Rice also residing on injured-reserves, it’s time to let Baldwin get in on the action. I think he could become a really good complimentary receiver for the Seahawks again, and that could really come in handy in multiple-receiver spreads on third down plays. Now it’s time to see what his speed can do in a game situation and the Seahawks have nothing to lose by doing so against Arizona on Sunday (Jan. 1).

More From YCN:

Seahawks Week 17 Injury Report

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Sources:

NFL_Defensive_Statistics

Seahawks_2011_Stats

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*Ryan Christopher DeVault is a lifelong fan of the Seattle Seahawks that continues to hold out hope that the team is heading in the right direction with a new coach, a weak NFC West, and some great young players on defense.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have seasons that mirror each – an awful beginning and strong finish.

They will meet in their season finale on Sunday, the winner finishing at 8-8, a satisfying result considering what things looked like a couple of months ago.

“It’s enough incentive to be jacked up to end your season with .500 at least,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “That’s not anywhere near where we wanted to be, but it’s what we have available and we’re going for it. I know that those guys feel the same way. That’s just a natural way for all of us, so it’s going to be a big battle.”

John Skelton, who probably will be back at quarterback for Arizona, said the difference between 7-9 and 8-8 is far more than just one game.

“No one wants to have a losing record going into the offseason,” he said. “It kind of puts a bad taste in your mouth. 8-8 is kind of something to build on for the future.”

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt reminds his players of what happened in 2007, his first season in Arizona. The Cardinals won their final two to finish 8-8. The next season, Arizona won the NFC West and made it to the Super Bowl.

“No guarantees that if we win this game we are going to the Super Bowl next year, but I do believe that it’s something that you want to do,” he said. “You strive to do that, because you always want to end on a high note and it really propels you into the offseason.”

Seattle was 2-6 after a loss to Dallas on Nov. 6. Arizona was 1-6 after a 30-27 loss at Baltimore on Oct. 30. Seattle won five of six, capped by an impressive 34-14 road win over Chicago, to climb to 7-7. The Cardinals won six of seven, including home wins over Dallas and San Francisco, to hit 7-7 with a 20-17 overtime win at home over Cleveland leaving them 7-7.

The slim playoff hopes of both teams were dashed a week ago when the Seahawks lost at home to NFC West champ San Francisco 19-17 and the Cardinals were beaten at Cincinnati 23-16. That the teams were in it that long is remarkable considering the way they started.

The Cardinals have lived on the edge in nearly every game.

Five of their losses were by seven points or less. They have trailed at the half in all seven of their victories. They have won six of their last eight, three in overtime, the other three by four points, three points and two points. Last week, they trailed the Bengals 23-0 entering the fourth quarter but had a chance to win it late. Wide receiver Early Doucet broke wide open on a fourth-and-five play and was surely headed for a touchdown when he slipped and fell, Skelton’s pass sailing harmlessly over his head.

Slow starts have plagued Arizona all season. Over the last eight games, the Cardinals have been outscored 94-30 in the first two quarters, then have outscored opponents 116-51 in the second half and overtimes. Skelton isn’t sure why he has had so much trouble early in games.

“There are mistakes that even a rookie shouldn’t be making that I’m making out there sometimes. I think it is just consistency,” he said. “We’ll have maybe the first two plays of a drive go well and then the third one someone messes up. Those are the things that we have to eliminate, the mistake here and the mistake there. Eventually those add up and they hurt an offense.”

Kevin Kolb, brought in to be the Cardinals’ franchise quarterback, struggled through the team’s six-game losing streak early in the season, then was sidelined for four games with a right turf toe. He returned and directed the team to a comeback victory over Dallas, only to go down with a concussion when he took a knee to the head on Arizona’s first play the following week against San Francisco.

Skelton came on to lead the team to a 21-19 victory over the 49ers. The second-year pro from Fordham is 4-2 as a starter this season, 5-2 if the San Francisco victory is counted.

The No. 1 challenge for Arizona’s vastly improved defense will be slowing down Marshawn Lynch, who has topped 100 yards rushing in six of his last eight games. But Whisenhunt reminded everyone that he has a pretty good back in Beanie Wells. Lynch has rushed for 1,118 yards and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. Wells, despite a season-long knee problem, has 1,047 yards, picking up 4.3 per attempt.

“If you look at Beanie vs. Marshawn, they’re almost identical statistically,” Whisenhunt said.

The Seahawks led 17-16 entering the fourth quarter last week against San Francisco only to lose on David Akers’ 39-yard field goal with 3:44 to play. Jackson’s fumble on Seattle’s next possession sealed the 49ers’ win.

The Seahawks believe they are a better team than they were a year ago, when their 7-9 record was good enough to win the NFC West, then they stunned New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs.

“Even though we have a similar record as last year, I think we took stuff forward this year – defense, offense, running game, and special teams,” Seattle strong safety Kam Chancellor said. “There are new guys on the team now and we just have to take time to feel each other out and see where we’re going.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals have seasons that mirror each — an awful beginning and strong finish.

They will meet in their season finale on Sunday, the winner finishing at 8-8, a satisfying result considering what things looked like a couple of months ago.

“It’s enough incentive to be jacked up to end your season with .500 at least,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “That’s not anywhere near where we wanted to be, but it’s what we have available and we’re going for it. I know that those guys feel the same way. That’s just a natural way for all of us, so it’s going to be a big battle.”

John Skelton, who probably will be back at quarterback for Arizona, said the difference between 7-9 and 8-8 is far more than just one game.

“No one wants to have a losing record going into the off-season,” he said. “It kind of puts a bad taste in your mouth. 8-8 is kind of something to build on for the future.”

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt reminds his players of what happened in 2007, his first season in Arizona. The Cardinals won their final two to finish 8-8. The next season, Arizona won the NFC West and made it to the Super Bowl.

“No guarantees that if we win this game we are going to the Super Bowl next year, but I do believe that it’s something that you want to do,” he said. “You strive to do that, because you always want to end on a high note and it really propels you into the off-season.”

Seattle was 2-6 after a loss to Dallas on Nov. 6. Arizona was 1-6 after a 30-27 loss at Baltimore on Oct. 30. Seattle won five of six, capped by an impressive 34-14 road win over Chicago, to climb to 7-7. The Cardinals won six of seven, including home wins over Dallas and San Francisco, to hit 7-7 with a 20-17 overtime win at home over Cleveland leaving them 7-7.

The slim playoff hopes of both teams were dashed a week ago when the Seahawks lost at home to NFC West champ San Francisco 19-17 and the Cardinals were beaten at Cincinnati 23-16. That the teams were in it that long is remarkable considering the way they started.

The Cardinals have lived on the edge in nearly every game.

Five of their losses were by seven points or less. They have trailed at the half in all seven of their victories. They have won six of their last eight, three in overtime, the other three by four points, three points and two points. Last week, they trailed the Bengals 23-0 entering the fourth quarter but had a chance to win it late. Wide receiver Early Doucet broke wide open on a fourth-and-five play and was surely headed for a touchdown when he slipped and fell, Skelton’s pass sailing harmlessly over his head.

Slow starts have plagued Arizona all season. Over the last eight games, the Cardinals have been outscored 94-30 in the first two quarters, then have outscored opponents 116-51 in the second half and overtimes. Skelton isn’t sure why he has had so much trouble early in games.

“There are mistakes that even a rookie shouldn’t be making that I’m making out there sometimes. I think it is just consistency,” he said. “We’ll have maybe the first two plays of a drive go well and then the third one someone messes up. Those are the things that we have to eliminate, the mistake here and the mistake there. Eventually those add up and they hurt an offence.”

Kevin Kolb, brought in to be the Cardinals’ franchise quarterback, struggled through the team’s six-game losing streak early in the season, then was sidelined for four games with a right turf toe. He returned and directed the team to a comeback victory over Dallas, only to go down with a concussion when he took a knee to the head on Arizona’s first play the following week against San Francisco.

Skelton came on to lead the team to a 21-19 victory over the 49ers. The second-year pro from Fordham is 4-2 as a starter this season, 5-2 if the San Francisco victory is counted.

The No. 1 challenge for Arizona’s vastly improved defence will be slowing down Marshawn Lynch, who has topped 100 yards rushing in six of his last eight games. But Whisenhunt reminded everyone that he has a pretty good back in Beanie Wells. Lynch has rushed for 1,118 yards and averaged 4.2 yards per carry. Wells, despite a season-long knee problem, has 1,047 yards, picking up 4.3 per attempt.

“If you look at Beanie vs. Marshawn, they’re almost identical statistically,” Whisenhunt said.

The Seahawks led 17-16 entering the fourth quarter last week against San Francisco only to lose on David Akers’ 39-yard field goal with 3:44 to play. Jackson’s fumble on Seattle’s next possession sealed the 49ers’ win.

The Seahawks believe they are a better team than they were a year ago, when their 7-9 record was good enough to win the NFC West, then they stunned New Orleans in the first round of the playoffs.

“Even though we have a similar record as last year, I think we took stuff forward this year — defence, offence, running game, and special teams,” Seattle strong safety Kam Chancellor said. “There are new guys on the team now and we just have to take time to feel each other out and see where we’re going.”

Each week, The Republic spotlights a Cardinals player for a series of on-the-spot, off-beat questions.

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NFL power rankings – Week 17 | This week’s games | Standings: NFC | AFC

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Today: Sam Acho, linebacker.

Question: Let me just ask you this off the top. Do you like Skittles?

Answer: Do I like Skittles? I’m not the biggest Skittles fan. I haven’t had Skittles in probably like a couple years.

Q: You know who does like them?

A: (Laughs) Marshawn Lynch.

Q: That’s right and you guys play him and the Seahawks this week in the final game of the year. What are you going to do to stop him from eating Skittles and gaining yards on you?

A: Well, Marshawn Lynch is a really good back so obviously it’s got to be a team effort. Everybody’s got to be coming together and he’s a guy you’ve got to gang tackle so you have to make sure he’s down.

Q: So, do you have a favorite candy?

A: Um, I’m a huge fan of Twix. Yeah, I like Twix.

Q: Not bad, I agree. Hey, you’ve got six sacks. If you had the chance to have gotten more playing time earlier, you might have had the chance to finish with 12 or more. What do you think?

A: No, I wouldn’t say that. Even in the time I played, I missed out on like three or four sacks, so regardless of playing time, I’ve got to get those.

Q: You’re known as a very smart man. I mean, you were a member of the prestigious Friar Society at Texas and you won awards such as the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is known as the academic version of the Heisman. How much does that mean to you, that you’re not just a football player but a complete kind of guy?

A: Well, it means a lot, as far as academically, to be able to have done well in college and succeed off the field. It’s very important to me and my family. It’s been paying off on the field as well.

Q: So this Campbell Trophy, where is it?

A: It’s in my house in Dallas, my parents’ house in Dallas.

Q: What’s it look like?

A: I guess it’s similar to the Heisman. The guy is posing like the Heisman sort of. Yeah, it’s cool. I’ve never seen the Heisman in person and got to hold it, so I don’t know how big it is exactly compared to the Heisman. But like I said, it’s cool.

Q: You also won the Arthur Ashe Award in college, and in back-to-back years, no less. How cool was that?

A: Yeah, the Arthur Ashe Award is something real cool and special because it represents something bigger as far as being an African-American athlete succeeding on and off the field and community service and everything, so that meant a lot to me.

Q: Tell me about your parents, who obviously instilled so much in you. They are from Nigeria and I understand they actually started a church a while back?

A: I can’t speak enough about my parents. My mom is actually out here with me now for Christmas and it’s been awesome. My dad actually started the church. It’s called the Living Hope Bible Fellowship Church and he started it about five, six years ago in Dallas. He was a pastor at a larger church and he started his own.

Q: Where is he at the moment?

A: He’s actually in Nigeria right now for a couple of weeks setting things up for the trip that we take there every year, the medical mission trip we take in the summertime. Yeah, my parents are wonderful. You can say they instilled work ethic, humility. They’re just great parents.

Q: How cool is it to come back from those trips and remember what you did for the people there?

A: Oh, it’s awesome. You know, living here you tend to get caught up in your everyday life and you can get so frustrated. You’re worrying about having to go get gas and this and that and there’s traffic and all these little minuscule things. But you go to a place like Nigeria and you see people that don’t even have a way to get around, who don’t have anything to eat, nothing to wear. So yeah, it really humbles you.

Q: Your brother, Emmanuel, is a senior linebacker at the University of Texas. Is he going to join you in the NFL next year?

A: By God’s grace he will. He’s one of the top inside linebackers in the nation, so hopefully, he will.

Q: Dude, you almost seem too good to be true and I know you are, but didn’t you ever get into trouble — at least when you were a kid like the rest of us?

A: (Laughs) Oh, yeah. Seriously, though, I was kind of scared because I never wanted to get in trouble at home. Obviously, though, we make mistakes all the time. I think I’ve probably cheated on a test or gotten into arguments at school, stuff like that.

Q: Ever ditch a class?

A: Um, growing up I didn’t want to. I was too scared to do it. In college, I may have skipped a couple classes, though.

Q: Well that doesn’t count. So what was your Wonderlic test score at the NFL combine?

A: I honestly don’t even remember. What’s the highest, like a 40-something? I think I was in the thirties, the high thirties. I don’t remember, honestly.

Q: What would finishing 8-8 mean to you guys?

A: After starting out 1-6, it would mean a lot. And it would be a huge stepping stone for next year.

Q: Can you name me one teammate on both sides of the ball that you think will step up and have a huge game on Sunday against Seattle?

A: I think everybody’s going to step up, I really do. There are so many guys. We all know we have to step our game up. … It’s hard to say one guy. I just can’t do it. It’s going to be all of us stepping up. That’s the way it’s got to be.

Q: You know, that seems like the type of answer you’d give me, doesn’t it?

A: (Laughs) Well, I guess you know me then.

Q: We do now. Thanks for participating, OK?

A: You got it.

Given the short-term reward vs. the potential long-term risk, most Cardinals fans might assume that coach Ken Whisenhunt will tell quarterback Kevin Kolb to just sit this next one out, that there’s nothing to be gained by having him play in the regular-season finale against the visiting Seattle Seahawks.

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Photos from Cards-Bengals game | Replay: Game chat | Box score

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If Kolb still is dealing with concussion symptoms, he won’t play, Whisenhunt confirmed Monday when he addressed the media for the first time since Arizona’s 23-16 loss Saturday at Cincinnati.

But if Kolb is cleared to go, Whisenhunt said he won’t sit him for protective measures — even though the Cardinals (7-8) have been eliminated from the playoff race.

“We’re not approaching this as the last week. That’s not the way we’re going to approach it with our team or how we play,” Whisenhunt said. “We want to win this game. It’s a pretty significant achievement for this team, after starting 1-6, to get back to 8-8. I think it means a lot, and that’s the way we’re gong to approach it.

“I think back to ’07 when we finished 8-8, and it gave us some momentum going into the off-season we had a pretty decent year the next year. To have the opportunity to go 8-8, even though we strive for better than that and we want to get into the playoffs, it’s a pretty significant turnaround, and we want to make sure we continue to work for that.”

Whisenhunt said it will continue to be a “day-to-day thing” with Kolb, who suffered a head injury when he was inadvertently kneed in the back of the head two weeks ago in a win over the San Francisco 49ers.

Since then, Kolb has had good days and bad days. He will feel little to no symptoms one day, and the next day he might have problems in a meeting or on the practice field. Such was the case Saturday.

Whisenhunt said Kolb handled the plane ride in from Phoenix all right, but that once the quarterback got to the stadium, the sun and the noise from the crowd began to get to him.

“We just have to make sure he’s completely healthy before you let him get back out there,” Whisenhunt said.

The play

It’s already being hailed as the Play of the Year in the NFL, and it figures to live in replay history to haunt the Cardinals for decades.

Jerome Simpson’s improbable, head-over-toes touchdown flip into the end zone over Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington, however, still isn’t sitting too well with Whisenhunt.

“It’s a great athletic play by the guy,” the coach said. “Am I impressed with that? I’m impressed every day with what I see these guys do. I don’t like it that it happened against us, obviously. But the guy’s a tremendous athlete, and he made a good play.

“Listen, it’s great that people are excited about it. It’s great for our sport in that it gets more interest in it. But hopefully somebody will make a (more exciting) play and we won’t have to see that going forward, because it certainly doesn’t bring back good memories of the game.”

Extra points

Whisenhunt said watching receiver Early Doucet stumble and fall when he was wide open in the end zone for a potential tying touchdown Saturday was something “you think about a million times, especially sitting on the plane coming back home.”

However, he said he talked with Doucet and reminded him that had the team not fumbled at the goal line on first down, Doucet’s stumble never would have come into play.

“Early’s a tough competitor, and he’s bounced back from a lot of things,” Whisenhunt said. “… I respect him for that.”

Deuce Lutui finally saw his first playing time of the season at right guard during the second half of Saturday’s game.

Whisenhunt said it was primarily because starter Rex Hadnot has been dealing with knee and back problems and is starting to “wear down a little bit.”

“Deuce did all right,” Whisenhunt said.

“He got in there and competed.”