TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -Lack of attention to detail, turnovers, and just plain ol' mistakes.
The Arizona Cardinals have been pointing to the same problems since preseason, yet have been unable to do much about them while staggering to a 1-2 start. Worse yet, they are 0-2 at home, where the Cardinals were 8-2 last season, including playoff victories over Atlanta and Philadelphia.
``That's what we have to figure out,'' Kurt Warner said. ``Why is that continuing to happen. We all talk about it. We're all saying the same things, but why does it continue to happen? That's the problem we have to solve.''
The stunning run to the Super Bowl left Arizona with high expectations entering this season, and going into a weekend off, coach Ken Whisenhunt says he hasn't changed his opinion of how good the Cardinals can be.
``I'm not discouraged with our team because I know what we have in the locker room,'' Whisenhunt said. ``I know the way our players work and I can promise you this: We're going to come out here and work hard to get back to the way we know we can play.''
Warner could use the time off. The 38-year-old quarterback was battered by a fierce pass rush in Sunday night's 31-10 home loss to Indianapolis.
``A little sore,'' Warner said with a smile, ``but I'm OK.''
Warner has had a near-perfect game - an NFL record 24-for-26 passing performance against Jacksonville - sandwiched between two less-than-perfect showings against San Francisco and Indianapolis. It's not just Warner. The problems are across the board, on offense and defense.
``We've got to just take it upon ourselves as individuals to correct the things that we're doing wrong, the little things that we're doing wrong,'' Warner said. ``It's the difference between success and failure. Especially the closer you get to the red zone, the more important it is to have the details and all be on the same page. We're still missing that a little bit, for whatever reason.''
Three plays stand out in the loss to Indianapolis. With Arizona leading 3-0, the Cardinals drove to the 10-yard line, but Tim Hightower fumbled.
Late in the first half, with the Cardinals down 24-3, Warner completed a pass to Steve Breaston at the goal line. With the ball inside the 1-yard line, Warner checked out of a run play, then his pass under pressure toward Larry Fitzgerald was deflected into the air, and the Colts intercepted.
And there was the big play that didn't happen. Defenses have consistently double-teamed Larry Fitzgerald to take deep passes away, but he broke free down the sideline and was wide open. But Warner overthrew him. It was the kind of play the Cardinals were making routinely in the playoffs.
``I've got to make those plays when the opportunities are there to be made,'' Warner said. ``That's how we're successful. When I don't do that, it affects our whole football game.''
Warner believes the Cardinals may be having trouble dealing with success. After all, it's a franchise that had one playoff victory in a half-century before last season. But it's also a team that knows what winning feels like.
There are few personnel changes. Warner is on a string of 34 consecutive starts. He's played behind the same line since last year's opener. The defense is the same, with only a few exceptions: Bryant McFadden is now at cornerback and Calais Campbell replaced Antonio Smith on the defensive line.
Fitzgerald expects more of himself. He has 17 catches for 181 yards through three games, well below his usual numbers.
No matter what the defense is throwing at him, he said he has to do better.
``I don't think I'm playing on that same level I did last year,'' he said. ``There definitely are a lot of things I need to improve on to get back to playing like that. But rest assured I'm going to continue to bust my hump to get back there.''
Fitzgerald, who had the best playoffs as a receiver in NFL history last season, said the team isn't making the mistakes in practice that show up in the games.
``When you go out there at practice you're not going to see many balls on the ground, you're not going to see many missed assignments,'' he said. ``I don't know what it is. Every week I leave the practice field feeling that as a team we've gone out there and worked hard to execute our game plan. But for some reason on Sunday, we're not doing it.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
