Epitaph for a Sad Loss

[reebokalone2001]

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. Had Dickens been covering this team, that might have been his opening line. This is a great group of players, yet they played well below their capabilities at a critical time.

What bothers me most is where were the halftime adjustments? To me it seemed the team used the same tactics on offense and defense in both halves. Only an excessively egotistical leader could have felt confident the team was on the right track at halftime. The Rams has beaten only one team with a winning record. Right before the game 2 of their key players were added to an already long disqualified COVID list. This game was there for the taking. However, it was the Cards who got taken.

Sadly the answer to why the Cards’ team failed so badly is multifaceted. It appeared to me that once again many of the Cards just phoned it in. They didn’t come fired up to play. They had a wounded beast before them but they lacked the killer instinct to put the opponent away. In the end I was left wondering what game the Cardinal coaches were watching? Just last week I had praised Kingsbury for producing game plans that fit the circumstances he faced. This time his ego got the best of him. Could anything have been more obvious than the fact the depleted Rams couldn’t cover? Yet no changes were made to provide Murray better protection. Instead the Cards continued to run the ball, allowing their O-line to repeatedly fail to open holes, including 2 of 4 plays on a 4th quarter critical drive that ended on turning over the ball on downs. Admittedly Murray didn’t play well, but it’s inexcusable the Cards did virtually nothing to assist him.

Then there’s the defense. Once again the Cards failed to respond by changing a failed strategy. It seemed every time the Cards closed the gap the defense gave up points. The primary failure was the pass rush. The Cards kept proceeding by using a 4 man rush that over and over allowed Stafford the time to throw deep or to let the receivers execute double moves. Incredibly on one key down the Cards rushed only 3 players. This is the same Stafford who in recent weeks had failed badly under pressure. To complicate this the Cards played a porous zone behind this weak rush. Kupp is an expert at settling down in holes, which the Cards facilitated. They also refused to double Kupp except on one play that resulted in a sack. Why repeat a defense that worked? Make Kupp ordinary and the Cards win. As early as summer I pointed out the Cards could only succeed with their weak secondary if they had a successful pass rush. To expect players like Alford to cover NFL receivers was inviting disaster. This coaching failure is the perfect reflection of the definition of insanity. I’d venture to say the Cards played several games this season where they blitzed more often.

Murray was in the MVP conversation, but no longer. Kingsbury was a Coach of the Year candidate. He is no more. Would Joseph leave for a head coaching offer? Would you hire a head coach who stubbornly continued a failing game plan? The Cards would have been the first Cardinal team to be first NFL team to clinch a playoff spot.p in a given year. That was merely wishful thinking.

The season isn’t lost but this game presents serious doubt that this staff could flourish amidst the rigors of the playoffs. Through the game I kept insisting there was plenty of time and there was. What there wasn’t was competent coaching. Losing isn’t always about bad coaching. Sometimes a team just gets outplayed. This loss, however, was on the coaches. They again didn’t have the players ready to play. They began with a poor “business as usual” game plan rather than a customized strategy. They failed to modify that strategy despite its obvious failure. In the end they’ve likely forced the team into a gauntlet of a playoff. They aren’t the “same old Cards,” but they may sadly be more like those teams than we had hoped.

I secretly wish VJ gets an HC offer this offseason every day. I do not want to see him as Cards DC anymore.

 

[reebokalone2001]

I actually believe KK came to the game with a plan of passing attack which I saw at least in the first three series. Though Kyler's some off-target throws did not help, KK consistently refused to offer more pass protection after observing first-hand Doland just destroyed our guards.

 

[Brak]

They never call that and I'm never sure if the clock they're showing us is the real clock because it hits 0 so often without a penalty.

That IS the official time, as well as the game clock that you see on TV. That's been the case for a LONG time now.

It's infuriating that the NFL allows this to continue. At the VERY least - make it reviewable. This is one call where video evidence is clear and irrefutable, every single time. The play clock should not be a "suggestion" that only kinda needs to be adhered to, if it's going to be an actual penalty if/when called. You don't see this in the NBA - and on the rare occasion where beating the buzzer is close, they WILL review it.

Back to the original post - agree 100%. The game plan stunk on ice, and the lack of adjustments once it was clear it wasn't working was totally baffling and inexcusable.

 

[DaHilg]

I actually believe KK came to the game with a plan of passing attack which I saw at least in the first three series. Though Kyler's some off-target throws did not help, KK consistently refused to offer more pass protection after observing first-hand Doland just destroyed our guards.

Should have kept going through the air. Certainly, was a terrible call to run Conner on 4th down when he was averaging 2 yards a carry. Conner played great in the passing game and had a awesome second effort TD. Wasn’t doing squat in the run game outside of that. It’s OK to have your short passing game serve as your run game.. esp against a depleted secondary. 4th down, game on the line .. I want the ball in my best players hands - kyler. Even more so w the above factors.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

That was my first thought aswell. But then I thought about it a bit more and especially with a Kicker like Prater I think it was the right approach. Down by 10 you need a TD anyways and if you recover the onside kick you start more or less around your own 45 yard line. That means you only need like 10-15 yards to give Prater a chance and to get there 20-30 seconds can be more than enough.

Sure that would be one thing if we were on the 5 yd line and expected to score in a couple plays. But being on the 30, the odds are you are going to settle for a FG. Its just a matter of how much time you want to waste before kicking it. Forcing the ball into the end zone from the 30 would have just as likely ended in an interception, fumble, sack, or something that would have ended the game right there. No, I will stick with the FG from the 30 as fast as I could get it. Just the way I think however.

 

[Cards_Campos]

If we go up 10 we could have won 41-17. Pressure would have been hard on them. Game changed on 2 plays

 

[Cheesebeef]

If we go up 10 we could have won 41-17. Pressure would have been hard on them. Game changed on 2 plays

Holy crap... you’ve been hitting that crack pipe from 10 am to 10 pm,

Impressive.