Steelers expect Cardinals to toss in a few trick plays

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The Arizona Cardinals have had a lot of success in the playoffs running trick plays, or even just misdirections. Two that come to mind were long passes from Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald.

The first, at Carolina, was a fake pitch that froze the defense, followed by a bomb to Fitzgerald, who outleaped the two defenders sandwiching him and made the catch.

During the NFC championship game against Philadelphia, Warner pitched to J.J. Arrington, who threw it back to him. The quarterback then hit Fitzgerald streaking down the middle, one on one with backup safety Will Demps. The defender slipped, and Fitzgerald scored an easy touchdown.

Pittsburgh receiver Hines Ward knows Cardinals Coach Ken Whisenhunt as well as anyone, seeing as Whisenhunt is his former offensive coordinator. Ward said today that the Steelers are expecting a trick play or two from Arizona right off the bat.

‘I wouldn’t put it past him to start off the game with a trick play,’ Ward said. ‘They are playing with a lot of confidence. We don’t like to call them trick plays. We just call them plays that we execute. Wiz says he’s not going to have one, but he has one in his back pocket waiting for us.

‘Hopefully, we can execute it and turn it around for us to have a big play. Maybe we can cause a fumble or get an interception off of the trick play.’

-- Sam Farmer