TEMPE, Ariz. -- Six games into his second season in the NFL,
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby has made a name for
himself where it counts -- with his teammates and opposing offensive
coordinators.
"The coaches are starting to (notice)," Cardinals coach Green
said Thursday, adding that Arizona's 2-4 record has kept Dansby
from greater renown.
Green believes that will come the same way it came to defensive
end Bertrand Berry, who made the Pro Bowl after leading the NFC in
sacks last season.
"Bertrand was able to get his part out," Green said. "Karlos
needs to keep on making plays, get out there and get some results.
I think people will begin to respect him and recognize who he is."
A second-round pick from Auburn in 2004, the 23-year-old Dansby
started 12 games as a rookie but sat out whenever Arizona went into
its nickel defense. This year, he plays in every defensive
alignment and on every down.
"I expected it," Dansby said about his progress. "Like I say,
I think I was overlooked last year, but I've been getting a lot of
opportunities for a lot of people to recognize me, and I'm trying
to take advantage of every last one."
He gained confidence early, starring at every level of the game.
In high school in Birmingham, Ala., Dansby was a two-way player
with the speed to play wide receiver while earning all-state
laurels at linebacker.
He played strong safety as a freshman at Auburn but switched to
linebacker when he showed signs of growing into his current
6-foot-2, 243-pound frame, and finished his three-year college
career with similar numbers in sacks (10), interceptions (8) and
fumbles caused (7).
He's always had an instinct for getting to the ball,
"I've been that way since I was a little kid. I've been blessed
with a gift," Dansby said.
He began the season with a sack and two interceptions against
the New York Giants' Eli Manning, returning one for a touchdown,
and is the only linebacker in the league with three sacks and two
pickoffs.
Dansby leads the Cardinals in tackles (47) and fumbles forced
(2), causing the second while sacking Tennessee's Billy Volek on
Sunday in a 20-10 victory over the Titans -- one of his career-high
11 tackles.
He also recovered the ball, and Arizona scored its insurance TD
three plays later.
"It's just a huge boost for us to have one extra playmaker on
our defense," said safety Adrian Wilson, who is second to Dansby
in tackles with 40. "He makes so many impact plays and changes the
game a lot."
Both players credited defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast
with imaginative set-calling to get players in position to succeed.
"Clancy does a great job of utilizing his playmakers, and
(Dansby) does a great job of doing it," Wilson said. "He's never
going to line up in the same place twice, so a lot of teams have
got to stay adept of where he's at, and if you don't it could cost
you."
Dansby was kept out of practice Wednesday because of sore knees,
but practiced Thursday and said he was looking forward to playing
in Texas Stadium.
Green called that a huge plus for the defense.
"It's helpful for us leadership-wise," the coach said. "I
think guys feel that he's a legitimate big-time player. He can run
around and make a lot of plays, and he's driven to win."