Changes: You be the Head Coach

[Walter Mitchell]

Here's what I would do:

(1) Move Pete Kendall back to LG and start Jason Starkey at center, for better continuity. Practice Reggie Wells at RT and throw him in there in the games. He run blocks better than AC and by putting him next to Big, I am going to try to play smashmouth...by off-setting James Hodgins to the right side to isolate on the OLB or DE, and occasionally slip by them into the flat on play action.

(2) Alternate Emmitt and Marcel with regularity. Good for both players and the team.

(3) Use more two TE sets with Freddie Jones and Steve Bush...get the opponents to play eight in the box and let Anquan Boldin exploit one on one matchups, with Jones racing up the deep seams. Stretch the defense from all formations.

(4) Switch Fred Wakefield inside to DT and start Kenny King at DE.

(5) Send six rushers EVERY play. It's time we knew who Levar Fisher and Gerald Hayes are. Send them and Ray Thompson as much as possible. I also think Ronald McKinnon is an under-rated blitzer. Sending six will disrupt the running game too, which would be good against Ahman Green. You don't want him running downhill, that's for sure. And we must get the heat on Favre.

(6) Switch Adrian Wilson to LCB. I want a premier athlete there. Justin Lucas starts at SS instead, spelled occasionally by Quentin Harris. Renaldo Hill become the top nickel back.

(7) Hold a tryout for kickoff specialists. It's worth a roster spot. Field position is too important.

(8) Next time Blake needs a breather, give Preston Parsons a look. He may be better prepared at this time to move the team than Josh McCown.

What about you?

 

[40yearfan]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
Here's what I would do:

(1) Move Pete Kendall back to RG and start Jason Starkey at center, for better continuity. Practice Reggie Wells at RT and throw him in there in the games. He run blocks better than AC and by putting him next to Big, I am going to try to play smashmouth...by off-setting James Hodgins to the right side to isolate on the OLB, and occasionally slip by him into the flat on play action.

(2) Alternate Emmitt and Marcel with regularity. Good for both players and the team.

(3) Use more two TE sets with Freddie Jones and Steve Bush...get the opponents to play eight in the box and let Anquan Boldin exploit one on one matchups, with Jones racing up the deep seams. Stretch the defense from all formations.

(4) Switch Fred Wakefield inside to DT and start Kenny King at DE.

(5) Send six rushers EVERY play. It's time we knew who Levar Fisher and Gerald Hayes are. Send them and Ray Thompson as much as possible. I also think Ronald McKinnon is an under-rated blitzer.

(6) Switch Adrian Wilson to LCB. I want a premier athlete there. Justin Lucas starts at SS instead, spelled occasionally by Quentin Harris. Renaldo Hill become the top nickel back.

(7) Hold a tryout for kickoff specialists. It's worth a roster spot. Field position is too important.

(8) Next time Blake needs a breather, give Preston Parsons a look. He may be better prepared at this time to move the team than Josh McCown.

What about you?

Would someone please see that Mac gets a copy of this immediately? This is a very plausible plan that requires no additional players (it's become obvious there will be none), will shake up the troops and could very well be the jolt needed to restart the heart of this team and one of the few posts I've seen offering a solution instead of just whining. Great post Walter.

 

[mdamien13]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
(6) Switch Adrian Wilson to LCB. I want a premier athlete there. Justin Lucas starts at SS instead, spelled occasionally by Quentin Harris. Renaldo Hill become the top nickel back.

(7) Hold a tryout for kickoff specialists. It's worth a roster spot. Field position is too important.

Before the season I would have said you were nucking futz with #6 but Wilson is liability in coverage as a safety. I know of two touchdowns yesterday where he was out of position and cost us. Maybe putting him against a WR and saying "shut this bastard down!" would fit his temperment. He's too undisciplined to play centerfield.

#7 is a must. There's no excuse for Grammatica's kickoffs in the NFL.

 

[jf-08]

I would do pretty much EXACTLY the same things you said.

But Vanilla is Vanilla so none of those things will happen.

 

[arthurracoon]

Walter for HC anyone?

 

[SECTION 11]

I'd run some sets with Smith and Shipp in the backfield. I'd also do the same with Anderson. Anderson's a guy that can make plays and needs some touches on offense.
I completely agree about Wilson. Lock him up in man coverage and find out what he can do before the year's up.

 

[Rats]

Some of this has merit....but you can't play smashmouth when your playing catch up...so Wells at Rt wouldn't help. WE need to protect the ball better so no more pitches and throwing into double coverages... If this team protects the ball and can force a turnover or two a game...they can win...Change for change sake isn't the answer when you turn the ball over or a player gets hurt. There already is a change. The backups need to be more prepared to play. Are we going to continue passing every first down? Probably not if we can run the ball. Kenny King is out 4-6 weeks and probably rotate in and out better than starting at this point in his career. IMO

 

[pinnacle]

I would have gone after Andy McCollum ..he was the rams center after grutts left (although they moved him to guard this offseason) - and he was available and would not have cost much (centers are cheap)..rams resigned him - other teams did not show much interest..I would take him over spikes and garcia..it should have said something that spikes was not retained by a team that has one of the worst o lines in the league (texans)..and mccollum was a starter and garcia was a backup - so I assume mccollum is better..we should have thrown some dough at him.

oh well..woulda coulda..

 

[pinnacle]

Walter:

1. I think rogers right now is better than wells..sad but true.
2. Justin lucas is not the greatest athlete around - but historically he has made plays on occasion..he seems to make good plays on the ball and has good positioning ..the fact that he has made a few plays in his nfl career put him ahead of alot of guys on the defense.

Justin has only started 8 nfl games in his career..I guess most of the plays he has made are in the preaseason - but that is when he gets most of the action...

 

[Harry]

Not bad Walter. 1-3 are fine and has anyone compared Smiths number with Shipps' last season, running behind this same line.

Wakefield would give it all he had, but he's too small to be effective at tackle. He would be a better end if he played fewer downs.

Can't do five; it's too predictable, but I would like to see it happen a lot more often, especially a few safety blitzes. In fact, a Card invented that blitz.

Forget 6, as the Cards tried Wilson and he doesn't come out of pattern breaks fluidly and loses contact with the receiver.

The next one couldn't hurt, if anyone's out there. I still like Gramatica as a place kicker.

For my money McCown played about as good as could be expected for this stage of development. I do like Parson though.

Overall, nice job Walter. True food for thought.

 

[Shane]

Originally posted by Harry
Not bad Walter. 1-3 are fine and has anyone compared Smiths number with Shipps' last season, running behind this same line.

I looked it up Harry and its hard to compare. Shipp didnt start right away at the beginning of last year. I used the games where he was able to get more than 10 carries as a barometer plus in these first three games the OL was at its healthiest it went to shreds later in the year. In his first three games with more than 10 carries they went as follows:

Giants 17 att 92 yards 5.4 yard avg
Seattle 16 att 85 yards 5.5 yard avg
Oakland 16 att 135 yards 8.4 yard avg

All very good numbers later in the year Shipp was running behind a patchwork offensive line missing up to four starters at any given time later in the year. So you cant really say they were running behind the same unit!

Emitts numbers so far are decent. Im happy with his production so far but like you I dont think he should be starting!

 

[red desert]

Re: Re: Changes: You be the Head Coach

Originally posted by 40yearfan
Would someone please see that Mac gets a copy of this immediately? This is a very plausible plan that requires no additional players (it's become obvious there will be none), will shake up the troops and could very well be the jolt needed to restart the heart of this team and one of the few posts I've seen offering a solution instead of just whining. Great post Walter.

Ditto.

 

[Snakester]

First I would start Boldin, Johnson and Kasper as my wideouts.

Second, I would rush at least five guys every single down.

Third, I would start Hayes at MLB.

Fourth, I would start Kenny King at LE

Fifth, try and trade for a CB, offer next years second rounder for Fred Smoot or Charles Woodson.

Sixth, Let Josh McCown get just as much time as Blake and see if we need to draft Manning next year or not.

Seventh, Fine any player one games salary every time he turns the ball over.

 

[JeffGollin]

Here's what I would do:

(1) Move Pete Kendall back to LG and start Jason Starkey at center, for better continuity. Practice Reggie Wells at RT and throw him in there in the games.
Like the move at center, but I'd rather put Kendrick Rogers at RT, and then run behind him and Big. (Did wonders for Damien Anderson, Prentice and Marcel in preseason).

(4) Switch Fred Wakefield inside to DT and start Kenny King at DE.
King not expected back til 10/24 or later).

(5) Send six rushers EVERY play.
Agree in principle but not on execution. Send anywhere from 4 - 9 rushers on every play from various angles, mix things up, disguise the looks and keep 'em guessing


(6) Switch Adrian Wilson to LCB.
If he were a really smart guy, I'd feel more confident he could adjust to the switch quickly. But I have my doubts. The adjustment from S to CB may, therefore, take a few games and it wouldn't be pretty.

(7) Hold a tryout for kickoff specialists.
Nice move, but it's the kind of thing you do in Camp.

(8) Next time Blake needs a breather, give Preston Parsons a look.
I kind of hoped we would have seen Preston in the 4Q last week.

Last night, I was thinking about what roster changes we could make, and it struck me that, unlike past seasons, the roster wasn't set up this year for a lot of changes to be made at all.

Part of the reason, I think, is because so many of our players fit certain roles. Another is that (other than Shipp behind Emmitt and Parsons behind McCown and maybe Darling or Hayes behind McKinnon) there are very few backups this year deserving of the chance to move up the depth chart.

I don't think out problems have very much to do with the wrong guys being on the field/it's more that the right guys are playing poorly.

Therefore, instead of the focus being on making personnel changes, it should be on getting the guys we already have out there to play better.

 

[CardNots]

Most of the fixes I thought about require serveral blindfolds...

 

[Wild Card]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
Next time Blake needs a breather, give Preston Parsons a look.
I kind of hoped we would have seen Preston in the 4Q last week.

Jeff:

Great observation. That may have been a missed opportunity by the coaching staff. The Seahawks game was over in the 4th quarter. Parsons could have had some reps against a real opponent, since McCown had been largely ineffective. Only question: was Parsons even active for the game? 3rd-string QBs are often game-day inactives.

WC

 

[nationsrj]

Yes, parsons was active, DNP.

 

[conraddobler]

Well I like the kickoff specialist thing that could not hurt at all we are getting killed in that area.

I like Kendal at guard and Starkey is ok so I'm ok with that one.

I like our offense just the way it is just our kids gotta learn to go down and protect themselves after the catch and to value the ball. It is mostly a transition from college thing they had way more time even in the preseason the speed of the game is causing most of this rookie turnover stuff.

I am not a blitz expert so I won't comment on why we may or may not be having success here. I think it has to do with rarely having a lead and our having our schemes and signals posted in the locker rooms but that's just a wild guess.

Parsons deserves a chance in my book however with Mac it aint gonna happen. They have decided they like McCown and he does have skills just dosen't read defenses at all. He isn't really going to at this stage and I think he is someowhat slow to learn in this area but that isn't uncommon for QB's I think Parson's is actually ahead of him in this area but isn't as talented so the staff dosen't want to waste time with him. I think that is a mistake but it's just one of many and it gets lost in the shuffle.

 

[HookemCards]

Heres a few things I would try out.

1. Start Wells or Rogers at RT and move Clement to guard, he doesn't seem athletic enough to play tackle, big and strong, but not terribly fast or agile.

2. I'd certainly figure out a way to get Shipp more involved in the game, at this point he is just wasted talent. Same with Anderson, I'd be tempted to let him play a little bit of wide reciever in certain sets.

3. I'd do exactly the same thing that everyone else has mentioned and use 5 rushers as my base set. Blitz with 6, 7, or even 8 at times.

4. I think I would make a few changes to starters on defense. Bench Wilson for Lucas until Wilson can pull his head out of his ass. Start King over Wakefield, and Bell over Davis, and Darling over McKinnon.

5. I'd have Boldin out there every play, save a few plays every once in a while as a break. If nothing else the other team will have to respect his ability. I also agree with naming him and Johnson as starters right now, and maybe by the end of the year you have a formidable duo of recievers.

6. I'd let Big beat the crap out of anyone that fumbled in the game.

7. I'd definately make sure Blake went deep a few more times in the games. One time doesn't earn the defenses respect, especially when its incomplete.

8. Draft 2 Corner, 2 DE, and 2 DT next year in hopes of replacing Tanner, Davis, Wakefield and DJ.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

As head coach?

Shoot myself in the head. The main problem is Cardinals management.

You need talent to win. We have none. (Q=exception).

If I had control of this rabble!

1. Wishbone! It is a crazy idea but it is not like the current offense is doing ANYTHING. Emmit, Hodgins, and Shipp. WR-Boldin
TE-Jones. You can always put Bush in and flank him out, or flank Shipp out as well.

2. Pace stays at end, Bryant moves to end (I DON'T CARE IF THAT WORTHLESS B@STARD DOESN'T WANT TO PLAY THERE! I AM THE COACH AND SINCE HE STINKS SOO BAD HE SHOULD BE HAPPY TO BE ON THE FIELD) Tackles? King, and Bell/Davis/Banner.

3. I WOULD HAVE held Bidwuss, and Graves up at gun point and signed ALL-PRO Lawyer Milloy. Then put Wilson at CB. Once again, he sucks, and will play where I tell the idiot to play. If he is not happy then I hit him over the head with a monkey wrench to shut that mouth of his.

4. Tell all the LB's that every spot is up for grabs. I play them in a constant rotation untill someone out there on this team decides they want to be an NFL Linebacker and make some big plays out there.

5. Everytime the team loses by over 28 points, I lock them in a closet. I only open it to A. feed them, B. Beat the sorry bastards with that same Monkey Wrench.