I had no idea this was going on in Flagstaff, site of the Arizona Cardinals training camp, but it is. The Arizona Cardinals are, apparently, fond of the Segway. So fond, in fact, that Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes have formed a Segway crew.

If there’s one man that can pull of a Segway without looking completely out of place, it’s probably Darnell Dockett. The only disappointing part of Dockett’s ride is the lack of a place to put his pet alligator, Nino.

Don’t lie: It would be pretty awesome to see Dockett lead the Cardinals out of the tunnel on his off-road Segway.

Unlike the rest of the crew, Larry Fitzgerald practices safe Seg, wearing his helmet while off-roading around the practice fields.

This isn’t a new thing for the Cardinals, but it doesn’t make the pictures any less awesome. Can’t wait til the Cards have Segway jousting battles during camp.

The Cardinals needed to make a statement.

With more silver and blue in their sold-out stadium than they’d care to admit Saturday night, they knew they had to grab the momentum early against the Dallas Cowboys.

After a quick three-and-out by the Arizona offense to start the game, it didn’t look promising.

But moments later, on a glorious Christmas night with the roof open at University of Phoenix Stadium, the stars shined down upon the Cardinals.

On the Cowboys’ second snap of the game, Jon Kitna looked left and threw to Miles Austin. But Austin lost his footing and slipped. Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was there to pick it off.

He spun, swung one leg over Austin’s head, and scooted into the end zone for a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown.

“The ball was just right there,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “When I turned around, I saw everybody just guiding me to the end zone.”

It was the second such score for Rodgers-Cromartie this season and the fourth of his career, two behind Aeneas Williams’ franchise record.

But the Cardinals are making touchdown returns look about as commonplace as a game of beer pong in a frat house. And on the Cowboys’ ensuing possession, Arizona scored again.

This time, Kitna looked over the middle for Roy Williams. But the ball went through his hands and right into the grasp of cornerback Greg Toler, who took it 66 yards for another interception return for a touchdown.

If you’re counting at home, that’s 12 returns of one form of another for touchdowns and that’s one shy of the all-time NFL record. Seattle had 13 in 2003.

“Thank goodness we’ve done something good this year,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “If we can keep that, the ability to do that as a football team, play better offensively, continue to play the way we’ve played defensively, we’re not that far from being a really good football team.

“Our guys seem to have a nose for the football when they play with the energy that they played with (Saturday) and that’s how you win football games.”

It took a dramatic, two-minute drive and a 48-yard field goal by Jay Feely to ultimately undo the Cowboys 27-26. But without the two big interception returns early, none of it would have been possible.

The defense, which knocked Kitna out of the game with a hip injury, now has accounted for eight of the 12returns for touchdowns. At least one player said he’d like to see the Cardinals tie the NFL record next week at San Francisco with one more.

“I say we do it, get the record,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “One of us can do it. I wouldn’t mind if it was me.”

It’s become a mind-set for the defense. If they force a turnover, they immediately think about trying to score.

“We have so many athletes on this side of the ball, we feel we can score anytime we get the ball,” said free safety Kerry Rhodes, who has returned two fumbles for touchdowns this year. “That’s our main goal when we get it, to score. We want to get into the end zone.”

Arizona’s seven total fumble recoveries for scores have set an NFL record. The last team to register at least five of those in one season was the 1978 Oakland Raiders.

“Guys on the defense, when they get that ball in their hands, everybody is trying to make plays,” Rodgers-Cromartie said. “When we’re in practice and somebody gets a pick or picks up a fumble, we always escort the man into the end zone and that’s really paid off.”

It might not be remembered as much as John Skelton’sclutch, 26-yard pass to Larry Fitzgerald on fourth and 15 during the final scoring drive. It might be overshadowed by Feely’s game-winning kick, which barely cleared the crossbar.

But the two early interception returns set the tone.

“If on your first two possessions on defense you come out and get scores, you’re fired up and now it’s like, ‘Who wants to make a play? Who wants to make the next play?’ ” Rodgers-Cromartie said.

“It’s not just getting too hyped up or getting too confident. It’s just now, everybody is really into it.”

It tells Rhodes the Cardinals might not be as far away from being contenders again as some others may think.

“I’ve said it a lot. Get a couple more pieces in here, we’ll be fine,” Rhodes said. “We know we can be better, but we’ve got playmakers and game-changers on this team. Give us one or two more pieces, and we’re there, man.”

Many happy returns

A breakdown of the Cardinals’ 12 touchdown returns this season, one shy of the NFL record:

- Kick returner LaRod Stephens-Howling returned kickoffs of 102 yards against the Raiders in Week 3 and 96 yards against the Vikings in Week 9.

- Free safety Kerry Rhodes returned a Chargers’ fumble 42 yards for a score in Week 4 and a Saints’ fumble 27 yards for a score in Week 5.

- Left tackle Levi Brown collected a Max Hall fumble and returned it 2 yards for a touchdown against the Saints.

- Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted Drew Brees and returned it 28 yards for a score in Week 5 and picked off Jon Kitna and returned it 32 yards for a score against Dallas on Saturday.

- Linebacker Gerald Hayes returned a fumble by the Buccaneers 21 yards for a score in Week 8.

- Cornerback Michael Adams picked up a fumble during a kickoff return by the Vikings and returned it 30 yards for a score in Week 9.

- Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett jumped on a fumble by teammate Daryl Washington in the end zone following an interception against the Broncos in Week 14.

- Receiver Steve Breaston recovered a fumble by teammate Tim Hightower in the end zone against Carolina in Week 15.

- Cornerback Greg Toler intercepted a Kitna pass Saturday and returned it 66 yards for a touchdown.