Fresh off of a surprisingly close win over the Panthers in Week 1, the Cardinals are travelling to play the upstart Washington Redskins in one of the overlooked games this week. After struggling to defend Cam Newton and the Panthers, it will be interesting to see what the Cards have in store to shut down Rex Grossman this week.
As is the case with many betting lines this early in the season, the basis is mainly instant reaction and fear. No one expected the Redskins to come out as hot as they did over the Giants, but when they did, they confused sharps across the nation. Is Rex really ready to put up some big numbers? Can Hightower carry the load?
In the same way that Washington’s resounding defeat of the Giants caused people to jump on the Redskins bandwagon, the close win that the Cards pulled off over the Panthers caused panic amongst those who had high hopes for Arizona this season. Kevin Kolb was supposed to come in and bring success back to the offense that struggled mightily last year.
So which way will the momentum take these two teams in Week 2? Will Tim Hightower take it upon himself to prove the Cardinals wrong for dealing him during the preseason? Or will Larry Fitzgerald get on the same page with Kolb like he was with Kurt Warner just a few seasons ago?
To say that Rex had a surprising first week at the helm of the ‘Skins offence would be putting it lightly. He found Fred Davis and Jabar Gaffney of all people on big plays down field. Not Chris Cooley and Santana Moss, but Gaffney and Davis. It seems unlikely that these two will continue such success this week, especially against a secondary that is much healthier than that of the Giants.
Despite trading Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie this off-season, the Cardinals coverage game is in fine order with rookie Patrick Peterson manning the corner. His wheels were showcased as he took a punt to the house in Week 1, and he will be keeping a close eye on Moss this week. Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson provide solid coverage over the top, and both are able to step up into the box and make a tackle when they have to.
But is the Cardinals offensive success early in the season any more sustainable than that of the Redskins? Well, Early Doucet showed up in a big way that few expected him to. He was labeled as the number three receiver, with Andre Roberts winning the number two job opposite Fitz in preseason. But he has shown flashes of brilliance in years gone by, and with Boldin and Breaston out of town, Doucet may actually become a solid second option for Kolb.
This game comes down in a big way to the running game. Beanie Wells against his former running mate Tim Hightower. The Giants were unable to get much going on the ground against the ‘Skins, but they only handed off the ball 20 times, so it is tough to determine much from that. The Cards allowed just 74 yards on the ground on 27 touches to one of the most potent running attacks in the league. DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Cam Newton could not even combine to crack the century mark against the Cardinals.
So with the hope that Fitz and Kolb will get their timing down and that the Cardinals defense will shut down Tim Hightower, it looks as if Arizona is the smart pick this week. They are being given 4.5 points in Washington, and have a chance to win outright.
Faith in Rex Grossman is misguided considering his past, so go with Kolb and company.
