Cardinals-49ers.
Yep, you can go ahead and throw out the records.
Please. They’re begging.
But seriously, folks, there is some legitimate bad blood between these 3-7 teams.
Colts-Patriots or Ravens-Steelers it’s not — largely because the Niners
and Cardinals haven’t had a winning record in the same season since
Arizona joined the NFC West in 2002.
Still, the Niners know there will be a different vibe when they visit
the Cardinals on Monday night, the fourth time they have met on MNF in
the past four seasons.
That type of prime-time programming might have gotten a few people at
ESPN fired, but tight end Delanie Walker says the national audience
helps get both teams fired up.
“It’s always a good game because it seems like it’s always a Monday
night game,” Walker said. “We’re good friends, but as soon as
we get out on that field we kind of hate each other … It’s one of those
games where they talk a lot of trash and we tend to hear it.”
I wrote about the Twitter wars between the teams,
a back-and-forth in which Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett is
the constant. Dockett has gotten under Vernon Davis’ skin, and judging
by Arizona safety Adrian Wilson’s comments this week, he’s also
effective at annoying his own teammates.
Asked if he had a Twitter account, Wilson, 31 — two years older than
Dockett — responded as if he’d been asked if he played with Legos.
“No, I don’t do that stuff, man. I’m 31-years-old,” Wilson said. “… You
know, (Dockett) likes to get himself fired up in some different ways and
if that’s one of them, then we’ll have to live with it.”
The online smack talk extends to some on-field smacking. After the whistle.
“There’s always that extra edge,” nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin said.
“Those guys will try to get a hit or a late push or do something dirty. I
think everyone gets up and takes their game to a different level when
we play Arizona.”
Franklin, who spent his first four season in Baltimore, says the rivalry
can’t be compared to Ravens-Steelers. Or even Ravens-Browns.
Still, it’s the fiercest rivalry in the NFC West.
Pause.
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