Over the next few days, we’ll examine the top 10 moments of the ‘08 season leading up to the moment that defined the 2008 NFL season.

3. Hell Suffers Cold Spell: Cardinals Advance to Super Bowl.

When one thinks of losing franchises in sports, the Arizona Cardinals are typically one of the first teams included in on the discussion.

Few teams in sports endure the year in and year out futility of the Cardinals. They were the laughingstock of the NFL…until this season. Armed with two of the best receivers in the NFL in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals won the NFC West title with a 9-7 record.

Towards season’s end, they were written off thanks to a lackluster close to the season. No worries said the Cards. After vanquishing the Falcons in the wild card round and shocking Carolina in Charlotte, the Cardinals faced an experienced Eagles team that already played in four NFC title games during the decade.

Philly’s experience mattered little in the end as Kurt Warner and the Cards defeated the Eagles 32-25 to advance to the franchise’s first Super Bowl.

Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns including a majestic 62-yard scoring reception setup by a trick play.

In all, Warner and Fitzgerald’s brilliance, sprinkled in with timely plays by their defense catapulted the Cards to Super Bowl XLIII…and left the Eagles a game short of the Super Bowl for the fourth time in the decade.

In other news, the Cards’ triumph led to Deadspin editor A.J. Daulerio getting whacked in the face with a cookie sheet by Cards fan and former Deadspin editor Will Leitch.

Ouch.

Ouch.