When we talk about the job new Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt has done with the Arizona Cardinals in his first year, I think we all have to agree the most important changes he has made have been to adjust a few attitudes in the desert. First, he focused on the players, he had to get them to buy what he was selling, a winning attitude. When you look at this team and the ten games played so far, you have to believe that the players have absolutely bought into Whis’ system. The Cards have been in every game this year, losing 3 of their five losses by a combined 8 points. In years past, this team was finding ways to lose, finding ways to give away games. But now, you can feel that something is different, we all can feel it. They are battling, they are making plays, they are playing like a TEAM!

At 5-5, the Cards are only one game back on the division leading Seattle Seahawks for the number one spot in the NFC West, with the showdown looming three weeks away. They have been playing tough, physical football but are still working on the discipline part (Leonard Pope false starts anyone….). But the most remarkable thing Whisenhunt has accomplished to date is how he has won over the belief of the city of Phoenix in such a short amount of time. Not only are the players buying what he’s selling, the fans have bought into it too!!

Take a look at all the online polls you see over at azcardinals.com, azcentral.com, or even here on Raisingzona.com; three weeks ago the overwhelming number of votes were cast in the direction of the Cards missing the playoffs yet again. Now…..people are looking ahead to a division title! You can look at sports writers, or broadcasters talking about the NFC West on shows like ESPN’s NFL Live and comparing both Seattle & Arizona….and they are picking the Cards to win it.

Changing the offense, or the defense of a team when you take over as a head coach, that’s expected to happen right away the day you walk into training camp. Changing the entire culture surrounding the most down-trodden franchise in the NFL ten weeks in to your first regular season as head coach, that doesn’t happen! Look, I’m not saying that this team isn’t going through some growing pains (the Tampa Bay game, Matt Leinart’s early struggles, etc.) but let me make one thing very clear: this IS NOT THE SAME OLD CARDINALS!

I have been on the bandwagon of this team since they came to Phoenix in 1988, and I can tell you that I have never felt as good about this team as I am now. Not even during our playoff run in 1998-99, that felt more like we were lucky rather than good. But this Cards team is different, this Cards team is inspiring, this Cards team makes me BELIEVE!!

GO CARDS!!!!

Mike Duggan
AZCardsfan4life