2006 Arizona Cardinals season

NFL team season August 2023 March 2026 Arizona Cardinals 2006 5–11 4th NFC West Dennis Green Rod Graves Bill Bidwill University of Phoenix Stadium Did not qualify WR Anquan BoldinSS Adrian Wilson Cardinals seasons 250px The 2006 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 87th in the National Football League (NFL), their 19th in Arizona and the third and final under head coach Dennis Green. The season began with the team trying to improve on their 5–11 record in 2005. They also moved into the Cardinals Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (one of the western suburbs of Phoenix), the first-ever stadium in the United States with a retractable playing surface. The stadium was christened University of Phoenix Stadium on September 26, and managed to sell out every home game. Despite a somewhat promising start, the team suffered a few setbacks, including key losses to the Dallas Cowboys and most memorably the eventual NFC Champion Chicago Bears, and ended the season (again) at a disappointing 5–11 record. Head coach Dennis Green was fired after the season, replaced by Ken Whisenhunt. Offseason On March 12, 2006, the Cardinals acquired former Colts running back Edgerrin James through free agency, by signing him to a four-year, $30 million contract. The Cardinals then selected the 2004 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart with the 10th pick of the 2006 NFL draft. Leinart played for the University of Southern California and won 1½ national championships with the team in 2003 and 2004. Leinart missed the first two weeks of the 2006 Cardinals training camp (and the opening game of the preseason) due to prolonged contract negotiations, but on August 15, the Arizona Republic, KTAR radio and ESPN reported that Leinart agreed to a six-year contract that could earn him a maximum of $51 million, according to his agent, Tom Condon. The contract reportedly contained $14 million in guaranteed money, and involved "escalator" clauses to increase Leinart's salary in the later years of the deal should he meet certain playing-time incentives.Cardinals sign Leinart The Cardinals also selected another USC alum, guard Taitusi "Deuce" Lutui in the 3rd round, followed by Georgia tight end Leonard Pope, Michigan defensive tackle Gabriel Watson, Louisville linebacker Brandon Johnson, Virginia Tech defensive tackle Jonathan Lewis, and Brigham Young wide receiver Todd Watkins. This as well as the duo Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald at wide receiver, eventually made the Cardinals a serious threat in the NFC West. Arizona Cardinals Draft 2006 NFL draft 2006 Arizona Cardinals 1 10 Matt Leinart QB USC yes 2 41 Deuce Lutui G USC yes 3 72 Leonard Pope WR Georgia yes 4 107 Gabe Watson DT Michigan yes 5 142 Brandon Johnson LB Louisville yes 6 177 Jonathan Lewis DT Virginia Tech yes 7 218 Todd Watkins WR BYU Personnel 2006 Arizona Cardinals President – Bill Bidwill Vice president and general counsel – Michael Bidwill Vice president of football operations – Rod Graves Senior director of football operations – John Idzik, Jr. Director of college scouting – Steve Keim Head coach – Dennis Green Assistant head coach/linebackers – Frank Bush Offensive coordinator – Keith Rowen Quarterbacks/interim offensive coordinator – Mike Kruczek Running backs – Kirby Wilson Wide receivers – Mike Wilson Tight ends – Carl Hargrave Offensive line – Steve Loney Offensive quality control – Bill Khayat Defensive coordinator – Clancy Pendergast Defensive line – Larry Brooks Defensive backs – Richard Solomon Defensive quality control – Rick Courtright Special teams coordinator – Gary Zauner Strength and conditioning – Steve Wetzel Assistant strength and conditioning – Daryl Lawrence Assistant strength and conditioning – Keith Vulgamott Roster 2006 Arizona Cardinals 53 10 4  9 Shane Boyd  7 Matt Leinart y 16 John Navarre 13 Kurt Warner 28 J. J. Arrington KR 30 Obafemi Ayanbadejo 32 Edgerrin James 31 Marcel Shipp 81 Anquan Boldin 11 Larry Fitzgerald 80 Bryant Johnson 15 Micheal Spurlock y KR 14 Todd Watkins y 39 John Bronson 82 Leonard Pope y 87 Fred Wakefield 61 Elton Brown G 67 Milford Brown G 75 Leonard Davis American football T 72 Brandon Gorin T 60 Nick Leckey C 63 Chris Liwienski G/T 76 Deuce Lutui y G 79 Oliver Ross offensive lineman T 71 Alex Stepanovich C 74 Reggie Wells American football G/T 70 Kendrick Clancy DT 93 Chris Cooper defensive lineman DE 90 Darnell Dockett DT 95 Jonathan Lewis American football DT 56 Chike Okeafor DE 96 A. J. Schable DE 94 Antonio Smith defensive end DE/DT 98 Gabe Watson y DT 52 Monty Beisel MLB 51 Darryl Blackstock OLB 58 Karlos Dansby OLB 54 Gerald Hayes MLB 57 Orlando Huff OLB 59 Brandon Johnson linebacker y OLB 97 Calvin Pace OLB 47 Aaron Francisco SS 25 Eric Green cornerback CB 34 Robert Griffith FS 21 Antrel Rolle CB 23 Darrell Hunter y CB 37 Hanik Milligan FS 37 Robert Tate American football CB 22 Matt Ware CB/S 24 Adrian Wilson American football SS  1 Neil Rackers K 10 Scott Player P 48 Nathan Hodel LS 89 Adam Bergen TE IR 92 Bertrand Berry DE IR 42 Jack Brewer S IR 69 Rolando Cantú G/T IR 51 James Darling American football LB IR 27 David Macklin CB IR 19 LeRon McCoy WR IR -- Anton Palepoi DE IR -- Roger Robinson running back RB IR 86 Troy Walters WR/PR IR 36 Diamond Ferri RB 53 Isaac Keys LB 84 Greg Lee wide receiver y WR 29 Justin Wyatt y CB Schedule In the 2006 regular season, the Cardinals' non-divisional, conference opponents were primarily from the NFC North, although they also played the Dallas Cowboys from the NFC East, and the Atlanta Falcons from the NFC South. Their non-conference opponents were from the AFC West. Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 10 San Francisco 49ers W 34–27 1–0 Cardinals Stadium 63,407 2 September 17 at Seattle Seahawks L 10–21 1–1 Qwest Field 67,470 3 September 24 St. Louis Rams L 14–16 1–2 Cardinals Stadium 63,278 4 October 1 at Atlanta Falcons L 10–32 1–3 Georgia Dome 68,981 5 October 8 Kansas City Chiefs L 20–23 1–4 University of Phoenix Stadium 63,445 6 October 16 Chicago Bears L 23–24 1–5 University of Phoenix Stadium 63,977 7 October 22 at Oakland Raiders L 9–22 1–6 McAfee Coliseum 61,595 8 October 29 at Green Bay Packers L 14–31 1–7 Lambeau Field 70,809 9 Bye 10 November 12 Dallas Cowboys L 10–27 1–8 University of Phoenix Stadium 63,926 11 November 19 Detroit Lions W 17–10 2–8 University of Phoenix Stadium 63,348 12 November 26 at Minnesota Vikings L 26–31 2–9 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome 63,483 13 December 3 at St. Louis Rams W 34–20 3–9 Edward Jones Dome 65,612 14 December 10 Seattle Seahawks W 27–21 4–9 University of Phoenix Stadium 63,603 15 December 17 Denver Broncos L 20–37 4–10 University of Phoenix Stadium 63,845 16 December 24 at San Francisco 49ers W 26–20 5–10 Monster Park 67,751 17 December 31 at San Diego Chargers L 20–27 5–11 Qualcomm Stadium 66,492 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings Regular season The Cardinals' Ring of Honor was started in 2006 to mark the opening of University of Phoenix Stadium. It honors former Cardinal greats from all eras of the franchise's history. Following is a list of inductees and the dates that they were inducted. Charles Bidwill, Owner (August 12, 2006) Jimmy Conzelman, Coach (August 12, 2006) Dan Dierdorf, Tackle (October 16, 2006) John "Paddy" Driscoll, Quarterback (August 12, 2006) Marshall Goldberg, Halfback (August 12, 2006) Dick "Night Train" Lane, Defensive Back (August 12, 2006) Ollie Matson, Halfback (August 12, 2006) Ernie Nevers, Fullback (August 12, 2006) Charley Trippi, Halfback/Quarterback (August 12, 2006) Roger Wehrli, Cornerback (October 14, 2007) Larry Wilson, Safety (September 10, 2006) Pat Tillman, Safety (November 12, 2006) Week 1: vs. San Francisco 49ers Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 1: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary September 10 1:15 p.m. MST 49ers 7 7 7 6 Cardinals 21 3 7 3 Cardinals Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,407 None (retractable roof closed) Ed Hochuli FOX Josh Lewin, Bill Maas, Kevin McCabe Box Score First quarter SF – Vernon Davis 31-yard pass from Alex Smith (Joe Nedney kick), 11:45. 49ers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 79 yards, 3:15. ARI – Troy Walters 2-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick), 7:52. Tied 7–7. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:53. ARI – Edgerrin James 1-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 5:51. Cardinals 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 5 yards, 1:07. ARI – Anquan Boldin 6-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick), 0:59. Cardinals 21–7. Drive: 6 plays, 41 yards, 3:14. Second quarter SF – Frank Gore 4-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 13:34. Cardinals 21–14. Drive: 6 plays, 79 yards, 2:25. ARI – Neil Rackers 36-yard field goal, 4:42. Cardinals 24–14. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 5:43. Third quarter SF – Frank Gore 2-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 7:41. Cardinals 24–21. Drive: 2 plays, 7 yards, 0:46. ARI – Adam Bergen 7-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick), 2:19. Cardinals 31–21. Drive: 10 plays, 86 yards, 5:22. Fourth quarter SF – Joe Nedney 22-yard field goal, 8:52. Cardinals 31–24. Drive: 4 plays, 1 yards, 1:29. ARI – Neil Rackers 30-yard field goal, 1:50. Cardinals 34–24. Drive: 13 plays, 68 yards, 7:02. SF – Joe Nedney 44-yard field goal, 0:32. Cardinals 34–27. Drive: 6 plays, 44 yards, 1:18. Top passers SF – Alex Smith – 23/40, 288 yards, TD ARI – Kurt Warner – 23/37, 301 yards, 3 TD Top rushers SF – Frank Gore – 16 rushes, 87 yards, 2 TD ARI – Edgerrin James – 26 rushes, 73 yards, TD Top receivers SF – Antonio Bryant – 4 receptions, 114 yards ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 9 receptions, 133 yards The Cardinals opened the regular season at home against the San Francisco 49ers on September 10. This game was the inaugural regular season game played at Cardinals Stadium. In the first quarter, 49ers quarterback Alex Smith and tight end Vernon Davis scored the inaugural regular season touchdown in the new stadium as they connected on a 31-yard pass. The Cardinals responded, as quarterback Kurt Warner threw the first touchdown pass by a Cardinals player in the new stadium on a 2-yard strike to wide receiver Troy Walters. Newly acquired running back Edgerrin James provided the first rushing touchdown in their new stadium on a 1-yard strike. Afterwards, Warner threw another touchdown pass, this time to wide receiver Anquan Boldin. In the second quarter, 49ers running back Frank Gore helped San Francisco get closer as he ran on a 4-yard touchdown play. Kicker Neil Rackers helped improve the Cardinals' lead, as he kicked a 36-yard field goal. In the third quarter, both sides each got a touchdown. San Francisco's Gore scored on a 2-yard run, while Arizona's Warner threw a 7-yard touchdown to tight end Adam Bergen. In the fourth quarter, it was all field goals to end the game, as 49ers kicker Joe Nedney kicked a 22-yard field goal. Then, Rackers helped Arizona on a 30-yard field goal. Even though Nedney kicked one more field goal for San Francisco (a 44-yarder), the Cardinals escaped with the win and a 1–0 start. Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 2: Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary September 17 1:05 p.m. MST and PDT Cardinals 0 0 3 7 Seahawks 14 0 0 7 Qwest Field, Seattle, Washington 67,470 61 F C Larry Nemmers FOX Dick Stockton, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa Box Score First quarter SEA – Shaun Alexander 2-yard run (Josh Brown kick), 10:43. Seahawks 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:17. SEA – Darrell Jackson 49-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick), 7:57. Seahawks 14–0. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:44. Second quarter No scoring plays Third quarter ARI – Neil Rackers 43-yard field goal, 11:36. Seahawks 14–3. Drive: 5 plays, 17 yards, 2:33. Fourth quarter SEA – Mack Strong 3-yard run (Josh Brown kick), 12:13. Seahawks 21–3. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 4:33. ARI – Bryant Johnson 40-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick), 11:20. Seahawks 21–10. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 3:02. Top passers ARI – Kurt Warner – 24/38, 231 yards, TD, INT SEA – Matt Hasselbeck – 12/27, 221 yards, TD, 2 INT Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 18 rushes, 64 yards SEA – Shaun Alexander – 26 rushes, 89 yards, TD Top receivers ARI – Anquan Boldin – 6 receptions, 62 yards SEA – Darrell Jackson – 5 receptions, 127 yards, TD For Week 2, the Cardinals flew to the Northwest to take on the defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks. From the get-go, the Cardinals trailed, as the opposing running back Shaun Alexander scored a touchdown on a 2-yard run. Then, Arizona allowed opposing quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to complete a 49-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darrell Jackson. There wasn't any more scoring by either team for the remainder of the half. In the third quarter, the Cardinals finally got on the border with kicker Neil Rackers nailing a 43-yard field goal. However, Seattle managed to put the game away with fullback Mack Strong's 3-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals got a touchdown, with quarterback Kurt Warner completing a 40-yard pass to wide receiver Bryant Johnson, but the Seahawks were the better team and the Cardinals fell to 1–1. Week 3: vs. St. Louis Rams Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 3: St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary September 18 1:15 p.m. MST Rams 0 13 3 0 Cardinals 7 0 0 7 Cardinals Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,278 None (retractable roof closed) Bill Carollo Box Score First quarter ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 12-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick), 7:04. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 4:17. Second quarter STL – Jeff Wilkins 26-yard field goal, 11:25. Cardinals 7–3. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 3:35. STL – Torry Holt 9-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jeff Wilkins kick), 3:20. Rams 10–7. Drive: 5 plays, 94 yards, 2:54. STL – Jeff Wilkins 47-yard field goal, 0:00. Rams 13–7. Drive: 8 plays, 16 yards, 3:05. Third quarter STL – Jeff Wilkins 21-yard field goal, 8:08. Rams 16–7. Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 6:52. Fourth quarter ARI – Edgerrin James 6-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 4:13. Rams 16–14. Drive: 16 plays, 87 yards, 8:24. Top passers STL – Marc Bulger – 21/31, 309 yards, TD ARI – Kurt Warner – 19/28, 256 yards, TD, 3 INT Top rushers STL – Steven Jackson – 24 rushes, 62 yards ARI – Edgerrin James – 24 rushes, 94 yards, TD Top receivers STL – Torry Holt – 8 receptions, 120 yards, TD ARI – Anquan Boldin – 10 receptions, 129 yards The Cardinals returned home to face their third NFC West opponent, the St. Louis Rams. Quarterback Kurt Warner drew first blood against his former team, as completed a 12-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald for the only score of the first quarter. However, in the second quarter, it was all St. Louis. Kicker Jeff Wilkins got a 26-yard field goal, quarterback Marc Bulger completed a 9-yard pass to wide receiver Torry Holt, and Wilkens got a 47-yard field goal as time ran out on the first half. In the third quarter, Wilkens helped the Rams increase their lead with a 21-yard field goal, which was the only score of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, even a valiant effort for a comeback, the only score that Arizona could muster was a 6-yard touchdown run by running back Edgerrin James. After a Bulger fumble deep in St. Louis territory while trying to run out the clock set up the Cardinals for an easy chip shot field goal to win, Warner fumbled a snap and St. Louis recovered to seal the victory. Adding to Warner's three interceptions, the Cardinals got their first loss in their new stadium as they fell to 1–2. A few days afterward, ESPN reported that rookie quarterback Matt Leinart would be starting the next game. However, the next day, Arizona's head coach announced that the club would be sticking with the veteran Warner. Week 4: at Atlanta Falcons Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 4: Arizona Cardinals at Atlanta Falcons – Game summary October 1 1:00 p.m. EDT/10:00 a.m. MST Cardinals 3 7 0 0 Falcons 6 6 10 10 Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia 68,981 None (indoor stadium) Gene Steratore Box Score First quarter ATL – Morten Andersen 34-yard field goal, 10:55. Falcons 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 2:21. ATL – Morten Andersen 40-yard field goal, 8:19. Falcons 6–0. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 1:34. ARI – Neil Rackers 29-yard field goal, 2:30. Falcons 6–3. Drive: 12 plays, 71 yards, 5:49. Second quarter ATL – Michael Koenen 51-yard field goal, 14:45. Falcons 9–3. Drive: 8 plays, 34 yards, 2:45. ARI – Adrian Wilson 99-yard interception return (Neil Rackers kick), 5:59. Cardinals 10–9. ATL – Morten Andersen 36-yard field goal, 0:10. Falcons 12–10. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 3:16. Third quarter ATL – Morten Andersen 26-yard field goal, 7:08. Falcons 15–10. Drive: 16 plays, 67 yards, 7:52. ATL – DeAngelo Hall 37-yard interception return (Morten Andersen kick), 4:59. Falcons 22–10. Fourth quarter ATL – Jerious Norwood 78-yard run (Morten Andersen kick), 13:18. Falcons 29–10. Drive: 1 play, 78 yards, 0:12. ATL – Morten Andersen 28-yard field goal, 11:00. Falcons 32–10. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:30. Top passers ARI – Kurt Warner – 11/20, 128 yards, INT ATL – Michael Vick – 13/22, 153 yards, INT Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 20 rushes, 41 yards ATL – Jerious Norwood – 6 rushes, 106 yards, TD Top receivers ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 4 receptions, 71 yards ATL – Ashley Lelie – 2 receptions, 61 yards Hoping to recover from a two-game skid, the Cardinals flew to the Georgia Dome for a Week 4 match-up with the Atlanta Falcons. From the get-go, the Cardinals trailed, as Falcons kicker Morten Andersen completed a 34-yard and a 40-yard field goal in the opening period. The Cardinals responded with a 29-yard field goal by kicker Neil Rackers. In the second quarter, Arizona continued to trail, as Koenan belted a 51-yard field goal for Atlanta. The Cardinals struck back with strong safety Adrian Wilson returning an interception 99 yards for a touchdown, but that was the only time that the Cardinals saw the lead, as Andersen got a 36-yard field goal to give the Falcons the lead at halftime. In the second half, the Cardinals got shot down and shut-out, as Atlanta scored 20 unanswered points (Andersen's 26-yard field goal, cornerback DeAngelo Hall's 37-yard interception return in the third quarter, rookie running back Jerious Norwood's 78-yard touchdown run and Andersen's 28-yard field goal in the fourth quarter). Not even quarterback Matt Leinart, who replaced quarterback Kurt Warner in the fourth quarter, could save Arizona from dropping their third straight game, as the Cardinals fell to 1–3. The game showed just how much the Cardinals had to improve their offensive line, as they were whipped for the whole game by the Falcons defensive line. Week 5: vs. Kansas City Chiefs Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 5: Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary October 8 1:05 p.m. MST Chiefs 0 10 0 13 Cardinals 14 3 3 0 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,445 None (retractable roof closed) Terry McAulay CBS Ian Eagle, Solomon Wilcots Box Score First quarter ARI – Anquan Boldin 49-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 12:19. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:41. ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 5-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 6:12. Cardinals 14–0. Drive: 7 plays, 41 yards, 3:19. Second quarter KC – Lawrence Tynes 45-yard field goal, 12:01. Cardinals 14–3. Drive: 8 plays, 25 yards, 3:48 KC – Larry Johnson 9-yard pass from Damon Huard (Lawrence Tynes kick), 3:26. Cardinals 14–10. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 0:57. ARI – Neil Rackers 41-yard field goal, 0:42. Cardinals 17–10. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 0:50. Third quarter ARI – Neil Rackers 45-yard field goal, 10:06. Cardinals 20–10. Drive: 6 plays, 42 yards, 3:31. Fourth quarter KC – Samie Parker 15-yard pass from Damon Huard (Lawrence Tynes kick), 9:35. Cardinals 20–17. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 4:04. KC – Lawrence Tynes 40-yard field goal, 5:06. Tied 20–20. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:47. KC – Lawrence Tynes 19-yard field goal, 1:36. Chiefs 23–20. Drive: 5 plays, 85 yards, 0:55. Top passers KC – Damon Huard – 26/38, 288 yards, 2 TD ARI – Matt Leinart – 22/35, 253 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers KC – Larry Johnson – 16 rushes, 36 yards ARI – Edgerrin James – 24 rushes, 71 yards Top receivers KC – Larry Johnson – 6 receptions, 106 yards, TD ARI – Bryant Johnson – 6 receptions, 82 yards The Cardinals hosted a close contest with the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was the first at the newly christened University of Phoenix Stadium, which signed its naming rights deal with the Cardinals two days after Arizona's last home game versus St. Louis. The Cardinals started off hot as Matt Leinart, making his first NFL start, threw two touchdowns in the first quarter to his two top targets, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. The Chiefs responded early in the second quarter with a 45-yard field goal by kicker Lawrence Tynes, and a touchdown pass from quarterback Damon Huard to running back Larry Johnson. Cards kicker Neil Rackers added a 41-yard field at the end of the first half. Another Rackers field goal, this time from 45 yards, accounted for the only score in the third quarter. The Chiefs then scored 13 unanswered points to win the game, with a touchdown pass from Huard to Samie Parker, and two field goals by Tynes (40, 19). Tynes' last field goal was set up by a 78-yard screen pass from Huard to Johnson. Johnson suffered a sprained neck at the end of the play on a violent face mask tackle by Cardinals' cornerback Antrel Rolle, who was fined $12,500 for the penalty. A last second 51-yard field goal attempt by Rackers to send the game to overtime failed, giving the Cardinals their fourth straight loss. During the game Larry Fitzgerald pulled a hamstring and missed 3 games, returning Week 10 against Dallas. Week 6: vs. Chicago Bears 2006 Chicago Bears–Arizona Cardinals game 2006 Chicago Bears season Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 6: Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary October 16 5:40 p.m. MST Bears 0 0 10 14 Cardinals 14 6 3 0 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,977 73 F C (retractable roof open) Jerome Boger ESPN Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann, and Tony Kornheiser Box Score First quarter ARI – Bryant Johnson 11-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 7:06. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 12 plays, 77 yards, 6:52. ARI – Anquan Boldin 26-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 0:54. Cardinals 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 1:32. Second quarter ARI – Neil Rackers 41-yard field goal, 4:15. Cardinals 17–0. Drive: 7 plays, 10 yards, 3:50. ARI – Neil Rackers 28-yard field goal, 0:00. Cardinals 20–0. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 2:10. Third quarter CHI – Robbie Gould 23-yard field goal, 7:22. Cardinals 20–3. Drive: 13 plays, 64 yards, 5:49. ARI – Neil Rackers 29-yard field goal, 1:47. Cardinals 23–3. Drive: 13 plays, 49 yards, 5:35. CHI – Mike Brown 3-yard fumble return (Robbie Gould kick), 0:02. Cardinals 23–10. Fourth quarter CHI – Charles Tillman 40-yard fumble return (Robbie Gould kick), 5:00. Cardinals 23–17. CHI – Devin Hester 83-yard punt return (Robbie Gould kick), 2:58. Bears 24–23. Top passers CHI – Rex Grossman – 14/37, 144 yards, 4 INT ARI – Matt Leinart – 24/42, 232 yards, 2 TD Top rushers CHI – Thomas Jones – 11 rushes, 43 yards ARI – Edgerrin James – 36 rushes, 55 yards Top receivers CHI – Desmond Clark – 4 receptions, 61 yards ARI – Anquan Boldin – 12 receptions, 136 yards, TD The Cardinals came out smoking early as quarterback Matt Leinart for the second straight week threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter, connecting with wide receivers Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin. Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers converted field goals of 41 and 28 yards respectively to give the Cardinals a seemingly insurmountable 20–0 halftime lead. During a halftime ceremony former St. Louis Cardinals tackle Dan Dierdorf was inducted into the stadium's ring of honor. The Cardinals held Bears quarterback Rex Grossman in check, forcing him into six turnovers (four interceptions and two fumbles). Bears kicker Robbie Gould drilled a 23-yard field goal midway through the third quarter for the Bears' only offensive points of the night. Cardinals kicker Rackers responded with a 29-yard field goal of his own to extend the lead to 23–3. The Bears went on to score 21 unanswered points on defense and special teams, two fumble recoveries by Mike Brown and Charles Tillman respectively, and an 82-yard punt return touchdown by rookie Devin Hester. Cardinals kicker Rackers was set up to win the game with a 40-yard field goal in the waning minutes, but the kick sailed wide left and they dropped to 1–5 on the season. The loss marked the first time in history that a team blew a 20-point lead to an opponent who did not score any offensive touchdowns. At the post-game press conference, head coach Dennis Green erupted at reporters. "The Bears are who we thought they were! That's why we took the damn field! Now, if you want to crown them, then crown their ass! But they are who we thought they were, and we let them off the hook!" He then smacked the microphone before storming out of the room. The clip quickly became a highlight of sports shows and popular online. (An edited version of the clip was being used in current Coors Light advertisements). Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman told Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart after the game that Arizona deserved to have won that game. Week 7: at Oakland Raiders Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 7: Arizona Cardinals at Oakland Raiders – Game summary October 22 1:15 p.m. MST and PDT Cardinals 0 3 3 3 Raiders 14 3 5 0 McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California 61,595 67 F C Bill Vinovich FOX Matt Devlin, Tony Siragusa Box Score First quarter OAK – ReShard Lee 1-yard run (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 4:25. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 5:15. OAK – Randy Moss 32-yard pass from Andrew Walter (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 3:30. Raiders 14–0. Drive: 1 play, 32 yards, 0:08. Second quarter OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 31-yard field goal, 14:50. Raiders 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 23 yards, 1:40. ARI – Neil Rackers 29-yard field goal, 6:00. Raiders 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 21 yards, 2:41. Third quarter OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 35-yard field goal, 6:50. Raiders 20–3. Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 3:55. OAK – Team safety, 5:46. Raiders 22–3. ARI – Neil Rackers 45-yard field goal, 3:03. Raiders 22–6. Drive: 5 plays, 17 yards, 2:28. Fourth quarter ARI – Neil Rackers 38-yard field goal, 10:07. Raiders 22–9. Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 3:58. Top passers ARI – Matt Leinart – 13/32, 203 yards, 2 INT OAK – Andrew Walter – 17/30, 263 yards, TD, INT Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 13 rushes, 34 yards OAK – Justin Fargas – 23 rushes, 66 yards Top receivers ARI – Bryant Johnson – 3 receptions, 87 yards OAK – Randy Moss – 7 receptions, 129 yards, TD Hoping to end their horrendous five-game skid, the Cardinals traveled to McAfee Coliseum to face the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders came into the game at 0–5, the only winless team in the NFL. This was the Cardinals’ first game under new offensive coordinator Mike Kruczek, who replaced the fired Keith Rowen in the wake of Arizona's meltdown in the fourth quarter of the game against Chicago. Arizona had visited Oakland only once before. The Cardinals won 34–31 on an overtime field goal by Bill Gramatica on December 2, 2001. The Raiders won the last meeting with the Cardinals, 41–20 at Sun Devil Stadium on November 24, 2002. In the first quarter, the Cardinals' string of bad luck continued to haunt them, as Raiders running back ReShard Lee got a 1-yard touchdown run, while quarterback Andrew Walter threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Randy Moss. In the second quarter, both teams swapped field goals. Oakland kicker Sebastian Janikowski got a 31-yard field goal, while Arizona kicker Neil Rackers nailed a 29-yard try. In the third quarter, the Raiders continued to pour on the points, as Janikowski got a 35-yard field goal, while defensive tackle Terdell Sands tackles Cardinals running back Marcel Shipp at the goal line for a safety. The only response Arizona could bring up was Rackers kicking a 45-yard field goal. He kicked one more in the fourth quarter (38-yarder), but that was all that the Cardinals produced as they dropped their sixth straight game. Week 8: at Green Bay Packers Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 8: Arizona Cardinals at Green Bay Packers – Game summary October 22 12:00 p.m. CDT/10:00 a.m. MST Cardinals 0 7 7 0 Packers 7 14 7 3 Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin 70,809 45 F C Bill Leavy FOX Ron Pitts, Terry Donahue Box Score First quarter GB – David Martin 1-yard pass from Brett Favre (Dave Rayner kick), 5:05. Packers 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 88 yards, 4:37. Second quarter GB – Ahman Green 4-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), 14:22. Packers 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 3:19. GB – Ahman Green 2-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), 6:24. Packers 21–0. Drive: 9 plays, 87 yards, 3:25. ARI – Edgerrin James 1-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 0:29. Packers 21–7. Drive: 14 plays, 84 yards, 5:55. Third quarter GB – Brett Favre 1-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), 7:41. Packers 28–7. Drive: 13 plays, 74 yards, 7:19. ARI – Troy Walters 17-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 1:33. Packers 28–14. Drive: 13 plays, 59 yards, 6:08. Fourth quarter GB – Dave Rayner 42-yard field goal, 6:56. Packers 31–14. Drive: 10 plays, 47 yards, 6:18. Top passers ARI – Matt Leinart – 14/35, 157 yards, TD, INT GB – Brett Favre – 17/25, 180 yards, TD Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 24 rushes, 84 yards, TD GB – Ahman Green – 21 rushes, 106 yards, 2 TD Top receivers ARI – Troy Walters – 5 receptions, 54 yards, TD GB – Donald Driver – 5 receptions, 48 yards The Cards visited Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin to take on the Packers. Arizona had not visited Lambeau Field since a 49–24 loss in the final game of the 1999 season on January 2, 2000. The Cardinals defeated the Packers 20–13 in the last meeting between the teams on September 21, 2003, at Sun Devil Stadium. Their 2003 victory stayed as a memory, as the Cardinals dropped their seventh straight game, heading into their bye week at 1–7. In the wake of this loss, concern for the remainder of the once-promising season was so strong, defensive end Bertrand Berry led a players-only meeting at the Cardinals HQ in Tempe on November 7.Cards return, voice concern Some days earlier, Berry openly questioned his teammates' commitment to success during an interview on a local radio program. Week 10: vs. Dallas Cowboys Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 10: Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary November 12 2:15 p.m. MST Cowboys 3 10 7 7 Cardinals 0 3 0 7 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,926 (retractable roof open) Mike Carey Box Score First quarter DAL – Mike Vanderjagt 28-yard field goal, 0:37. Cowboys 3–0. Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 5:55. Second quarter DAL – Patrick Crayton 30-yard pass from Tony Romo (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 8:33. Cowboys 10–0. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 3:15. ARI – Neil Rackers 28-yard field goal, 3:31. Cowboys 10–3. Drive: 13 plays, 65 yards, 5:02. DAL – Mike Vanderjagt 38-yard field goal, 0:00. Cowboys 13–3. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 3:31. Third quarter DAL – Terrell Owens 51-yard pass from Tony Romo (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 5:15. Cowboys 20–3. Drive: 1 play, 51 yards, 0:08. Fourth quarter DAL – Marion Barber III 5-yard run (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 14:17. Cowboys 27–3. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 2:59. ARI – Matt Leinart 3-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 11:53. Cowboys 27–10. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 2:24. Top passers DAL – Tony Romo – 20/29, 308 yards, 2 TD ARI – Matt Leinart – 20/38, 216 yards, 2 INT Top rushers DAL – Marion Barber III – 13 rushes, 65 yards, TD ARI – Edgerrin James – 15 rushes, 68 yards Top receivers DAL – Patrick Crayton – 5 receptions, 104 yards, TD ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 6 receptions, 80 yards Coming off their bye week, the Cardinals went home for a Week 10 fight with their former rival the Dallas Cowboys. In the first quarter, Arizona trailed early as kicker Mike Vanderjagt nailed a 28-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Cardinals' year-long struggles continued as quarterback Tony Romo completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Patrick Crayton. The Cardinals responded with a 28-yard field goal by kicker Neil Rackers. Afterwards, Vanderjagt gave the Cowboys some breathing room with a 38-yard field goal as time ran out on the half. In the third quarter, things continued to get worse for Arizona as Romo completed a 51-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Terrell Owens for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Dallas wrapped up the game with running back Marion Barber's 5-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals got a touchdown as quarterback Matt Leinart got a 3-yard touchdown run. However, the Cardinals dropped their eighth straight game and fell to 1–8. Week 11: vs. Detroit Lions Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 11: Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary November 12 2:05 p.m. MST Lions 0 0 3 7 Cardinals 0 10 7 0 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,348 None (retractable roof closed) Scott Green Box Score First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter ARI – Bryant Johnson 2-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 6:28. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 88 yards, 6:39. ARI – Neil Rackers 36-yard field goal, 1:53. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 3:01. Third quarter ARI – Matt Leinart 9-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 11:57. Cardinals 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 86 yards, 3:03. DET – Jason Hanson 32-yard field goal, 2:50. Cardinals 17–3. Drive: 15 plays, 66 yards, 9:07. Fourth quarter DET – Arlen Harris 1-yard run (Jason Hanson kick), 4:35. Cardinals 17–10. Drive: 14 plays, 97 yards, 5:14. Top passers DET – Jon Kitna – 23/38, 248 yards, INT ARI – Matt Leinart – 19/29, 233 yards, TD Top rushers DET – Arlen Harris – 10 rushes, 40 yards, TD ARI – Edgerrin James – 22 rushes, 96 yards Top receivers DET – Mike Furrey – 6 receptions, 67 yards ARI – Anquan Boldin – 5 receptions, 87 yards Trying to end their eight-game skid, the Cardinals stayed at home for a Week 11 fight with the Detroit Lions. After a scoreless first quarter, the Cardinals struck first in the second quarter with quarterback Matt Leinart completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bryant Johnson. Afterwards, kicker Neil Rackers nailed a 36-yard field goal for Arizona. In the third quarter, Leinart scored on a 9-yard run to give the Cardinals a 17–0 lead. However, the Lions started to creep back into the game. It started with kicker Jason Hanson's 32-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Detroit started to threaten Arizona's lead as running back Arlen Harris got a 1-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals' defense held up for the win. Not only did the Cardinals improve to 2–8, but they also snapped their eight-game losing streak. Week 12: at Minnesota Vikings Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 12: Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary November 26 12:05 p.m. CST/11:05 a.m. MST Cardinals 7 6 0 13 Vikings 7 7 10 7 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota 63,483 None (indoor stadium) Jerome Boger Fox Matt Vasgersian and J.C. Pearson Box Score First quarter ARI – J.J. Arrington 99-yard kickoff return (Neil Rackers kick), 14:44. Cardinals 7–0. MIN – Chester Taylor 1-yard run (Ryan Longwell kick), 9:42. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 5:02. Second quarter ARI – Neil Rackers 21-yard field goal, 13:28. Cardinals 10–7. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 3:04. ARI – Neil Rackers 50-yard field goal, 3:48. Cardinals 13–7. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:40. MIN – Marcus Robinson 17-yard pass from Brad Johnson (Ryan Longwell kick), 0:31. Vikings 14–13. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 3:17. Third quarter MIN – Billy McMullen 9-yard pass from Brad Johnson (Ryan Longwell kick), 10:37. Vikings 21–13. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:23. MIN – Ryan Longwell 40-yard field goal, 6:38. Vikings 24–13. Drive: 9 plays, 32 yards, 3:28. Fourth quarter MIN – Jeff Dugan 3-yard pass from Brad Johnson (Ryan Longwell kick), 12:00. Vikings 31–13. Drive: 7 plays, 35 yards, 3:02. ARI – Adrian Wilson 99-yard fumble return (pass failed), 10:08. Vikings 31–19. ARI – Anquan Boldin 9-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 0:39. Vikings 31–26. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 1:10. Top passers ARI – Matt Leinart – 31/51, 405 yards, TD, 2 INT MIN – Brad Johnson – 27/41, 271 yards, 3 TD Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 4 rushes, 15 yards MIN – Chester Taylor – 27 rushes, 136 yards, TD Top receivers ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 11 receptions, 172 yards MIN – Marcus Robinson – 7 receptions, 82 yards, TD Coming off of their home win over the Lions, the Cardinals flew to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for a Week 12 fight with the Minnesota Vikings. This game was noted for the return of head coach Dennis Green to Minnesota where he coached from 1992 to 2001. On the very first play of the first quarter, running back J.J. Arrington returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. The Vikings responded with running back Chester Taylor's 1-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers gave Arizona a 21-yard and a 50-yard field goal for a decent lead. However, the Vikings took the lead with quarterback Brad Johnson's 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marcus Robinson. In the third quarter, more of the Cardinals' year-long ineffectiveness showed as Johnson completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Billy McMullen, while kicker Ryan Longwell nailed a 40-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Minnesota improved its lead on Johnson's 3-yard touchdown pass to fullback Jeff Dugan. Afterwards, Arizona tried to fight back as strong safety Adrian Wilson returned a fumble 99 yards for a touchdown, yet it was followed up by a failed two-point conversion. Afterwards, quarterback Matt Leinart completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Afterwards, the Vikings wrapped up the game and won. With the loss, the Cardinals fell to 2–9. Week 13: at St. Louis Rams Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 13: Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams – Game summary December 3 12:00 p.m. CST/11:00 a.m. MST Cardinals 7 10 7 10 Rams 3 0 7 10 Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri 65,612 None (indoor stadium) Ron Winter Box Score First quarter ARI – Marcel Shipp 1-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 7:38. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 13 plays, 90 yards, 7:22. STL – Jeff Wilkins 27-yard field goal, 1:02. Cardinals 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 64 yards, 6:36. Second quarter ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 11-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 5:49. Cardinals 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 50 yards, 2:38. ARI – Neil Rackers 23-yard field goal, 0:18. Cardinals 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 1:33. Third quarter STL – Torry Holt 15-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jeff Wilkins kick), 12:14. Cardinals 17–10. Drive: 6 plays, 62 yards, 2:46. ARI – Marcel Shipp 6-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 2:10. Cardinals 24–10. Drive: 10 plays, 88 yards, 4:03. Fourth quarter STL – Jeff Wilkins 37-yard field goal, 14:30. Cardinals 24–13. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 2:40. ARI – Marcel Shipp 9-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 8:14. Cardinals 31–13. Drive: 4 plays, 19 yards, 2:13. ARI – Neil Rackers 20-yard field goal, 1:57. Cardinals 34–13. Drive: 9 plays, 34 yards, 4:38. STL – Isaac Bruce 1-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jeff Wilkins kick), 0:35. Cardinals 34–20. Drive: 10 plays, 62 yards, 1:22. Top passers ARI – Matt Leinart – 15/24, 186 yards, TD STL – Marc Bulger – 27/45, 314 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 26 rushes, 115 yards STL – Steven Jackson – 21 rushes, 96 yards Top receivers ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 5 receptions, 46 yards, TD STL – Torry Holt – 7 receptions, 115 yards, TD The Cards visited the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis (the team's former home) to take on the Rams. The Cardinals won by a score of 34–20. Quarterback Matt Leinart was 15-for-24 for 186 yards and one touchdown; running back Edgerrin James had his 50th career 100-yard rushing game, and running back Marcel Shipp scored three touchdowns. The Cardinals moved up to 3–9 and they finally managed to acquire their very first road win of the season. Week 14: vs. Seattle Seahawks Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 14: Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary December 10 2:05 p.m. MST Seahawks 7 7 7 0 Cardinals 14 3 0 10 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,603 None (retractable roof closed) Gene Steratore Box Score First quarter ARI – Bryant Johnson 56-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 12:45. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 56 yards, 0:09. ARI – Edgerrin James 7-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 3:27. Cardinals 14–0. Drive: 4 plays, 24 yards, 1:58. SEA – D.J. Hackett 23-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick), 2:37. Cardinals 14–7. Drive: 2 plays, 70 yards, 0:50. Second quarter ARI – Neil Rackers 32-yard field goal, 3:14. Cardinals 17–7. Drive: 11 plays, 60 yards, 6:41. SEA – Nate Burleson 5-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick), 0:30. Cardinals 17–14. Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 2:44. Third quarter SEA – Darrell Jackson 2-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck (Josh Brown kick), 5:05. Seahawks 21–17. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 5:24. Fourth quarter ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 5-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 14:56. Cardinals 24–21. Drive: 7 plays, 36 yards, 3:28. ARI – Neil Rackers 40-yard field goal, 3:30. Cardinals 27–21. Drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 3:33. Top passers SEA – Matt Hasselbeck – 20/28, 243 yards, 3 TD ARI – Matt Leinart – 21/34, 232 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers SEA – Shaun Alexander – 22 rushes, 76 yards ARI – Edgerrin James – 26 rushes, 115 yards, TD Top receivers SEA – D.J. Hackett – 4 receptions, 104 yards, TD ARI – Bryant Johnson – 3 receptions, 81 yards, TD Coming of their road win over the Rams, the Cardinals went home for an NFC West rematch with the Seattle Seahawks. In the first quarter, the Cardinals drew first blood with quarterback Matt Leinart completing a 56-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Bryant Johnson, while running back Edgerrin James (who ran for 115 yards on the day) got a 7-yard touchdown run. The Seahawks responded with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver D.J. Hackett. In the second quarter, the Cardinals increased their lead with kicker Neil Rackers getting a 32-yard field goal, yet Seattle responded with Hasselbeck's 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nate Burleson. In the third quarter, Arizona temporarily lost the lead as Hasselbeck completed a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Darrell Jackson for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Arizona reclaimed the lead and won with Leinart's 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Rackers' 40-yard field goal. With the upset win, the Cardinals improved to 4–9. Week 15: vs. Denver Broncos Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 15: Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary December 17 2:05 p.m. MST Broncos 10 6 7 14 Cardinals 0 10 3 7 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona 63,845 (retractable roof open) Walt Anderson CBS Jim Nantz, Phil Simms Box Score First quarter DEN – Javon Walker 54-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Jason Elam kick), 12:00. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards, 1:26. DEN – Jason Elam 30-yard field goal, 8:51. Broncos 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 14 yards, 2:57. Second quarter DEN – Jason Elam 22-yard field goal, 12:59. Broncos 13–0. Drive: 17 plays, 78 yards, 9:02. ARI – Neil Rackers 49-yard field goal, 8:12. Broncos 13–3. Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 4:47. ARI – Antonio Smith 4-yard fumble return (Neil Rackers kick), 7:53. Broncos 13–10. DEN – Jason Elam 30-yard field goal, 0:57. Broncos 16–10. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 6:56. Third quarter DEN – Rod Smith 10-yard pass from Jay Cutler (Jason Elam kick), 8:54. Broncos 24–10. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 3:00. ARI – Neil Rackers 38-yard field goal, 2:19. Broncos 24–13. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 6:35. Fourth quarter DEN – Mike Bell 1-yard run (Jason Elam kick), 13:51. Broncos 31–13. Drive: 6 plays, 29 yards, 3:28. ARI – Edgerrin James 4-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 7:46. Broncos 31–20. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 6:05. DEN – Mike Bell 1-yard run (Jason Elam kick), 2:44. Broncos 38–20. Drive: 11 plays, 62 yards, 5:02. Top passers DEN – Jay Cutler – 21/31, 261 yards, 2 TD, INT ARI – Matt Leinart – 20/35, 214 yards, 2 INT Top rushers DEN – Mike Bell – 16 rushes, 61 yards, 2 TD ARI – Edgerrin James – 14 rushes, 63 yards, TD Top receivers DEN – Javon Walker – 5 receptions, 84 yards, TD ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 5 receptions, 77 yards Trying to snap a four-game losing skid, the Broncos flew to the University of Phoenix Stadium for a Week 15 interconference fight with the Arizona Cardinals. The last time these two teams met each other, Denver won 37–7 at Invesco Field at Mile High on December 29, 2002. This time, it was a battle of rookie quarterbacks as Matt Leinart went up against Jay Cutler. Former Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer had been reduced to a backup, and he never saw action against his former team. In the first quarter, the Cardinals trailed early as Cutler completed a 54-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Javon Walker and kicker Jason Elam nailed a 30-yard field goal. In the second quarter, Arizona trailed even further with Elam's 22-yard field goal. The Cardinals scored as kicker Neil Rackers nailed a 49-yard field goal and defensive end Antonio Smith returned a fumble 4 yards for a touchdown. However, Denver managed to get one last field goal before halftime as Elam kicked a 30-yard field goal. In the third quarter, more struggles continued as Cutler completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rod Smith. Arizona responded with Rackers' 38-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Broncos continued their pounding on the Cardinals with running back Mike Bell's 1-yard touchdown run. Even though the Cardinals got a 4-yard touchdown run by running back Edgerrin James, Denver wrapped up Cutler's first NFL win with another 1-yard touchdown run by Mike Bell. With the loss, Arizona fell to 4–10. Week 16: at San Francisco 49ers Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 16: Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary December 24 1:05 p.m. PST/2:05 p.m. MST Cardinals 10 10 0 6 49ers 3 3 7 7 Monster Park, San Francisco, California 67,751 50 F C Bill Vinovich Box Score First quarter SF – Joe Nedney 49-yard field goal, 10:19. 49ers 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 37 yards, 4:41. ARI – Neil Rackers 25-yard field goal, 7:41. Tied 3–3. Drive: 5 plays, 65 yards, 2:38. ARI – Marcel Shipp 5-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 0:59. Cardinals 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:26. Second quarter ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 6-yard pass from Matt Leinart (Neil Rackers kick), 8:07. Cardinals 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 74 yards, 5:12. ARI – Neil Rackers 39-yard field goal, 1:57. Cardinals 20–3. Drive: 9 plays, 33 yards, 4:30. SF – Joe Nedney 32-yard field goal, 0:22. Cardinals 20–6. Drive: 8 plays, 56 yards, 1:35. Third quarter SF – Frank Gore 2-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 6:25. Cardinals 20–13. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 3:20. Fourth quarter ARI – Neil Rackers 37-yard field goal, 14:57. Cardinals 23–13. Drive: 12 plays, 58 yards, 6:28. ARI – Neil Rackers 32-yard field goal, 8:28. Cardinals 26–13. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, 1:41. SF – Frank Gore 1-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 5:00. Cardinals 26–20. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 3:28. Top passers ARI – Matt Leinart – 9/13, 162 yards, TD SF – Alex Smith – 18/29, 190 yards, INT Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 29 rushes, 105 yards SF – Frank Gore – 11 rushes, 51 yards, 2 TD Top receivers ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 4 receptions, 93 yards, TD SF – Vernon Davis – 4 receptions, 91 yards Hoping to rebound from their home loss to the Broncos, the Cardinals flew to Monster Park for an NFC West rematch with the San Francisco 49ers. In the first quarter, the 49ers struck first with kicker Joe Nedney nailing a 49-yard field goal. Afterwards, the Cardinals took the lead with kicker Neil Rackers getting a 25-yard field goal and running back Marcel Shipp getting a 5-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, Arizona increased its lead with rookie quarterback Matt Leinart completing a 6-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, while Rackers kicked a 39-yard field goal. Afterwards, San Francisco responded with Nedney kicking a 32-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the 49ers started to retaliate with running back Frank Gore getting a 2-yard touchdown run for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals increased its lead with Rackers kicking a 37-yard and a 32-yard field goal. Even though the 49ers got another score as Gore managed to get a 1-yard touchdown run, Arizona held on to sweep San Francisco. With the win, the Cardinals improved to 5–10. Week 17: at San Diego Chargers Arizona Cardinals 2006 2;text-align:center; autocollapse Week 17: Arizona Cardinals at San Diego Chargers – Game summary December 31 1:15 p.m. PST/2:15 p.m. MST Cardinals 7 0 3 10 Chargers 3 14 10 0 Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California 66,492 57 F C Gerry Austin FOX Matt Devlin, Dale Hellestrae, Chris Rix Box Score First quarter ARI – Edgerrin James 8-yard run (Neil Rackers kick), 6:21. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 3:59. SD – Nate Kaeding 47-yard field goal, 2:23. Cardinals 7–3. Drive: 8 plays, 36 yards, 3:58. Second quarter SD – Antonio Gates 33-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 10:25. Chargers 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 76 yards, 4:58. SD – Vincent Jackson 14-yard pass from Philip Rivers (Nate Kaeding kick), 1:49. Chargers 17–7. Drive: 10 plays, 79 yards, 5:09. Third quarter SD – Tim Dobbins 0-yard fumble return (Nate Kaeding kick), 12:25. Chargers 24–7. SD – Nate Kaeding 35-yard field goal, 6:23. Chargers 27–7. Drive: 8 plays, 45 yards, 4:25. ARI – Neil Rackers 28-yard field goal, 1:31. Chargers 27–10. Drive: 9 plays, 73 yards, 4:52. Fourth quarter ARI – Larry Fitzgerald 9-yard pass from Kurt Warner (Neil Rackers kick), 9:06. Chargers 27–17. Drive: 7 plays, 86 yards, 3:41. ARI – Neil Rackers 20-yard field goal, 3:23. Chargers 27–20. Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards, 4:02. Top passers ARI – Kurt Warner – 22/32, 356 yards, TD SD – Philip Rivers – 19/24, 231 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers ARI – Edgerrin James – 16 rushes, 66 yards, TD SD – LaDainian Tomlinson – 16 rushes, 66 yards Top receivers ARI – Anquan Boldin – 4 receptions, 112 yards SD – Eric Parker – 5 receptions, 62 yards Trying to end their lackluster season on a high note, the Cardinals played their last game of the year at Qualcomm Stadium against the playoff-bound San Diego Chargers. In the first quarter, Arizona struck first with running back Edgerrin James getting an 8-yard touchdown run, yet the Chargers managed to get a 47-yard field goal from kicker Nate Kaeding. In the second quarter, the Cardinals' year-long ineffectiveness continued to show as quarterback Philip Rivers completed a 33-yard touchdown pass to tight end Antonio Gates and a 14-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. In the third quarter, San Diego wrapped up the game with linebacker Tim Dobbins recovering a fumble the Cardinals' endzone for a touchdown, while Kaeding kicked a 35-yard field goal. Afterwards, Arizona tried to make a comeback and it started with kicker Neil Rackers getting a 28-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Cardinals continued with their attempt at a comeback as quarterback Kurt Warner completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and a 20-yard field goal by Rackers. However, their comeback fell short. With the loss, the Cardinals ended their season at 5–11, and with head coach Dennis Green's dismissal. References Arizona Cardinals Category:Arizona Cardinals seasons Arizona