Cards put '06 meltdown behind them

The press conference was over.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt had answered every question after Arizona’s 41-21 victory over the Chicago Bears Sunday, and the reporters stood up to collect their tape recorders.

But Whisenhunt wasn’t finished.

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“I’d like to compliment the Bears, too. They played hard and they came back,” he said. “And the last thing I’ll say is we didn’t let them off the hook.”

Ah, yes, the infamous Monday Night Meltdown in 2006. Well, it took the Cardinals three years and countless replays of Dennis Green losing his mind, but Arizona finally got its revenge.

Whisenhunt was in Pittsburgh at the time, but for him to channel Green tells you how much the Bears’ 24-23 victory resonated throughout the league.

“I remember watching that game and laughing my tail off,” said nose tackle Bryan Robinson, then with the Cincinnati Bengals. “I was like, ‘What the hell?’ But we’re not that team anymore.”

This time, it was the Bears who were thoroughly humiliated.

Their top defensive player, tackle Tommie Harris, was ejected on the fourth play of the game for punching guard Deuce Lutui.

The Cardinals scored touchdowns on their first four possessions. It was 31-7 Arizona at halftime, and when Chicago finally forced a punt in the third quarter, the sellout crowd cheered sarcastically.

It was nearly a perfect afternoon for Arizona. The only sour note was wide receiver Anquan Boldin moaning and groaning about the Cardinals’ decision to inactivate him and that no one was “man enough” to tell him to his face.

(Note to Anquan: Your team just won by 20 points. You want to preserve what’s left of your reputation? Then stifle yourself).

How do you decipher these Cardinals? Kurt Warner throws five interceptions against Carolina and then ties his career high with five touchdown passes against Chicago. Arizona has opened the season with four straight road wins for the first time since 1982, and it can’t win at home.

“I can’t explain it,” safety Antrel Rolle said.

Perhaps it’s best not to try. Instead, just enjoy the ride and appreciate the artistry of the Cardinals’ offense Sunday. Arizona scored touchdowns on its first four drives and points on its first six possessions.

Warner got Larry Fitzgerald involved early – he wound up with nine catches for 123 yards and two scores – the Cardinals rushed for an astounding 182 yards and four different receivers caught touchdown passes.

The most amazing stat? Arizona had 320 total yards at halftime. That’s what Texas usually does to, say, Idaho State.

“Kurt just played phenomenally again,” Fitzgerald said. “He made the right reads and got the ball to the guys that were open; when we’re clicking like that, it’s hard to stop us.”

There was, momentarily, a flashback to ’06 when Matt Leinart replaced Warner in the fourth quarter, threw an interception, and the Bears scored three plays later to cut the lead to 34-21 with 9:04 remaining.

You could almost hear Green warming up in the background.

Fortunately, safety Matt Ware intercepted Jay Cutler on the Bears’ next possession, Warner threw his fifth touchdown pass, and Cardinals’ fans could take a deep breath.

“That was huge,” defensive end Darnell Dockett said. “That (the 2006 game) was one of the worst losses I’ve ever had in my career.”

There’ll be no crowning the Bears’ backsides this year. They’re 4-4 and going nowhere. Even money says coach Lovie Smith will be out of a job after this season.

Where the Cardinals go from here, who knows. They play Seattle and St. Louis the next two weeks so a three-game winning streak and a 7-3 record is a distinct possibility.

Then again, who would have figured they’d get hammered at home by Carolina?

“We had a big win against New York, and as in the past, we didn’t handle success very well,” Whisenhunt said. “I think we’ve learned our lesson.”

If so, maybe the Cardinals will be who we thought they were.

(Sorry. Couldn’t resist).