Ex-Cardinals Patrick Peterson, Jordan Hicks back up big talk with bigger plays

Former Cardinals defenders Patrick Peterson and Jordan Hicks did their animated talking in the team meeting the night before the game, on the field during the game and gleefully in the locker room after the Vikings posted three takeaways, four sacks and a late fourth-down stop by Hicks in a 34-26 victory over Arizona at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

"I have been told a lot of things about me from that organization," Peterson said. "I got fan mails from the owner [Michael Bidwill] saying I can't tackle. I'm old. I lost it. I wanted to go out there and show them. Now they see me."

Fan mail? From the owner? Please explain, Pat P.

"Someone was sending emails to the owner, and I'd get them on my chair in the locker room," he said. "They said as long as I was on the team, they wasn't going to be a season ticket holder anymore. I think his name was John H. Berry, if I'm not mistaken."

Peterson had three key pass breakups and almost single-handedly held Robbie Anderson and A.J. Green without catches on four targets. After his first breakup, a deep ball to Green in the end zone on third down, Peterson started yelling back and forth with Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury.

"Oh, yeah, that was purposely," Peterson said of his trash-talking the visiting sideline. "I'm still waiting on [Cardinals General Manager] Steve Keim to call me. I still haven't talked to him."

The 32-year-old Peterson spent the first 10 of his 12 seasons going to eight Pro Bowls and earning three first-team All-Pro nods after being the Cardinals' fifth overall draft pick in 2011. He's spent the last two seasons on one-year deals with the Vikings. He was good last season — although in fairness to the Cardinals, he did give up a touchdown in a one-point loss at Arizona — but he's getting better with each game this season.

"I've still got it," Peterson said. "All I heard the last two years was, 'He's washed up. He's done.' I'm just getting started. Like, I'm in a zone right now. I'm in a groove."

Kingsbury said the Cardinals weren't offended by anything Peterson or Hicks said or did.

"Everybody has a ton of respect for them," Kingsbury said. "Great teammates and great players for this organization."

Hicks, who was with the Cardinals last season when they started 7-0 and folded, did most of the talking at the team meeting Saturday night. According to Za'Darius Smith, who had three sacks, the theme was how the Vikings needed to "start fast and hit them in the mouth" before they started running their mouths.

"That's a jawing team; that's what they do," Hicks said. "That's just who they are."

Hicks had six tackles, all solo, and one chest-thumping, trash-talking, take-that-Arizona fourth-down stop with 2 minutes, 39 seconds left and the Vikings clinging to a one-score lead thanks to another late missed PAT by Greg Joseph.

"I knew what was coming," Hicks said. "And just jumped it."

The Cardinals faced fourth-and-4 from the Vikings' 44. Kyler Murray's pass, running back Eno Benjamin and Hicks all met at the same time just short of the first-down marker. Hicks wouldn't budge and the Vikings got the ball back and were able to hold on, even though the offense went three-and-out while using only 47 seconds of game time.

"I've gone against this offense over and over," Hicks said. "There are certain feels that I have just based on that. I was thinking they might try to isolate me."

Asked if his reaction toward the Cardinals sideline was a message that he should still be in Arizona, Hicks shook his head.

"I'd much rather be here at 6-1 with this team than over there," Hicks said. "A team that's resilient, finds ways to win, that's really come together in the first year of a coaching staff with a bunch of changes. It's special, man."