Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals look for much-needed win against Jets

“Off the charts…”

That’s how Larry Fitzgerald answered the “urgency” question. As in, what’s the urgency like in the Arizona Cardinals locker room to snap a seven-game losing streak?

"Seven weeks, the urgency is like if you would be drowning," Fitzgerald described. “You ever been in the pool and you're struggling for air? How hard do you fight to get to the top? That's kind of how we all feel right now. We're struggling and fighting and doing anything we can to get to the top. If we're close enough I'll pull you down to get to the air."

For the Cardinals offense, breathing in oxygen stands for getting into the end zone. Actually, just getting Fitz the football would be a start.

In the last two games, the Pro Bowl receiver has four receptions for 42 yards, including none after the first drive against St. Louis, when the Rams used a 17-0 second half en route to the 31-17 victory.

Rookie Ryan Lindley got his first NFL start and, despite plenty of solid moments, Lindley wound up with no touchdowns and four interceptions, two of them returned for touchdowns. In addition, Fitzgerald was open on a pair of the picks.

So, does Lindley expect the New York Jets defense to bring the blitz in hopes of getting to the rookie signal caller?

“Probably. Just like last week,” Lindley said. “With a young guy you try and rattle him. You got to always be ready for everything, especially with a blitz package. You want to go in over-prepared, if anything.”

Thing is, the Rex Ryan defense that the Cards will face has registered only 17 sacks this season. And the Jets are coming off a 49-19 loss where the Patriots scored 35 points in the second quarter.

“Certainly have to give opponents credit for keeping you off the passer,” Rex Ryan explained. “But the sack number is alarming. We’ve only had the 17 sacks, so it’s obviously nowhere close to where we want to be.”

The Big Red is in the Big Apple for the first time since a dominating win by the Jets that featured six TD passes by Brett Favre – during the Cards Super Bowl season, no less.