Down a point and the clock running out, the Cardinals had one and only one chance to win the game: Intentionally the Jets score a touchdown, and get the ball back with two minutes left. The Arizona defense did what it had to, parting like the Red Sea for Shonn Greene. But Greene smartly slid at the one-yard-line, so the Jets could kneel and run out the clock.
At least one member of the Cardinals defense wasn't on board with the strategy, which though counterintuitive was unquestionably the right move. KTAR radio in Phoenix was first to report that there was an "incident" between DE Darnell Dockett and safety Kerry Rhodes. The Cardinals remained mum, with Ken Whisenhunt saying "we generally prefer to keep internal matters like that within the team and not discuss them publicly." But Mike Florio fleshed out some viscous details.
According to Florio's source, Dockett vehemently disagreed with the call to let the Jets score. Rhodes tried to convince him, perhaps showing him a realtime win probability graph, and Dockett reportedly spat in Rhodes's face.
Late last night, Dockett sent out this hilarious tweet:
Today, Rhodes took his turn disputing the loogie. In an email released by the Cardinals, he wrote that "Yes, we had a disagreement on the field but, no he did NOT spit in my face."
Meanwhile, the Cardinals lost their eighth straight game, and Ryan Lindley put up an improbable line of 10-for-31 for 72 yards. Spitgate is a welcome distraction.