Bordow: Cards not who critics thought they were

Do the Cardinals a favor this week: Don’t say a nice thing about them.

Tell them they were lucky to beat the Atlanta Falcons, 30-24, Saturday.

Insist they have no chance to beat the Carolina Panthers or New York Giants this coming weekend.

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And if you really want to help, remind them of how they play like dogs east of the Mississippi.

See, we finally know what it takes for the Cardinals to grow up: Abuse.

All the Cardinals heard this past week was that they would be birdseed for the Falcons. They were too fragile, too soft, too one-dimensional.

The criticism stung. But it also woke Arizona up from the nap it had been taking since clinching the NFC West title in early December.

“A lot of people came into this game saying we were the worst playoff team ever,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We rallied around that.”

That theme resounded through the locker room, from one corner to the other. The Cardinals couldn’t wait to punch back at their critics.

Whisenhunt: “It’s hard not to see it and hear it when you’re one of four games being played and everyone is taking a shot at you.”

Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett: “We looked at the media and they didn’t give us a chance in any category. They said the only thing we had that was better than the Falcons were our receivers. Are you kidding me?”

Defensive end Antonio Smith: “We ain’t no pushovers.”

Should the Cardinals need bulletin board material to get their attention? Probably not. It’s the playoffs. That should be motivation enough.

But Arizona isn’t a mature football team. At least, not yet. Success goes to its head, and it gets fat and happy and, yes, lazy.

Disrespect the Cardinals, however, and you get their attention. You get their energy, their best effort and 62,848 jubilant, towel-waving fans saluting them as they run off the field.

“Nobody gave us a chance,” safety Adrian Wilson said. “There was a lot of talk in the paper from them (the Falcons) about how it was a blessing to come out here. They thought they were going to be able to do what they wanted. But it’s not sweet out here.”

All the criticism that had dogged the Cardinals the past few weeks was silenced Saturday.

Can’t stop the run?

Arizona held Falcons running back Michael Turner to 42 yards on 18 carries, and the biggest play of the game came early in the third quarter when Dockett blew through the Falcons’ offensive line and Turner, worried about being hit, failed to secure the handoff. Safety Antrel Rolle picked up the fumble and ran 27 yards for a touchdown to give Arizona a 21-17 lead.

“They tried to run, but they didn’t have a lot of success,” Whisenhunt said. “… I think today you saw a defense that was focused and disciplined.”

Can’t run the ball?

Edgerrin James had 73 yards on 16 carries, and the Cardinals were as balanced offensively they’ve been all year, with 32 passes and 28 runs.

Fold at the first whiff of adversity?

The Falcons controlled the ball for 21 minutes in the first half. Arizona ran just seven offensive plays in the second quarter and five of them didn’t gain more than a yard.

Then Rolle picked up Turner’s fumble, and the game did a 180. Atlanta had just 61 total yards in the second half, and the Cardinals played keep-away, holding the ball for a little less than 21 minutes themselves.

“The development of a good team is being able to really withstand those momentum swings, and I think we did a great job of that,” Wilson said.

The challenge now for the Cardinals is to take that hunger with them to the East Coast and not be satisfied with what they’ve accomplished. The good news: There won’t be a soul outside their locker room that will give them a shot against either the Giants or the Panthers.

“I like being the underdog,” Whisenhunt said with a smile.

So bag those compliments and grab the ax.

The best thing you can do for the Cardinals the next few days is cut them down to size.