I think I will try a more reader-friendly version this week:
Right Place---Right Time
* Defensive Adjustments in the second half---apparently Todd Bowles was kicking trash cans at half time after watching a 64 yard skinny post go for a TD and giving up three chunk yard plays in a row to hand over an easy FG at the end the half. Defending Morris, Jackson, Garcon, Roberts and Reed is a formidable task for any defense. Todd Bowles' defense got it done---and they did what the offense failed to do: they sealed off the win.
* Carson Palmer---one has to marvel at how well he played considering his layoff, the flights to Denver, the up to the minute rehabbing, etc. He is in total command of BA's offense and he showed it big-time in this game. Palmer managed to get the ball where it needed to go, despite what looked to be a more loopy and laborious throwing motion than usual. He tired in the fourth quarter and threw what could have been a game changing pick six to Brian Orakpo---but thank goodness Orakpo was slightly screened on the play and he couldn't pick the ball up fast enough. Regardless, Palmer played very tough in the pocket---and the flip pass he made to Robert Hughes was symbolic of how tough Palmer was both mentally and physically in this game.
* The offensive line---there were a number of mistakes and penalties---but overall they got the job done versus one of the better pass rushes in the NFL, particularly versus Orakpo and Kerrigan. Jared Veldheer battled hard versus Orakpo and very much struggled to square up on him---but he was very physical and he wasn't going to give Orakpo a clean shot on Palmer even if it meant holding if he had to. As a QB---you want your tackles to think and play this way---you don't want your tackles to give you up just to avoid a penalty. Plus, in this offense, as we saw again yesterday, they can make up for lost yardage in a hurry.
* Alex Okafor---what a great time for him and the team to have him step up and record two sacks, both on bull rushes....one from the outside and one from the inside. Sam Acho played the run well and made a clean catch on the on-side kick. Ed Stinson came up with a couple of good tackles. The Redskins only rushed for 72 yards (16 of which came on Helu's draw play at the end of the first half which led to a FG).
* Larry Fitzgerald---would have had a 120 yard day if the sideline pass he caught didn't get nullified by a penalty. His TD catch, run and two-handed protection of the ball was a superb play. Michael Floyd's TD was a work of art and John Brown made some nifty catches on underthrown passes---which included a huge third down PI penalty that kept a TD drive going. John Carlson and Rob Houlser made contributions and some good edge blocks (although---the -1 yard TE out passes are mind-boggling play calls, especially on 3rd and 2).
*Jerraud Powers---his ball awareness is second to none right now---very impressive, and one has to hope that teammates Cromartie and Peterson start following suit---it all starts with the feet and Powers is using his quick feet to jump routes.
* Rashad Johnson---Johnny on the Spot in this game and it is no surprise because Johnson, while he not flashy, is one of the most disciplined and dependable players on the team. He plays within himself and within the schemes. Interestingly, his pick six was from a spot where Karlos Dansby used to thrive...which begs the thought: "a pick six by any other name smells just as sweet!" Credit Bowles defense and the versatility of players like Rashad Johnson and Tyrann Mathieu (who, yes, badly misplayed Jackson's skinny post TD), but made up for it by pestering passes, blitzing into the face of the QB and scooping up Roberts' fumble wich Johnson helped cause and making a nice return on.
* Chandler Catanzaro---what a Steve Keim gem he is becoming---talk about consistency---wow.
Things to Clean Up:
* the false starts---did not turn out to be too costly, but could if repeated, including the defensive neutral zone infractions.
* the north-south running game, particularly on third and short---still not sure why with Stepfan Taylor the call was an east-west run and not a north south. With Ellington, east-west is fine, but not with Taylor. BA really needs to decide on which RB should assume Dwyer's role. If not Taylor, then it is time to insert Grice into that role. Typically, BA loves to hammer the ball when he has the lead in the 4th quarter---as he did last year, and with Dwyer in the first two games. It sure could have come in handy in this game.
* the -1 yard TE passes. Absurd. There's just no other way to put it, especially with all the other options and talented receivers.
* nickel edge rush and speed---not only for getting some outside pressure but for defending WR screens, RB swing passes and screens. Okafor and Acho are too slow in that role and let's face it, our CBs are not good, dependable tacklers on the perimeter.
* Patrick Peterson---now, it should be noted that playing CB is like playing offensive tackle in that you can be near perfect on every play but the two or three that you screw up on, which is sometimes all anyone notices. However, Peterson, while he likely was very good on most of his coverages, the two TDs he gave up were very lazy plays on his part, which he seems to have the tendency to do sometimes more than just a couple times a game. First of all, if he is going to play press CB, he has to make contact early with the WR---which he did not do on both occasions---in addition, he has to establish inside leverage, unless it's a disguise coverage where the LB or S is bracketing to the inside. With Peterson's speed he should be able to bust his butt to defend fade passes---but he cannot give up the easy inside passes. In both cases yesterday, his reactions were late, he did not gain leverage, did not disrupt the timing of the play and did not play through the ball (like Powers does with his feet and vision). On both plays---not only was technique an issue---so was the effort, and that is unacceptable.
* Ted Ginn, Jr.---yes, he had a couple of decent returns, but he has got to be able to step up and fair catch short punts---one has to wonder where his head is. At this point, do the Cardinals have a better option in Brittan Golden (both for returns and as a #4/#5 WR in the offense) if they activate him from the practice squad?
Most Important Factor:
The Cardinals teamwork. It is being put to the test, and this team appears to be impressively resilient and resolute. This was a big team win for a myriad of reasons.
