CARDINALS HOLD OFF TEXANS COMBACK BID TO PRESERVE WIN

The Arizona Cardinals were the NFL Superbowl runner up last season, but nothing has come easy for them so far in 2009.  This past Sunday, they saw a 21-0 halftime lead evaporate as the Houston Texans came charging back in the second half to tie the game.  The Cardinals took advantage of a late game interception return for touchdown by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to take the lead, and a game ending defensive stand that kept Houston out of the end zone from the one yard line.  In the end, Arizona managed to survive by a 28-21 final score.  The Texans dropped to 2-3 while Arizona evened their record at 2-2.

NFL pointspread players who took the Texans as +6 road underdogs were tough luck losers as Arizona just managed to cover the number with a 7 point victory.  Houston is now 2-3 against the spread, while the Cards are 2-2.  The 49 combined points barely managed to stay UNDER the posted total of 50’.  Arizona has now gone UNDER in three of their four games this season, while the Texans have gone UNDER in three of five.

Despite taking the lead with just over two minutes to go, the Cardinals needed a big effort from their defense.  Arizona stopped the Texans three times from the one yard line in the final minute to secure the win.  Afterwards, Arizona star receiver Larry Fitzgerald praised the stop unit:

"The defense bailed us out. We're just glad those guys came to our rescue."

Houston QB Matt Schaub, meanwhile, was second guessing himself for the late game interception that Cromartie returned for a touchdown:

"It's a play that I'll run back in my head for the next week until I get a chance to go back and make it better."

Texans’ coach Gary Kubiak was more concerned about the team’s inability to score from the one yard line to end the game:
 
"When we got to the 1 we should have scored on the second play. We should have scored on the pass and on the last run. We have to be good enough to make a yard in the National Football League when it counts and we didn't."

On the other sideline, Cards’ veteran quarterback Kurt Warner was pleased with the victory but unhappy about the second half collapse that let the Texans back in the game:

"Guys stepped up and made plays at the end. You leave with a good feeling in your mouth. But it shouldn't have been that close. We had too many opportunities that we left out there that kind of leaves me a little frustrated that that game ended the way it did, even though you're happy to walk out of here and have it go in your favor."

Houston will play at Cincinnati this weekend, with the Texans a +4’ road underdog and the total set at 45.  They’ll host San Francisco on October 25th before playing the Buffalo Bills on the road the following weekend.  Arizona will travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the enigmatic Seattle Seahawks.  The Cards are a +2’ road underdog with the total set at 47.  They’ll face another tough road assignment the following week, heading cross country to take on the New York Giants at the Meadowlands before returning home on November 1 to host the Carolina Panthers.