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Cards notebook: Wilson upset with his play
By Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune
Ask Adrian Wilson about his performance in the first two games of this year, and the Cardinals’ strong safety responds as if he is glad you brought the subject up.
“Awful, man,” Wilson said without hesitation on Thursday. “They’ve been the worst couple of games I’ve had.”
Wilson has just five tackles and one pass defensed to his credit. He has been out of position at times, including a bad bite on an under route last week against Seattle that let Darrell Jackson free down the sidelines for a 66-yard touchdown reception.
During the offseason, Wilson — who had a disappointing 2002 — hit the weights and the books in an attempt to enter this year fit and focused. But those efforts have borne little fruit.
This week, he sat down with defensive backs coach Ron Milus to evaluate the situation. Their verdict: even more focus is needed.
“I need to not try to do too many things,” Wilson said. “I need to just take care of my plays, and the plays will come to me.”
Arizona coach Dave McGinnis still believes that Wilson, who was selected in the third round of the 2001 draft, has a bright future.
The Cardinals’ defensive scheme puts a lot of responsibility on Wilson and free safety Dexter Jackson. Wilson, however, said he is not overloaded.
“You have to make every call and know every call,” Wilson said. “You go through a checklist. I know everything in the playbook, but going out there and adjusting as a play is going is a different thing. It’s a lot harder than in practice.. . .
“I need to slow down my thinking process, go through all the checks in my head and make the plays to the best of my ability.”
There is speculation that Wilson might be of more use at cornerback, but Wilson said, “I doubt (a move) will happen.”
KEEP IT DOWN!
Details of Emmitt Smith’s impassioned locker room tirade after Sunday’s 38-0 loss to Seattle leaked out to the media in recent days. The running back said Thursday he was disappointed about that, adding that he wanted to keep his comments “in-house.”
“I don’t know how in the world you guys got it,” Smith said. “It was never meant for media play anyway. It was for my teammates, the people on the staff. . . I never meant for it to get outside the walls of the locker room.”
EXTRA POINT
Receivers Bryan Gilmore (knee) and Larry Foster (ankle) did not practice again on Thursday. Neither did defensive end Fred Wakefield, who said he passed his most recent concussion test. All three players are listed as questionable for Sunday.
A conspicuous absence from the list is quarterback Jeff Blake (heel), who practiced Thursday but still had a slight limp. . . .
By Dan Zeiger, East Valley Tribune
Ask Adrian Wilson about his performance in the first two games of this year, and the Cardinals’ strong safety responds as if he is glad you brought the subject up.
“Awful, man,” Wilson said without hesitation on Thursday. “They’ve been the worst couple of games I’ve had.”
Wilson has just five tackles and one pass defensed to his credit. He has been out of position at times, including a bad bite on an under route last week against Seattle that let Darrell Jackson free down the sidelines for a 66-yard touchdown reception.
During the offseason, Wilson — who had a disappointing 2002 — hit the weights and the books in an attempt to enter this year fit and focused. But those efforts have borne little fruit.
This week, he sat down with defensive backs coach Ron Milus to evaluate the situation. Their verdict: even more focus is needed.
“I need to not try to do too many things,” Wilson said. “I need to just take care of my plays, and the plays will come to me.”
Arizona coach Dave McGinnis still believes that Wilson, who was selected in the third round of the 2001 draft, has a bright future.
The Cardinals’ defensive scheme puts a lot of responsibility on Wilson and free safety Dexter Jackson. Wilson, however, said he is not overloaded.
“You have to make every call and know every call,” Wilson said. “You go through a checklist. I know everything in the playbook, but going out there and adjusting as a play is going is a different thing. It’s a lot harder than in practice.. . .
“I need to slow down my thinking process, go through all the checks in my head and make the plays to the best of my ability.”
There is speculation that Wilson might be of more use at cornerback, but Wilson said, “I doubt (a move) will happen.”
KEEP IT DOWN!
Details of Emmitt Smith’s impassioned locker room tirade after Sunday’s 38-0 loss to Seattle leaked out to the media in recent days. The running back said Thursday he was disappointed about that, adding that he wanted to keep his comments “in-house.”
“I don’t know how in the world you guys got it,” Smith said. “It was never meant for media play anyway. It was for my teammates, the people on the staff. . . I never meant for it to get outside the walls of the locker room.”
EXTRA POINT
Receivers Bryan Gilmore (knee) and Larry Foster (ankle) did not practice again on Thursday. Neither did defensive end Fred Wakefield, who said he passed his most recent concussion test. All three players are listed as questionable for Sunday.
A conspicuous absence from the list is quarterback Jeff Blake (heel), who practiced Thursday but still had a slight limp. . . .
