2006 Cardinals: Game 15 (ARI 26 SF 20) Analysis

[BigWatson]

Just a player hater comment....IMHO

Watch the games, buddy. Fitz had some terrible drops this season.

 

[Pariah]

I'm okay with taking Johnson in the first round; it wouldn't be my first choice, but as Mitch pointed out, it would cause matchup problems like crazy for defenses. And, it's NOT like the situation in Detroit, where they continued to try to find a WR that was going to work and stay healthy--we already know Q and Fitz are pro-bowlers, adding another potential playmaker to the mix is different than adding potential on top of potential.

But, I think Johnson is a top-3 pick and won't be available to us. I do think there's a chance Adrian Peterson is there when we pick (assuming we lose this week). It's a similar debate with AP because between Edge and Arrington many think we're set at the position. I say package Johnson and JJ for a second round pick and draft Peterson.

JHMO

 

[football karma]

But, I think Johnson is a top-3 pick and won't be available to us. I do think there's a chance Adrian Peterson is there when we pick (assuming we lose this week). It's a similar debate with AP because between Edge and Arrington many think we're set at the position. I say package Johnson and JJ for a second round pick and draft Peterson.

JHMO

I am not crazy about JJ backing up Edge. While he hasnt gotten a lot of opportunities, he hasnt done much with any of them.

 

[ajcardfan]

No. I think Boldin should be used as an H-back (it doesn't mean halfback...it's a term used for hybrid WR/TE types who are moved around for multiple purposes)...where he motions from one side to the opposite slot to avoid press coverage...where he can be used in the blocking schemes on running plays, like cracking back on the DE...and where he can take an occasional handoff...

...........


Drafting strictly by need, especially early in the draft, is not the wisest thing to do, particularly when good players slide into the second day.

I knew what you meant by H-back. And, Boldin is not big enough, IMO, to take on that role. H-backs are more like TE-light guys like Kleinsasser. All that's going to do is take a phenomenal WR and get the crap needlessly beaten out of him.

And, I agree with you that we should not draft strictly by need. Ever. BUT, it HAS to be taken into account with the first pick. The contracts are just too large in the top 5 to ignore it. It could happen Brady Quinn might fall into our laps and he would clearly be the best player. Yet, IMO, one year after drafting Leinart, drafting Quinn would be insane.

On the other hand, when Fitz was in the draft I was in favor of drafting him as best player even though many were saying we should pass on him because we already had a pro bowl WR and we needed an OT. Personally, I did not like Gallery which made it easier for me. Also, two WRs play, and we only had 1 good one. But, now we have two, so that makes another top 5 pick on a wideout a luxury we cannot afford.

 

[Redsz]

Watch the games, buddy. Fitz had some terrible drops this season.

If you want to talk about drops, talk about Q and BJ. Those guys deserve far more flak for their drops than Fitz does.

 

[Mitch]

I knew what you meant by H-back. And, Boldin is not big enough, IMO, to take on that role. H-backs are more like TE-light guys like Kleinsasser. All that's going to do is take a phenomenal WR and get the crap needlessly beaten out of him.

And, I agree with you that we should not draft strictly by need. Ever. BUT, it HAS to be taken into account with the first pick. The contracts are just too large in the top 5 to ignore it. It could happen Brady Quinn might fall into our laps and he would clearly be the best player. Yet, IMO, one year after drafting Leinart, drafting Quinn would be insane.

On the other hand, when Fitz was in the draft I was in favor of drafting him as best player even though many were saying we should pass on him because we already had a pro bowl WR and we needed an OT. Personally, I did not like Gallery which made it easier for me. Also, two WRs play, and we only had 1 good one. But, now we have two, so that makes another top 5 pick on a wideout a luxury we cannot afford.

AJ: You and I are just meant to consistently disagree...which is fine and makes for interesting discussions.

Boldin is the toughest player on the football team, bar none. You ask him to do anything and he'll do it. To ask him to trap block on a DE is something Boldin would relish...and 9 out of 10 times he would knock the DE on his ass.

Boldin's strength is the RAC yards he gets...so why not allow him the cushion to shake his man and let him catch and run?

Where Boldin gets negated is against quicker, faster press corners who spoil his timing and jump his routes...thus denying Boldin the football.

The other things is...when Boldin ran the sweep the other day...have you seen any Cardinal in the last 10 years run as hard as Boldin did? Tell me a run or two like this wouldn't ignite this offense?

You talk about having the luxury...well, do the Cardinals have luxury of losing game after game to press man-to-man coverage teams? The 2-11 Raiders negated the Cardinals' passing attack with press coverage...and this will be the case until the Cardinals have a speed WR who can back teams off of press man.

 

[joeshmo]

The Raiders negated the Cardinals' passing attack with press coverage...

The Raiders negated the Cards pass attack by letting the Cards negate it themselves by being the only team in the league to let Ross block Burgess 1 on 1 the whole game.

 

[Russ Smith]

Watch the games, buddy. Fitz had some terrible drops this season.

How many elite WR's don't drop passes? I don't think Fitz had a great year mind you, TD's are too low, but I think part of that goes on Matt being a rookie. But when the ball is in the air up for grabs there's not one other WR in the NFL I would rather have than Fitz, he's amazing at snatching the ball away from DB's.

Where he has problems is lack of top end speed and burst, can't consistently get separation(he did against SF on the long ball matt underthrew).

 

[Russ Smith]

The Raiders negated the Cards pass attack by letting the Cards negate it themselves by being the only team in the league to let Ross block Burgess 1 on 1 the whole game.

Agreed, although the next week the Raiders opponent did the same thing and Burgess went nuts again. but burgess won that game almost single handedly he got in the backfield so often that he got in Matt's head and impacted him even when he wasn't there.

 

[BACH]

While T Joe Thomas is an attractive choice...I am not convinced he is one of the top five players in this draft...and if the Cardinals can tab a T like James Marten later in the draft, who is very similar to Joe Thomas (both are 6'8, 318 lbs, srtong and ahtletic), then why not go for one of the draft's elite gamebreakers at #5?

The Patriots took T Ryan O'Callahan of California in the 5th round last year and he has started and played well for them this year. The Pats took a gamebreaker, RB Laurence Maroney in the 1st round, and look what he has done for their offense.

Drafting strictly by need, especially early in the draft, is not the wisest thing to do, particularly when good players slide into the second day.

Who are you replacing, Mitch?
O'Callahan wouldn't be able do that here. Our RT is protecting the blindside. You can't find a OT in the 5h round to slide in at RT.

If you're talking about replacing Big, then I somewhat agree. LT is the frontside and since most RT in the NFL played LT in college, then they should have an easier time adjusting to the NFL. BUT! Our LT would line up against the opponents best DE, so they still need to have pretty good feet.

We don't have draft a LT in the 1st, but the 5th is pushing it IMO. Joe Thomas would play RT for us.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Boldin as an H-back is an atroscious idea. The Cards use him just fine the way he is. Why are you going to take a Pro bowl WR and have him blocking in traffic? Let's see the uproar when he cuts back on the DE and gets hurt by another linemen stunting or something like that. WR's aren't built to be blockers unless it against a DB.

Hopefully, LeRon Mccoy will give us the speed aspect that is needed. A deep threat is needed but not at the expense of subjecting Boldin to blocking defensive linemen. I wouldn't complain if we selcted Calvin Johnson but it depends om who the coach is. If they are a traditional offensive coach then you'd be using your 1st round pick on a guy who only plays in a 3WR set. If Green's type offense is retained then we use the 3 WR set as the main set and he'd be worth the pick.

 

[ajcardfan]

Boldin as an H-back is an atroscious idea. The Cards use him just fine the way he is. Why are you going to take a Pro bowl WR and have him blocking in traffic? Let's see the uproar when he cuts back on the DE and gets hurt by another linemen stunting or something like that. WR's aren't built to be blockers unless it against a DB.

I agree with this completely. I think moving Boldin to H-Back would cut his career short by 4 or 5 years just to get a handful of neat-o, groovy plays called. Sure, move the guy around, put him in the backfield, but don't change his primary role as one of the top WRs in the game.


Also, I don't see the speed of our wideouts as a major issue. Fitz and Boldin routinely beat press coverage and make plays downfield when our QBs have time and get the ball to them. There are many ways to make this team better faster. Before we talk about using the #5 pick on a wideout, how about seeing how we do in free agency?

 

[kerouac9]

Who are you replacing, Mitch?
O'Callahan wouldn't be able do that here. Our RT is protecting the blindside. You can't find a OT in the 5h round to slide in at RT.

If you're talking about replacing Big, then I somewhat agree. LT is the frontside and since most RT in the NFL played LT in college, then they should have an easier time adjusting to the NFL. BUT! Our LT would line up against the opponents best DE, so they still need to have pretty good feet.

We don't have draft a LT in the 1st, but the 5th is pushing it IMO. Joe Thomas would play RT for us.

Can you back this up with any kind of evidence at all? This is a silly assertion.

 

[SECTION 11]

yeah, once he stops dropping passes maybe.

Wow