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Cardinals Support Group
June 16, 2006 Print it
By Kent Somers
For Sporting News
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Larry Fitzgerald
A first critical look at the 2006 Cardinals:
WHAT'S NEW
For years, management said a new stadium would provide fans with more than air conditioning. It would give the team the financial means to extend contracts, to compete for top free agents and all the things necessary to win in the NFL. That wasn't possible at Sun Devil Stadium, team officials say.
Well, now it's time to make good on the promise.
The new stadium, built in cotton fields west of Phoenix, means there are no more excuses for losing, which the team has done in 16 of its 18 seasons in Arizona. It also puts considerable pressure on coach Dennis Green.
There are indications that a turnaround is possible. Quarterback Kurt Warner re-signed for three more years. And the Cardinals signed free-agent running back Edgerrin James to a four-year, $30 million contract, giving them the elite runner they've lacked for years.
This team has more star power and more talent than it has had in years.
"I think it's real big," receiver Anquan Boldin says of James' signing. "I think we had most of the pieces in place, but adding a guy like that means a lot to this team."
If the offensive line progresses as hoped, the Cardinals will be more balanced than last season, when they were first in the NFL in passing and last in rushing.
The defense already is playoff-caliber, provided it can stay healthy.
Fans are buying in. Season ticket sales are expected to exceed 50,000, an increase of about 18,000 from last year. Maybe the Cardinals finally will have a home-field advantage, provided they win.
"The world is in front of us," defensive end Bertrand Berry says. "It's up to us to go in and seize it. The front office has put us in position to do that. The excuses get less and less each year."
GAME PLAN
Offense: Coordinator Keith Rowen knows the Cardinals can't win the way they played last year -- throwing almost twice as much as they ran. That's not his philosophy, but the club was forced into it by necessity. He would like to strike a balance, and he figures to do that with an improved line and James.
Defense: This defense is built upon speed, not bulk. The Cardinals prefer defensive tackles who can penetrate, rather than large space eaters. They like lighter, faster linebackers. And coordinator Clancy Pendergast tries to dictate games with blitzes, especially those featuring strong safety Adrian Wilson. That philosophy forces opponents into mistakes, but it also leaves the unit more vulnerable to big plays. But overall, this is a solid group that has bought into Pendergast's passion for running to the ball and forcing the action.
SPOTLIGHT PLAYERS
RB Edgerrin James: Since the team moved to Arizona in 1988, a Cardinal has rushed for more than 1,000 yards only three times. James has done it five times in his seven seasons. He feels comfortable with this scheme, and the club likely will run more stretch plays than in the past. James is not big but has good instincts and the burst to hit the hole. He is versatile, shows good hands and picks up blitzers nicely.
WRs Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald: It's hard to say which is the best thing about Boldin and Fitzgerald -- that they each gained more than 1,400 yards receiving last year or that Boldin is 25 and Fitzgerald is 22. The two will be the foundation for this offense for years to come.
Fitzgerald made great strides last year in his route running and was especially effective on sideline routes, using his size to beat defenders for the ball. Boldin sets the tone for the team. He practices hard, plays with ferocity and abhors losing. He has become a team leader, and he is not afraid to tell management what he thinks the Cardinals need to win. Boldin has been nagged by knee injuries the past two seasons, but he caught 102 passes last year despite missing two games.
DE Bertrand Berry: This entire defensive line didn't need to be upgraded; it just had to return to health, starting with Berry at right end. He is back after missing half of last season because of a torn pectoral muscle. Without him, the defensive line struggled to generate pressure and the team was forced to blitz more frequently. The coaches will use Berry creatively, moving him to different spots in passing situations.
VINNIE IYER'S TAKE
James will help light up the offense in a new stadium, but the defense won't be good enough to support it. Prediction: 6-10 (third in the NFC West).
FANTASY SOURCE SPIN
Stud: WR Larry Fitzgerald. It's a tossup between Fitzgerald and Boldin. The deciding factor: Fitzgerald is more of a threat in the red zone.
Sleeper: QB Kurt Warner. Last season, he showed there's still life in his right arm. He has plenty of talent around him, and the addition of James should help ease some pressure.
Stumbler: RB Edgerrin James. He quickly will learn about life behind an inferior offensive line. He will frustrate fantasy owners who don't adjust their expectations.
FALL FORECAST
Green has had three offseasons to build the roster and coaching staff. The club is moving into a new stadium that figures to be filled every week this season. There is talent at the skill positions and scattered throughout the defense. And NFC West foes are nothing to fear.
The situation sets up perfectly for the team to contend for a playoff spot. Anything less will be a disappointment. Green has won 11 games in two seasons with Arizona. Another season like that, and he could be out of a job. Green, though, usually does his best work when the pressure is greatest.
Kent Somers covers the Cardinals for the Arizona Republic and Sporting News
