| 18 October 2009
There will be plenty of these today, but here are the ones I'm thinking of first:
- Kyle Williams. The fourth-string left tackle is facing a lot of pressure -- literally and figuratively -- as the Hawks take the field today. Arizona doesn't have a fearsome pass rush, but Williams will have to hold his ground against whatever comes his way and stay in the game. Hasselbeck needs all the protection he can get.
- Aaron Curry. Look for his mean streak of disruptive violence to continue today, as Curry will probably introduce himself to Kurt Warner at least once. Curry has also seemed to be a catalyst for his teammates to play more aggressively, which should only compound itself in another big home game today. This kid is fun to watch.
- TJ Houshmandzadeh. He wants the ball -- but is he going to score? (I'm giving myself the "Chris Sullivan Bad Joke Award" for the day on that one.) Really though, Housh has been emphatic about wanting the ball more, and says he's finally 100 percent after fighting off back spasms through the season so far. He still has 27 catches, which ranks at number 10 in the league, and two touchdowns.
- John Carlson. He's been silent over the past few games, as defenses have figured out that he can kill them if they forget about him. Also, he's been called to help block on a number of plays, and he does a stout job of that. But today, look for him to have a couple of key grabs to keep the chains moving. The Hawks are going to exploit the Cardinals' league-worst pass defense all day today.
- Matt Hasselbeck. This is obvious, but his presence was the difference-maker on offense last week. It's just that simple. Matt also said he's feeling much better than last week, and judging by his performance then, this can only be a very, very promising statement.
- Edgerrin James. Arizona's lopsided defense -- first in the league against the run, last against the pass -- will contain Julius Jones and might stop Justin Forsett, but you can bet that Edge is going to especially fired up to stick it to the team that stuck it to him in the off-season. Extra carries for edge might be in the cards. Har har. (Good lord, I'm on a roll today.)
- Ken Lucas. Hopefully Lucas comes back strong and pulls a "This game's for Pop" today, dedicating a performance to his recently-deceased father. The 12th Man sends its best to you and your family, Ken.
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