The Arizona Cardinals weren't perfect yesterday -- the defense let a rookie quarterback throw for 431 yards and a decent-at-best wide receiver rack up 253 yards.
And even though it took overtime in Glendale yesterday, the Cardinals did the only thing that really mattered -- put up more points than the Miami Dolphins.
See also:
-Arizona Cardinals Cream the Philadelphia Eagles; Kevin Kolb's Still Righteous
-Arizona Cardinals, Football Jesus Kevin Kolb Defeat New England Patriots
-Kevin Kolb Temporarily Replaces Tim Tebow as Football Jesus
Although the Cardinals were down by 13 at halftime, and seven late in the fourth quarter, the team was able to force overtime, and Jay Feely knocked in a 46-yard field goal for the victory.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals took their first lead of the game on a three-play drive. Ryan Williams ran for a couple of yards on first down, then Kolb drilled tight end Rob Housler for 33 yards. On the next play, Kolb hit Andre Roberts for the 44-yard TD.
At that point, things got weird.
On the Dolphins' next drive, rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill delivered a pass to Legedu Naanee, who seemed to trip over himself, and drop the ball in the process, which was recovered by the Cards' Patrick Peterson. Peterson set himself up for the run-back, and made it -- almost. He was tackled at the Dolphins' three yard-line. After review -- yep, Naanee tripped over himself and dropped the football.
Ryan Williams carried it to the Dolphins' two yard-line, and on the second play of the drive, Kevin Kolb apparently tried to throw the ball away, but he definitely didn't, because the Dolphins picked it off in the endzone.
On the first play of the Dolphins' drive, Tannehill bombed an 80-yard pass to Brian Hartline, who was wide open. The Dolphins converted the two-point conversion to go up 21-14 with about seven minutes left in the game.
The Cardinals would punt after the offense couldn't recover from Kolb being sacked for the nth time -- he was sacked eight times in the game -- giving the Dolphins the ball back with five minutes left.
After Reggie Bush picked up a first down, the Dolphins were into Cardinals territory and driving. But Cardinals linebacker Daryl Washington decided to rush Tannehill up the middle on a Dolphins' first down, and no one tried to stop him. Tannehill dropped the ball after the hit by Washington -- which Washington didn't really notice -- and the Cards' Vonnie Holliday fell on the ball near midfield.
It looked like the Cardinals took a dump on another opportunity to tie the game when they got the ball back, as Kolb was sacked on first and second down to set up a third-and-18.
But Kolb hit Roberts on third down for 16, and hit him on fourth down for nine.
At that point, with less than two minutes remaining, it was all Kolb passing. After completing passes to Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, the Cardinals were at the Dolphins' 15 yard-line.
Then Kolb threw an incomplete pass to Floyd -- and an incomplete pass to Doucet, and another incomplete pass to Floyd.
On fourth down, with less than a minute to play, Kevin Kolb went into Football Jesus mode. Roberts ran a perfect route that landed him in the front corner of the endzone on Kolb's left, and Kolb hit him perfectly -- touchdown. The score was 21-21 with 22 seconds left.
Tannehill took a knee to force overtime, and the Cardinals won the coin toss.
The Cardinals went three-and-out, and on the Dolphins' drive, the defense again made the play to set up the win -- Kerry Rhodes picked off a pass intended for Brian Hartline near midfield.
On the Cards' second chance in overtime, Kolb converted a third-down to get to Miami's 35 yard-line.
After sending Williams to run up the middle three times, the Cardinals made it to Miami's 29. That marked Jay Feely time, as the gloves-wearing kicker nailed the 46-yarder to win the game.
The Cardinals are now undefeated through four, and Miami is pissed.
We have a feeling a lot of Miami fans are sulking to this song right now: