ARI 20 OAK 10 Thoughts + 53 Update

[Mitch]

* Very good game in all three phases for the Cardinals.

* Good tempo and execution on offense.

* Solid tackling, pressure and coverage by the defense.

* Much improved STs play.

Standouts:

QBs Palmer, Stanton (best he's played in a few years)
RBs D. Johnson, Penny
WR Golden
TE Niklas
OL Wetzel (excellent at LT), Iupati, Shipley, Boehm, Veldheer (strong and comfortable at RT), Toner
DL Nkemdiche
LB Golden, Martin (sack), Bynes (good instincts and physical presence), Bazzie
CB Peterson, Bethel, T. Williams (smooth and sticky)
S Mathieu, Baker, Gallon
STs Dawson, Wright, Penny, K.Williams (very good debut as KR/PR), Brewer, Wile, Leone

Updated 53:

QB (3): Palmer, Stanton, Gabbert

Gabbert faced the most consistent pressure, but he handled it well, imo. Stanton dodged pressure well to, and his flush throw to Niklas was excellent. However, Stanton got away with throwing what should have been an easy interception in the end zone. It was Stanton's only bad play of the night.

RB (4): D. Johnson, K. Williams, C. Johnson, Penny

Andre Ellington showed his wheels and receiving ability and might even have garnered some trade value with this performance, but Elijhaa Penny is one of the team's best ST players and brings pop between the tackles. With this roster, Ellington wouldn't be active in game days because he doesn't play STs.

WR (6): Fitzgerald, Jo. Brown, Nelson, Ja. Brown, Golden, C. Williams

Brittan Golden is having a very good camp and is good on STs. Jeremy Ross is on his heels, but dropped a TD. Aaron Dobson has to start playing (if possible) to make his case. Youngsters Bundy, Hogan and Agudosi are tall, skilled WRs. Chris Hubert was open for 2 TDs (one deep by a little and one by a lot when he joked out starting CB Sean Smith on a stop and fade). The fact that Hubert was getting targets early and throughout the first half is meaningful, especially in John Brown's role while Brown is injured.

TE (3): Gresham, Momah, Niklas

Hakeem Valles is again showing upside on STs. Probably starts the year on the PS, however.

OL (9): Humphries, Iupati, Shipley, Boehm, Veldheer, Wetzel, Toner, Do. Johnson, Holden

Holden struggled at LT. Meanwhile RT Ulrich John has put up his 2nd good tape in two games. Not sure if the Cardinals want to risk exposing Holden to waivers, but John is a good, solid player and is deserving of a roster spot, imo. Might garner some trade interest.

Tony Bergstrom has been very solid at G and this week at C. He too is making a strong case.

DL (7): Rucker, Peters, Mauro, Nkemdiche, Gunter, Pierre, X. Williams

Aside from Nkemdiche, none of these DL is making splash plays as yet. One would expect more from Mauro, Gunter and Pierre. Peli Anau had the best penetration TFL of the night. This unit needs to get going.

ILB (5): Bucannon, Dansby, Reddick, Wright, Bynes

Credit Steve Keim for signing Bynes and CB T. Williams. Both look sharp.

OLB (4): Golden, C. Jones, Martin, J. Jones

Jarvis Jones has yet to play in a game. Meanwhile, Alex Bazzie and Cap Capi are showing flashes of strength and edge quickness.

CB (4): Peterson, Bethel, T. Williams, B. Williams

S (5): Mathieu, Baker, Bethea, Branch, Ford

Harlan Miller needs to be more aggressive in run support and tackling. Ironhead Gallon is making a strong case for the roster. He was sticky in coverage last night and very physical in his tackling, plus he's good on STs. Rudy Ford's speed and aggressiveness at FS is a big need, which is why he gets the nod thus far.

ST (3): Dawson, Leone, Brewer

Dawson is a joy to watch. The key thing in this game is that Richie Leone was doing the holding. Both Leone and Matt Wile boomed 60+ yard punts and Wile was very good on his kickoffs. But, if Leone is holding for Dawson, that's a giveaway as to who is winning the punting job.

 

[Southpaw]

Won't be able to view the game until NFLNet replay on Wednesday. Damn DVR operator screwed up.

 

[Proximo]

A scooby wright should not make the team over a fifth corner.

Doubt penny beats out Ellington.

Otherwise I think your 53 is spot on.

 

[Mitch]

A scooby wright should not make the team over a fifth corner.

Doubt penny beats out Ellington.

Otherwise I think your 53 is spot on.

Scooby might even be named a STs captain. He forced the fumble on the kickoff last night.

The thing about the CB position is that Honey Badger, Branch, Budda and Ford can play CB if need be. They are nickel CBs.

Penny is a key player on STs. He should be active on game days. Ellington wouldn't be active. They cannot afford to have the #4 RB not be a contributor on STs.

Those are my arguments, but you could be right, Proximo. Not sure if there is a 5th CB currently on the roster who makes any sense at all for making the 53, though.

 

[Reddog]

A scooby wright should not make the team over a fifth corner.

Doubt penny beats out Ellington.

Otherwise I think your 53 is spot on.

He is an enigma. Slow in coverage but all the praise Nkemdiche got for the 4th & 1 stop was misplaced. While he plugged the left side it was Scoobie that knifed through the line on the right side and stopped the runner cold. The kid is a player. As for Penny, he is not nearly as impactful as I remember him.

 

[don7031]

Added emphasis on special team play should garner Wright a roster spot.

 

[DVontel]

I'll be mad if Jarvis Jones makes the 53.

 

[Mitch]

I'll be mad if Jarvis Jones makes the 53.

He practiced some last week. The coaches remain very optimistic at this point. Give it another week or two.

Who do you have making it in front of Jarvis Jones? Cap Capi? Alex Bazzie? Should they give Dwight Freeney a call?

 

[Proximo]

If it were up to me, I would keep capi over jones

Scooby might even be named a STs captain. He forced the fumble on the kickoff last night.

The thing about the CB position is that Honey Badger, Branch, Budda and Ford can play CB if need be. They are nickel CBs.

Penny is a key player on STs. He should be active on game days. Ellington wouldn't be active. They cannot afford to have the #4 RB not be a contributor on STs.

Those are my arguments, but you could be right, Proximo. Not sure if there is a 5th CB currently on the roster who makes any sense at all for making the 53, though.

I don't think there is a 5th, or a 4th corner on the roster, and that needs to be addressed pronto. Ford cannot play CB, that is why that experiment lasted 2 weeks. Baker and badger are ok at the slot, but if you put them on the outside they would look like Harlan miller. We are one CB injury away from having go routes for tds work consistently against us.

I don't like keeping players for special teams only, unless they are a terror like bethel used to be. Scooby is too slow. I would keep a 4th te over him too.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Reddick missed some reads on run plays. Hopefully KD is in his ear and teaching him. If Lynch was playing he would have been tough to stop because you can't miss those opportunities.

Nkem showed some really good effort last night. He was fired and played hard on all plays. That was his knock, taking plays off. Good to see him fired up and disrupting the line.

I have been on the cut DS train. So I have to give him credit for a solid game. Maybe the pressure of having another QB is waking him up. Still I've seen a lot of him and he goes back to his old habits. BG didn't have much time to throw as the line was giving up a lot of pressure. Still need to see more of both of them.

45 Bynes was all over the place. I know it was against 3's, but he did show a nose for the ball.

 

[Proximo]

I'll be mad if Jarvis Jones makes the 53.

I agree capi looks real good, if jones is kept it will be to save face. But unfortunately that is probably what happens.

 

[TJ]

I don't like keeping players for special teams only, unless they are a terror like bethel used to be. Scooby is too slow. I would keep a 4th te over him too.

If you remember how dismal out special teams were last season, you'd take all of the ST reinforcements you can get

 

[Proximo]

If you remember how dismal out special teams were last season, you'd take all of the ST reinforcements you can get

Yeah, but they aren't now, and I don't believe for a second it is all due to the slow scooby wright. Remember ford didn't play last night either.

 

[DVontel]

He practiced some last week. The coaches remain very optimistic at this point. Give it another week or two.

Who do you have making it in front of Jarvis Jones? Cap Capi? Alex Bazzie? Should they give Dwight Freeney a call?

Capi.

Jarvis Jones just seems like a waste a space here like he was in Pitt.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Gunter had some solid penetration.

Scooby is so slow but his ability to diagnose a play quickly showed value in the run defense.

Reddick really out of places few times on run defense. If he has scooby' football IQ might be a pro bowler with recovery ability. Worried about that.

Overthrew a bunch of bombs that had open receivers. Those are the chunk plays that made 2015 and the misses that killed 2016.

Budda made a bunch of tackles. Would like to see the next step with him denying the football.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Personally, I wouldn't keep Kerwyn Williams or Andre Ellington...Ellington just doesn't seem to have "it" any longer...and keeping Williams just to return kicks/punts???? Not so sure about that...I think they can hopefully find another position player to help with that, while whatshisname's wrist heals.

 

[MartinD]

Nkem showed some really good effort last night. He was fired and played hard on all plays. That was his knock, taking plays off. Good to see him fired up and disrupting the line.
/QUOTE]

I was unhappy when the Cards drafted Nkemdiche for two reasons: (1) I thought he lacked drive and maturity. He had all of the natural ability in the world but his lack of focus meant he'd never deliver like the team needed; (2) I couldn't remember how to spell his last name. It's a pain in the butt, trying to remember how to spell an unusual name.

Last night, he played with focus. And I can remember how to spell 'Nkem'. Thanks!

 

[NJCardFan]

Stanton (best he's played in a few years)

Having your job in jeopardy can be a motivator.

Personally, I wouldn't keep Kerwyn Williams or Andre Ellington...Ellington just doesn't seem to have "it" any longer...and keeping Williams just to return kicks/punts???? Not so sure about that...I think they can hopefully find another position player to help with that, while whatshisname's wrist heals.

We did return man by committee last year and it went miserably.

I couldn't watch the game because I was at work but tried to keep up on my computer at my desk but it was refreshing to see a punter kick a ball 60+ yards in the air. Thought I saw us punt from inside the 10 where the Raiders took over on their own 39. I can live with that because had that been Butler, the catch would have been made on our own 45 at best.

 

[blindseyed]

I have to disagree on Stanton, although his over all play was good, he made more than that 1 mistake. That TD to Niklas is a pick with the 1st team D in there. He squeezed it thru but it was a lot of luck too.Same with the over throw in the endzone with double coverage. Don't get me wrong, he did a very good job but I'm still convinced he is and will always be a back up, albeit a good backup, a back up nonetheless. I also feel kinda bad for Gabbert, 7 years 7 offensive coordinators?? That's rough
I was happy with how the starters played tho. Good overall start

 

[TheCardFan]

I can't stand how Ellington falls down at/before first contact. He doesn't play special teams and other than some passing game attributes, he is terrible. I think Penny compliments the needs at RB better than Ellington, who is much closer to KW.

How much of the success on offense last night can be attributed to the play calling by Leftwich? Seemed like a good job of mixing it up.

Worried about Reddick at ILB. Very difficult to make the transition from DE to ILB much less doing it from college to the NFL. I don't see the run instincts.

Love RK's passion last night...need that for 16 games.

KW was good in the return game...need that to continue.

 

[TJ]

Yeah, but they aren't now, and I don't believe for a second it is all due to the slow scooby wright. Remember ford didn't play last night either.

Scooby has been in on almost every tackle in coverage. He certainly doesn't look slow gunning for the ball carrier on KO coverage, particularly on the FF in the 2nd quarter. On defense, his lateral quickness is slow, but he's done a great job blitzing the A gap and stuffing runners at the LOS.

 

[Jay Cardinal]

If it were up to me, I would keep capi over jones


I don't think there is a 5th, or a 4th corner on the roster, and that needs to be addressed pronto. Ford cannot play CB, that is why that experiment lasted 2 weeks. Baker and badger are ok at the slot, but if you put them on the outside they would look like Harlan miller. We are one CB injury away from having go routes for tds work consistently against us.

I don't like keeping players for special teams only, unless they are a terror like bethel used to be. Scooby is too slow. I would keep a 4th te over him too.

I will be really surprised if they don't keep Scooby. Guy is clearly one of the 53-best and can contribute right away on special teams. Long term he may not be a fit since we just drafted Reddick.

 

[BigRedRage]

Gunter had some solid penetration.

Scooby is so slow but his ability to diagnose a play quickly showed value in the run defense.

Reddick really out of places few times on run defense. If he has scooby' football IQ might be a pro bowler with recovery ability. Worried about that.

Overthrew a bunch of bombs that had open receivers. Those are the chunk plays that made 2015 and the misses that killed 2016.

Budda made a bunch of tackles. Would like to see the next step with him denying the football.

I feel the same about the bombs. 2 years ago we connected those and we need to again. Guys were completely open

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[BigRedRage]

Personally, I wouldn't keep Kerwyn Williams or Andre Ellington...Ellington just doesn't seem to have "it" any longer...and keeping Williams just to return kicks/punts???? Not so sure about that...I think they can hopefully find another position player to help with that, while whatshisname's wrist heals.

Kerwynn looked smooth in returns and hits holes hard at rb. I have no problem with him as the #3.

Ellington is great in space but that's it, hard to justify a role for that.

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[BigRedRage]

I can't stand how Ellington falls down at/before first contact. He doesn't play special teams and other than some passing game attributes, he is terrible. I think Penny compliments the needs at RB better than Ellington, who is much closer to KW.

How much of the success on offense last night can be attributed to the play calling by Leftwich? Seemed like a good job of mixing it up.

Worried about Reddick at ILB. Very difficult to make the transition from DE to ILB much less doing it from college to the NFL. I don't see the run instincts.

Love RK's passion last night...need that for 16 games.

KW was good in the return game...need that to continue.

Imo kerwynn is good between tackles where Ellington is terrible. I see Ellington is more of a 3rd down rb role and he's not getting that job over dj and cj

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