Cards moving backwards after loss to Steelers

GLENDALE, Ariz. Cardinals center Lyle Sendlein searched long and hard for an answer to the question. How do you maintain a positive message when you've lost five straight games and are seemingly moving backward? Finally, he gave up. "I don't know," he said. "I'm sick of talk. At this point, it's all about being accountable, doing your job and doing it in a way that can help us be successful." Accountability is a commodity that can only be measured inside the locker room. But there aren't many Cardinals doing their jobs well these days management, coaches or players and they clearly aren't doing enough to be successful after Sunday's 32-20 loss to Pittsburgh at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals had two weeks off to clear their minds of negative thoughts during their bye. They staged the clichd and rarely effective team meeting to clear the air of grievances. They refocused on fundamentals with the hope and belief that they could turn around a 1-4 start. And they had all that extra time to get a jump on the Steelers, who had to play the week before. "We really worked hard the last week and a half, two weeks," quarterback Kevin Kolb said. "We had a different mentality. Guys took ownership. You could feel something different. You just wish the guys felt some sort of reward for how we worked." Instead, Arizona looked much like the team that limped off the field in Minneapolis two weeks ago. Kolb has his second consecutive poor outing, completing just 18 of 34 passes for 272 yards with two touchdowns and a crucial early interception. In fairness to Kolb, rookie tight end Rob Housler should have caught the pick. Instead, he never got his hands up and it glanced off his helmet and into the hands of safety Ryan Clark. But Kolb returned the favor by missing Housler badly on a seam route that was at least a big gain, if not a touchdown. He also threw a ball at receiver Larry Fitzgerald's ankles, rolled into pressure when his pocket was still sound, and backpedaled while he scrambled, never giving defenders the threat of a run to draw them up out of coverage. "You guys know that I'll point (the finger) right here, first," he told the media afterward. "Obviously, there are a couple throws that I would like to have back. Those plays need to be made." Kolb and the offense finally got a little momentum in the third quarter, drawing within 17-14 on a 73-yard touchdown pass to running back LaRod Stephens-Howling that broke a 12-quarter drought without a TD pass. But as quickly as hope re-entered the stadium, the Cardinals defense kicked it back out the door. Pittsburgh answered Arizona's touchdown with an 11-play, 80-yard drive to take a 24-14 lead. Then Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley got to Kolb in the end zone, forcing an intentional grounding penalty and a safety. The Cards barely whimpered thereafter. "Everybody wants to point to one thing but we have a number of situations where we have had chances to make plays to change games and we are not getting that done," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "This league is about making plays. You look at the plays they made in critical situations. We have to be better about making our plays when we have the opportunity." Fitzgerald insisted there is no dissension in the locker room despite a five-game losing streak. "We're not going to allow any losses to affect us adversely or make us separate or splinter," he said. "I don't allow stinking thinking to set in. We've got to stick together." But you have to wonder how long that will last. Opportunities may be scarce next week when the Cards travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. Worse yet, Arizona may be without running back Beanie Wells, who left Sunday's game in the second quarter with a knee injury that will be re-evaluated this week. "The Baltimore Ravens (can't) care less about our record. They (can't) care less about our issues," Fitzgerald said. "Everybody has to look at themselves in the mirror and really focus on how they can improve to make this team better."