Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
QB (3):
3-Carson Palmer—superb resilience after getting sacked and backed up inside the 10 yard line. Bomb to Nelson and TD pass to Smoke were big.
5-Drew Stanton—momentum of game turned on Stanton's interception. Mechanics look sloppy. Not inspiring confidence, but coaches still favor him.
1-Phil Sims—nifty feet and escapability, good snap and juice, nice spin on his passes, ball comes out quick and smoothly. Good sustained TD and FG drives. Jumped ahead of Thomas with this performance.
1st Man Out:
6-Logan Thomas---seem to carry no momentum from last week into this game. Was out of sorts from the get-go.
RB (5):
38-Andre Ellington—nice 11 yard run.
33-Kerwynn Williams—brings aggressive running style and inside the tackles toughness and had best kickoff return of the night---prompting Wolfley to say, "he stoked it."
39-Robert Hughes—didn't have a role in the game, but coaches know what they have in him as a FB/RB/ST player.
31-David Johnson—was very impressive, yes, he danced some early on, but he was more physical than advertised and looked like a young DeMarco Murray in the running and passing game.
27-Chris Johnson---out 1 to 2 weeks with hamstring pull. Gives the team 3 speed, receiving RBs and the kind of depth the coaches want.
1st Man Out:
30-Stepfan Taylor—had a nice 10 yard reception and was good on STs as always, but Williams' value as a kickoff returner and his aggressive inside the tackles running style give him the edge.
OL (8):
68-Jared Veldheer—gave up a sack to Melvin Ingram who may have been a tad off-sides on the play. Otherwise, solid blocking versus better edge players that what he sees in practice.
76-Mike Iupati—out 4-8 weeks after getting torn meniscus cleaned up.
53-A.Q. Shipley—he is playing solid football.
61-Jonathan Cooper—good run blocking, solid in pass pro.
74-D.J. Humphries—on the bad sack he gave up, it looked like the DE got a hand to his face (near penalty) which jolted him backward---but DJ has to be more sudden with his setup and his hands so that Des don't get to his face.
62-Ted Larsen—played very well in this game; played with a chip on his shoulder; stupid penalty should have been avoided, but Larsen was very physical in the running game and blew his man sideways a few times.
78-Earl Watford—solid game, but not as dynamic as Larsen's.
79-Bradley Sowell—got beat on a great spin move by Ingram, something he doesn't see in practice, but adjusted well from there. He needs to engage his man a tad sooner. Is playing physical football.
Suspended:
70-Bobby Massie—weird to see him playing with the third offense. Totally whiffed on a block that led to a 9 yard loss.
1st Man Out:
63-Lyle Sendlein—with Shipley and Larsen playing well this week, his chances may be decreasing.
Sleeper:
71-Anthony Steen—very physical in the running game both at guard and center. Could make a run at the C/G swing spot.
TE (4):
85-Darren Fells—heads up the weakest, least productive unit on the team.
87-Troy Niklas—hardly noticeable.
80-Ifeanyi Momah—turned the wrong way on his corner route, and later slowed down on a corner route to the right side. Not in sync with QBs. Not a physical blocker, although he made one nice seal block. Is now squarely on the bubble.
84-Jermain Gresham—has begun to make strides in practice.
1st Man Out:
83-Gerald Christian—needs to make a push and very well could in this weak unit.
WR (5):
11-Larry Fitzgerald—nice 3rd down conversion on delay slant.
12-John Brown—nice crisp, speedy routes and hands.
15-Michael Floyd—is training hard for his return.
13-Jaron Brown—made a great catch in traffic on that deep jump ball.
14-J.J. Nelson—his bomb was a thing of beauty and showcased his blazing speed. he also had the best punt return of the night and may wind up winning that role and splitting it with Patrick Peterson.
1st Man Out:
16-Jaxson Shipley—his 21 yard catch from Logan Thomas on a crossing pattern was a thing of beauty, as was his nifty punt return following the safety. Going out on a limb here to tab Shipley over Golden.
1st Man Out:
10-Brittan Golden—seems to be fighting it and is not playing yet with the kind of confidence he needs in order to make the roster.
16-Jaxson Shipley---good catch and decent return, but got outplayed by Nelson. Looks to have better feet, route running skills and body control than Golden.
NT (2):
95-Rodney Gunter---held up well at the point of attack, will see next week whether he can get better penetration.
69-Xavier Williams—looks the part, very physical and is a good tackler.
1st Man Out:
66-Alameda Ta’amu—he is making strides and is starting to round into shape.
IR:
98-Corey Peters—was having such a good camp. Hope he rebounds well for next year.
DE (5):
93-Calais Campbell—was disruptive, but needs to start making sacks.
92-Frostee Rucker—actually started the game at NT, but switched over the DT in passing situations.
90-Cory Redding—made a nice tackle inside on second unit. Would like to see more of a pass rush from him.
73-Josh Mauro---moved up the ladder with good, productive game.
91-Matt Shaughnessy—started at DE and was playing late in game---not sure what the coaches are thinking, but getting the start would seem to indicate he's making the roster
1st Man Out:
72-Ed Stinson—hasn't been making plays as of yet. needs to make a push.
ILB (4):
20-Deone Bucannon---with Spoon out, he's in and is playing very aggressively.
55-Sean Weatherspoon—team needs him asap.
51-Kevin Minter—solid game, drew praise again from Steve Keim.
59-Alani Fua---making strides as athletic inside LB in base and sub packages.
1st Man Out:
54-Kenny Demens—not making enough plays.
56-Glenn Carson—blitzed hard, but couldn't get to QB fast enough.
58-Edwin Jackson—had an excellent blitz late in the game and was good on STs.
Sleepers:
47-Andrae Kirk---had a better game this week, played a little faster, has good physical frame.
50-Gabe Martin—he has the speed and range the team needs, but again, didn't play until late in the game and was very good on one cover.
OLB (5):
57-Alex Okafor—had some strong plays on the ball.
44-Markus Golden—tipped one pass and was very active.
52-LaMarr Woodley—still gets a push on bull rushes, but not getting to the QB fast enough.
96-Kareem Martin—really got exposed on the edge for his lack of contain and quickness. Wasn't getting good QB pressures this week.
97-Lorenzo Alexander—not making many plays despite remaining a starter.
1st Man Out:
47-Shaq Riddick—last night was proof as to how much the Cardinals need better athleticism on the edge.
CB (4):
21- Patrick Peterson—played well and even played as blocker on punt returns, where he incurred a holding penalty, but then had a good block the next time. Says he's "ecstatic" to have the chance to return some punts this year.
25-Jerraud Powers—did not play, team needs him in the clot.
28-Justin Bethel—missed open-field tackle on a hitch pass, but was pretty solid in coverage.
35-Cariel Brooks—decent game, but this spot will likely go to a waiver or trade acquisition with Brooks heading to PS.
1st Man Out:
46-Jimmy Legree—still giving up too much cushion, but was closer in coverage than last week.
S (5):
32-Tyrann Mathieu—is getting the starts at FS and can double at CB when needed.
26-Rashad Johnson—smart and consistent, seems comfortable in sub package roles.
22-Tony Jefferson—very physical and aggressive—is getting the start at SS with Bucannon inside. Coaches putting best player and tackler on the field.
29-Chris Clemons---getting a good deal of playing time in sub packages and is looking solid in coverage.
41-Harold Jones-Quartey—for the second week he jumps out with big hits and this time with a nice interception.
ST (3):
7-Chandler Catanzaro—missed a FG wide right, but had a good night on other tries and kickoffs.
82-Mike Leach—-takes the blame for hasty snap on botched extrra point.
2-Drew Butler—had a 46 yard average and looks to be making a push. Catanzaro seems much more confident with him as holder.
1st Man Out:
9-Dave Zastudil---—is struggling and needs to rediscover his magic.
Keim Corner:
The TE and OLB situations are a main cause for concern---with the units being so mediocre, they aren't getting any better playing versus one another in practice.
Moving Deone Bucannon inside at LB makes the team faster and more aggressive. But, can Keim add an athletic ILB who can allow the team to keep Bucannon in a diversified role?
The need at #4 CB is glaring. Brooks has some upside, but he's not ready yet.
Five Arrows UP:
1. QB Phillip Sims
2. RB David Johnson
3. LG Ted Larsen
4. DE Josh Mauro
5. S Harold Jones-Quartey
Five Arrows Down:
1. QB Drew Stanton
2. T D.J. Humphries
3. QB Logan Thomas
4. DE Ed Stinson
5.P Dave Zastudil
3-Carson Palmer—superb resilience after getting sacked and backed up inside the 10 yard line. Bomb to Nelson and TD pass to Smoke were big.
5-Drew Stanton—momentum of game turned on Stanton's interception. Mechanics look sloppy. Not inspiring confidence, but coaches still favor him.
1-Phil Sims—nifty feet and escapability, good snap and juice, nice spin on his passes, ball comes out quick and smoothly. Good sustained TD and FG drives. Jumped ahead of Thomas with this performance.
1st Man Out:
6-Logan Thomas---seem to carry no momentum from last week into this game. Was out of sorts from the get-go.
RB (5):
38-Andre Ellington—nice 11 yard run.
33-Kerwynn Williams—brings aggressive running style and inside the tackles toughness and had best kickoff return of the night---prompting Wolfley to say, "he stoked it."
39-Robert Hughes—didn't have a role in the game, but coaches know what they have in him as a FB/RB/ST player.
31-David Johnson—was very impressive, yes, he danced some early on, but he was more physical than advertised and looked like a young DeMarco Murray in the running and passing game.
27-Chris Johnson---out 1 to 2 weeks with hamstring pull. Gives the team 3 speed, receiving RBs and the kind of depth the coaches want.
1st Man Out:
30-Stepfan Taylor—had a nice 10 yard reception and was good on STs as always, but Williams' value as a kickoff returner and his aggressive inside the tackles running style give him the edge.
OL (8):
68-Jared Veldheer—gave up a sack to Melvin Ingram who may have been a tad off-sides on the play. Otherwise, solid blocking versus better edge players that what he sees in practice.
76-Mike Iupati—out 4-8 weeks after getting torn meniscus cleaned up.
53-A.Q. Shipley—he is playing solid football.
61-Jonathan Cooper—good run blocking, solid in pass pro.
74-D.J. Humphries—on the bad sack he gave up, it looked like the DE got a hand to his face (near penalty) which jolted him backward---but DJ has to be more sudden with his setup and his hands so that Des don't get to his face.
62-Ted Larsen—played very well in this game; played with a chip on his shoulder; stupid penalty should have been avoided, but Larsen was very physical in the running game and blew his man sideways a few times.
78-Earl Watford—solid game, but not as dynamic as Larsen's.
79-Bradley Sowell—got beat on a great spin move by Ingram, something he doesn't see in practice, but adjusted well from there. He needs to engage his man a tad sooner. Is playing physical football.
Suspended:
70-Bobby Massie—weird to see him playing with the third offense. Totally whiffed on a block that led to a 9 yard loss.
1st Man Out:
63-Lyle Sendlein—with Shipley and Larsen playing well this week, his chances may be decreasing.
Sleeper:
71-Anthony Steen—very physical in the running game both at guard and center. Could make a run at the C/G swing spot.
TE (4):
85-Darren Fells—heads up the weakest, least productive unit on the team.
87-Troy Niklas—hardly noticeable.
80-Ifeanyi Momah—turned the wrong way on his corner route, and later slowed down on a corner route to the right side. Not in sync with QBs. Not a physical blocker, although he made one nice seal block. Is now squarely on the bubble.
84-Jermain Gresham—has begun to make strides in practice.
1st Man Out:
83-Gerald Christian—needs to make a push and very well could in this weak unit.
WR (5):
11-Larry Fitzgerald—nice 3rd down conversion on delay slant.
12-John Brown—nice crisp, speedy routes and hands.
15-Michael Floyd—is training hard for his return.
13-Jaron Brown—made a great catch in traffic on that deep jump ball.
14-J.J. Nelson—his bomb was a thing of beauty and showcased his blazing speed. he also had the best punt return of the night and may wind up winning that role and splitting it with Patrick Peterson.
1st Man Out:
16-Jaxson Shipley—his 21 yard catch from Logan Thomas on a crossing pattern was a thing of beauty, as was his nifty punt return following the safety. Going out on a limb here to tab Shipley over Golden.
1st Man Out:
10-Brittan Golden—seems to be fighting it and is not playing yet with the kind of confidence he needs in order to make the roster.
16-Jaxson Shipley---good catch and decent return, but got outplayed by Nelson. Looks to have better feet, route running skills and body control than Golden.
NT (2):
95-Rodney Gunter---held up well at the point of attack, will see next week whether he can get better penetration.
69-Xavier Williams—looks the part, very physical and is a good tackler.
1st Man Out:
66-Alameda Ta’amu—he is making strides and is starting to round into shape.
IR:
98-Corey Peters—was having such a good camp. Hope he rebounds well for next year.
DE (5):
93-Calais Campbell—was disruptive, but needs to start making sacks.
92-Frostee Rucker—actually started the game at NT, but switched over the DT in passing situations.
90-Cory Redding—made a nice tackle inside on second unit. Would like to see more of a pass rush from him.
73-Josh Mauro---moved up the ladder with good, productive game.
91-Matt Shaughnessy—started at DE and was playing late in game---not sure what the coaches are thinking, but getting the start would seem to indicate he's making the roster
1st Man Out:
72-Ed Stinson—hasn't been making plays as of yet. needs to make a push.
ILB (4):
20-Deone Bucannon---with Spoon out, he's in and is playing very aggressively.
55-Sean Weatherspoon—team needs him asap.
51-Kevin Minter—solid game, drew praise again from Steve Keim.
59-Alani Fua---making strides as athletic inside LB in base and sub packages.
1st Man Out:
54-Kenny Demens—not making enough plays.
56-Glenn Carson—blitzed hard, but couldn't get to QB fast enough.
58-Edwin Jackson—had an excellent blitz late in the game and was good on STs.
Sleepers:
47-Andrae Kirk---had a better game this week, played a little faster, has good physical frame.
50-Gabe Martin—he has the speed and range the team needs, but again, didn't play until late in the game and was very good on one cover.
OLB (5):
57-Alex Okafor—had some strong plays on the ball.
44-Markus Golden—tipped one pass and was very active.
52-LaMarr Woodley—still gets a push on bull rushes, but not getting to the QB fast enough.
96-Kareem Martin—really got exposed on the edge for his lack of contain and quickness. Wasn't getting good QB pressures this week.
97-Lorenzo Alexander—not making many plays despite remaining a starter.
1st Man Out:
47-Shaq Riddick—last night was proof as to how much the Cardinals need better athleticism on the edge.
CB (4):
21- Patrick Peterson—played well and even played as blocker on punt returns, where he incurred a holding penalty, but then had a good block the next time. Says he's "ecstatic" to have the chance to return some punts this year.
25-Jerraud Powers—did not play, team needs him in the clot.
28-Justin Bethel—missed open-field tackle on a hitch pass, but was pretty solid in coverage.
35-Cariel Brooks—decent game, but this spot will likely go to a waiver or trade acquisition with Brooks heading to PS.
1st Man Out:
46-Jimmy Legree—still giving up too much cushion, but was closer in coverage than last week.
S (5):
32-Tyrann Mathieu—is getting the starts at FS and can double at CB when needed.
26-Rashad Johnson—smart and consistent, seems comfortable in sub package roles.
22-Tony Jefferson—very physical and aggressive—is getting the start at SS with Bucannon inside. Coaches putting best player and tackler on the field.
29-Chris Clemons---getting a good deal of playing time in sub packages and is looking solid in coverage.
41-Harold Jones-Quartey—for the second week he jumps out with big hits and this time with a nice interception.
ST (3):
7-Chandler Catanzaro—missed a FG wide right, but had a good night on other tries and kickoffs.
82-Mike Leach—-takes the blame for hasty snap on botched extrra point.
2-Drew Butler—had a 46 yard average and looks to be making a push. Catanzaro seems much more confident with him as holder.
1st Man Out:
9-Dave Zastudil---—is struggling and needs to rediscover his magic.
Keim Corner:
The TE and OLB situations are a main cause for concern---with the units being so mediocre, they aren't getting any better playing versus one another in practice.
Moving Deone Bucannon inside at LB makes the team faster and more aggressive. But, can Keim add an athletic ILB who can allow the team to keep Bucannon in a diversified role?
The need at #4 CB is glaring. Brooks has some upside, but he's not ready yet.
Five Arrows UP:
1. QB Phillip Sims
2. RB David Johnson
3. LG Ted Larsen
4. DE Josh Mauro
5. S Harold Jones-Quartey
Five Arrows Down:
1. QB Drew Stanton
2. T D.J. Humphries
3. QB Logan Thomas
4. DE Ed Stinson
5.P Dave Zastudil
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