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Cardinals never show up in 35-14 rout by Vikings
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ON THE SPOT: Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield breaks up a deep pass for Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston during Sunday's 35-14 Vikings win.
Ralph Freso, Tribune
PLENTY TO CELEBRATE: Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway celebrates after one of his team's four sacks on Sunday.
Ralph Freso, Tribune
BAD TO WORSE: Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway sacks Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner during the first half of Sunday's game. Warner was sacked four times.
Ralph Freso, Tribune
FAMILIAR FACE: After the Cardinals had cut the lead to 28-14 in the second half, Vikings receiver Bobby Wade caught a 59-yard touchdown pass that ended any hope of a Cardinals comeback. Wade played his high school football at Desert Vista, then attended Arizona.
Ralph Freso, Tribune
Ken Whisenhunt didn't see it coming.
The Cardinals practiced well enough last week that he didn't see them letting down (a rare problem, for sure, in the team's largely unstoried history).
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At the same time, the Cardinals "hadn't handled success well in the past," the coach said, so the concern was there.
Then they went three-and-out to start Sunday's game and gave up a punt return for a touchdown.
The rout was on for the Minnesota Vikings over a team that wasn't ready to go after they'd reached the giddy heights of winning a division title last week.
The final was 35-14, but the game didn't feel even that close.
The Cardinals were so bad that some fans booed them off the field as they retreated to the locker room at halftime, down 28-0.
They had no answers for the running of Adrian Peterson (165 yards).
And though quarterback Tarvaris Jackson didn't need to throw often, he burned them for four touchdowns while hitting 11 of 17 passes.
By contrast, the Cardinals fell behind so far, so fast, that they ran the ball only seven times.
"They're probably the best running team I've played against in my career," defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said of the Vikings.
And with the playoffs on the line, "They were hungry, and they were playing desperate."
What's troubling for the Cardinals is that they've been blown out in the last two games against quality opponents (Philadelphia dissected them on Thanksgiving night).
The Cardinals, naturally, tried to beat down the idea that they're in over their heads against elite competition.
"I don't have that concern," Whisenhunt said. "We didn't play well.
"We didn't start off well. It's pretty evident if you give up a punt return and fumble the ball, give it to them in their territory, it's tough."
With the win, the Vikings (9-5) have a great shot at the playoffs - they're one game ahead of the Chicago Bears - and the No. 3 playoff seed.
The Cardinals (8-6) likely will finish with the No. 4 playoff seed, and that means they'd likely host the NFC's top wild-card team the weekend of Jan. 3-4.
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