Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Last night's game was a great deal of fun to watch---but I worry that it was a trap game in that the Cardinals' FO and coaching staff will do what they usually do---sit tight with the players they already have.
This at a time when over 1,000 players will become available in the next day and a half---and a potentially fortuitous time when many other starting caliber players will be up for sale via trades.
The current roster is vulnerable at RB, OLB, CB and S---and therefore placing a good deal of stock into last night's game performances versus a hapless set of 2nd and 3rd string Broncos, is not the wise choice---not with this team's vulnerabilities and the schedule it begins to prepare for.
QB (3): 4-Kolb, 2-Bartel, 19-Skelton.
Does anyone have a clear sense of Kevin Kolb's handle of the offense?
What Richard Bartel has done, imo, is not only win the #2 job, but has put himself in line to play if Kolb struggles. What Bartel is doing much more consistently than Kolb is stepping up into the pocket. Kolb, on the other hand, is showing the propensity to flush out of the pocket too quickly, which causes him to run wide and backward---which creates a broken play with little opportunity to do anything other than throw the ball away (which he hasn't done on a couple of occasions where he elected to take 12 yard sacks instead).
I've been saying we need to be patient with Kolb---but this type of tendency in his game is a cause for concern.
Bartel, at times last night, looked Aaron Rodgers-esque, as he was throwing tight spiraled ropes with plenty of grease. The one mistake he made was the one he needs to correct and that is trying to make throws off his back foot. When Bartel is moving his feet forward and squaring up he is impressive---and his pre-season stats show it:
37/54 68.5% 530 yards (9.8 ypa) 5-2 TD-int 110.0 QB rating.
John Skelton's issues are not pocket or back foot related, as he is unflappable and extremely strong in the face of pressure---the question with him has been his timing. This year he looks a great deal more decisive and accurate.
RB (3): 26-Wells; 36-Stephens-Howling; 46-Smith
Beanie Wells is feeling his way this pre-season and showing progress. Clearly he is at his best when he is running the 37 (outside the LT). No team in the pre-season was able to stop that play. But teams will now have to make that one of their keys.
We saw LSH's value to the offense last night, and that is as a pass receiving RB. Get him the ball in space and he will juke and bolt his way for chunk RACs.
While the Cardinals will very possibly tell us they will wait for week 2 to add a veteran RB (so they won't have to pay a guaranteed contract), they cannot afford to wait. The Hyphen is not a viable option as a #2 RB.
Alphonso Smith hasn't played in two weeks---and is still eligible for the PS. That said, they probably will simply keep Smith, and wait.
William Powell is slippery---but doesn't hit the hole fast enough, nor does he have the strength to consistently push the ball forward. Loved the way he switched the ball over to his left hand on his longest scamper up the left sideline, however. We haven't seen a lot of that around here in recent years.
FB (1): 35-Sherman.
What's hard to understand---why the coaches played so much of Maui'a and so little of Sherman. Sherman was kicking total you know what on his blocks the past two games. Maui'a has been solid---but he's not as fast to the blocks as Sherman and he misses too often as a result. Sending him out on out passes rather than keeping him in to protect is also a head scratcher.
But I loved the Giant Panda bump from behind that he received from Deuce Lutui last night!
TE (4): 86-Heap, 87-King; 84-Housler; 81-Dray.
Dray's pec strain might be a factor in the decision here as Whiz has always loved Stephen Spach. Spach played very well last night---but---he's been a mistake waiting to happen in games---missed blocks, jumping off-sides, etc.
Dray is a better player and is one of the better ST players.
WR (6): 11-Fitzgerald; 12-Roberts; 89-Sampson; 85-Doucet; 17-Stuckey; 18-S. Williams.
The fastest riser here is Sampson.
Stuckey solidified his roster spot last night with a 4/99/1 TD performance.
It's possible that the coaches could let go of Stephen Williams---due to the ups and downs of his play. But, that might be a mistake. Once he gets his mind right, he could be very good.
The guy here with potential trade value is Doucet---especially now that he's healthy. The team already has two other slot type WRs in Roberts and Stuckey---so if the Cardinals can get a good defensive player in return, chances are Doucet won't be back next year anyway.
The WR to feel bad for is isaiah Williams. He's had such a good pre-season and last night he could have made a stunning TD catch had he not been tackled before the ball arrived---which somehow didn't even draw a flag. Williams has bounced around a little---does he have another year's eligibility for the PS? Anyone know?
Aaron Nichols opened some eyes last night with his outstanding leaping Fitz-type catch and run up the right sideline. Man, the Cardinals know how to scout WRs, don't they?
One of the most encouraging aspects of the pre-season has been Mike Miller's passing game. he's developed it very well, especially to include an added emphasis on hitting the TEs.
OL (8): 75-Brown; 71-Colledge; 63-Sendlein; 70-Hadnot; 74-Keith; 62-Claxton; 76-Lutui; 73-Bridges.
One of the most impressive aspects of this pre-season has been the play of the second offensive line. They looked better, stronger and more cohesive than the first team. Their pass protection, in particular, was consistently good.
The player that I keyed on all pre-season was LT D'Anthony Batiste. In the beginning I wasn't expecting much (we had yet to see him play as a Cardinal)---and what I saw snap after snap was remarkably impressive. Not only did he stonewall the edge rushers repeatedly, go and watch this kid down block. Last night he caved in, rolled and pancaked the DT on several occasions. His lower body strength and control is the best I've seen from a LT since Whiz arrived.
Yet---they will probably cut him---
As is the case with Deuce Lutui---Whiz was even saying last night that Lutui still had much to prove---but---when you watch the tapes, the dude is playing his tail off and getting excellent results. No lineman on the team intimidates the opponents the way Deuce does. Rex Hadnot has been solid---but Deuce is clearly the stronger player.
Was a little disappointed with Jeremy Bridges at times---he was the one player on the 2nd line who was a little out of sync. And the chip on his shoulder isn't helping him. He needs to settle down and execute. Brandon Keith has started to do just that.
The jury is still out on Daryn Colledge---he's the new Reggie Wells---a LG who---because he is light on his feet---looks better suited to playing tackle. Pork Chop Womack is a better run blocker.
And having watched and compared Lyle Sendelin with Ben Claxton, there are times, especially in the running game where Claxton looks stronger. Claxton has had a very good pre-season.
The Best Offensive Lineup Based on Pre-Season Performances and Displays of Talent (and not paying attention to hype or expectations):
QB Bartel
RB Wells
FB Sherman
TE Heap,
Ts Batiste, Keith
Gs Lutui, Hadnot
C Sendlein/Claxton (tie)
WRs Fitzgerald, Sampson, Roberts, Housler
This at a time when over 1,000 players will become available in the next day and a half---and a potentially fortuitous time when many other starting caliber players will be up for sale via trades.
The current roster is vulnerable at RB, OLB, CB and S---and therefore placing a good deal of stock into last night's game performances versus a hapless set of 2nd and 3rd string Broncos, is not the wise choice---not with this team's vulnerabilities and the schedule it begins to prepare for.
QB (3): 4-Kolb, 2-Bartel, 19-Skelton.
Does anyone have a clear sense of Kevin Kolb's handle of the offense?
What Richard Bartel has done, imo, is not only win the #2 job, but has put himself in line to play if Kolb struggles. What Bartel is doing much more consistently than Kolb is stepping up into the pocket. Kolb, on the other hand, is showing the propensity to flush out of the pocket too quickly, which causes him to run wide and backward---which creates a broken play with little opportunity to do anything other than throw the ball away (which he hasn't done on a couple of occasions where he elected to take 12 yard sacks instead).
I've been saying we need to be patient with Kolb---but this type of tendency in his game is a cause for concern.
Bartel, at times last night, looked Aaron Rodgers-esque, as he was throwing tight spiraled ropes with plenty of grease. The one mistake he made was the one he needs to correct and that is trying to make throws off his back foot. When Bartel is moving his feet forward and squaring up he is impressive---and his pre-season stats show it:
37/54 68.5% 530 yards (9.8 ypa) 5-2 TD-int 110.0 QB rating.
John Skelton's issues are not pocket or back foot related, as he is unflappable and extremely strong in the face of pressure---the question with him has been his timing. This year he looks a great deal more decisive and accurate.
RB (3): 26-Wells; 36-Stephens-Howling; 46-Smith
Beanie Wells is feeling his way this pre-season and showing progress. Clearly he is at his best when he is running the 37 (outside the LT). No team in the pre-season was able to stop that play. But teams will now have to make that one of their keys.
We saw LSH's value to the offense last night, and that is as a pass receiving RB. Get him the ball in space and he will juke and bolt his way for chunk RACs.
While the Cardinals will very possibly tell us they will wait for week 2 to add a veteran RB (so they won't have to pay a guaranteed contract), they cannot afford to wait. The Hyphen is not a viable option as a #2 RB.
Alphonso Smith hasn't played in two weeks---and is still eligible for the PS. That said, they probably will simply keep Smith, and wait.
William Powell is slippery---but doesn't hit the hole fast enough, nor does he have the strength to consistently push the ball forward. Loved the way he switched the ball over to his left hand on his longest scamper up the left sideline, however. We haven't seen a lot of that around here in recent years.
FB (1): 35-Sherman.
What's hard to understand---why the coaches played so much of Maui'a and so little of Sherman. Sherman was kicking total you know what on his blocks the past two games. Maui'a has been solid---but he's not as fast to the blocks as Sherman and he misses too often as a result. Sending him out on out passes rather than keeping him in to protect is also a head scratcher.
But I loved the Giant Panda bump from behind that he received from Deuce Lutui last night!
TE (4): 86-Heap, 87-King; 84-Housler; 81-Dray.
Dray's pec strain might be a factor in the decision here as Whiz has always loved Stephen Spach. Spach played very well last night---but---he's been a mistake waiting to happen in games---missed blocks, jumping off-sides, etc.
Dray is a better player and is one of the better ST players.
WR (6): 11-Fitzgerald; 12-Roberts; 89-Sampson; 85-Doucet; 17-Stuckey; 18-S. Williams.
The fastest riser here is Sampson.
Stuckey solidified his roster spot last night with a 4/99/1 TD performance.
It's possible that the coaches could let go of Stephen Williams---due to the ups and downs of his play. But, that might be a mistake. Once he gets his mind right, he could be very good.
The guy here with potential trade value is Doucet---especially now that he's healthy. The team already has two other slot type WRs in Roberts and Stuckey---so if the Cardinals can get a good defensive player in return, chances are Doucet won't be back next year anyway.
The WR to feel bad for is isaiah Williams. He's had such a good pre-season and last night he could have made a stunning TD catch had he not been tackled before the ball arrived---which somehow didn't even draw a flag. Williams has bounced around a little---does he have another year's eligibility for the PS? Anyone know?
Aaron Nichols opened some eyes last night with his outstanding leaping Fitz-type catch and run up the right sideline. Man, the Cardinals know how to scout WRs, don't they?
One of the most encouraging aspects of the pre-season has been Mike Miller's passing game. he's developed it very well, especially to include an added emphasis on hitting the TEs.
OL (8): 75-Brown; 71-Colledge; 63-Sendlein; 70-Hadnot; 74-Keith; 62-Claxton; 76-Lutui; 73-Bridges.
One of the most impressive aspects of this pre-season has been the play of the second offensive line. They looked better, stronger and more cohesive than the first team. Their pass protection, in particular, was consistently good.
The player that I keyed on all pre-season was LT D'Anthony Batiste. In the beginning I wasn't expecting much (we had yet to see him play as a Cardinal)---and what I saw snap after snap was remarkably impressive. Not only did he stonewall the edge rushers repeatedly, go and watch this kid down block. Last night he caved in, rolled and pancaked the DT on several occasions. His lower body strength and control is the best I've seen from a LT since Whiz arrived.
Yet---they will probably cut him---
As is the case with Deuce Lutui---Whiz was even saying last night that Lutui still had much to prove---but---when you watch the tapes, the dude is playing his tail off and getting excellent results. No lineman on the team intimidates the opponents the way Deuce does. Rex Hadnot has been solid---but Deuce is clearly the stronger player.
Was a little disappointed with Jeremy Bridges at times---he was the one player on the 2nd line who was a little out of sync. And the chip on his shoulder isn't helping him. He needs to settle down and execute. Brandon Keith has started to do just that.
The jury is still out on Daryn Colledge---he's the new Reggie Wells---a LG who---because he is light on his feet---looks better suited to playing tackle. Pork Chop Womack is a better run blocker.
And having watched and compared Lyle Sendelin with Ben Claxton, there are times, especially in the running game where Claxton looks stronger. Claxton has had a very good pre-season.
The Best Offensive Lineup Based on Pre-Season Performances and Displays of Talent (and not paying attention to hype or expectations):
QB Bartel
RB Wells
FB Sherman
TE Heap,
Ts Batiste, Keith
Gs Lutui, Hadnot
C Sendlein/Claxton (tie)
WRs Fitzgerald, Sampson, Roberts, Housler
Last edited:
