Another Sunday come and gone-----

[Catfish]

One more week closer to the new season. After watching several pre-season games this week end, I came away totally surprised at the way many of our rookies have been assymilated into the playing roster.

I can't recall a pre-season, where we have had so many youngsters become stalwarts in the lineup like they have this year. Just look at the apparent ease with which players like Johnathon Cooper, Tyran Matthieu, Stepfan Taylor, Jaron Brown, Charles Hawkins, Alex Okafor and Kevin Minter have worked their way into the mix. Now realize that Andre Ellington (injured), Kenny Demens, DC Jefferson, Padric Scott, Ronnie Yell, and Earl Watford have all made inroads into the roster, and I am amazed at the number of youngsters who are pressing to make this final 53 man roster.

I recall no Cardinal's training camp where youngsters have shown so well as we head into pre-season games. This must surely be attributal to the new coaching staff, although much could be said for the scouts in the FO about procuring great talent. Then too, there has been a great deal of help coming from veteran leadership, which was also procured by our FO during free agency. All these things are combining to 'pay off' as we head towards opening day. The bottom line is, that the franchise is benefitting from all this in a big way.

Yes, there were problems with youngsters in substitutions, and in line-up situations during the game, but those problems are fixable through teaching, and experience gained in game-time playing. This is a nice problem to have at this point in the pre-season. It makes for better competition, and greater depth.

My hat is off to the FO, coaching staff, veteran leadership, and especially to the rookies who have taken on the task of blending into this team. This is very pleasing for an old fan to witness.

 

[Mulli]

Please define "stalwart."

The youngin's looked good, but I am not sure they are NFL regulars quite yet.

 

[Catfish]

I would say that a stalwart is one who can compete on an even basis with veteran players on the roster for a particular job. So far Cooper, Matthieu, Taylor, Brown, Hawkins, Okafor, Minter, and even Ellington have done just that. The others I mentioned have also had bonafide segments where they have made real contributions.

 

[Russ Smith]

I think BA is going to do a good job but it's easier to break in young players when the team isn't very good and I think that so far could be why we're seeing so many young guys in prominent roles?

Of course they did it last year with the Colts and it worked for them. I think BA is good at getting the most out of players, I hope we have enough to get to be better this year.

QUite honestly Palmer alone should add 2-3 wins if he can stay healthy, he's that much better than last years guys. But I don't expect the defense to be as good with Washington suspended and the other changes.

We'll see though, it's early but it does look like Tyrann has a chance to be one of those guys who just flat makes plays.

 

[Darkside]

Agree with everything posted for the most part, but we gotta be careful praising the rooks too much--their mistakes don't get exposed in preseason against the backups. When they make those mistakes in real games, against starters, they're going to be taken advantage of.

 

[GuernseyCard]

I would imagine that all of the draft picks will make the final 53, but only two (Cooper, Mathieu) to have substantive defined roles. The others, for the most part, will chip in on ST's. This is a veteran laden team.

 

[BigRedRage]

Minter has potential ot start but we are SO loaded at MLB that he will have to wait a year or two.

 

[Duckjake]

Minter has potential ot start but we are SO loaded at MLB that he will have to wait a year or two.

True. If Brinkley continues to play as well as he did Friday Minter is going to have a tough time cracking the starting lineup. Of course I'm assuming they drafted Minter to play opposite DWash and that's what they plan for Brinkley.

 

[BigRedRage]

True. If Brinkley continues to play as well as he did Friday Minter is going to have a tough time cracking the starting lineup. Of course I'm assuming they drafted Minter to play opposite DWash and that's what they plan for Brinkley.

Dwash, Brinkley, Dansby, Walker and Minter.

Woah.

2 starting spots. 4 starter caliber MLBs and one who sure looks the part.

Paris who?

 

[Goldfield]

I'll say this. The team looked well coached are ready to play. That's a huge change imo.

 

[BigRedRage]

I cant wait for this saturday - Will the sky fall?

 

[Duckjake]

I cant wait for this saturday - Will the sky fall?

I hope so. The last thing you want to do is win all your pre season games. Heck did we even win one pre season game in 2009?

By the way is the game Saturday live on NFL Network?????

 

[D-Dogg]

LB was not a team strength very long ago...now it is solid and deep.

 

[Mulli]

LB was not a team strength very long ago...now it is solid and deep.

The RB's however...

 

[kerouac9]

LB was not a team strength very long ago...now it is solid and deep.

A look at the OLB depth chart might quickly dispel that notion for you.

It takes a lot of vasoline on the lens to make that group look pretty.

 

[BigRedRage]

I hope so. The last thing you want to do is win all your pre season games. Heck did we even win one pre season game in 2009?

By the way is the game Saturday live on NFL Network?????

its live at 7pm on channel 15.

 

[Mulli]

A look at the OLB depth chart might quickly dispel that notion for you.

It takes a lot of vasoline on the lens to make that group look pretty.

As pretty as your Levi Brown?

 

[gmabel830]

its live at 7pm on channel 15.

The game this Saturday vs. Dallas? Isn't it an afternoon game?

Also, 99% DuckJake isn't local, so the game being on channel 15 won't do him much good.

 

[gmabel830]

I'm going to be on a plane during week 1 @ Rams.

Screw you work conference!!

 

[BigRedRage]

The game this Saturday vs. Dallas? Isn't it an afternoon game?

Also, 99% DuckJake isn't local, so the game being on channel 15 won't do him much good.

sorry, 7pm channel 15 si the chargers game on the 24th.

 

[RonF]

It's great to watch a stalwart team like the Cardinals play a preseason game without someone talking about a vanilla offense. Yes, I like stalwart.

 

[Duckjake]

A look at the OLB depth chart might quickly dispel that notion for you.

It takes a lot of vasoline on the lens to make that group look pretty.

I don't think that's going to mean much this year. What will be important is how well Shaughnessy and Abraham can play DE. The Cards ran a lot of 4-2-5 Friday. I'm thinking the base 3-4 as the main defensive alignment is history in Arizona. We'll see.

 

[JeffGollin]

By the way is the game Saturday live on NFL Network?????

Yes.

(I'm sweating out a total roof replacement Thurs and Fri. - which will mean my dish/mast will have to be taken down and then reinstalled Sat. after the new roof is in. Timing will be a bit dicey. My backup is bare bones cable w/o NFLN. Worst comes to worse, there's always the audio on SIRIUS or the live video feed from nfl.com).

This game is a big deal because of the extra day between this game and the GB game and one/maybe two fewer days between the Dallas game and the next one - puts extra pressure on roster-cut decisions.

 

[CardLogic]

I hope so.

Blasphemer!
WIN Saturday!

I don't care if it's a tiddly-winks contest, the worst loss to suffer at home is still vs. the Cowpukes!

I don't care about the final score of the other two pre-season games.

 

[PJ1]

I hope so. The last thing you want to do is win all your pre season games. Heck did we even win one pre season game in 2009?

By the way is the game Saturday live on NFL Network?????

Yes the game is on NFL Network at 4:30 EST Saturday.