Cardinals 20 Patriots 18 Post-Game Thoughts

[dogpoo32]

What a stressful yet enjoyable game. I just want to know how we always end up with the players who will put the ball on the turf at the worst possible time. Thankfully everything turned out ok, but that was a very hainting, familiar moment.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'll wait for Whiz to tell us but I think the run by Kolb was his call not Whiz. I think just as the announcer said he noticed the C was uncovered and just changed the call. in fact it sort of looked like other Cards didn't know the play either.

I cringe at the thought if Kolb had lost control of the ball before he reached out to touch the goal line.

He would have been crucified on this board.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Is there anyone here who actually believed that we could run out the clock, kick a long punt putting them out of reach, or win a game in an easy simple way?

There was no doubt in my mind that it would come down to the last play of the game with us on our heels praying like hell.

 

[conraddobler]

Agree on the play, Williams can't fumble but pitching it just makes it more risky.

I would add, the whole thing was setup by Hyphen taking a knee and not running the KO back. If he takes that out we get to the 2 minute warning before first down and can use up more time since they'd have had to use both TO's earlier.

For a veteran KOR that was a really dumb play.

He takes that ball out and he could easily have fumbled, but honestly that's exactly why he didn't.

That's exactly why they nearly lost the game because as a team they start to tighten up in those situations, you can tell it's a war against themselves and even the coaches are in that one.

It went well, we got lucky but we didn't need luck, we had the game in hand.

I'm not going to really blame anyone, this team still is getting used to how good it can be, it's strength believe it or not is the defense, it's very good.

Once the offense really figures this out and if Kolb can resurrect himself a bit then we have a chance to make some things happen.

The coaching is still iffy on game management but in terms of getting players to play I'll have to give them credit.

They need to stop acting like losers and step on peoples throats harder.

 

[Russ Smith]

He takes that ball out and he could easily have fumbled, but honestly that's exactly why he didn't.

That's exactly why they nearly lost the game because as a team they start to tighten up in those situations, you can tell it's a war against themselves and even the coaches are in that one.

It went well, we got lucky but we didn't need luck, we had the game in hand.

I'm not going to really blame anyone, this team still is getting used to how good it can be, it's strength believe it or not is the defense, it's very good.

Once the offense really figures this out and if Kolb can resurrect himself a bit then we have a chance to make some things happen.

The coaching is still iffy on game management but in terms of getting players to play I'll have to give them credit.

They need to stop acting like losers and step on peoples throats harder.

Yep it's baby steps with this team we are getting there but we're 9-2 in our last 11 games so I'll take it.

Kolb was obviously wild at times, too high on the throws, but save the one fumble he didn't make the crucial mistakes that cost you games.

He's getting better in the pocket, still runs backwards at times but not nearly as often. I think he figured out with this OL just step forward and hope the middle is not stuffed.

I get the point about could have fumbled but at that point in the game we're playing the clock. Running that out means they have to call TO on first and 2nd down. We might have taken a knee on 3rd down so the fumble never happens.

 

[WildBB]

I took some time after the game - I needed a self intervention- My Patriots fan Room Mate came infrom work right after the RWill fumble- He said i expected you to be crazy happy - I said they fumbled it on a flip - Rant Rant Rant Rant-

I told him we beat them straight up all game long- Then we watch as the Patriots missed the short game winning fieldgoal. Just like the Raiders but this was the New England Patriots- The SB loser by barely!

I just imploded Like one of my Psychotic patients at a psych hospital! I never had a win feel so bad! That i remember - I was like flipping my lips with my finger and going blur ba ba ba ba ba ba - I'm staring at the Jets - Steelers and could not tell you what happened!

I know we have the talent to beat them handily - But only an Arizona Sports fan can relate - I went from swearing off these stupid Mamma Jammas coachs to happier then hell we are 2-0! I Honest feel we won in spite of our coaches not because of them- not just that fumble-

but the choices the unorthodox decisions through out the game- Beanie wasn't hurt He was not WANTED on the goal lineor 3rd and short - The Rookie RWill is trusted with franchises most important win at the end of the game- 10 carries for 13 yards- The whole THT thing is going on again.

But really If we want to see Belicheck and every student of the game wonder WTF! Whiz is the head coach to do it! Mike Miller does not belong doing what he is doing- We can win solid- Our coaches choose not too!

I'm happy for the win- the balance- the defense and ST's- Kolb Many things went well today - no butts- just in Awe that the Patriots missed that field goal - It is wonderful.

Now we know - I won't question another post.

 

[conraddobler]

Yep it's baby steps with this team we are getting there but we're 9-2 in our last 11 games so I'll take it.

Kolb was obviously wild at times, too high on the throws, but save the one fumble he didn't make the crucial mistakes that cost you games.

He's getting better in the pocket, still runs backwards at times but not nearly as often. I think he figured out with this OL just step forward and hope the middle is not stuffed.

I get the point about could have fumbled but at that point in the game we're playing the clock. Running that out means they have to call TO on first and 2nd down. We might have taken a knee on 3rd down so the fumble never happens.

I agree with you in terms of a normal team and in the NFL you run that out, my point was this team is so used to screwing up they conjure it up and all he did was IMO, decide to be safe.

I'm not diagreeing with you at all, he should of run it out, he chose not to IMO to avoid here we go again.

They as a team expect here we go again, it takes some days like today to break that spell, but once they do then I'd expect them to stop putting up heart attack games like this, which is somewhat too bad cause as I've said this is the most entertaining team in sports bar none.

 

[jw7]

Jmho

LIAC, that is almost word for word what Rich Bartel posted on twitter, about 30 mins before your post.

If you steal someone's quote, credit it and link it.

Cards better enjoy Ray Horton, he'll be a HC next year.

https://twitter.com/RichBartel

 

[Shane]

LIAC, that is almost word for word what Rich Bartel posted on twitter, about 30 mins before your post.

If you steal someone's quote, credit it and link it.



https://twitter.com/RichBartel

I said this last year as well as Bucky and got laughed off the board!

Screw Bartel!

 

[Pariah]

I still don't think Horton will be a HC next year. Im sure he will be someday soon, but that would be a very quick ascension. JMHO

 

[D-Dogg]

When Rich Bartel tweets out other peoples' quotes from last year, he should credit and link it.

 

[JeffGollin]

IIRC, the pats still had a TO left. If they call it early and they go for it, they can get short options to pick up the first down, then start taking some shots. With 6 it is either punt or hail mary. I was a bit surprised we called it at all - wanting PP21 a touch I know, but not a lot of upside to that one.

I saw it differently - it was one of those freaky situations where if the Cards or Pats keep max time on the clock, it gives the Cards one more shot to score if the Pats fail to convert. But if the clock is allowed to drain down to 4 seconds (6 might be too much), the Pats can take their one shot knowing that, if they fail to convert, time will have run out.

 

[D-Dogg]

I saw it differently - it was one of those freaky situations where if the Cards or Pats keep max time on the clock, it gives the Cards one more shot to score if the Pats fail to convert. But if the clock is allowed to drain down to 4 seconds (6 might be too much), the Pats can take their one shot knowing that, if they fail to convert, time will have run out.

But the Cards called the time out. Not the Pats. We could have called a TO then if we wanted to force them into it and have time.

It was a funny little standoff, though.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Massie...

Wow! Just.... WOW!

 

[Early]

Best game since Warner days. When you have a defense, you are never outscored early, you have a chance to win the games late. Makes it so fun to watch. It's a completely different way of watching football as a Cardinal fan, i'm not used to this. I felt good today when we punted , even to Tom Brady, i was looking forward to see what the defense would do.

What a great game, great defense!! Ray Horton, you are the man, congratulations

 

[JeffGollin]

But the Cards called the time out. Not the Pats. We could have called a TO then if we wanted to force them into it and have time.

It was a funny little standoff, though.

My point. By not calling time out, we gave the Pats the opportunity to let the clock run down to 6 seconds and then take one more shot (which they didn't because 6 seconds was too much time left, whereas 4 seconds would have been just enough for one play and one play only).

 

[crisper57]

Massie...

Wow! Just.... WOW!

I love this pick!

 

[red desert]

THE GREAT:

* Offensive line---kept Kolb clean, opened holes late in the game when it was most needed. Might be overlooked, but this may be the best o-line performance, all things considered, in quite some time.

* Wildcat PP21 LSH36---what a boost! The only thing that made me curious was how Belichick knew it was coming and practiced versus it. Didn't matter---they couldn't defend it.

* STs & Coach Kevin Spencer---not only did we turn the momentum of the game totally in our favor with Groves' punt block---the missed FG at the end, well, look at it again---Spencer had Paris Lenon sprinting from left to right just as the ball was being snapped, THAT, and combined with Gostkowski knowing to kick it LEFT of CC93, imo, caused the pull.

* Kerry Rhodes' play on Gronkowski to deny the 2 pointer.

* CC93---despite having the toughest matchup on the d-line versus Pro Bowl G Logan Mankins was HUGE out there in dispruting and getting to Brady.

* Whisenhunt's call on the Kolb 5 yard sneak, right out of the Pats' playbook.

* Whisenhunt's call on the Roberts TD coming inside of Heap's out route.

* Kevin Kolb for playing tough---take that Tommy Kelly!

* Speaking of tough---how about the big catches Early Doucet made in traffic!

* Larry Fitzgerald for being great even when he was bracketed all day. Still not sure how they called his catch on the quick slant incomplete. Doesn't matter now.

* Daryl Washington for being around the ball and making plays all day.

* Sam Acho for bringing outside pressure---especially on that tremendous 10 yard sack he had on Brady. Kudos to Graves on his sack too.

* Ray Horton for playing the 4-2-5 ALL DAY! This is why the Pats tried to run so much, because they were coaxed into it, and it did not help Brady's rhythm.

* DD90 and CC93 for playing their arses off practically all day as the inside DTs.

* WE HAVE A PASS RUSH!

* WE CAN COVER!

* WE CAN DEFEAT A TEAM THAT WAS 10-0 in HOME OPENERS and 35-1 at HOME with HOF QB Tom Brady...AT 10AM-1PM ARIZONA TIME, NO LESS!

Things that NEED IMPROVEMENT:

* You CANNOT try to run the ball on first down 9 times out of 10 versus a loaded box.

* Kolb's short passes.

* The chemistry between Kolb and Heap.

* Man, the Roberts' off-side penalty...

* Zastudil needs hang time---not distance.

* Clock Management---Whisenhunt has been improving, but today he made some mistakes that nearly cost the team the game:

a). LSH36 should have been instructed to run the kickoff out and he had an easy one to do so---would have taken the clock to the 2 minute warning, thus guaranteeing being able to take at least 40 seconds off of 2:00.

b). The fumble by Williams should have never happened because the play was wrong right from the start:

* first of all, you are not going to run for 13 yards on the play, not with their whole team playing run.

* you CANNOT risk a fumble in that situation NO MATTER WHAT.

* the play itself it EXTREMELY RISKY---if you have ever played QB in a tight situation where the d-line is teeing off to create a botched snap or handoff---you would know that having to take a clean snap and open your hips to them throw a pitch LEFT in THIS case---which was to the INSIDE of the potential pressure---is just inviting trouble to happen---that and risking the catch of the pitch or fumble recovery of the pitch is totally preventable and should have been. PLUS---when you run wide you risk the OTHER potential BRAIN FART of winding up out of bounds.

* at that point the clock is your BEST FRIEND---you have 1:10 left, you snap the ball and you TAKE A KNEE. By the time you punt the ball there would be under 30 seconds left---the punt will take another 7-10 seconds---so the odds are heavily in your favor when the other team has no timeouts that they can't go 45 yards in two plays and still have time to spike the ball.

Ryan Williams should have never be put in that position. He still should have manifested the requisite football IQ to realize that taking a slide in that situation is going to win you the game 99/100 times.

Whisenhunt still has these clock issues---as much as he deserves tremendous credit for preparing the team to win, he has to give his players the BEST chance.

All that said---the late half meltdowns that have cost the team repeatedly in the past under Whisenhunt---have been avoided thus far in 2012!

As CT said, 2-0 Baby!

Great post-game analysis, Mitch.

One of Wiz's best coaching jobs, and perhaps his best prep of the team while he's been here.

Horton's 4-2-5 did the job. Brady really did look out of sync for the better part of three quarters. LSH is so important to this team's success.

Kolb did some good things especially that TD run. Gutsy score.

PP21, is, well, PP21. Great effort on the interception. Gay and Fleming great job today.

Agree on the oline. Great pass blocking today.

Ryan Williams will produce for us this season. IF he doesn't fumble away the opportunities.

Clock management. Still a major problem for Wiz. Agree with all points you mentioned.

Paris Lenon, Acho, and certainly Washington deserve a shout out.

Didn't notice O'Brien or Wilson today.

Great job by Feely as well. He misses one of those two early FG and we lose.

Great win, indeed.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Aside from the W the team is walking away with, the other HUGE takeaway for these guys is confidence. This game could set the tone for the season.

YUP

 

[red desert]

Better enjoy Ray Horton this year fellas, for he well be a head coach next season. Cards need to offerer him 3 million per to try and keep him.

Agree.

 

[red desert]

He takes that ball out and he could easily have fumbled, but honestly that's exactly why he didn't.

That's exactly why they nearly lost the game because as a team they start to tighten up in those situations, you can tell it's a war against themselves and even the coaches are in that one.

It went well, we got lucky but we didn't need luck, we had the game in hand.

I'm not going to really blame anyone, this team still is getting used to how good it can be, it's strength believe it or not is the defense, it's very good.

Once the offense really figures this out and if Kolb can resurrect himself a bit then we have a chance to make some things happen.

The coaching is still iffy on game management but in terms of getting players to play I'll have to give them credit.

They need to stop acting like losers and step on peoples throats harder.

Good post.

 

[JeffGollin]

Game balls too numerous to list, but here are some that are fresh in my mind are:

- Doucet hanging onto that pass after getting cold-cocked was clutch.

- DWash's crunching tackle of the NE RB in the backfield

- Haven't seen Quentin Groves get the love he deserves.

- The 2 consecutive sacks of Brady

-The gutsy KK TD on the QB draw. And the number of times he threw the ball away instead of forcing it.

- Our RB's shaking off the number of times they got stuffed and picking up crucial yardage when we really needed it.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I love this pick!

We've had some incredible draft picks over the past few years: D-Wash, CC, PP... but, Massie just might end up proving to be worthy of being mentioned on their level. He played fantastic today. Truly had a great game!

 

[Cardiac]

When it first occurred I thought it was a good decision by Hyphen to down it. The squib kick took a crazy high bounce and he had to wait for it for a long time.

I now believe he should have run it out but I don't think it's all this hope I don't fumble stuff.

 

[Cardiac]

When it first occurred I thought it was a good decision by Hyphen to down it. The squib kick took a crazy high bounce and he had to wait for it for a long time.

I now believe he should have run it out but I don't think it's all this hope I don't fumble stuff.