Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
First of all, what I would like to recognize is the talent of the team the Cardinals narrowly beat yesterday. When you look at the Raiders, talent-wise, you have to realize that they are on the verge of becoming one of the better teams in the NFL. Their offense is chock-full of speedy weapons...a solid o-line (which has been battling through injury issues)...and a very good TE in Zach Miller who had two 100 yard games last year. QB Bruce Gradkowski is gritty and quite capable. So, even though the NBC halftime guys were saying incredulously "the Raiders have 20 points at half-time"...this aint your same old Raiders, especially when RB Darren McFadden was 2nd in the league in rushing after two weeks.
But...it's the Raiders' defense that is loaded and could be absolutlely sensational...esp. once MLB Rolando McClain comes of age. They have studs up front in Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour...a super quick edge rusher in Kamerion Wimbley...three starting LBers so good that super-fast Thomas Howard (who would start for most NFL teams) can't get much PT...the BEST shutdown CB in the league in Nmandi Asomugha...and a trio of good, fast active DBs to go with him.
Furthermore, their STs are potentially elite with the triple threat of K Janikowski, P Lechler and KR Ford.
Plus..many probably overlooked, forgot or did not even know this: they won 4 AWAY games LAST year at Kansas City, at Philadelphia, at Pittsburgh, and at Denver...all tough places to win.
There...feel any better about the win yesterday?
I do.
That game had me worried big-time.
Feel any better about eke-ing out a win at St. Louis after they beat the Redskins 30-17 yesterday?
How about the Falcons winning at New Orleans?
The most relieved person on the planet when---still unbelievably--- Janikowski pushed the kick left of the uprights...probably should have been CB DRC...but...it was Ken Whisenhunt. Did you see Whiz's reaction? He wasn't that jacked after the NFC Championship game.
The reason is...he knows himself that he made some conspicuous mistakes down the stretch...ones that did not give his team the best chance to win. The most egregious of which was sending the struggling rookie Andre Roberts out to field a punt with all momentum on the Cardinals' side---following a huge 4th quarter stuffing of the Raiders' offense---with 5 and change on the clock---which left Shane Lechler punting from his own goal-line.
How many of you were SURE Whiz was going to send out Breaston? I was and when I saw Roberts I was screaming at the TV before the ball was snapped to Lechler. Weren't you?
As we know Roberts was slow reacting to Lechler's punts all day to that point and had even committed the embarrassing gaffe of fielding a punt inside his own five yard line...something Pop Warner kids know better than to do. While Lechler wasn't going to punt the ball 100 yards this time...all the Cardinals needed was a fair catch...and for that or any of that ilk in that situation the player HAS to be Steve Breaston---even if he is on crutches...which, thank goodness he wasn't.
Breaston at least would have had the sense to run up to try to catch the ball...and in doing so, waving for a fair catch would have alerted DRC to get out of the way.
Having gotten burned on the exact same play...it was nearly a carbon copy, wasn't it? How uncanny was that? Only it was Ware who took it on the knee, not DRC.
Here's a key stat for the game...LOOSE BALLS: Raiders 3 Cardinals 0. The two uncanny KO blunders and Joey Porter's stripping of Gradkowski that resulted in a mad loose ball scrum and chase... had the Cardinals picked that one up, we all might have been off the oxygen and tequilla shots a half an hour earlier.
While we are still talking about those punt return gaffes...may I ask, what in the world is DRC doing on return teams? WHY?
The only times he should see ST's action is on PAT, FG and Punt Block teams.
Playing DRC on the punt return team---which could ruin his career the way it did Jason Sehorn's---is about as smart as making Beanie Wells carry the ball over and over in the second halfs of pre-season games...while he was hurt no less.
So, yeah, the most relieved man was Whiz. It had to be. He was also responsible for an offense that---what?---ran 9 plays the entire 4th quarter trying unsuccessfully to seal a victory...while the defense was holding on for dear life...play after play...series after series....
The quote of the day was from Randy Cross who said---after the 58 yard miss from janikowski---"You don't get the sense the Cardinals are going to stop giving the raiders more chances." As much as we don't like RC...he was right...alas...dang it all...f-it.
This Cardinals' defense...think about it...after two outstanding stops in this game---they had to rush right out the next play after the Raiders recovered those punt return fumbles. And in doing so, they saved the game by yielding a mere 6 points instead of 10 or 14...and did so in exceptional fashion the last time, overcoming crippling penalties and a 1st and goal at the 1 yard line.
And...if DRC doesn't go into the Twilight Zone on the final drive...the defense would have stopped the Raiders from even having a chance.
So what's up with DRC? He's done this before. He's also sealed wins with interceptions before.
On the 4th and long...there is no excuse whatsoever for him to be 8 yards behind Heyward-Bey...standing there like a zombie. What a gift.
And next play---it's the over-reaction sucker play...DRC over-reacts the to over-press DHB and gets a step behind to where he panics and arm bars him.
What's curious about this even happening is that Bill Davis and Lonnie Henderson have been moving DRC over to LCB late in games so that people would start throwing at him. This team he just kept snoozing at RCB.
Whiz said a great thing in his presser...he said DRC clearly arm barred DHB and deserved the penalty, for the Raiders had been called on it twice in similar fashion versus Stephen Williams...but Whiz added that the good news was that he wants people throwing at DRC late in games.
Yup...that is if DRC doesn't don the lost in space look...one that makes you wonder what in the world is going on in his head. You really have to say that last week and this week were two poor performances from a player who made the Pro Bowl and so much is depended on.
Offensive Notes:
* DA...as we saw...panic city...the two worst displays were the overthrown bullet to Fitz, where all he had to do was wait another second more for Fitz to separate and loft the ball up for him and it's an EASY TD....followed up on the next play by DA's totally absurd, panic-ridden execution of the shovel pass...at a time in the game where the Cardinals appeared in very good control, ahead 17-13 and marching into Raiders' territory.
Honestly...after watching the utter carelessness with which DA threw that pass, I would have been fine sending him to the locker room for good. That play ruined what was becoming a very good half...it ruined it so much that the defense, again caught off guard and having to be ushered quickly and unexpectedly back into the game, suffered their worst played four minutes of the game and gave up a the McFadden TD with under 10 seconds left to head to the lockerroom suddenly down 20-17.
Yet...Whiz sticks with DA...I wouldn't have...and some of you probably wouldn't have...and we will never know what Hall could have done...but...after the Fitz miss I couldn't help but recall the play during pre-season where Hall expected to throw a screen to Alfonso Smith, who instead sneaked right up through the middle and straight up the field on his route...and Hall...had the patience and presence of mind to wait for the split second Smith had become open and delivered a perfectly thrown pass. Hall seems to be able to expect the unexpected...and seems to be able to think fast on his feet. Can DA?
Back to DA...sure the numbers on the whole were poor and a few of the plays were just plain awful...but...DA threw two passes in particular that show PROGRESS...and they were the two TDs...where he flicked the first one niftily to Breaston (unlike gunning it in the pre-season)...and where he threw a low bullet to Fitz in a place where only Fitz could catch it. That was a beautifully conceived and designed play and was carried out to perfection.
*The Breaston drop on the last series was the result of a slight tipping of the ball...not so much that it was a little behind him...and...there were times like that play where even Warner would throw a little behind because he wasn't sure---because of the tight window he was seeing through to the WR if there was a LB close on the side he would normally lead the pass to...and the last thing you want to do in that situation is throw a lead pass right into the arms of a LB or DB for a pick six...which is exactly what Gradkowski did twice to Louis Murphy, both passes of which could very easliy have been pick sixes by Michael Adams.
* Beanie Wells was a real spark in this game...the whole team seemed to be energized by his insertion into the game.
* Running wide left has been consistently big for the Cardinals...which means kudos for the tandem of Levi Brown and Alan Faneca who are sealing down the inside on those plays with regular efficiency.
* No fumbles...and relatively few penalties...
* Some good signs of TE action from Ben Patrick...and Stephen Williams was a worry for the Raiders' DBs....and one good clutch 3rd down conversion catch for "Mad Max" Komar.
* Deuce Lutui remains the best o-lineman in all aspects combined.
Defensive Notes:
* Adrian Wilson's thug tactics are hurting the team again...how can he do that after Rhodes' 15 yarder to start last week's game???...after the all-players meeting, no less...and---Wilson is cruising to get tossed, as once gain he faliled at a player which might have been seen by a ref as a punch or an attempted punch. BUT---kudos to AW in a key situation late when he could have put a huge licking on Gradkowski and held back enough to avoid the roughing penalty.
* Joey Porter...great to see the one excellent sack/strip...but man, was he slow and ineffective on the edge for most of the day...to where he would just stop in his tracks. Plain awful. Said it last week and the week before...he should be asked to do one thing...come in in passing situations and rush the edge...because he's losing his legs doing the other stuff and when we need him most he's stuck in mud much of the time.
* Stars of the game defensively: Paris Lenon & Kerry Rhodes. Lenon---who by the way---has moved back to WILB with Washington flipping over to SILB (or it really just is LILB)---was playing with speed, toughness and determination the entire 60 minutes---the sack was like a bolt of lightning and thunder and the interception was beautifully read and timed off Rhodes' tip.
Rhodes was in the right place at the right time on so many occasions I thought we were watching the reincarnation of Larry Wilson. How about the juke he put on the blocker from the right edge where he crossed him over and got a clear path to Gradkowski? How about the play where he hid behind the blockers and timed his jump to tip the pass that could have been intercepted by Joey Porter? And how about the blitz where BOTH Wilson and Rhodes converged on Gradkowski at the same time? What GREAT stuff! Too bad DRC balied the Raiders out on the next two plays because all momentum was on the Cardinals' side....but someone always seems to break down on 4th down plays, don't they?
* As for Adams...man...two pick sixes missed...but...let's give him credit for dogging Murphy that well and closely. And even though Murphy turned the second one into a ridiculous 70 yard RAC...Adams should have gone for the ball...you cannot expect to win otherwise...you have to go for the ball when you can take it the other way...but...as we all know---you have to catch it...and I honestly believe that we will see several 2-3 interception games once Donnie Henderson gets his DBs going for the ball with two hands and looking it in....that is, esp. if Davis keeps Porter fresh.
* All pre-season all we heard was how unblockable DD and CC were...yet...these guys, other than with occasional flashes---have yet to show up. What is up with that? Obviously no team is worried about Bryan Robinson---who tried hard yesterday but was repeatedly knocked backwards and started chasing plays nearly back at the linebacker level. Dan Williams gets into the game and makes a bone crushing tackle on McFadden...only to be replace the next series. Just don't understand this.
* Greg Toler gets a game ball for in-game adjustments and perseverance...man, to come back after that penalty and make two great breakups in the left corner was...very well...the margin of victory.
Special Teams Notes:
* LSH...awesome!!!
* Adams---another great tackle.
* Graham---bounced back well this game. Appears back on track.
* Feeley---fine day.
San Diego on the road? Will the players be into this one?
But...it's the Raiders' defense that is loaded and could be absolutlely sensational...esp. once MLB Rolando McClain comes of age. They have studs up front in Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour...a super quick edge rusher in Kamerion Wimbley...three starting LBers so good that super-fast Thomas Howard (who would start for most NFL teams) can't get much PT...the BEST shutdown CB in the league in Nmandi Asomugha...and a trio of good, fast active DBs to go with him.
Furthermore, their STs are potentially elite with the triple threat of K Janikowski, P Lechler and KR Ford.
Plus..many probably overlooked, forgot or did not even know this: they won 4 AWAY games LAST year at Kansas City, at Philadelphia, at Pittsburgh, and at Denver...all tough places to win.
There...feel any better about the win yesterday?
I do.
That game had me worried big-time.
Feel any better about eke-ing out a win at St. Louis after they beat the Redskins 30-17 yesterday?
How about the Falcons winning at New Orleans?
The most relieved person on the planet when---still unbelievably--- Janikowski pushed the kick left of the uprights...probably should have been CB DRC...but...it was Ken Whisenhunt. Did you see Whiz's reaction? He wasn't that jacked after the NFC Championship game.
The reason is...he knows himself that he made some conspicuous mistakes down the stretch...ones that did not give his team the best chance to win. The most egregious of which was sending the struggling rookie Andre Roberts out to field a punt with all momentum on the Cardinals' side---following a huge 4th quarter stuffing of the Raiders' offense---with 5 and change on the clock---which left Shane Lechler punting from his own goal-line.
How many of you were SURE Whiz was going to send out Breaston? I was and when I saw Roberts I was screaming at the TV before the ball was snapped to Lechler. Weren't you?
As we know Roberts was slow reacting to Lechler's punts all day to that point and had even committed the embarrassing gaffe of fielding a punt inside his own five yard line...something Pop Warner kids know better than to do. While Lechler wasn't going to punt the ball 100 yards this time...all the Cardinals needed was a fair catch...and for that or any of that ilk in that situation the player HAS to be Steve Breaston---even if he is on crutches...which, thank goodness he wasn't.
Breaston at least would have had the sense to run up to try to catch the ball...and in doing so, waving for a fair catch would have alerted DRC to get out of the way.
Having gotten burned on the exact same play...it was nearly a carbon copy, wasn't it? How uncanny was that? Only it was Ware who took it on the knee, not DRC.
Here's a key stat for the game...LOOSE BALLS: Raiders 3 Cardinals 0. The two uncanny KO blunders and Joey Porter's stripping of Gradkowski that resulted in a mad loose ball scrum and chase... had the Cardinals picked that one up, we all might have been off the oxygen and tequilla shots a half an hour earlier.
While we are still talking about those punt return gaffes...may I ask, what in the world is DRC doing on return teams? WHY?
The only times he should see ST's action is on PAT, FG and Punt Block teams.
Playing DRC on the punt return team---which could ruin his career the way it did Jason Sehorn's---is about as smart as making Beanie Wells carry the ball over and over in the second halfs of pre-season games...while he was hurt no less.
So, yeah, the most relieved man was Whiz. It had to be. He was also responsible for an offense that---what?---ran 9 plays the entire 4th quarter trying unsuccessfully to seal a victory...while the defense was holding on for dear life...play after play...series after series....
The quote of the day was from Randy Cross who said---after the 58 yard miss from janikowski---"You don't get the sense the Cardinals are going to stop giving the raiders more chances." As much as we don't like RC...he was right...alas...dang it all...f-it.
This Cardinals' defense...think about it...after two outstanding stops in this game---they had to rush right out the next play after the Raiders recovered those punt return fumbles. And in doing so, they saved the game by yielding a mere 6 points instead of 10 or 14...and did so in exceptional fashion the last time, overcoming crippling penalties and a 1st and goal at the 1 yard line.
And...if DRC doesn't go into the Twilight Zone on the final drive...the defense would have stopped the Raiders from even having a chance.
So what's up with DRC? He's done this before. He's also sealed wins with interceptions before.
On the 4th and long...there is no excuse whatsoever for him to be 8 yards behind Heyward-Bey...standing there like a zombie. What a gift.
And next play---it's the over-reaction sucker play...DRC over-reacts the to over-press DHB and gets a step behind to where he panics and arm bars him.
What's curious about this even happening is that Bill Davis and Lonnie Henderson have been moving DRC over to LCB late in games so that people would start throwing at him. This team he just kept snoozing at RCB.
Whiz said a great thing in his presser...he said DRC clearly arm barred DHB and deserved the penalty, for the Raiders had been called on it twice in similar fashion versus Stephen Williams...but Whiz added that the good news was that he wants people throwing at DRC late in games.
Yup...that is if DRC doesn't don the lost in space look...one that makes you wonder what in the world is going on in his head. You really have to say that last week and this week were two poor performances from a player who made the Pro Bowl and so much is depended on.
Offensive Notes:
* DA...as we saw...panic city...the two worst displays were the overthrown bullet to Fitz, where all he had to do was wait another second more for Fitz to separate and loft the ball up for him and it's an EASY TD....followed up on the next play by DA's totally absurd, panic-ridden execution of the shovel pass...at a time in the game where the Cardinals appeared in very good control, ahead 17-13 and marching into Raiders' territory.
Honestly...after watching the utter carelessness with which DA threw that pass, I would have been fine sending him to the locker room for good. That play ruined what was becoming a very good half...it ruined it so much that the defense, again caught off guard and having to be ushered quickly and unexpectedly back into the game, suffered their worst played four minutes of the game and gave up a the McFadden TD with under 10 seconds left to head to the lockerroom suddenly down 20-17.
Yet...Whiz sticks with DA...I wouldn't have...and some of you probably wouldn't have...and we will never know what Hall could have done...but...after the Fitz miss I couldn't help but recall the play during pre-season where Hall expected to throw a screen to Alfonso Smith, who instead sneaked right up through the middle and straight up the field on his route...and Hall...had the patience and presence of mind to wait for the split second Smith had become open and delivered a perfectly thrown pass. Hall seems to be able to expect the unexpected...and seems to be able to think fast on his feet. Can DA?
Back to DA...sure the numbers on the whole were poor and a few of the plays were just plain awful...but...DA threw two passes in particular that show PROGRESS...and they were the two TDs...where he flicked the first one niftily to Breaston (unlike gunning it in the pre-season)...and where he threw a low bullet to Fitz in a place where only Fitz could catch it. That was a beautifully conceived and designed play and was carried out to perfection.
*The Breaston drop on the last series was the result of a slight tipping of the ball...not so much that it was a little behind him...and...there were times like that play where even Warner would throw a little behind because he wasn't sure---because of the tight window he was seeing through to the WR if there was a LB close on the side he would normally lead the pass to...and the last thing you want to do in that situation is throw a lead pass right into the arms of a LB or DB for a pick six...which is exactly what Gradkowski did twice to Louis Murphy, both passes of which could very easliy have been pick sixes by Michael Adams.
* Beanie Wells was a real spark in this game...the whole team seemed to be energized by his insertion into the game.
* Running wide left has been consistently big for the Cardinals...which means kudos for the tandem of Levi Brown and Alan Faneca who are sealing down the inside on those plays with regular efficiency.
* No fumbles...and relatively few penalties...
* Some good signs of TE action from Ben Patrick...and Stephen Williams was a worry for the Raiders' DBs....and one good clutch 3rd down conversion catch for "Mad Max" Komar.
* Deuce Lutui remains the best o-lineman in all aspects combined.
Defensive Notes:
* Adrian Wilson's thug tactics are hurting the team again...how can he do that after Rhodes' 15 yarder to start last week's game???...after the all-players meeting, no less...and---Wilson is cruising to get tossed, as once gain he faliled at a player which might have been seen by a ref as a punch or an attempted punch. BUT---kudos to AW in a key situation late when he could have put a huge licking on Gradkowski and held back enough to avoid the roughing penalty.
* Joey Porter...great to see the one excellent sack/strip...but man, was he slow and ineffective on the edge for most of the day...to where he would just stop in his tracks. Plain awful. Said it last week and the week before...he should be asked to do one thing...come in in passing situations and rush the edge...because he's losing his legs doing the other stuff and when we need him most he's stuck in mud much of the time.
* Stars of the game defensively: Paris Lenon & Kerry Rhodes. Lenon---who by the way---has moved back to WILB with Washington flipping over to SILB (or it really just is LILB)---was playing with speed, toughness and determination the entire 60 minutes---the sack was like a bolt of lightning and thunder and the interception was beautifully read and timed off Rhodes' tip.
Rhodes was in the right place at the right time on so many occasions I thought we were watching the reincarnation of Larry Wilson. How about the juke he put on the blocker from the right edge where he crossed him over and got a clear path to Gradkowski? How about the play where he hid behind the blockers and timed his jump to tip the pass that could have been intercepted by Joey Porter? And how about the blitz where BOTH Wilson and Rhodes converged on Gradkowski at the same time? What GREAT stuff! Too bad DRC balied the Raiders out on the next two plays because all momentum was on the Cardinals' side....but someone always seems to break down on 4th down plays, don't they?
* As for Adams...man...two pick sixes missed...but...let's give him credit for dogging Murphy that well and closely. And even though Murphy turned the second one into a ridiculous 70 yard RAC...Adams should have gone for the ball...you cannot expect to win otherwise...you have to go for the ball when you can take it the other way...but...as we all know---you have to catch it...and I honestly believe that we will see several 2-3 interception games once Donnie Henderson gets his DBs going for the ball with two hands and looking it in....that is, esp. if Davis keeps Porter fresh.
* All pre-season all we heard was how unblockable DD and CC were...yet...these guys, other than with occasional flashes---have yet to show up. What is up with that? Obviously no team is worried about Bryan Robinson---who tried hard yesterday but was repeatedly knocked backwards and started chasing plays nearly back at the linebacker level. Dan Williams gets into the game and makes a bone crushing tackle on McFadden...only to be replace the next series. Just don't understand this.
* Greg Toler gets a game ball for in-game adjustments and perseverance...man, to come back after that penalty and make two great breakups in the left corner was...very well...the margin of victory.
Special Teams Notes:
* LSH...awesome!!!
* Adams---another great tackle.
* Graham---bounced back well this game. Appears back on track.
* Feeley---fine day.
San Diego on the road? Will the players be into this one?
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