National Football League

Cardinals' long ride to respectability

Published Jan. 28, 2009 2:31 p.m. ET

foxsports

The first thing you must know to understand the Arizona Cardinals is that in their first 87 years, they had more home cities (three) than playoff games (two).

Under second-year coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Cardinals corrected that oversight by winning three playoff games this month to reach their first Super Bowl. It was a remarkable turnaround for a franchise that won fewer games than any other team in the NFL over the past 40 years.