As we prepare for another year of NFL football, let's take a look back at the highs and lows from 2014 for each team. Welcome to NFL Dos and Don'ts. If you missed one, you can read all our recaps right here.DoThe Cardinals lost Carson Palmer for the season in a Week 10 game against the St. Louis Rams and still managed to win that game, and enough future games to make it into the playoffs. Drew Stanton filled in admirably until he, too, was injured and Ryan Lindley had to step in. The Cardinals lost to the Panthers in the Wild Card round, but just getting there with your third option at quarterback is good for a nice little Do. But every team deserves a legitimate Do, not just a moral-victory Do, so let's go back to the game when Palmer got injured. Four plays into his relief appearance, Drew Stanton found John Brown for a nasty 48-yard, go-ahead touchdown.Do! Do come into the game and find your explosive rookie for a gorgeous leaping touchdown. The Cardinals could have gotten all bummed out that they lost their quarterback, but they immediately scored a highlight-reel touchdown and then piled it on the Rams in the final seven minutes to win 31-14. We're not saying this touchdown saved the Cardinals season, but at the very least it allowed for this celebration, which is an automatic Do.
Don'tThe Cardinals were a Top 5 team in turnover differential last year, forcing 25 turnovers while only giving up 17. They were also Top 5 in points allowed. That's very good, but they were also down near the bottom of the league in yardage allowed, making them a classic bend-don't-break defense. Our Don't, however, is a play where they bent and broke down allowing Fozzy Whittaker to make them look like the Keystone Kops of the playoffs.
The Cardinals lost this game and it wasn't even really a game. With Lindley starting, the offense mustered 78 yards. For the whole game. They also finished the game even with the Panthers on turnovers, with both teams giving it up three times. If your offense is going to be trash and also turn it over a bunch, your bend-don't-break defense is going to be in for a long day. Don't do that to your defense. And for the love of God, Patrick Peterson, Don't look like a Walking Dead extra clawing at a runner as he goes by.
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