Tag: Adrian Wilson

Adrian Wilson shares unknown tidbit about Cardinals’ Super Bowl loss

Wilson was the dime linebacker on the fateful Santonio Holmes play, He wanted to play safety in nickel in that situation.

Arizona Cardinals fans sadly remember the end of Super Bowl XLIII, when Santonio Holmes made an amazing catch in the corner of the end zone to give the Pittsburgh Steelers the championship after it appeared that the Cardinals would win it. However, Cardinals fans might not be familiar with this story about that deciding play.

Former Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson, who is now a scout in the organization, recalled what went down and something he wanted in that situation.

In an interview on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM last week, he said when the Steelers got the ball back after Larry Fitzgerald scored the touchdown to give the Cardinals the lead, the defense was focusing on giving them different looks with personnel groupings.

“Going down into the red zone area, I can remember us being in nickel,” he recalled.

The pass was incomplete, leading to a time out.

“That play, I remember going to the sideline during timeout and I remember Clancy (defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast) asking us, ‘do you want to go dime’ and everybody on the sideline said yes,” he said. “I was looking at Clancy saying no I don’t want to go dime because I  wanted to be back in the back playing safety. So we ended up switching personnel and playing dime. I ended up being the dime backer and the rest is history.”

Instead of Wilson playing on the back end for the game-winning play to Holmes, it was Aaron Francisco. Maybe it doesn’t change anything, but that is enough information to make a Cardinals fan wonder.

Wilson isn’t upset and doesn’t think about it. He said he doesn’t blame his coach or teammates. He was outvoted on the sideline and linebacker Karlos Dansby, whose instincts Wilson praised, was one who thought they should switch to dime.

Maybe with Wilson in the end zone in coverage, he would have kept Holmes from getting both feet down. Perhaps it would not have mattered.

But it does add a little extra wonder for fans in one of the franchise’s greatest “what ifs” in history.

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Ep. 266

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Ep.265

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Jamal Adams predicts he’ll break defensive back sack record

Jets safety Jamal Adams believes he will break the NFL single-season sack record that’s currently held by former Cardinals S Adrian Wilson.

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Jamal Adams has always been a big believer in himself.

The safety always carries a chip on his shoulder and oozes confidence, so it’s no surprise that he said he will break the NFL single-season sack record for defensive backs.

“If you’re asking, am I going to beat the record? Yes, I will beat the record,” he told reporters after practice on Wednesday. “That’s something I will get.”

The Jets’ third-year safety is three sacks away from holding the NFL single-season record for most sacks by a defensive back. Two weeks ago, the feat didn’t seem possible. Now, he’s ready to blitz himself into the NFL record book.

The NFL record for most sacks by a defensive back in a single season is eight, set by former Cardinals S Adrian Wilson in 2005. Adams has six sacks with six games left to play.

Adams entered the Giants game two weeks ago as a disruptive force, but he only had one sack to his name. After two breathtaking performances, one earning him the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, Adams is now five sacks richer.

He tallied three sacks in Week 11 after finishing Week 10 with nine tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery touchdown.

Gregg Williams has finally found the best use for Adams, deploying him as an edge rusher. Adams loves to blitz and he just might be the best pass-rusher on the team.

His infectious energy and ability to get after the quarterback is rubbing off on the rest of the team and has helped lead the Jets defense to two dominating performances over two NFC East foes.

“To me, it starts with the energy and the attitude,” Adam Gase said of Adams’ performances. “I mean, you feel him the whole game — the sideline, the field, he’s bringing everything he has. He’s just laying it all out there. Some of the plays he’s making, it’s very impressive to watch him play.”