2006 Cardinals: Game 13 (ARI 27 SEA 21) Analysis

[Mitch]

These are the Cardinals we were hoping to see back in September. Adrian Wilson tells us following this impressive win over the defending NFC Champions, "It's a slow process. We're a young team; we're learning how to win." While there is some credence to Wilson's remarks...last year it was injuries...this year it's youth...every year it seems to be one thing or another. The bottom line is...will these Cardinals show up next September and October?...or any September and October?

Today, for the second week in a row, the Cardinals got a 115 yard rushing performance from Edgerrin James...and yet another strong passing game from rookie Matt Leinart (232 yards and 2 TDs, 1 INT, 0 sacks)...and successful third down conversions throughout. Larry Fitzgerald was clutch, as was Bryant Johnson (helping the team to score on its first possession for the third straight game!)...the offensive line was and recently has been darn right good and is no longer the Achilles' heel of the team (the secondary has now assumed that albatross)...the defense, inspired by some timely plays by messers Dockett, Okeafor, Cooper, Smith, Hayes, Dansby and Wilson, somehow managed to save the game, first by creating the key turnover of the game, forcing Mack Strong to fumble when the Hawks had the lead and full momentum, and then by keeping the Hawks out of the end zone on the final drive, thanks to huge sacks and tackles by Okeafor and Wilson...and the special teams were solid...all in all, it was a very good game, and a statement game at that...

The funny thing is, Dennis Green coached the game about as conservatively as a coach can. One would think that with a 3-9 record, the coach would be willing to roll the dice and show some faith in his chainmoving offense by going for it on 4th and inches on the three pivotal occasions the 4th and inches scenario arose...instead Green elected to kick field goal attempts on two (one was an untimely miss from 52 yards) and sent the punter in on another (which turned out to be a good decision because Scott Player pinned the Hawks on their 4 yard line..which led to a huge three and out by the defense).

So the funny thing is...Green deserves credit...while he didn't make popular calls (even with the players apparently, according to the FOX sideline reporter who said that the team was upset that Green elected to kick a field goal on 4th and inches, up 7 and the offense marching, with 3:23 to go in the first half), his decisions worked out because the Cardinals won.

The other funny thing is that the Cardinal secondary once again didn't seem to cover anyone all afternoon...much of the reason why the Hawks went 70 yards on 2 plays on one occasion...and even at the end, when Hasselbeck was hitting wide open WRs in the seams, it was going to take a couple of timely pressures and sacks to win the game, and it was great but odd that the 4 man rush, which hadn't generated consistent pressure on Hasslebeck all game (and whenever they did, Hasselbeck ran for 14 yards a pop on key third downs), came up big at the end thanks especially to Dockett and Okeafor. One Dockett/Smith pressure cause Hasselbeck to rush his end zone throw to a wide open Darrell Jackson on a skinny post.

What was mind-boggling was that Clancy Pendergast was shunning the blitz all game, especially on key 3rd and longs...and given the loose coverage and non-effective pass rush, 3rd and 13s became easy throws and catches or wide open scrambles.

Just as Green deserves credit, so does Pendergast. One must imagine he was hoping to bend, but lay the wood on the Hawks to force key turnovers, and that is what Pendy got. Holding the Hawks to 21 points deserves kudos, no matter how hard one slices it.

As for OC Mike Kruczek...this guy has really taken the reins and done a fabulous job...as has OLC Steve Loney. What was most impressive, was the fact that Krucz made the right adjustments at half-time, because he had the offense on the move to start the second half (which has been extremely rare in Green's tenure)...although the drive was stalled by a bonehead roughing penalty by Milford Brown (who actually played a very good game otherwise)...learning how to win includes knowing that with the lead the opponents will provoke retaliations.

Matt Leinart looks comfortable and very well prepared...it's taken some time, as it almost always does with rookies, but it's also a manifestation of the good work Mike Kruczek is doing preparing this offense.

Does winning three of the last four games mean that Dennis Green should be retained? Green has already said that he does not want to return for the final year of his contract as a lame duck coach. Therefore, does Dennis Green deserve an extension?

The answer: Edge had it this week..."Take care of Matt." And what Edge means is, surround Leinart with the right coaches...I hope that whomever the new head coach is, he will keep coaches Krucz and Loney, because Krucz is getting it done as OC, Loney has spawned the best o-line play we have seen in years...in short, Krucz and Loney are taking care of Matt.

 

[BigRedArk]

Mitch- Maybe we keep Green and let Richard Solomon go. Better yet maybe the Bidwill's demand it?

 

[SuperSpck]

Good post, Mitch


No matter what success some of the assistants are finding this year though keeping them on board is a longshot, head coaches (even new ones) probably wouldn't be thrilled with inheiriting another coach's staff.

I'm reserving my thoughts on keeping Green based on how the remainder of the season plays out. Tough games on the horizon and I want to see if the Cardinals can compete with teams like the Chargers and take advantage or reeling teams like the Niners.

 

[Codeofhammurabi]

I think if you are going to keep Krucz and Loney; you have to keep Green. This is the best o-line play you have seen in years, and Krucz is handling Leinart very well. Unless we fall apart over the next three weeks, which is very possible, we need to stop the coaching carousel here and keep Green.

 

[Evil Ash]

Good post, Mitch


No matter what success some of the assistants are finding this year though keeping them on board is a longshot, head coaches (even new ones) probably wouldn't be thrilled with inheiriting another coach's staff.

They aren't thrilled but they may not have much of a choice. Assuming we fire Green, there would be a lack of assistans available because (a) it appears more and more likely that our coaching staff would be the only one to be fired and (b) due to the lack of coaching staffs getting fired we'd have to rely on getting permission from other teams to get their assistants to leave.

In the past couple of years teams have become more and more protective in terms of keeping assistant coaches that they like.

I'm reserving my thoughts on keeping Green based on how the remainder of the season plays out. Tough games on the horizon and I want to see if the Cardinals can compete with teams like the Chargers and take advantage or reeling teams like the Niners.

 

[Zeno]

I'm reserving my thoughts on keeping Green based on how the remainder of the season plays out. Tough games on the horizon and I want to see if the Cardinals can compete with teams like the Chargers and take advantage or reeling teams like the Niners.

The Chargers may have home field in the playoffs all wrapped up when we play them and they might rest a good portion of their starters, sort of like when we played the Colts last season. LT already has the TD record so he won't have any reason to play.

The Denver game is a good measure though.

 

[Mitch]

I think if you are going to keep Krucz and Loney; you have to keep Green. This is the best o-line play you have seen in years, and Krucz is handling Leinart very well. Unless we fall apart over the next three weeks, which is very possible, we need to stop the coaching carousel here and keep Green.

I am starting to like the idea of Ron Riviera more and more...as long as Krucz and Loney are retained in their current roles. Riviera would have this team playing much more aggressive defense, particularly in pass coverage...and he's a guy who brings the kind of winning attitude the Cardinals need.

I don't think it would be that hard to convince Riviera, a defensive minded coach, to retain the new OC who has done wonders withy Leinart and the offense.

 

[SuperSpck]

and they might rest a good portion of their starters, sort of like when we played the Colts last season.

A game the Cardinals lost.

You may be right about the Chargers resting some players, but with a young QB in need of as much PT as he can get (in Rivers) and a backup RB looking to showcase for FA (Turner, if healthy) the offense can still be threatening.

The defense will hopefully be resting, at least at the LB spots where they're very thin already, maybe even along the Dline.

But that game is still a ways away and if the Chargers become lax than the Cardinals may see a very hungry, very angry team (mostly on account of the steriods).

 

[DakotaCardsFan]

Cards Run Defense - Better than it looked.

While at times it looked like Seattle could run the ball at will, Alexander (who normally own the Cards) rushes for 76 yds on 22 carries an NO touchdowns. I honestly don't remember a Cards/Hawks game where Alexander didn't rush for 100+ yds and a TD (or two, or four).

 

[arthurracoon]

I am starting to like the idea of Ron Riviera more and more...as long as Krucz and Loney are retained in their current roles. Riviera would have this team playing much more aggressive defense, particularly in pass coverage...and he's a guy who brings the kind of winning attitude the Cardinals need.

I don't think it would be that hard to convince Riviera, a defensive minded coach, to retain the new OC who has done wonders withy Leinart and the offense.

Id be happy with that

the OL finally has some consistency, and bam, theyre playing pretty well

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Your boy Francisco was the main culprit in 2 play 70 yard TD drive. But everyone gets beat now and then.

 

[BACH]

I think if you are going to keep Krucz and Loney; you have to keep Green. This is the best o-line play you have seen in years, and Krucz is handling Leinart very well. Unless we fall apart over the next three weeks, which is very possible, we need to stop the coaching carousel here and keep Green.

I personally think that the exact opposite.

If the offense is clicking, why would a new defensive HC like Rivera change anything on the offensive coaching staff. After three years, there is finally a OC that fully understand how to run this team's personal. Loney is known for being one of the best OL coaches in football AND the first coch in about 10+ years to fix the OL here. Why would a defensive minded HC change that?

In terms of pure talent, this is one of the best rosters in the league, so it's not a situation, where the HC has to do a complete overhaul of the roster. I seems that Krucz has found the right system on offense for this team, so a new coching staff probably wouldn't change much systemwise.

 

[kerouac9]

What was mind-boggling was that Clancy Pendergast was shunning the blitz all game, especially on key 3rd and longs...and given the loose coverage and non-effective pass rush, 3rd and 13s became easy throws and catches or wide open scrambles.

I was thinking about this as the game was going on. Even my fiancee noted that we weren't getting a ton of pressure on Hasselback and we weren't blitzing. What I kind of came around to is that Hasselback along with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are veteran guys that you're just not going to rattle by bringing five or six. He'll kill you if you do that unless his wideouts are dropping balls all over the place, which they weren't doing yesterday. Few quarterbacks are better than Hasselback are better at beating the blitz.

Pendergast did a good job coming to this conclusion and instead dropped seven back into coverage and dared Hasselback to beat him passing. I'll take the 14-yard scampers over the 40 yard TD bombs. Only twice did Hasselback find a guy running loose along the seems, and since we did a great job keying in against the run, the Seahawks faced a lot more third-and-longs than they're probably used to.

Just a really nice defensive gameplan.

 

[football karma]

Your boy Francisco was the main culprit in 2 play 70 yard TD drive. But everyone gets beat now and then.

I think it was as much a great play by the WR as much as Francisco getting burned --

He was there -- and I thought that the pass would bounce off the back of Francisco's helmet -- but Hackett went up and pulled it in.

On the TD pass -- Francisco was toast, but part of me thinks that it was a well designed play.

You could see Holmgren's expertise on display on several routes -- the other was a beautiful out, up and stop route that Branch (i think) ran --

both Cardinal corner and safety read out and up, and both were headed towards the endzone -- Branch just stopped and was wide open. When run right -- that has to be tough to defend.

 

[red desert]

Keep Green? Hell on. Just my opinion. It does amaze me how so many now believe he should be kept on. Winning games when they don't count is one thing (and no, moral victories don't fit in this equation) but winning when it matters is another. Green has failed three years straight. Let him go.

What about Krucek (sp?) for head coach?

 

[Crazy Canuck]

The answer: Edge had it this week..."Take care of Matt." And what Edge means is, surround Leinart with the right coaches...I hope that whomever the new head coach is, he will keep coaches Krucz and Loney, because Krucz is getting it done as OC, Loney has spawned the best o-line play we have seen in years...in short, Krucz and Loney are taking care of Matt.

Let's be clear. This is YOUR interpretation of what he meant and serves as a lead to your belief that Green should be fired.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

The answer: Edge had it this week..."Take care of Matt." And what Edge means is, surround Leinart with the right coaches...I hope that whomever the new head coach is, he will keep coaches Krucz and Loney, because Krucz is getting it done as OC, Loney has spawned the best o-line play we have seen in years...in short, Krucz and Loney are taking care of Matt.

Huh? How did you derive that? What he more than likely meant - and I didnt even see the interview- was protecting him via the oline. Edge has spoken on the oline more than once this year and this was more than likely another occassion.

 

[Mitch]

Let's be clear. This is YOUR interpretation of what he meant and serves as a lead to your belief that Green should be fired.

CC: How can you interpret Edge's remarks any other way? Green can't even run an offense and take over when necessary. Tell me, do you ever see Green mentoring his rookie QB on the sidelines? Green is lost in space during games and it shows up in his decision making.

Kruczek is coaching his ass off...as is Loney. They are the reason for the winning streak, not Green. They are the ones doing the real work. And Pendy's bend but not break scheme got the job done.

Yesterday, despite a 3-9 record Green was about as conservative in his calls as any coach...yeah, the Cards won, which is why I will give Green some slack today, but let me remind all of you sudden bandwagoners, don't go crying when the Cards retain Green and the Cardinals are 1-5 again because they are getting outshaped and outcoached every game in September and October.

If Green was a hand-on coach and he was calling the plays...I would call for an extension. Green is what he is...a hands off coach whose coaching decisions defy logic and a basic understanding of momentum in the game of football. Period.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

CC: How can you interpret Edge's remarks any other way? Green can't even run an offense and take over when necessary. Tell me, do you ever see Green mentoring his rookie QB on the sidelines? Green is lost in space during games and it shows up in his decision making.

LV answered you on this point.

Kruczek is coaching his ass off...as is Loney. They are the reason for the winning streak, not Green. They are the ones doing the real work. And Pendy's bend but not break scheme got the job done.

Wow! the coaches are doing the job they're hired to do, under Green's overall management. Isn't that the way it's suppossed to work?

Yesterday, despite a 3-9 record Green was about as conservative in his calls as any coach...yeah, the Cards won, which is why I will give Green some slack today, but let me remind all of you sudden bandwagoners, don't go crying when the Cards retain Green and the Cardinals are 1-5 again because they are getting outshaped and outcoached every game in September and October.

Well, if you can predict 1-5 about a year from now... you should also be able to give me this year's Super Bowl winner and the spread.

If Green was a hand-on coach and he was calling the plays...I would call for an extension. Green is what he is...a hands off coach whose coaching decisions defy logic and a basic understanding of momentum in the game of football. Period.

Period?

Well, I guess Green should sign up at the Mitch remedial school for football coaching. Who would have guessed that with over 100 wins in the NFL he would need you to show him how to do the job.

ghjkl;';';'

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

CC: How can you interpret Edge's remarks any other way? Green can't even run an offense and take over when necessary. Tell me, do you ever see Green mentoring his rookie QB on the sidelines? Green is lost in space during games and it shows up in his decision making.

Kruczek is coaching his ass off...as is Loney. They are the reason for the winning streak, not Green. They are the ones doing the real work. And Pendy's bend but not break scheme got the job done.

Yesterday, despite a 3-9 record Green was about as conservative in his calls as any coach...yeah, the Cards won, which is why I will give Green some slack today, but let me remind all of you sudden bandwagoners, don't go crying when the Cards retain Green and the Cardinals are 1-5 again because they are getting outshaped and outcoached every game in September and October.

If Green was a hand-on coach and he was calling the plays...I would call for an extension. Green is what he is...a hands off coach whose coaching decisions defy logic and a basic understanding of momentum in the game of football. Period.

Well you then have to praise Green for promoting Kruczek. As i recall, you were vehemently against demoting Rowen. No matter what Green does, he can't win in your book. When the team loses it Green's fault but, when they win, it's Kruczek and Loney coaching their asses off and winning in spite of Green. Those arguments are pretty ridiculous in my book. If you're going to blame him for the losses then give him credit for the wins. If DG would've gone for the first downs yesterday and not made it(very likely could happen) you would've been on here saying that the FG was the right call. Well, the FG was the right call beacause they won 27-21. You know at 24-24 that it most likely would've come down to the coin toss in OT.

 

[Mitch]

Super Bowl: San Diego 31 New York Giants 23. There.

 

[JeffGollin]

Your boy Francisco was the main culprit in 2 play 70 yard TD drive. But everyone gets beat now and then.

How true. Therein lies a big lesson.

Although all of us have screaming to cut the level of mistakes to a minimum, a few of them are going to happen in every game. Every team has them.

The difference is that winning teams shake them off and keep on truckin'. Losing teams get all shook up, lose their poise and get demoralized.

Earlier this season, the Cards would have experienced meltdown after that TD and you could mail in the game.

This time, the offense didn't do anything dumb, and (at least part of) the defense continued to battle and finally forced the key fumble that helped flip the game (i.e. the same thing the Bears did to us, remember?).

It's important the Cardinal players understand what happened - so that "figuring out how to win" becomes part of their DNA.

We're talking about the difference between a possible 7 & 9 season and a possible 10 & 6. Attitude is everything.

 

[Mitch]

Well you then have to praise Green for promoting Kruczek. As i recall, you were vehemently against demoting Rowen. No matter what Green does, he can't win in your book. When the team loses it Green's fault but, when they win, it's Kruczek and Loney coaching their asses off and winning in spite of Green. Those arguments are pretty ridiculous in my book. If you're going to blame him for the losses then give him credit for the wins. If DG would've gone for the first downs yesterday and not made it(very likely could happen) you would've been on here saying that the FG was the right call. Well, the FG was the right call beacause they won 27-21. You know at 24-24 that it most likely would've come down to the coin toss in OT.

You guys are fricking relentless...you take everything out of context...was I the only one who had an issue with the timing of Rowen's so-called demotion...I am a BC grad...Krucz and I were classmates at BC, I loved the guy...he was a rare All-American for BC in the 70's...we actually beat Texas and Earl Campbell when Texas was ranked #1...so I was psyched that Krucz got the OC job, but to throw Rowen under the bus when clearly his play calling was being dictated by Green, I thought was classless and precipitous.

The thing is...these games are MEANINGLESS. Tell me how amny meaningful games Dennis Green has won in Arizona? It's a heck of a lot easier to win games without any pressure. Put any pressure on Green's players since he's been here and they fall down like a house of cards...why? Because Green gets outcoached game after lousy game.

Go ahead...want him back. I'll be here to remind you of that wish. The Cardinals will suck again next year until the meanigful games begin, because this guy doesn't have a clue how to manage the clock, make critical adjustments or how work psychology in his players' favor.

 

[ajcardfan]

Go ahead...want him back. I'll be here to remind you of that wish.

Jeez, first you vow to never post again until the guy is fired. Now, you vow to tell everyone "I told you so."

Personally, I hope you stick to the second vow as rigorously as you stuck to the first.

 

[Mitch]

Jeez, first you vow to never post again until the guy is fired. Now, you vow to tell everyone "I told you so."

Personally, I hope you stick to the second vow as rigorously as you stuck to the first.

Have I been right about Green all along? You bet I have. I smelled a rat the day the pie chart came out. The Cardinals have been, let's see, 15-30 since and you want to see the same coach in place for next year. Go figure.