This team is GOOD!

ASUCHRIS

ONE HEART BEAT!!!
Joined
Sep 2, 2002
Posts
16,664
Reaction score
14,994
It's so fun to watch a team come together, and the vibes are just immaculate now. The rise of the defense appears to be tied to a secondary that is growing into a formidable unit. (Funny how that happens when SMB goes down, just like our other FA additions on the D-Line). Melton and Williams have the potential to be good starters, and even Starling is making plays.

On offense, they just pound other teams into submission, very dissimilar to any Cards team in recent memory. Kyler is the wildcard that can take us to the next level...if he keeps playing like this, I don't think any team wants to deal with us.

Finally, it's such a nice change of pace to have coaches that are outscheming and out-prepping other teams.

This appears to be the beginning of very good things to come - nothing more exciting than an ascending team with money to blow and lots of young talent.
 

CardsFan1399

Veteran
Joined
Dec 20, 2020
Posts
102
Reaction score
205
Location
Tucson
One thing that fills me with a lot of hope for this team going forward happened on one of the worst plays of the game…Kyler’s reaction AFTER getting clobbered! When I saw that hit, I thought two things: 1) that’s a fumble and 2) Kyler’s head just got separated from his body. He showed a toughness and resilience that I haven’t seen from him before and he showed competitive fire to pop up, laugh it off, and throw a TD pass a few plays later.

To quote TO: That’s my quarterback!
 

BirdGangThing

Cultist
Joined
Dec 27, 2019
Posts
16,495
Reaction score
22,638
Location
Arcadia
idk if he's shape or not - looked good when he was at the cards game tho - even tho he retired - it'd be nice to have someone like markus golden around
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
22,805
Reaction score
41,662
Location
UK
This is the offense I pictured ( before the slow start) stating they were going to have to carry this team.

But this defense. I have no explanation for their performance. Stunning.

Yeah this is the offense I expected out of the gate. It's worth remembering, and this is for myself as much as anyone, that it takes time for teams to get up to speed. Especially if the scheme is relatively new, and especially with not playing in pre season.

Even teams that have been in a scheme for a few years take time, look at the Ravens start to the season.
 

CardNots

ASFN Addict
Joined
Sep 12, 2002
Posts
5,029
Reaction score
5,574
Location
Jenks, Oklahoma
Offense helped the defense vs. NY, no doubt about it.

Opposing offenses start pressing when we score so much early like we did vs. LA and NY.
normally i would agree but our dbs are growing in confidence. They are a sticky bunch becoming a pain in the ass to all but the very best receivers.

The thing i have noticed few busted coverage assignments. Early in the season I saw WIDE open receivers. Not so much anymore.

In addition our red zone defense is very good lately not just the pass but run as well.
 
Last edited:

ajcardfan

I see you.
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
38,946
Reaction score
26,383
normally i would agree but our dbs are growing in confidence. They are a sticky bunch becoming a pain in the all but the very best receivers.

The thing i have noticed few busted coverage assignments. Early in the season I saw WIDE open receivers. Not so much anymore.

In addition our red zone defense is very good lately not just the pass but run as well.

Yes, the coverage has gotten much more solid. It was atrocious how often we had two guys going for the same receiver and leaving someone all alone in the Washington game. Communication seems to be a 180 improvement.

Also, our WRs are beating man coverage more often and the route tree is crisper. This team is paying attention to details and is working hard to get them right.
 

phillycard

ASFN Addict
Joined
Aug 22, 2003
Posts
7,268
Reaction score
4,252
Location
The 215
I watched every morning show this morning. We dismantle a team, with Rodgers, Adams, Gardner, Hall, Wilson, Reddick, etc and get barely a mention. The same old same old we're used to. But that's cool though. We never needed affirmation from anyone outside of our circle. I'm just saying a little praise tossed our way would have been nice.
 

BirdGangThing

Cultist
Joined
Dec 27, 2019
Posts
16,495
Reaction score
22,638
Location
Arcadia
i don't want to be in some shootout with the whiners in our last game of the season - i want the starters watching - we can't control what the whiners do but we can keep stringing these victories together - which could make whatever the whiners do become irrelevant
 

phillycard

ASFN Addict
Joined
Aug 22, 2003
Posts
7,268
Reaction score
4,252
Location
The 215
A really pleasing, business-like win given that there's now some expectation on us. Scrutiny has gone up a notch. There's something to lose, something real to play for.

It's one thing to just be a little bit better than expected. A pleasant surprise early in the season when expectations were through the floor. A low bar to clear.

JG has taken us up another level.

We dealt poorly with this last time:
Playoff/Superbowl talk
Kyler MVP talk
JJ Watt: "Maybe we're just better"

Instantly imploded. Over-dosed on our own bathwater. Dealt poorly with expectation. Praise went to our heads.

I feel like Gannon and this coaching crew are a bit more grounded.
I'm gonna disagree a little with you on this fam. Watt was ABSOLUTELY okay to say what he did then. We were being dismissed as a fluke when we earned every win we had up that point. Wheels fell off after GB, and K1's bangup, but I believe we were okay to talk our talk at that time. A veteran like JJ to say that was to me warranted. I do agree that it seems this team is about as grounded as we can be despite our modest success. To a man, they seem like they're not buying that we've arrived and know that we can and should get better every week. I love that about Gannon, and I've been as anti JG as anyone.
 

602 Native

Hall of Famer
Joined
Nov 1, 2023
Posts
2,129
Reaction score
4,264
Location
Gilbert
I watched every morning show this morning. We dismantle a team, with Rodgers, Adams, Gardner, Hall, Wilson, Reddick, etc and get barely a mention. The same old same old we're used to. But that's cool though. We never needed affirmation from anyone outside of our circle. I'm just saying a little praise tossed our way would have been nice.
Good Morning Football loves the Cards and talks about them all the time.

Don't listen to anything coming out of ESPN. They are an east coast company and anything outside of the Cowboys and east coast teams doesn't get talked about.
 

CardNots

ASFN Addict
Joined
Sep 12, 2002
Posts
5,029
Reaction score
5,574
Location
Jenks, Oklahoma
I watched every morning show this morning. We dismantle a team, with Rodgers, Adams, Gardner, Hall, Wilson, Reddick, etc and get barely a mention. The same old same old we're used to. But that's cool though. We never needed affirmation from anyone outside of our circle. I'm just saying a little praise tossed our way would have been nice.
I was eating in a brewery a few hours ago watching one of the overhead tubes.

To my surprise they were going over the game highlights for the Jets game.

Must have covered every big play and there were a lot of them. I had already forgotten how many we had.

By the way, not one Jets play highlighted. We literally jack stomped them.

I’m pretty sure they thought they had this game in the bag. The only bag they had were the ones provided on their long flight home:)
 

phillycard

ASFN Addict
Joined
Aug 22, 2003
Posts
7,268
Reaction score
4,252
Location
The 215
Good Morning Football loves the Cards and talks about them all the time.

Don't listen to anything coming out of ESPN. They are an east coast company and anything outside of the Cowboys and east coast teams doesn't get talked about.
Ah, okay. I missed that then. You are right though that Kyle especially gives us ours.
 
Top