Cardinals clock Carolina
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The Arizona Cardinals were considered the softest team in the playoffs, unable to win far from home and carrying the scars of years of ineptitude.
But behind their cagey quarterback, dynamic receiver, improved defense - and a big assist from Jake Delhomme's horrible night - the Cardinals are a win away from the unthinkable: a berth in the Super Bowl.
Kurt Warner threw 2 touchdown passes, Larry Fitzgerald had 166 yards receiving and the Cardinals pounced on Delhomme's 6 turnovers Saturday night in a 33-13 win over the bumbling Panthers.
A team that had won only two playoff games in their history before last week's win over Atlanta, the Cardinals became the last NFC team to reach the conference championship since the 1970 merger with a win few saw coming.
Entering as a 10-point underdog and ridiculed for their 0-5 record in the Eastern time zone this season, Arizona (11-7) raced to a 27-7 halftime lead and cruised past the mistake-prone Panthers (12-5), who were the league's only unbeaten team at home in the regular season.
"Not many people had very nice things to say about us and didn't give us a chance," said Ken Whisenhunt, the second-year coach who has helped shed the losing culture of the franchise. "I think we've showed we can come to the East Coast and win a game. ... We believe in ourselves. I like being the underdog, and we're going to continue to be the underdog."
Arizona will either play at the New York Giants or host Philadelphia in the NFC championship game Jan. 18.
"I'm putting on my Philly hat right now," said Fitzgerald, who had a 29-yard touchdown catch in a dominant first half. "We would love to have a home game."
While the Cardinals proved they're for real, they also must thank Delhomme, who threw 5 interceptions and lost a fumble on his 34th birthday.
Just 1 shy of the NFL playoff record for interceptions, Delhomme became the first player to have 5 picks in the playoffs since Oakland's Rich Gannon in the 2003 Super Bowl against Tampa Bay.
He completed only 17 of 34 passes for 205 yards and 1 meaningless, late touchdown. His woes made Steve Smith a non-factor. The Pro Bowl receiver didn't have his first catch until the final minute of the third quarter.
"I'm at a loss for words," Delhomme said. "Usually I'm not. For one reason or another, I didn't give us a chance tonight."
Smith's TD came with 50 seconds left, when the Cardinals were celebrating.
"It's a group of guys that put their mind to going out and playing great football," said Warner, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 220 yards and an interception. "Everybody that needed to step up, stepped up. Everybody that needed to make a play, made a play and that's what it's all about."