The Daily Forecast

The Cardinals (!?!) are headed to the NFC title game

Jake Delhomme threw five interceptions yesterday, against the Arizona Cardinals.

The same Arizona Cardinals that had 13 interceptions all season long, now have seven in two playoff games, and believe it or not, they’re headed to the NFC Championship game next week either at the New York Giants or at home (!?!) against the Philadelphia Eagles.

If there was one game I was sure of this weekend, it was this one. I was positive the Panthers were going to win this game, and part of the reason I was so positive was that I figured Jake Delhomme wouldn’t play much of a role in it. I figured DeAngelo Williams and that Jewish guy from The Daily Show would run all over the Cardinals, the Carolina defense would give Kurt Warner fits, and the Panthers would waltz into the title game.

So when I got back from covering a wrestling meet and the score was already 20-7 Arizona, I was a bit amazed.

Apparently nobody can cover Larry Fitzgerald. Apparently Delhomme is still not a very good quarterback when everything is asked of him (that Super Bowl performance creeps more and more toward abberation every time he steps onto the field). Apparently the Cardinals atrocious finish to the season was simply a result of resting their players, and not an indication of what’s to come (and even though it’s different for every team, I’m sure, expect the ‘do you rest guys at the end?’ arguments to pick up next year).

Now, can the Cardinals do the unthinkable and get to the Super Bowl? Surely not, right?

I don’t know. I think both the Eagles and Giants are better teams, but I thought Carolina was better, too. I thought the Cardinals didn’t have the defense to make a run, but the defense has come up with huge plays in the first two games.

And as much as I don’t believe in Kurt Warner, he does seem to be one hell of a quarterback when things are going his way.

Oh, did I mention Anquan Boldin didn’t play in this game?

In other news, the Ravens beat the Titans on a last-second field goal, cementing them as my ‘scariest team in the playoffs.’

Today’s picks: Eagles 23, Giants 21; Chargers 16, Steelers 13.