azdad1978
Championship!!!!
In preseason, quick 'D' has caused havoc
Odeen Domingo
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 1, 2005 12:00 AM
If Cardinals coach Dennis Green had his way, all his defensive players would be able to run through a car wash without getting wet.
On defense, Green has put a premium on the need for speed.
The Cardinals' biggest defensive player is 306-pound defensive tackle Russell Davis.
Just 306 pounds? What is this, 1985?
"That's just our style," Green said. "We don't have big players. We had to make up our mind on how to build up our program. Everybody has a right to build it any way they want to. We felt that our way would be speed."
Green likes the defense he's assembled in two years. Just two current starters were holdovers from 2003.
The defensive line is small but quick. The linebackers are twice as fast. And the secondary, which was considered the thinnest unit heading into training camp, now has depth with the emergence of rookies Antrel Rolle and Eric Green and the re-emergence of veterans Raymond Walls and Robert Tate.
It seems the Cardinals have improved a defense that was ranked 12th in the league last season. So just how good does this defense expect to be?
"I don't know if we (the defense) have any expectations," safety Adrian Wilson said. "We just want to go out there, play our defense, play hard and play sound football. I don't think there are expectations. That's for you guys (the media). That's not for us. We just go out there and do what we do."
The first-team defense has shown how good it could be through the first three preseason games. In seven quarters played, the starters have totaled seven sacks. They've forced five fumbles, recovering one and another bounced out of the end zone for a safety. And they have allowed just two passing touchdowns.
One thing the starters have yet to record is an interception but if the front seven keeps putting pressure on the quarterback, the interceptions will come.
The one weakness the defense possessed last season was stopping the run.
But this preseason, the first-team defense hasn't allowed a starting running back to score a touchdown or average more than 2.3 yards a carry.
Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has faced this defense in practice more times than he'd like.
"They push us every day," Warner said. "When you talk about the front seven that we have, I don't think you're going to find a faster front seven in the league. . . . We've seen them create turnovers over the last couple of weeks because of that speed."
That speed also allows defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast to be creative with his defensive scheme. The Cardinals will show five-man fronts, five-linebacker formations, anything to keep the offense guessing.
"It's (the defensive scheme) going to give every player on the defense an opportunity to make plays, especially guys that we've added," Pendergast said.
One of those additions is defensive end Chike Okeafor, who had a sack, a forced fumble and safety Friday against Oakland - all on the same play. Okeafor is Green's prototypical defensive player. A player who is all speed, all out.
Okeafor said he isn't the only one.
"Everyone can play, everyone can run," Okeafor said. "Everyone's a little bit faster than maybe for their position. We have (defensive) ends running like linebackers. D-tackles running like ends. Clancy could flex things around, flex things up. Move people around. Utilize that talent. Utilize that speed. As we all know, speed kills."
Player profile
Adam Haayer
Fifth-year offensive tackle/center from Minnesota.
Height/weight: 6-6/311.
Hometown: Forest Lake, Minn.
Meet your Cardinals center. Neither Haayer nor the Cardinals imagined he'd be in this position, starting at center, but three injuries have led to this. A center who has never played center before.
At 6feet6, Haayer is the tallest center in the NFL. He has started one game his first three seasons in the league at right tackle. Offensive line is also a relatively new position for Haayer. He entered the University of Minnesota as a tight end but converted his sophomore year.
His athleticism has helped him develop into a serviceable offensive lineman. The Titans drafted Haayer in the sixth round in 2001, then released him during the 2002 training camp. He signed with the Vikings soon after. The Cardinals picked him in the off-season.
Haayer Q&A
Q: How are you acclimating to your new position?
A: "There were some things experience-wise I've never seen before. But I've been in this offense for so long that I already know where everything is. I pretty much know what's going on."
Q: What do you mean when you said there are things you've never seen before?
A: "The defense will always throw a curve at you. You got to be able to react to it. Now we're going on Day 5 (with me playing center) or whatever, and now I've seen more and I think my calls are getting better. It's the nature of the beast."
Q: The toughest challenge about playing center?
A: "Staying low. I'm a taller guy. I'm almost 6-7, so I'm a real tall center. I got to get the ball back and I got to keep myself down and not stand up. "
Day at practice
For the second straight day, the Cardinals were not in pads. Coach Dennis Green feels the Valley heat is too extreme for his players to practice in. Practices also have been short. Practices are supposed to go from 9 to 11 a.m., but the team has came off the fields 20 minutes early. In the first 30 minutes Wednesday, the Cardinals worked more on their game plan against the Broncos. The offense worked as a whole, practicing two-minute drills. The defense worked on formations and plays.
Eye opener
Tight end Bobby Blizzard, who has been out for two weeks because of a back injury, wasn't at practice Wednesday. Green wouldn't say whether Blizzard is still with the team. The Cardinals may look to reach an injury settlement with Blizzard, which would open up another spot on the roster. The team still could pick up another candidate at running back and kick returner. Having Eric Edwards back healthy this week also doesn't help Blizzard's chances to stick with the Cardinals.
Quote of the day
"With the talent I've been around, and I've been around a lot of talent, this team matches up very favorably with the talent that I've been around." - Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, on the talent of his current team vs. the Rams and Giants, for whom he also has played.
Training room
DE Bertrand Berry (back), C Alex Stepanovich (hand), LB Gerald Hayes (knee) and C Nick Leckey (ankle) did not practice. WR Larry Fitzgerald (knee) returned.
Coming up
The Cardinals will practice from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. today in Tempe. Practices are closed to the public. The Cardinals will play their final preseason game Friday vs. the Denver Broncos at Sun Devil Stadium.
- Odeen Domingo
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0901cardscamp0901.html
Odeen Domingo
The Arizona Republic
Sept. 1, 2005 12:00 AM
If Cardinals coach Dennis Green had his way, all his defensive players would be able to run through a car wash without getting wet.
On defense, Green has put a premium on the need for speed.
The Cardinals' biggest defensive player is 306-pound defensive tackle Russell Davis.
Just 306 pounds? What is this, 1985?
"That's just our style," Green said. "We don't have big players. We had to make up our mind on how to build up our program. Everybody has a right to build it any way they want to. We felt that our way would be speed."
Green likes the defense he's assembled in two years. Just two current starters were holdovers from 2003.
The defensive line is small but quick. The linebackers are twice as fast. And the secondary, which was considered the thinnest unit heading into training camp, now has depth with the emergence of rookies Antrel Rolle and Eric Green and the re-emergence of veterans Raymond Walls and Robert Tate.
It seems the Cardinals have improved a defense that was ranked 12th in the league last season. So just how good does this defense expect to be?
"I don't know if we (the defense) have any expectations," safety Adrian Wilson said. "We just want to go out there, play our defense, play hard and play sound football. I don't think there are expectations. That's for you guys (the media). That's not for us. We just go out there and do what we do."
The first-team defense has shown how good it could be through the first three preseason games. In seven quarters played, the starters have totaled seven sacks. They've forced five fumbles, recovering one and another bounced out of the end zone for a safety. And they have allowed just two passing touchdowns.
One thing the starters have yet to record is an interception but if the front seven keeps putting pressure on the quarterback, the interceptions will come.
The one weakness the defense possessed last season was stopping the run.
But this preseason, the first-team defense hasn't allowed a starting running back to score a touchdown or average more than 2.3 yards a carry.
Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has faced this defense in practice more times than he'd like.
"They push us every day," Warner said. "When you talk about the front seven that we have, I don't think you're going to find a faster front seven in the league. . . . We've seen them create turnovers over the last couple of weeks because of that speed."
That speed also allows defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast to be creative with his defensive scheme. The Cardinals will show five-man fronts, five-linebacker formations, anything to keep the offense guessing.
"It's (the defensive scheme) going to give every player on the defense an opportunity to make plays, especially guys that we've added," Pendergast said.
One of those additions is defensive end Chike Okeafor, who had a sack, a forced fumble and safety Friday against Oakland - all on the same play. Okeafor is Green's prototypical defensive player. A player who is all speed, all out.
Okeafor said he isn't the only one.
"Everyone can play, everyone can run," Okeafor said. "Everyone's a little bit faster than maybe for their position. We have (defensive) ends running like linebackers. D-tackles running like ends. Clancy could flex things around, flex things up. Move people around. Utilize that talent. Utilize that speed. As we all know, speed kills."
Player profile
Adam Haayer
Fifth-year offensive tackle/center from Minnesota.
Height/weight: 6-6/311.
Hometown: Forest Lake, Minn.
Meet your Cardinals center. Neither Haayer nor the Cardinals imagined he'd be in this position, starting at center, but three injuries have led to this. A center who has never played center before.
At 6feet6, Haayer is the tallest center in the NFL. He has started one game his first three seasons in the league at right tackle. Offensive line is also a relatively new position for Haayer. He entered the University of Minnesota as a tight end but converted his sophomore year.
His athleticism has helped him develop into a serviceable offensive lineman. The Titans drafted Haayer in the sixth round in 2001, then released him during the 2002 training camp. He signed with the Vikings soon after. The Cardinals picked him in the off-season.
Haayer Q&A
Q: How are you acclimating to your new position?
A: "There were some things experience-wise I've never seen before. But I've been in this offense for so long that I already know where everything is. I pretty much know what's going on."
Q: What do you mean when you said there are things you've never seen before?
A: "The defense will always throw a curve at you. You got to be able to react to it. Now we're going on Day 5 (with me playing center) or whatever, and now I've seen more and I think my calls are getting better. It's the nature of the beast."
Q: The toughest challenge about playing center?
A: "Staying low. I'm a taller guy. I'm almost 6-7, so I'm a real tall center. I got to get the ball back and I got to keep myself down and not stand up. "
Day at practice
For the second straight day, the Cardinals were not in pads. Coach Dennis Green feels the Valley heat is too extreme for his players to practice in. Practices also have been short. Practices are supposed to go from 9 to 11 a.m., but the team has came off the fields 20 minutes early. In the first 30 minutes Wednesday, the Cardinals worked more on their game plan against the Broncos. The offense worked as a whole, practicing two-minute drills. The defense worked on formations and plays.
Eye opener
Tight end Bobby Blizzard, who has been out for two weeks because of a back injury, wasn't at practice Wednesday. Green wouldn't say whether Blizzard is still with the team. The Cardinals may look to reach an injury settlement with Blizzard, which would open up another spot on the roster. The team still could pick up another candidate at running back and kick returner. Having Eric Edwards back healthy this week also doesn't help Blizzard's chances to stick with the Cardinals.
Quote of the day
"With the talent I've been around, and I've been around a lot of talent, this team matches up very favorably with the talent that I've been around." - Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, on the talent of his current team vs. the Rams and Giants, for whom he also has played.
Training room
DE Bertrand Berry (back), C Alex Stepanovich (hand), LB Gerald Hayes (knee) and C Nick Leckey (ankle) did not practice. WR Larry Fitzgerald (knee) returned.
Coming up
The Cardinals will practice from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. today in Tempe. Practices are closed to the public. The Cardinals will play their final preseason game Friday vs. the Denver Broncos at Sun Devil Stadium.
- Odeen Domingo
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0901cardscamp0901.html
