Cards' Fitzgerald named to NFC Pro Bowl team

Coach and player alike reiterated the climb Larry Fitzgerald has made in his short NFL career, the kind of ascension both want the rest of this Cardinals team to make.

The first good news in a couple weeks came Tuesday afternoon when Fitzgerald was selected to his second Pro Bowl, his first as a starting wide receiver.

But the jubilation was muted, as Fitzgerald will fly solo this year. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and running back Edgerrin James were named as first alternates, which means they’ll receive calls first if players at their respective positions opt out of the Feb. 10 game in Hawaii.

The Cardinals’ running game hasn’t matched internal expectations, both in production or number of attempts. James (1,052 yards on 274 carries) was considered a long shot because of Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson and Philadelphia’s Bryant Westbrook.

Watching the playoffs also means the Cardinals didn’t meet internal expectations under first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt, still a sore spot for both Pro Bowler and coach.

“We still have a long ways to go,” he said. “Not just Larry but our football team. But as a microcosm of that, he made dramatic improvement in what we asked him to do this year, and it’s impressive what he’s done as far as statistically. He’s had a string of touchdowns (seven in five games), just when people are emphasizing trying to take him away.”

As for Dockett, who leads all NFL interior linemen with eight sacks, Whisenhunt pointed to safety Adrian Wilson’s 2005 season, followed by a similar 2006 campaign which got him into last year’s Pro Bowl.

“I hope that’s what happens with Darnell,” Whisenhunt said. “He certainly deserves consideration.”

In the case of Fitzgerald, it was a no-brainer. He missed one game with a groin injury, played through pain in at least two others and is second in the NFC with 83 receptions, fourth in yards (1,166) and has eight touchdowns.

Playing without a healthy Anquan Boldin on the other side made this year more impressive to Whisenhunt, but not like his attention to the ticky-tack details.

Despite the coaching and philosophy change (Fitzgerald grew up around former Cardinals coach Dennis Green in Minnesota), Fitzgerald, in Whisenhunt’s view, improved route running and cuts and showed a willingness to do a little extra during minicamp and training camp. He also saw Fitzgerald — a Pro Bowl pick in 2005 — express a desire to be coached.

“I’m not a guy that takes coaching personal,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t mind yelling at me, doing things with me, as long as it’s a productive way and a way that’ll help me improve. I’ll do whatever it takes to become better.”

He couldn’t but wonder about a fourth season of what-ifs by falling short of the playoffs, which is why he found Tuesday’s news bittersweet.

“To come so close and realize our goals as a team we fell short of it again this year, that’s frustrating,” Fitzgerald said. “Especially the last couple weeks have been extremely frustrating for me because I haven’t been able to do what I’m physically capable of doing to help my team win, so it’s been tough sleeping at night. The last couple weeks have been real difficult for me. It’s finally good to get some positive news in terms of this (Pro Bowl), but it’s frustrating not making the playoffs again.”

EXTRA POINT: Certified letters were mailed today to season-ticket holders selected in the team’s lottery for Super Bowl tickets. The NFL assigns 5 percent (or about 3,000) of its tickets to the host city’s team. Notifications will also be sent to those season-ticket accounts not selected providing information on other Super Bowl ticket packages being offered.

Cardinals in the Pro Bowl this decade

2000: P Scott Player

2001: WR David Boston

2002: None

2003: WR Anquan Boldin

2004: DE Bertrand Berry

2005: WR Larry Fitzgerald, K Neil Rackers

2006: WR Anquan Boldin, S Adrian Wilson

2007: WR Larry Fitzgerald