The 2011 season was the Arizona Cardinals ' 92nd in the National Football League , their 24th in Arizona and their fifth under head coach Ken Whisenhunt . This was going to be the Cardinals first season with new starting quarterback Kevin Kolb , but he was injured and replaced by John Skelton . The team improved on their 5–11 record from the 2010 season , but missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
The 2011 Cardinals won four overtime games, an NFL record.[1]
Offseason
Signings
Pos.
Player
2010 Team
Contract
G
Daryn Colledge
Green Bay Packers
5 years, $27.5 million
LB
Stewart Bradley
Philadelphia Eagles
5 years, $25 million
C
Lyle Sendlein
Arizona Cardinals
5 years, $16 million
TE
Jeff King
Carolina Panthers
3 years, $5.5 million
DE
Nick Eason
Pittsburgh Steelers
2 years, $1.9 million
S
Michael Adams
Arizona Cardinals
2 years, $1.7 million
G
Floyd Womack
Cleveland Browns
1 year, $1.7 million
RB
Chester Taylor
Chicago Bears
1 year, $810,000
CB
Matt Ware
Arizona Cardinals
1 year, $855,000
C
Ben Claxton
Arizona Cardinals
1 year, $700,000
Departures
2011 NFL Draft
Acquisitions
On July 28, 2011 the Cardinals acquired Kolb from the Philadelphia Eagles for CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 2nd-round pick. The next day they signed former Carolina Panthers starting CB Richard Marshall .
Schedule
Preseason
The Cardinals' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.
Regular season
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Carolina Panthers
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 2: at Washington Redskins
Week Two: Arizona Cardinals at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Cardinals
7
0
7 7 21
Redskins
0
10
0 12 22
at FedExField , Landover, Maryland
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 3: at Seattle Seahawks
Week Three: Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Cardinals
0
10
0 0 10
Seahawks
3
3
7 0 13
at CenturyLink Field , Seattle, Washington
Date : September 25Game time : 1:15 p.m.[D] Game weather : 68° F (Rain)Game attendance : 66,199Referee : Alberto Riveron TV announcers (Fox) : Chris Myers, Tim Ryan and Drea Avent
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 4: vs. New York Giants
Week Four: New York Giants at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Giants
0
10
0 21 31
Cardinals
3
3
14 7 27
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
NYG – Eli Manning – 27/40, 321 YDS, 2 TD, 0 INT
ARI – Kevin Kolb – 20/34, 237 YDS, 0 TD, INT
Top rushers
NYG – Ahmad Bradshaw – 12 CAR, 39 YDS, TD
ARI – Beanie Wells – 27 CAR, 138 YDS, 3 TD
Top receivers
NYG – Hakeem Nicks – 10 REC, 162 YDS, TD
ARI – Larry Fitzgerald – 8 REC, 102 YDS
Top tacklers
Week 5: at Minnesota Vikings
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 7: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Seven: Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
7
10
9 6 32
Cardinals
0
7
7 6 20
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Coming off their bye week, the Cardinals went home for a Week 7 interconference duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers , in a rematch of Super Bowl XLIII . Arizona trailed early in the first quarter as Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Heath Miller . Pittsburgh would add onto their lead in the second quarter as Roethlisberger completed a 95-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace . The Cardinals would answer with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Alfonso Smith . The Steelers would close out the half with kicker Shaun Suisham getting a 41-yard field goal.
Arizona opened the third quarter with quarterback Kevin Kolb finding running back LaRod Stephens-Howling on a 73-yard touchdown pass, but Pittsburgh struck back with Roethlisberger completing a 4-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders , along with Kolb's intentional grounding penalty in the endzone resulting in a safety. In the fourth quarter, the Steelers continued to pull away with Suisham making a 42-yard and a 39-yard field goal. The Cardinals tried to rally as Kolb found wide receiver Early Doucet on a 2-yard touchdown pass (with a failed two-point conversion), but Pittsburgh held on to preserve the victory.
With the loss, Arizona fell to 1–5.
Week 8: at Baltimore Ravens
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 9: vs. St. Louis Rams
Week Nine: St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 OT Total
Rams
3
6
4 0 0 13
Cardinals
3
0
3 7 6 19
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 10: at Philadelphia Eagles
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 11: at San Francisco 49ers
Week Eleven: Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Cardinals
0
0
0 7 7
49ers
6
3
14 0 23
at Candlestick Park , San Francisco, California
Date : November 20Game time : 2:05 p.m. MSTGame weather : 55° F (Rain)Game attendance : 69,732Referee : Pete Morelli TV announcers (Fox) : Thom Brennaman , Brian Billick and Laura Okmin
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 12: at St. Louis Rams
Week Twelve: Arizona Cardinals at St. Louis Rams – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
Cardinals
3
0
17 3 23
Rams
7
3
0 10 20
at Edward Jones Dome , St. Louis, Missouri
Date : November 27Game time : 11:00 a.m. MSTGame weather : Played indoors (dome stadium)Game attendance : 56,029Referee : Mike Carey TV announcers (Fox) : Sam Rosen, Chad Pennington and Tina Cervasio
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 13: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Week Thirteen: Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 OT Total
Cowboys
0
10
3 0 0 13
Cardinals
3
0
3 7 6 19
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Date : December 4Game time : 2:15 p.m. MSTGame weather : 53 °F (12 °C), (retractable roof open)Game attendance : 62,180Referee : Walt Coleman TV announcers (Fox) : Dick Stockton, John Lynch and Jennifer Hale
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 14: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week Fourteen: San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 Total
49ers
3
9
7 0 19
Cardinals
0
7
7 7 21
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Date : December 11Game time : 2:05 p.m. MSTGame weather : 66 °F (19 °C), (retractable roof open)Game attendance : 60,808Referee : Alberto Riveron TV announcers (Fox) : Dick Stockton, John Lynch and Jennifer Hale
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 15: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week Fifteen: Cleveland Browns at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 OT Total
Browns
7
3
7 0 0 17
Cardinals
0
7
0 10 3 20
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Date : December 18Game time : 2:15 p.m. MSTGame weather : Played indoors (retractable roof closed)Game attendance : 60,443Referee : Scott Green TV announcers (CBS) : Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 16: at Cincinnati Bengals
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Week 17: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week Seventeen: Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
Period
1
2
3 4 OT Total
Seahawks
0
3
7 10 0 20
Cardinals
7
3
7 3 3 23
at University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Top tacklers
Standings
Coaching staff
Arizona Cardinals 2011 staff
Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
Final roster
2011 Arizona Cardinals final roster
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
Reserve lists
Practice squad
Rookies in italics
53 active, 9 inactive, 7 practice squad
Defense
FS
Kerry Rhodes
Rashad Johnson
WLB
ILB
ILB
SLB
Clark Haggans
Paris Lenon
Daryl Washington
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
SS
Adrian Wilson
Hamza Abdullah
DE
NT
DE
Calais Campbell
Dan Williams
Darnell Dockett
⋅
⋅
⋅
CB
Richard Marshall
A.J. Jefferson
Offense
WR
Larry Fitzgerald
DeMarco Sampson
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
Levi Brown
Daryn Colledge
Lyle Sendlein
Rex Hadnot
Brandon Keith
D'Anthony Batiste
D'Anthony Batiste
Rex Hadnot
Deuce Lutui
Jeremy Bridges
WR
Andre Roberts
Early Doucet
QB
Kevin Kolb
John Skelton
Special teams
PK Jay Feely
P Dave Zastudil
KR LaRod Stephens-Howling
PR Patrick Peterson
LS Mike Leach
H Dave Zastudil
RB
Beanie Wells
LaRod Stephens-Howling
References
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (7) Conference championships (1) League championships (2) Retired numbers Current league affiliations
Played in Chicago (1920–1959), St. Louis (1960–1987), and formerly the Phoenix Cardinals (1988–1993)