8 days till Arizona Cardinals' opener: Remembering the 2008 season

As the countdown continues to the Arizona Cardinals' regular season opener, a look back at their 2008 season reveals both highs and lows. That year proved to be the most memorable in franchise history, as they went to and nearly won the Super Bowl. The team went 7-3 and were in control of the division before losing four of their final six games, ultimately securing a playoff berth in an NFC West that wasn't particularly strong.

While their offense was impressive, ranking third in scoring and fourth in yards, their defense was decidedly weak, ranking 28th in points allowed.

The Cardinals boasted five Pro Bowl selections in 2008: quarterback Kurt Warner, wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, safety Adrian Wilson, and special teams contributor Sean Morey. Fitzgerald earned first-team All-Pro honors, while Wilson made the All-Pro second team. Warner set a Cardinals record with 4,583 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, though both records were broken by Carson Palmer in 2015.

The running game, however, was not as dominant, with Edgerrin James leading the charge with 514 yards and rookie Tim Hightower contributing 399 yards. The team featured three 1,000-yard receivers: Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Steve Breaston, who each had over 1,000 receiving yards and scored at least three touchdowns. Linebacker Karlos Dansby was the standout defensive player, leading the team with 119 total tackles, while Bertrand Berry recorded five sacks.

Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie led the defense with four interceptions and 19 pass breakups.