Dansby Takes Game to Another Level

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Somewhere mixed in all those offensive fireworks during Sunday's epic NFC wild-card game -- nearly 100 points and more than 1,000 total yards -- was one of the most clutch individual defensive performances in recent playoff memory.

Yes, defensive.

The image of Arizona linebacker Karlos Dansby plucking Aaron Rodgers' overtime fumble in mid-air and racing 17 yards for the winning touchdown in the 51-45 classic at University of Phoenix Stadium will live in NFL Films lore.

"Playoff football," Dansby exhaled afterward.

But Dansby's game-winner was the last and largest in a trio of splash plays the pending unrestricted free agent made on a day the Packers, who entered as the NFC's hottest team with seven wins in the last eight games, amassed 493 yards and 32 first downs.

Without those plays, the Cardinals (11-6) are home this coming weekend, rather than heading east to face the New Orleans Saints (13-3) in a divisional-round game Saturday at the Superdome.

"You could see it in his eyes; he had that fire," cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie said. "He made plays all over the place."

And at the biggest moments.

It was Dansby who set the tone on the game's first play from scrimmage, when Rodgers dropped to pass and was flushed to his right by the Arizona pass rush. Rodgers, making his playoff debut, ran toward the right sidelines, but instead of darting out of bounds and taking a short loss, he tried to squeeze a throw to blanketed wide receiver Jordan Nelson. Dansby tipped the pass into the air and into the hands of Rodgers-Cromartie.

Seven plays later, Tim Hightower scored on a 1-yard run to give the home team an early lead.

On Green Bay's second series, Rodgers flared a pass to wideout Donald Driver in the left flat. Dansby was all over the play, however, smothering Driver in the backfield, then digging and ripping the ball from the Packer's arms. Defensive tackle Alan Branch fell on the fumble and Kurt Warner needed just two plays to fire a 15-yard touchdown strike to Early Doucet.

Cardinals 14-0, less than five minutes into the game.

"That was critical," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

Some 900 combined yards later came the watershed play. On the first possession of overtime, and with Green Bay facing a third-and-6 at its 24, the Cards sent Michael Adams on a cornerback blitz. Adams atoned for three costly penalties earlier in the game by sacking Rodgers and jarring the ball loose. As Rodgers fell backward, he accidentally kicked the ball in the air.

Dansby caught it in stride and ran into history.

And to the bank.



Dansby, the sixth-year pro out of Auburn, is set to be an unrestricted free agent for the third straight offseason. The Cardinals have protected him with the "franchise" tag each of the last two years, with the 28-year-old playing under a one-year, $9.68 million deal in 2009 that was a 120 percent raise of the '08 salary for franchise linebackers (an average of the five highest-paid players at the position). That number is only going to increase.

The current collective bargaining agreement between the league and players union expires in February, with the 2010 season -- barring an unlikely settlement between the two sides -- set to played without a salary cap. Dansby led the team in tackles in '09 and during Arizona's '08 march to the NFC title. There were rumblings this season that his body of work (109 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble) was absent of game-changing plays, but Dansby made up for that when it counted, and in doing so, greatly enhanced his market value, should the Cards choose to let him test the free-agent waters.

"Now he's going to go out and get his big money," safety Adrian Wilson said of Dansby, who finished with four solo tackles, one for loss, a passed defensed, forced fumble and fumble recovery. "He stepped up his game and made plays throughout the course of the game. A lot of people said he didn't do much this year, but he came out and was our playmaker today."

After Sunday's classic, Dansby spoke of the Cardinals defense, which finished 20th overall in '09, picking up the intensity in the postseason. Considering he was one guy making a trio of monumental plays on both sides of Green Bay's seven touchdown drives, Dansby could use some help going forward.

"We've got to take our game to another level," he said.

The Dansby Level would be a good place to start.