Cards’ Boldin iffy, Spach out vs. Eagles
The Arizona Cardinals’ running game has been much improved in the past three weeks, and an underrated part of that has been the play of tight end Stephen Spach. No, Spach isn’t going to catch you many passes, but he has been excellent as a blocker since taking over as the team’s starter on Nov. 10.
But on a block last week against Carolina, Spach tore his anterior cruciate ligament and will miss Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the Eagles and the rest of the season. Actually, Spach did have a key reception for the Cards after not catching a ball since Week 15: He had the game-clinching 23-yard catch on a third-and-16 situation late in Arizona’s 30-24 wild-card victory over Atlanta; he finished that game with three catches for 34 yards but didn’t have a grab last week.
“Spach has done a good job for us in the running game, but it’s not going to change our scheme,” Cards coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
But the team is thin at tight end, with former starter Leonard Pope dealing with a sore ankle and Ben Patrick a knee injury. So Arizona signed Jerame Tuman this week; Tuman was cut by the team on Christmas Eve, although Pope figures to start Sunday.
While the Spach loss may hurt some, not having Pro Bowl WR Anquan Boldin again could definitely be a game-changer for Arizona. Boldin sat out against the Panthers with a hamstring injury suffered in the playoff opener. There is no change to his status yet, and he could again be a game-time decision.
“Obviously we’re a week further along with the process of getting that hamstring getting better, so hopefully he’ll be able to do something this week,” Whisenhunt said. “We’ll see as the week progresses.”
Boldin had five catches for 63 yards and two fumbles in the Week 13 loss at Philadelphia. Sunday’s game could be his last as a Cardinal, as he expressed displeasure over his contact heading into the season, and the Cards have major depth at the position, headed by Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston. Those two combined for 11 catches and three touchdowns in that earlier meeting with the Eagles.
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