Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
The same formula that spawned last year's 7-8-1 record was on full display for the Cardinals last night. The Bears were the faster and hungrier team, which was particularly disappointing considering this was an Arizona home game.
It seemed like a fitting culmination of a tumultuous week of practices in which WRs were called out for no longer being legitimate NFL caliber players and in which the Cardinals' players were expressing how bored they were in their fourth week of camp.
In this game, the Cardinals, for the most part played like they were bored.
Many will say, like last year, that pre-season games are meaningless and that everything is so vanilla, so it really doesn't matter.
Yet, with the Cardinals, their weaknesses have little to nothing to do with vanilla schemes and everything to do with basic football principles and execution.
Last night was yet another chapter of:
* special teams ineptitude and game changing gaffes
* putrid tackling
* losing the battle at the line of scrimmage on both sides
* loss of contain on the edge (is this ever coached?)
* wide open receivers off bootlegs --- every time
* wide open receivers on the goal line --- every time (which was supposedly another point of coaching emphasis this past week, getting the goal-line defense in sync, assignment-wise)
Despite the overall ennui, passivity and lethargy --- some players came up big:
QB Blaine Gabbert --- when one watches the way in which Gabbert throws the football and runs with the football, he is far superior in every shape and form than Drew Stanton. Stanton was right back to being the erratic, harried QB he has been for the past few years, routinely missing his targets on wide or high throws. His mechanics (feet, arm **** and high release point) remain a huge issue. Gabbert, on the other hand, has a quick and smooth release and he is throwing frozen ropes with accuracy.
WR Chris Hubert --- for the past two weeks it has been clear that the Cardinals' QB are often targeting Hubert, because as BA has been saying he is often "wide-ass open." Hubert was up to the task this week, showing very good acceleration and softer hands.
WR Jeremy Ross --- he's the one slot WR/flanker who has lower body strength and very good balance. Plus he is an asset in the return game. His TD was a thing of beauty as Gabbert threw a dart into the exact window opposite the CB and Ross timed his jump perfectly and looked the ball right into the triangle, while keeping his feet in bounds.
TE Jermaine Gresham --- is developing into a go-to TE in the red zone.
TE Ifeanyi Momah --- showed his value as a receiver when he made a nifty catch in traffic and then dragged tacklers 5 yards for a first down.
G Tony Bergstrom --- watched him more than usual this game and he is playing very efficiently with very good technique.
T John Wetzel --- playing with superb technique, strength and balance.
DT Frostee Rucker --- it was great to see Rucker look like the Frostee of old, slithering off blocks to make plays and chasing plays to the sideline.
DT Robert Nkemdiche --- another solid performance on what was a supper night for the Cardinals' d-linemen.
OLB Alex Bazzie --- showed edge quickness.
OLB Kareem Martin --- showed edge strength and has been one of the best surprises of camp, especially with Jarvis Jones injured.
CB Justin Bethel --- played with good leverage and confidence.
CB Brandon Williams --- blanket coverage and is seeing the ball a little better.
S Tyrann Mathieu --- turned the momentum of the game around with his nifty Badger-like interception.
S Tyvon Branch --- turned in his best performance ---was all over the field making tackles and plays --- was about the only one in the first quarter, but he kept on coming and never backed down.
P Matt Wile --- good hang time and distance
Updated 53:
QB (3): Palmer, Gabbert, Stanton
* With 2 games left I'd like to see Gabbert get a few series with the number ones.
RB (4): D. Johnson, K. Williams, C. Johnson, Penny
* I want to see K. Williams play early on as we did in game 1. Chris Johnson made a good block in pass pro, but after that kept releasing as a safety value when he was needed in protection. Did not run the ball with any real burst.
* Penny makes it over Ellington because of STs. Penny was good again on STs and made a good, hard stop on a punt return. Plus, he is a key blocker on punts.
WR (6): Fitzgerald, Jaron Brown, Nelson, John Brown, C. Williams, Ross
* With John Brown injured, it would be great to find a way to keep Chris Hubert as well. Ross' value on STs and savviness as a veteran WR gives him the slight edge on Brittan Golden. But that competition should go down to the wire.
TE (3): Gresham, Niklas, Momah
* All three are playing solid. Hakeem Valles plays a lot on STs, but should start the year on the PS.
OL (9): Humphries, Iupati, Shipley, Boehm, Veldheer, Wetzel, Toner, D. Johnson, Holden
* Tony Bergstrom is deserving of a roster spot, but can the Cardinals really afford to pull the plug on 4th and 5th round picks (Dorian Johnson and Will Holden) so quickly? With Wentzel and Toner being so versatile, the Cardinals can be patient with the rookies.
DL (7): Rucker, Peters, Mauro, Nkemdiche, Gunter, Pierre, X. Williams
* This unit has flashed but been very inconsistent. It would be wise, imo, to add another player to this mix and start Xavier Williams on the PS.
ILB (5): Dansby, Bucannon, Reddick, Bynes, Wright
* It would be great to move reduce to the edge where he belongs, but injuries to Dansby, Bucannon and Byners (and Wheeler) are making this impossible.
OLB (4): Golden, C. Jones, Martin, Bazzie
* It's looking like Jarvis Jones is going to have to start the year on the IR. This unit should be upgraded when Reddick is used on the edge.
CB (4): Peterson, Bethel, B. Williams, T. Williams
* Hard to belive Tramon Williams dropped that interception. But he put a lick on Cohen, which was long overdue.
S (5): Mathieu, Bethea, Branch, Baker, Miller
* Rudy Ford has been injured and Harlan Miller made a couple of key tackles last night.
Sticking Point:
BA keeps telling Carson Palmer that he has to get rid of the ball faster. But here's the problem...without Smoke in the lineup, the Cardinals' WRs are not getting quick separation. Throwing the ball too quickly is how CP makes his biggest mistakes...like the post he threw into the end zone last night that should have been intercepted. Carson Palmer needs time for plays to develop...but his lack of mobility and, last night his under-performaing offensive line made that very difficult. Something has to give here. BA needs to take more measures to maximize Carson's protection. Keep the RB in. Chip the edges. Otherwise, the offense under Palmer will continue to stall and be prone to turnovers made in haste.
It seemed like a fitting culmination of a tumultuous week of practices in which WRs were called out for no longer being legitimate NFL caliber players and in which the Cardinals' players were expressing how bored they were in their fourth week of camp.
In this game, the Cardinals, for the most part played like they were bored.
Many will say, like last year, that pre-season games are meaningless and that everything is so vanilla, so it really doesn't matter.
Yet, with the Cardinals, their weaknesses have little to nothing to do with vanilla schemes and everything to do with basic football principles and execution.
Last night was yet another chapter of:
* special teams ineptitude and game changing gaffes
* putrid tackling
* losing the battle at the line of scrimmage on both sides
* loss of contain on the edge (is this ever coached?)
* wide open receivers off bootlegs --- every time
* wide open receivers on the goal line --- every time (which was supposedly another point of coaching emphasis this past week, getting the goal-line defense in sync, assignment-wise)
Despite the overall ennui, passivity and lethargy --- some players came up big:
QB Blaine Gabbert --- when one watches the way in which Gabbert throws the football and runs with the football, he is far superior in every shape and form than Drew Stanton. Stanton was right back to being the erratic, harried QB he has been for the past few years, routinely missing his targets on wide or high throws. His mechanics (feet, arm **** and high release point) remain a huge issue. Gabbert, on the other hand, has a quick and smooth release and he is throwing frozen ropes with accuracy.
WR Chris Hubert --- for the past two weeks it has been clear that the Cardinals' QB are often targeting Hubert, because as BA has been saying he is often "wide-ass open." Hubert was up to the task this week, showing very good acceleration and softer hands.
WR Jeremy Ross --- he's the one slot WR/flanker who has lower body strength and very good balance. Plus he is an asset in the return game. His TD was a thing of beauty as Gabbert threw a dart into the exact window opposite the CB and Ross timed his jump perfectly and looked the ball right into the triangle, while keeping his feet in bounds.
TE Jermaine Gresham --- is developing into a go-to TE in the red zone.
TE Ifeanyi Momah --- showed his value as a receiver when he made a nifty catch in traffic and then dragged tacklers 5 yards for a first down.
G Tony Bergstrom --- watched him more than usual this game and he is playing very efficiently with very good technique.
T John Wetzel --- playing with superb technique, strength and balance.
DT Frostee Rucker --- it was great to see Rucker look like the Frostee of old, slithering off blocks to make plays and chasing plays to the sideline.
DT Robert Nkemdiche --- another solid performance on what was a supper night for the Cardinals' d-linemen.
OLB Alex Bazzie --- showed edge quickness.
OLB Kareem Martin --- showed edge strength and has been one of the best surprises of camp, especially with Jarvis Jones injured.
CB Justin Bethel --- played with good leverage and confidence.
CB Brandon Williams --- blanket coverage and is seeing the ball a little better.
S Tyrann Mathieu --- turned the momentum of the game around with his nifty Badger-like interception.
S Tyvon Branch --- turned in his best performance ---was all over the field making tackles and plays --- was about the only one in the first quarter, but he kept on coming and never backed down.
P Matt Wile --- good hang time and distance
Updated 53:
QB (3): Palmer, Gabbert, Stanton
* With 2 games left I'd like to see Gabbert get a few series with the number ones.
RB (4): D. Johnson, K. Williams, C. Johnson, Penny
* I want to see K. Williams play early on as we did in game 1. Chris Johnson made a good block in pass pro, but after that kept releasing as a safety value when he was needed in protection. Did not run the ball with any real burst.
* Penny makes it over Ellington because of STs. Penny was good again on STs and made a good, hard stop on a punt return. Plus, he is a key blocker on punts.
WR (6): Fitzgerald, Jaron Brown, Nelson, John Brown, C. Williams, Ross
* With John Brown injured, it would be great to find a way to keep Chris Hubert as well. Ross' value on STs and savviness as a veteran WR gives him the slight edge on Brittan Golden. But that competition should go down to the wire.
TE (3): Gresham, Niklas, Momah
* All three are playing solid. Hakeem Valles plays a lot on STs, but should start the year on the PS.
OL (9): Humphries, Iupati, Shipley, Boehm, Veldheer, Wetzel, Toner, D. Johnson, Holden
* Tony Bergstrom is deserving of a roster spot, but can the Cardinals really afford to pull the plug on 4th and 5th round picks (Dorian Johnson and Will Holden) so quickly? With Wentzel and Toner being so versatile, the Cardinals can be patient with the rookies.
DL (7): Rucker, Peters, Mauro, Nkemdiche, Gunter, Pierre, X. Williams
* This unit has flashed but been very inconsistent. It would be wise, imo, to add another player to this mix and start Xavier Williams on the PS.
ILB (5): Dansby, Bucannon, Reddick, Bynes, Wright
* It would be great to move reduce to the edge where he belongs, but injuries to Dansby, Bucannon and Byners (and Wheeler) are making this impossible.
OLB (4): Golden, C. Jones, Martin, Bazzie
* It's looking like Jarvis Jones is going to have to start the year on the IR. This unit should be upgraded when Reddick is used on the edge.
CB (4): Peterson, Bethel, B. Williams, T. Williams
* Hard to belive Tramon Williams dropped that interception. But he put a lick on Cohen, which was long overdue.
S (5): Mathieu, Bethea, Branch, Baker, Miller
* Rudy Ford has been injured and Harlan Miller made a couple of key tackles last night.
Sticking Point:
BA keeps telling Carson Palmer that he has to get rid of the ball faster. But here's the problem...without Smoke in the lineup, the Cardinals' WRs are not getting quick separation. Throwing the ball too quickly is how CP makes his biggest mistakes...like the post he threw into the end zone last night that should have been intercepted. Carson Palmer needs time for plays to develop...but his lack of mobility and, last night his under-performaing offensive line made that very difficult. Something has to give here. BA needs to take more measures to maximize Carson's protection. Keep the RB in. Chip the edges. Otherwise, the offense under Palmer will continue to stall and be prone to turnovers made in haste.
