Cooper sighting!

[MadCardDisease]

Saw him out there on a Jumbo package. Had a nice block.

This kid needs to be out there full time. Our run blocking has been pathetic the last couple of weeks. It's way past time for the change IMO!

 

[kerouac9]

I saw him in for the snap, and he didn't seem to do much, to me. Certainly nothing to get excited about, or anything that Larsen and Fanaika don't deliver on a play-by-play basis. Basically stood in front of a couple of people.

OL play isn't the problem; poor play design and a back that can't handle the offensive load is.

 

[NJCardFan]

I saw him in for the snap, and he didn't seem to do much, to me. Certainly nothing to get excited about, or anything that Larsen and Fanaika don't deliver on a play-by-play basis. Basically stood in front of a couple of people.

OL play isn't the problem; poor play design and a back that can't handle the offensive load is.

Massie sure was a problem yesterday.

 

[kerouac9]

Massie sure was a problem yesterday.

I don't really think so. I mean, he didn't look good, but he didn't have a false start or hold into the 4th quarter IIRC, and on the early pressure he gave up, it looked like Stanton had room to move up in the pocket, but he was playing flat-footed.

Hard to deal with those wide splits when you're playing with a tight set on the offensive line. It's on the QB to adjust, because there aren't a lot of RTs in the NFL spry enough to reach out to a defensive end coming from that far out.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I saw him in for the snap, and he didn't seem to do much, to me. Certainly nothing to get excited about, or anything that Larsen and Fanaika don't deliver on a play-by-play basis. Basically stood in front of a couple of people.

OL play isn't the problem; poor play design and a back that can't handle the offensive load is.

I disagree. I think the OL play has been sub par the last couple of weeks. Massie was getting beat way too often and this was clearly his worst game of the year. The OL as a whole has struggled in the run game.

Going forward I think the OL is the biggest area of concern. RB is an issue as well.

 

[Chopper0080]

I saw him in for the snap, and he didn't seem to do much, to me. Certainly nothing to get excited about, or anything that Larsen and Fanaika don't deliver on a play-by-play basis. Basically stood in front of a couple of people.

OL play isn't the problem; poor play design and a back that can't handle the offensive load is.

I think the issues with play design are due to the personnel that they depend on. Housler is an awful fit for this offense, and any play that depends on his blocking is almost doomed to fail. Power run scheme, with a zone back (that has been adjusted a bit). Power scheme with limited OG movement ability.

IMO, our offensive personnel just doesn't match what we seem to want to do on offense. This is highlighted even more by Stanton being the QB.

 

[kerouac9]

Going forward I think the OL is the biggest area of concern. RB is an issue as well.

I feel like this is the default assumption of Cardinals fans. The offensive line is league-average, maybe better. The problem is 80% quarterback, 15% running back, and probably 5% tight ends.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I saw him in for the snap, and he didn't seem to do much, to me. Certainly nothing to get excited about, or anything that Larsen and Fanaika don't deliver on a play-by-play basis. Basically stood in front of a couple of people.

OL play isn't the problem; poor play design and a back that can't handle the offensive load is.

We clearly didn't see the same play. He made a huge hole on the right side of the line.

 

[kerouac9]

We clearly didn't see the same play. He made a huge hole on the right side of the line.

No. On the play that I'm thinking of, he was lined up on the left side of the line.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I feel like this is the default assumption of Cardinals fans. The offensive line is league-average, maybe better. The problem is 80% quarterback, 15% running back, and probably 5% tight ends.

It's not just the fans:

After the Seahawks game:

– Keim said he thought the offensive line needs to be more physical. Other that acknowledging a comment that right tackle Bobby Massie didn’t have his best game, Keim wasn’t specific on the offensive line but instead talking about them as a group. The entire offense has to play “in better unison” in the run game. The protection could have been better too.

After the Rams game:

After a win in which the Cardinals only rushed for 28 yards, though, Keim did have some thoughts on the offensive line. He was blunt: Keim said he thinks one of the “primary reasons” the Cardinals were 8-1 is the play of offensive tackles Jared Veldheer and Bobby Massie. As for the interior — guards Paul Fanaika and Ted Larsen and center Lyle Sendlein — Keim said he has concerns about their consistency.

"We have to block better. We have to block a whole lot better," Arians said. "It's not just the tight ends; it's everybody.
"Andre pressed on a couple (plays), but we didn't block very well, especially in the interior. Our guards and centers were overreaching (on) some people."

After the Cowboys game:

– Overall, Keim admitted there was some frustration with the offense’s “self-inflicted issues.” The drops were one thing. Key penalties. And he said the interior of the offensive line struggled with the stunts and twists of the Cowboys’ defensive line.

 

[kerouac9]

It's not just the fans:

Keim's doing PR. Fans are dumb; he hears them complain about the OL year after year. Keim's invested in Cooper and wants to see him on the field.



Arians--in whom I have more faith than Keim--seems to be fairly happy with the OL play.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Keim's doing PR. Fans are dumb; he hears them complain about the OL year after year. Keim's invested in Cooper and wants to see him on the field.



Arians--in whom I have more faith than Keim--seems to be fairly happy with the OL play.

The O line play has been pretty pathetic in run blocking, no matter what Arians says.

 

[Brian]

The O line play has been pretty pathetic in run blocking, no matter what Arians says.

Yep.

BTW- I saw Coop in on two plays where he lined up to the right of Massie and I know on one of them at least he pretty much blew up his man. Pretty sure that's the play you mentioned earlier.

 

[TJ]

Yep.

BTW- I saw Coop in on two plays where he lined up to the right of Massie and I know on one of them at least he pretty much blew up his man. Pretty sure that's the play you mentioned earlier.

Agree. Was good to see Coop get some PT. He looked fine as far as I'm concern.

Also, the interior blocking is lackluster, and anyone with a pair of eyes and a basic understanding of offensive line play can see it is the weakest link. This is no secret.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yep.

BTW- I saw Coop in on two plays where he lined up to the right of Massie and I know on one of them at least he pretty much blew up his man. Pretty sure that's the play you mentioned earlier.

I saw that... BUT - there really can't be any defending of the o-line when it comes to the running game. Other than the clear fact that we have a running back who just doesn't like to get hit and therefore needs a hole the size of the Grand Canyon to run through...

 

[Russ Smith]

We clearly didn't see the same play. He made a huge hole on the right side of the line.

yeah the play I'm thinking about I think the backside got just enough of Ellington but Cooper had done a nice job on his man.

I didn't realize that was the only snap he was in.

 

[Russ Smith]

Chopper's snap count thread said Coop was in on 5 snaps.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Keim's doing PR. Fans are dumb; he hears them complain about the OL year after year. Keim's invested in Cooper and wants to see him on the field.



Arians--in whom I have more faith than Keim--seems to be fairly happy with the OL play.

LOL I'm not buying it. Keim is a straight shooter. He called out Peterson when his play was lagging. This after he just made him the highest paid player at his position.

By the way this quote that I listed above was from BA:

"We have to block better. We have to block a whole lot better," Arians said. "It's not just the tight ends; it's everybody.
"Andre pressed on a couple (plays), but we didn't block very well, especially in the interior. Our guards and centers were overreaching (on) some people."

 

[Chopper0080]

The problem with evaluating a running game is that is dependent on a bunch of things coming together. Is the line blocking it right? Is the running back making the most out of the run? If you asked me what is our biggest challenge right now...I would say that Ellington is not healthy and it is limiting his ability to make the most out of the well blocked runs. After that, I would say that our TEs ruin more run plays than they help. Lastly, I would blame our interior line for not blocking more consistently and moving defenses off the LOS late in games when defenses are tired.

If you asked me what personnel needs to be upgraded in the running game...Housler is my automatic first response. After that, I think it is close between Taylor, Larsen, Fanaika and Carlson. Ellington is an asset, but taking a pounding while trying to overcome an injury isn't a recipe for his success.

 

[kerouac9]

LOL I'm not buying it. Keim is a straight shooter. He called out Peterson when his play was lagging. This after he just made him the highest paid player at his position.

By the way this quote that I listed above was from BA:

Was he a straight shooter about Ryan Williams? Do you trust him more about Cooper being ready to play, or Arians when he says that Cooper isn't one of the 5 best offensive linemen?

 

[MadCardDisease]

Was he a straight shooter about Ryan Williams? Do you trust him more about Cooper being ready to play, or Arians when he says that Cooper isn't one of the 5 best offensive linemen?

I'm the one calling for Cooper to start, not Keim. I personally believe Cooper's athleticism will help with the run game. I've seen Larson pulling and it leaves much to be desired.

However I can see how Arians doesn't want to mess with the pass protection chemistry seeing as he is already down to his backup QB. Yet to me without a solid running game you are already putting Stanton in harms way. IMO Cooper is the only real option currently on the team that may help jumpstart the running game. If you can improve your running game you in turn take pressure off Stanton.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Also, the interior blocking is lackluster, and anyone with a pair of eyes and a basic understanding of offensive line play can see it is the weakest link. This is no secret.

I don't have either of these requirements and I can see it....

.

 

[CoachKlein]

Just look at the improvement from last year. 2013 O line < 2014 O line

 

[juza76]

Just look at the improvement from last year. 2013 O line < 2014 O line

we have improved the tackle position with valdeer but the interior line is even worst compared to last year,colledge is much better then larsen
actually we cant run the ball.
ellington after averaging 5,5 yard for carry last season ,this year is 3,2.
is an area to improve

 

[don7031]

^Vastly improved left tackle has overshadowed getting worse at left guard and right tackle.