Donald's Red/White Practice Report

[Duckjake]

Remember how bad we were last preseason though? 0-4. In particular Warner was below average(at best) no TDs 3 INTs. 1 first team TD at the end of the first half of the 3rd preseason game and that was it. I wasn't feeling really optimistic but we still managed 10 wins and a playof win.

I'd like to see a good preseason but after last season I am not going to believe a bad preseason is necessarily a precursor of things to come.

Dave McGinnis was 10-2 in preseason. Ken Whisenhunt is 2-10. That's all we need to know about preseason games.

 

[Zeno]

Dave McGinnis was 10-2 in preseason. Ken Whisenhunt is 2-10. That's all we need to know about preseason games.

Great point. I didn't realize that at all....the thought of McGinnis as coach still makes me shudder.

 

[splitsecond]

Remember how bad we were last preseason though? 0-4. In particular Warner was below average(at best) no TDs 3 INTs. 1 first team TD at the end of the first half of the 3rd preseason game and that was it. I wasn't feeling really optimistic but we still managed 10 wins and a playof win.

I'd like to see a good preseason but after last season I am not going to believe a bad preseason is necessarily a precursor of things to come.

Dave McGinnis was 10-2 in preseason. Ken Whisenhunt is 2-10. That's all we need to know about preseason games.

Two of the best points made in regards to training/preseasin this week.

I will say again, one thing we have to keep in mind is that our offense is in a lot of ways, completely retooled. To expect them to be super cohesive and on the same page enough to dominate our beast of a defensive line in week one is absurd.

In my opinion, that Tennessee preseason game is going to be the next important benchmark. They always have good line play on both sides of the balls, which should be able to show us how both sides are gelling at that point.

 

[Buckybird]

Remember how bad we were last preseason though? 0-4. In particular Warner was below average(at best) no TDs 3 INTs. 1 first team TD at the end of the first half of the 3rd preseason game and that was it. I wasn't feeling really optimistic but we still managed 10 wins and a playof win.

I'd like to see a good preseason but after last season I am not going to believe a bad preseason is necessarily a precursor of things to come.

I didn't mean on a team level I meant many about guys we've been keeping our eyes on: Leinart, Tolar, Williams, Keith, & LB's.

 

[D-Dogg]

How are Levi Brown and Brandon Keith looking as individuals?

It was hard to tell. Hugely inconsistent. I was hoping that BK would stand out to me but most of the time they were scrambling. I have high hopes for BK, to admit, so I was kind of disappointed to "not" notice him. Even when the Oline gave time to the QBs, it wasn't a case of seeing someone stand out. I am really hoping these guys are going to gel, because I think a lot of it has to do with their unfamiliarity with each other's strengths/weaknesses. There will be serious growing pains with this unit.

Thanks for the write-up!
How did Dan Williams look?

Williams and Watson both looked great. From a simple eye test (frame, agility in drills, movement), I was more impressed with 2nd rnd rookie LB Washington than Williams...not to disparage our first round pick at all because Williams brought it on the field during the scrimmage. The depth of our Dline is phenomenal. They are going to be fresh, fresh, fresh because you can just keep rotating guys in and out.

P.S. Did the Defense do a lot of blitzing?

They were bringing some different looks with LB blitzes, but I don't think they brought a safety blitz, at least with the first unit. They were showing blitz and dropping into coverage a lot though, which is something I noticed they were doing more of against Matt than DA. Walking some guys up in the the box, feigning blitz and dropping back to see what he'd do. The pressure came from all over though...edges, up the middle, even a delayed LB blitz once. The delay (don't recall who was the LB) was one of the ones where he was right on DA practically untouched.

Remember how bad we were last preseason though? 0-4. In particular Warner was below average(at best) no TDs 3 INTs. 1 first team TD at the end of the first half of the 3rd preseason game and that was it. I wasn't feeling really optimistic but we still managed 10 wins and a playof win.

Dave McGinnis was 10-2 in preseason. Ken Whisenhunt is 2-10. That's all we need to know about preseason games.

Yeah, I subscribe to this belief as well. Preseason wins and losses aren't anything at all, and even performance results don't seem to matter. Whiz seems to be more of a coach that likes to create pre-season situations and see how players deal with them, rather than looking for stat-monsters. He's playing chess out there, not checkers, and has his eye on the endgame strategy from the first move. And I sure am not going to argue with him. He's been a god-send.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Dave McGinnis was 10-2 in preseason. Ken Whisenhunt is 2-10. That's all we need to know about preseason games.

Which is why I have never been and never will attend a preseason game...

 

[Red Dawn]

Nice, objective report, Donald! Sounds like, as many suspected, our QB may be running for his life this season. Hopefully, our DL is just so good they are making the OL look worse than they are, and our HOF line coach can work magic.

It's a new season with a new roster...Man, I am ready for some FOOTBALL!!!

 

[az jam]

Which is why I have never been and never will attend a preseason game...

Its quite obvious that you have never owned season tickets. We have no choice unless we give the tickets away.

 

[splitsecond]

Its quite obvious that you have never owned season tickets. We have no choice unless we give the tickets away.

The games may not count, but the tailgate BBQ still tastes delicious!

 

[Mitch]

Great write up, Donald!

 

[Doc Cardinal]

Best practice report I've ever read.

OMG. They better take some lawyers on the road with them because our Dline might get arrested for assaulting QBs.

Best practice report line I've ever read.

 

[WildBB]

If indeed the OL is looking this bad from the outset , and judging from getting pretty burned in the SF games last yr, I think they need to keep all their best Lmen around. They can't afford to jettison either Wells or Lutui yet. Sounds like Keith still needs PLENTY of seasoning yet. Brown better come on this year as well.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Excellent report. Creative and informative. And I'd give your letter grading system a 1+. For those of us that just love to worry, it sounds like the O line will provide all the fodder necessary to meet our needs. Here's hoping that Grimm was distracted by his HOF speech and can now focus on bringing these guys together.

Steve

 

[82CardsGrad]

Its quite obvious that you have never owned season tickets. We have no choice unless we give the tickets away.

LMAO! Been a season ticket holder since '01.

 

[Zeno]

Which is why I have never been and never will attend a preseason game...

I hear ya about preseason games, the Cards play in Nashville this year and I can get there in about 2 hours but I am not making that drive for a preseason game.

But it can't be anywhere near as bad as it used to be in Sun Devil Stadium, the heat and quality was enough to make you sick.

 

[82CardsGrad]

I hear ya about preseason games, the Cards play in Nashville this year and I can get there in about 2 hours but I am not making that drive for a preseason game.

But it can't be anywhere near as bad as it used to be in Sun Devil Stadium, the heat and quality was enough to make you sick.

No, nothing was as bad as hot games at Sun Devil... I always give my tix away for the preseason. I have zero desire to watch games being played by guys who either have nothing to play for, or, will never be seen again. I love football. Will always have season tix. Wouldn't trade the entire Game Day experience for anything! However, preseason games are a joke. The game itslef is a joke and the fams are all rookie fans who make watching the game that much worse.

 

[Shane]

No, nothing was as bad as hot games at Sun Devil... I always give my tix away for the preseason. I have zero desire to watch games being played by guys who either have nothing to play for, or, will never be seen again. I love football. Will always have season tix. Wouldn't trade the entire Game Day experience for anything! However, preseason games are a joke. The game itslef is a joke and the fams are all rookie fans who make watching the game that much worse.

I LOVE watching pre-season games! ON TV! Will never attend another one in person. Fun to watch the young players fight for jobs.

 

[D-Dogg]

I love selling/giving away preseason game tickets. Selling preferable. Or giving them away in exchange for babysitting favors during the regular season.

 

[Mr.Dibbs]

I LOVE watching pre-season games! ON TV! Will never attend another one in person. Fun to watch the young players fight for jobs.

Pre-season is best watched from a couch.

 

[thirty-two]

I LOVE watching pre-season games! ON TV! Will never attend another one in person. Fun to watch the young players fight for jobs.

This.

I love selling/giving away preseason game tickets.

And this!

 

[DoTheDew]

The one question that is seemingly unanswerable until we actually play another team is, "Is our OLine really that bad or is our DLine simply that good, or both?"

Until we see these units up against another team, I'm going to say our OLine isn't quite as bad as we're seeing and our DLine is not quite as good as we're seeing.

 

[lobo]

Which is why I have never been and never will attend a preseason game...

nuf said

 

[perivolaki]

Williams and Watson both looked great. From a simple eye test (frame, agility in drills, movement), I was more impressed with 2nd rnd rookie LB Washington than Williams...not to disparage our first round pick at all because Williams brought it on the field during the scrimmage. The depth of our Dline is phenomenal. They are going to be fresh, fresh, fresh because you can just keep rotating guys in and out.

I happened to be listening to a ktar 620 sports show on Saturday and they were talking about who looked good.

I think it was Paul Calvisi but I'm not sure and he said that Adrian Wilson was really talking up Dan Williams.

He said that because of his position you don't have an appreciation for him till you look at the film.

He said that in one of the goal line situations Williams took up two blockers, one with each shoulder, and then when the play started to develop he used his rear end to hold up another blocker and plug the hole.

He said it was an amazing play by a guy who has been playing the position for most of his career and knows what his job is and how to do it.

Sounds like he is convincing many of his fellow players.