BACH
Superbowl, Homeboy!
Cardinals' top units dominate
Odeen Domingo
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 7, 2005 12:00 AM
PRESCOTT - The first mistake Cardinals coach Dennis Green made was bragging that he was going to coach the third-team players to a victory over the first- and second-team players in Saturday's mock game.
The second mistake? Thinking he was right.
The first- and second-team units, who wore red jerseys, didn't have any problems with the third-team players, who wore white jerseys, as Red defeated White 20-0 at Pioneer Park in front of more than 2,000 spectators. The touch football game lasted about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The players didn't wear pads. advertisement
Green said there were two things that caused the White team's downfall.
"I don't think (the Red team) liked it (bragging that the White team was going to win), No. 1. No. 2, we (the White team) dropped too many balls," Green said. "We got young receivers who drop balls and hopefully those guys who dropped balls this week won't drop balls like that next week against Dallas or we won't have a chance."
Still, Green said he thought the team accomplished what it wanted.
"I liked the tempo of (the game)," said Green, who joked that he is 2-14 in these mock games. "It makes our guys understand how to play a game, the (game's) time frame and how long you have to respond to it. I was also a referee. That helps because I can set up some errors to try to frustrate them a little bit. And they have to respond to it. Officials are known to make some bad calls. I made my share out there today."
Green said the Red team's offense was fairly sharp. Starting quarterback Kurt Warner completed two long passes to Bryant Johnson. The second was a 55-yard gain that set up a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald. Kicker Neil Rackers contributed two fields of beyond 30 yards.
Green was even more pleased with the Red team's defense, which forced three turnovers. The defense put constant pressure on White team quarterbacks John Navarre and Tim Chang.
Navarre had three balls batted down and threw three interceptions in a span of four passes. Cornerback Robert Tate returned one interception for a touchdown.
"It's unfortunate for him (Navarre)," Green said. "It's just something he's got to deal with. He's going to be our third quarterback and I think he's going to be a good one."
Green called the team's defense "opportunistic."
"I think that's what we got to have, we got to have ball hawks over there," Green said. "Guys who can run; are fast. It was frustrating for them because they're not going full speed. We don't have any pads on. But I'm hoping that when we play next week against Dallas that it will really come out."
Fitzgerald said the mock game had the atmosphere of a regular game.
"There's the game clock and just getting out there, getting in a rhythm," Fitzgerald said. "You know the fact that you're going to play that many plays, trying to form an offense to get into a game rhythm. I'm happy about the progress we're making every day."
Best of the week
Offense: Anquan Boldin, WR. Before breaking his nose Thursday, Boldin showed why he was worth the four-year extension he signed last weekend, resulting in a six-year, $23 million contract. Boldin showed the quickness and hands that should help him match the impressive numbers he put up as a rookie in 2003.
Defense: Robert Tate, CB. Tate has been the best cover corner in camp so far. Other than being beaten badly once during 1-on-1 drills early in camp, Tate has consistently batted balls. He has picked off two passes so far during drills and added another one that he returned for a touchdown during Saturday's mock game. Coming up
The Cardinals will work on the game plan throughout the week for Saturday's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at Sun Devil Stadium.
Player profile
Carlyle Holliday
Rookie free agent wide receiver from Notre Dame.
Height/weight: 6-2, 217.
Hometown: San Antonio. Texas.
Holiday wasn't always an unknown wide receiver. At one time in his life, he was The Man. The lucky guy who got to play the most prominent (and most pressured) position in college football: starting quarterback for the University of Notre Dame. He joined the fraternity of past Fighting Irish quarterbacks such as Joe Montana4 and Heisman Trophy winners Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Paul Hornung and John Huarte. Best yet, Holiday was just a redshirt freshman. Replicas of his No.7 jersey were sold in stores. But then Notre Dame fired Bob Davie and hired Tyrone Willingham,4 who installed the West Coast offense. The problem was that Holiday was an option quarterback. Willingham stuck with Holiday at quarterback for parts of Holiday's next two seasons. But Willingham switched Holiday to receiver full time during his junior season after three games. He never played quarterback again. Holiday completed 239 of 476 passes for 2,876 yards and 14 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions. He rushed for 895 yards and five touchdowns in his career at quarterback. He had just six receptions for 68 yards at receiver. There are 10 receivers on the training camp roster, but Holiday could make the team if he shows he can be valuable on special-teams coverage and as a return man when given the chance.
Holiday Q&A
Q: Why did your parents name you Carlyle?
A: "I have no idea. I think they told me. I forgot what they told me. I don't know where it came from. It sounds cool together - Carlyle Holiday. But there's no telling. My whole family has weird names."
Q: Like what?
A: "My sister's name is Chamira."
Q: How do you spell that?
A: "C-H-I Wait C-H-A-M-I-R-A. And my dad's name is Glendale. I don't know, my parents are creative, I guess."
Day at camp
The Cardinals weren't in pads for Saturday's "mock game" at Pioneer Park. Still, more than 2,000 fans showed up to watch a glorified touch football game that lasted 1.hour, 10 minutes. That was more than quadruple the crowd of any day through the first week of training camp. Players signed autographs for 30 minutes after the game.
Eye opener
DE Calvin Pace, who was starting for the injured Chike Okeafor (hamstring), put constant pressure on the third-team offense, helping the first-team defense grab three interceptions. Pace touched QB John Navarre twice for sacks.
Rolle call
First-round draft pick Antrel Rolle, the team's starting left CB, has yet to agree to terms. He has missed six days of training camp. Cardinals coach Dennis Green has become increasingly agitated at answering questions about contract negotiations for Rolle. Rolle's agent, Ben Dogra, has not returned any calls. Robert Tate has been practicing at left CB with the first-team defense. With Rolle out, rookie CB Eric Green4 is the only player on the team without a roommate.
Quote of the day
"I like those fictional goal posts." -.Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers, on kicking field goals and extra points on one side of the field at Pioneer Park that didn't have any uprights.
Training room
WR Anquan Boldin (broken nose), DT DeVone Claybrooks (knee), Eric Edwards (pectoral tear), RB Troy Hambrick (foot), OG Elton Brown (sick) and DE Chike Okeafor (hamstring) did not play in Saturday's mock game. C Alex Stepanovich (hand) and DE Peppi Zellner (knee) were injured during the game.
Coming up
The Cardinals are off today. Two-a-day practices resume Monday at Pioneer Park, with the first session scheduled for 8:45 to 11 a.m. and the afternoon practice scheduled for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Call (602) 379-17144 or go to azcardinals.com4 for updated practice information. -Odeen Domingo
Odeen Domingo
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 7, 2005 12:00 AM
PRESCOTT - The first mistake Cardinals coach Dennis Green made was bragging that he was going to coach the third-team players to a victory over the first- and second-team players in Saturday's mock game.
The second mistake? Thinking he was right.
The first- and second-team units, who wore red jerseys, didn't have any problems with the third-team players, who wore white jerseys, as Red defeated White 20-0 at Pioneer Park in front of more than 2,000 spectators. The touch football game lasted about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The players didn't wear pads. advertisement
Green said there were two things that caused the White team's downfall.
"I don't think (the Red team) liked it (bragging that the White team was going to win), No. 1. No. 2, we (the White team) dropped too many balls," Green said. "We got young receivers who drop balls and hopefully those guys who dropped balls this week won't drop balls like that next week against Dallas or we won't have a chance."
Still, Green said he thought the team accomplished what it wanted.
"I liked the tempo of (the game)," said Green, who joked that he is 2-14 in these mock games. "It makes our guys understand how to play a game, the (game's) time frame and how long you have to respond to it. I was also a referee. That helps because I can set up some errors to try to frustrate them a little bit. And they have to respond to it. Officials are known to make some bad calls. I made my share out there today."
Green said the Red team's offense was fairly sharp. Starting quarterback Kurt Warner completed two long passes to Bryant Johnson. The second was a 55-yard gain that set up a touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald. Kicker Neil Rackers contributed two fields of beyond 30 yards.
Green was even more pleased with the Red team's defense, which forced three turnovers. The defense put constant pressure on White team quarterbacks John Navarre and Tim Chang.
Navarre had three balls batted down and threw three interceptions in a span of four passes. Cornerback Robert Tate returned one interception for a touchdown.
"It's unfortunate for him (Navarre)," Green said. "It's just something he's got to deal with. He's going to be our third quarterback and I think he's going to be a good one."
Green called the team's defense "opportunistic."
"I think that's what we got to have, we got to have ball hawks over there," Green said. "Guys who can run; are fast. It was frustrating for them because they're not going full speed. We don't have any pads on. But I'm hoping that when we play next week against Dallas that it will really come out."
Fitzgerald said the mock game had the atmosphere of a regular game.
"There's the game clock and just getting out there, getting in a rhythm," Fitzgerald said. "You know the fact that you're going to play that many plays, trying to form an offense to get into a game rhythm. I'm happy about the progress we're making every day."
Best of the week
Offense: Anquan Boldin, WR. Before breaking his nose Thursday, Boldin showed why he was worth the four-year extension he signed last weekend, resulting in a six-year, $23 million contract. Boldin showed the quickness and hands that should help him match the impressive numbers he put up as a rookie in 2003.
Defense: Robert Tate, CB. Tate has been the best cover corner in camp so far. Other than being beaten badly once during 1-on-1 drills early in camp, Tate has consistently batted balls. He has picked off two passes so far during drills and added another one that he returned for a touchdown during Saturday's mock game. Coming up
The Cardinals will work on the game plan throughout the week for Saturday's preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys at Sun Devil Stadium.
Player profile
Carlyle Holliday
Rookie free agent wide receiver from Notre Dame.
Height/weight: 6-2, 217.
Hometown: San Antonio. Texas.
Holiday wasn't always an unknown wide receiver. At one time in his life, he was The Man. The lucky guy who got to play the most prominent (and most pressured) position in college football: starting quarterback for the University of Notre Dame. He joined the fraternity of past Fighting Irish quarterbacks such as Joe Montana4 and Heisman Trophy winners Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Paul Hornung and John Huarte. Best yet, Holiday was just a redshirt freshman. Replicas of his No.7 jersey were sold in stores. But then Notre Dame fired Bob Davie and hired Tyrone Willingham,4 who installed the West Coast offense. The problem was that Holiday was an option quarterback. Willingham stuck with Holiday at quarterback for parts of Holiday's next two seasons. But Willingham switched Holiday to receiver full time during his junior season after three games. He never played quarterback again. Holiday completed 239 of 476 passes for 2,876 yards and 14 touchdowns, with 16 interceptions. He rushed for 895 yards and five touchdowns in his career at quarterback. He had just six receptions for 68 yards at receiver. There are 10 receivers on the training camp roster, but Holiday could make the team if he shows he can be valuable on special-teams coverage and as a return man when given the chance.
Holiday Q&A
Q: Why did your parents name you Carlyle?
A: "I have no idea. I think they told me. I forgot what they told me. I don't know where it came from. It sounds cool together - Carlyle Holiday. But there's no telling. My whole family has weird names."
Q: Like what?
A: "My sister's name is Chamira."
Q: How do you spell that?
A: "C-H-I Wait C-H-A-M-I-R-A. And my dad's name is Glendale. I don't know, my parents are creative, I guess."
Day at camp
The Cardinals weren't in pads for Saturday's "mock game" at Pioneer Park. Still, more than 2,000 fans showed up to watch a glorified touch football game that lasted 1.hour, 10 minutes. That was more than quadruple the crowd of any day through the first week of training camp. Players signed autographs for 30 minutes after the game.
Eye opener
DE Calvin Pace, who was starting for the injured Chike Okeafor (hamstring), put constant pressure on the third-team offense, helping the first-team defense grab three interceptions. Pace touched QB John Navarre twice for sacks.
Rolle call
First-round draft pick Antrel Rolle, the team's starting left CB, has yet to agree to terms. He has missed six days of training camp. Cardinals coach Dennis Green has become increasingly agitated at answering questions about contract negotiations for Rolle. Rolle's agent, Ben Dogra, has not returned any calls. Robert Tate has been practicing at left CB with the first-team defense. With Rolle out, rookie CB Eric Green4 is the only player on the team without a roommate.
Quote of the day
"I like those fictional goal posts." -.Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers, on kicking field goals and extra points on one side of the field at Pioneer Park that didn't have any uprights.
Training room
WR Anquan Boldin (broken nose), DT DeVone Claybrooks (knee), Eric Edwards (pectoral tear), RB Troy Hambrick (foot), OG Elton Brown (sick) and DE Chike Okeafor (hamstring) did not play in Saturday's mock game. C Alex Stepanovich (hand) and DE Peppi Zellner (knee) were injured during the game.
Coming up
The Cardinals are off today. Two-a-day practices resume Monday at Pioneer Park, with the first session scheduled for 8:45 to 11 a.m. and the afternoon practice scheduled for 4 to 5:30 p.m. Call (602) 379-17144 or go to azcardinals.com4 for updated practice information. -Odeen Domingo
Green needs to call him out through the media.
