Rookie Mistake Helped Cardinals Beat Falcons

Matt Ryan is apparently still a rookie

By JOSH ALPER

Updated 2:09 PM EST, Tue, Jan 6, 2009

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The biggest play in Saturday's 30-24 win by the Arizona Cardinals came seconds into the second half. Defensive tackle Darnell Dockett crashed into the backfield and interuppted a handoff from Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, freeing the ball for safety Antrel Rolle to return for a touchdown. Atlanta fell behind 21-17 and never regained the lead en route to being bounced from the playoffs.

Replays of Dockett's play made it seem like he was offsides on the play, and there were multiple other points when it appeared that the Cardinals were crossing the line before the ball was snapped. Were the referees asleep at the switch and missing such obvious infractions?

Not according to Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry who appeared on Dan Patrick's radio show Monday and explained the secret to Arizona's success. Berry said that Ryan didn't vary his snap counts from play to play so, as the game went on, the Cardinals defense knew what was coming. That's a huge edge, obviously, as it takes away the offense's advantage of knowing when the play will start.

That's a pretty huge blunder by Ryan, especially since quarterbacks at the high school level know better than to use the same cadence every single time they go to the line. Perhaps the nerves of the situation got the better of Ryan, but that would be even more surprising. He didn't get the nickname Matty Ice because he wilted in high-pressure situations. Even if Ryan was succumbing to nerves, where was the coaching staff to let him know that he might want to try something different?

It was a banner year for rookie quarterbacks in the NFL with Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco starting every game and making the playoffs. It only takes one game and one mistake to remind us that they're still rookies, though.