Game Thoughts: Cardinals 30 Vikings 17

[mrbyte]

Whiz. He is the smartest head coach we have EVER had. That's right. EVER! I have officially moved him ahead of Coryell

eh shouldn't we have a meeting to discuss this? I mean form a committee and have votes and stuff?
JMO

 

[chickenhead]

Drafting Beanie clearly indicated to Hightower that he shouldn't get too comfortable, and last night he did a good job in making Kurt more comfortable and the Vikings D less. The fumble was really too bad but he sure contributed afterwards, and had a nice run later in the game himself.

 

[Cardiac]

Edge was a really good blocker no doubt. But I can't think of one single instance where he blocked with the same ferocity as timmy. JMO.

It must be me but I wasn't overly impressed with Edge's blitz pick ups. They were good but not awesome. I thought Emmitt did a better job. THT does deliver that ferocity and is simply a joy to watch. Timmy just plays every down like it is his last. No hesitation, no reservation but total annihilation.

 

[Duckjake]

Banks played with them. I think McMillan did briefly but that was toward the end of his career. I think the main 5 were Finney,Young, Banks, Dobler, and Dierdorf. Finney is the one i'm not that sure about. Calling Duckjake.

McMillan, DeMarco,Reynolds,Ken Gray, and Irv Goode were the mainstays of the Cardinals line in the 1960s. The guys above during the 70s. However Ernie McMillan did play on the team through the 1974 season. McMillan started at LT on the 1974 team and Finnie '75-'77.

McMillan played for the Cards from 1961-1974!

 

[Shane]

It must be me but I wasn't overly impressed with Edge's blitz pick ups. They were good but not awesome. I thought Emmitt did a better job. THT does deliver that ferocity and is simply a joy to watch. Timmy just plays every down like it is his last. No hesitation, no reservation but total annihilation.

Agree!

 

[Stout]

Warner dosen't like chipping, he likes all his guys out as options.

Thing is with the extent of our weapons what he should like at his age is time, just a little extra at the expense of one or two options given our talent at the skill positions IMO is worth the abscence of an option or two.

Kurt is smart enough to see this and if we just take the time to protect him mostly good things will happen IMO.

This is an excellent point, and it really brings to my mind how much better it is to chip than not to for our RBs. I think, early in the season, the quick RB flare was far, far too much of an easy crutch for Warner. It seemed like he'd go to the RB way too quickly and far too often. Now, he can't do that nearly as much, but he still has the chance to have the back as an outlet if he releases after the block. I LOVE that we're chipping the DE and even using the TE on him.

 

[Totally_Red]

This is an excellent point, and it really brings to my mind how much better it is to chip than not to for our RBs. I think, early in the season, the quick RB flare was far, far too much of an easy crutch for Warner. It seemed like he'd go to the RB way too quickly and far too often. Now, he can't do that nearly as much, but he still has the chance to have the back as an outlet if he releases after the block. I LOVE that we're chipping the DE and even using the TE on him.

Part of the reason that he went to the RB early was because he is a very smart QB. Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston were not at all healthy and Fitz was being blanketed. Not only that but Ben Patrick was not available for the first four games.

The Cardinals are getting hot at the right time to make a playoff run IMO. Having a healthy WR corps and a resurgent defense, coupled with some solid special teams plays is a great recipe for success. Those elements were not in place early on. Let's see how things shake out Monday night. If the Cardinals struggle at Candlestick we are back to the drawing board.

 

[lauraw]

Get on the bandwagon now, guests, drop your niners and join us for another long ride!!!

 

[Duckjake]

Part of the reason that he went to the RB early was because he is a very smart QB. Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston were not at all healthy and Fitz was being blanketed. Not only that but Ben Patrick was not available for the first four games.

The Cardinals are getting hot at the right time to make a playoff run IMO. Having a healthy WR corps and a resurgent defense, coupled with some solid special teams plays is a great recipe for success. Those elements were not in place early on. Let's see how things shake out Monday night. If the Cardinals struggle at Candlestick we are back to the drawing board.

No kidding. How big was Breaston's punt return Sunday night? Changed the entire complexion of the game.

 

[Buckybird]

No kidding. How big was Breaston's punt return Sunday night? Changed the entire complexion of the game.

no doubt Duck

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I agree he learned a ton, turned him into a very solid back I think, very valuable and while I like Well's upside more, I love having THT on the team.

Perfectly sums up my thoughts on Timmy.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

What we are witnessing is the metamorphisis of one-time two pound weaklings into newly bronzed smashmouth gargantuans. It is becoming more and more clear that the Arizona Cardinals will hit you and the Arizona Cardinals will hit you hard.

Al and Cris concluded that the game was won by both of Arizona's lines. Minnesota's d-line had been the best in the NFL...that is, until last night. Minnesota's o-line has been considered one of the elite lines in the league...but the Cardinals played ferociously on both lines, and both lines persevered.

In my opinion, last night was the best offensive line performance I have seen from the Cardinals since the days of Dierdorf, Dobler and Young. Interestingly, it was reported last night that the last time the Cardinals were 8-4 was in 1974...yup, during the days of Dierdorf, Dobler and Young.

It was exhilarating to watch the Cardinals (a) double team Jared Allen; (b) use the two TE formation and watch Patrick and Becht thumping as hard as they could to try to beat the snot out of the Vikings DEs and LBs; (c) pass protect versus the blitz time and time again by having Tim Hightower step up and take the romance out of it...like as in stepping up to stuff the LB or SS in his tracks.

On defense, THIS time with a lead the Cardinals GOT sacks (A Campbells' Soup Special and a Double Berry Delight)! When they weren't thwarting AP up the middle with a steel wall of Robinson, Branch, Campbell and Dockett, they were getting key turnovers (great plays by Karlos Dansby and Michael Adams...and two near picks by a revitalized Adrian Wilson). THIS is why they closed this game out. They kept the pedal on the metal...and they realized they had to outmatch the Vikings' desire to win the game. The Cardinals did that and did it with remarkable determination and aplomb.

On STs...these boys layed the wood on the Vikes: how about Kenny Iwebema's pasting of the Viking's up man who fielded the last kickoff? How about LSH's great tackle where he took the Viking's punt returner's legs out?

And it was a ST play that ignited this victory: Steve Breaston's explosive punt return and near TD.

The game was very reminiscent of the away Panthers game in the playoffs...where the other team looks totally dominant early on and you wonder how in the world the Cardinals are going to even hang in there, and all of a sudden, the Cardinals tie the game and then are running away with it in dramatic and dynamic fashion...much the way Anquan Boldin ran away with that sideline pass (one of the more remarkbale runs and catches one will ever see)...or Larry Fitzgerald running away with the TD corner pass...and in tighter spaces, carrying three Vikings' defenders for five extra yards.

This is one tough football team, my friends...propelled by an innovative head coach who gets EVERYONE involved (how about the way he gave Jason Wright his moment in the lights last night? Or how about that Wildcat with Antrel Rolle...or should they call it the Untacklebable Jitterbug? Or how about the way the secondary was fired up to shadow and pester the Vikings' WRs and TEs? Has Adrian Wilson ever covered a TE better?

And, we saw last night once again, a near total masterpiece from our venerable QB, Kurt Warner. Make it five games in a row with QB ratings in the 120s to 140s. These performances are goosebump inducing...they are that brilliant and extraordinary.

Would like to whole heartedly agree that our special teams have come a long, long, long way vs. the days of Coach Mac. I think this is a result of our improved drafts. We're much more talented in the bottom half of our roster these days.

Also want to add the following thoughts to Mitch's

1. You can say type it till your blue in the face, but I won't believe AW is a liability in coverage.

2. Alan Branch is not only big, but physically very strong, and pretty agile for a guy his size. Keep your eye on him.

3. Great play calling against MIN. Not good, but great. On both sides of the ball.

4. Boldin again proved that his special ability is to adjust to the ball and then make difficult catches. Fitz can go up and get it better than Quan or anybody. But Q is better than Fitz at getting to ball when running a pattern, and, his hands are about 95% as good as Fitz's.

5. Another good performance by Levi. No sacks allowed, no penalties. He's coming around.

6. Didn't see too much purple in the stands on TV. How do you think those MIN fans that paid big bucks to see their team get their @ss kicked feel about spending all that time and money? All other things remaining equal, there will be less purple in the stands the next time the vikes are in town.

7. Michael Adams as our Nickle back. Hmmm. I think we're still a little thin at CB. Not feeling real good about beating IND at a neutral site with DRC, McFadden, and Adams at CB.

8. The cardinals looked really well coached against MIN. Everything running smoothly. No confusion. Plays getting into KW in plenty of time. Everyone was calm and cool on the sideline.

9. For the first time, I'm starting to think that maybe, just maybe, we would have a chance against the saints. It's tough to forget about that pasting by IND, but our defense has improved since week three.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Everything running smoothly. No confusion. Plays getting into KW in plenty of time. Everyone was calm and cool on the sideline.

The one thing that stood out to me that didn't seem to run smoothly was how many batted balls there were by the DL. Don't know if it was just their outstanding play, KW waiting too long, our OL not holding blocks. We had only 1 intercepted that was called back on offsides penalty. There just seemed to be more of them this game...what 4 maybe 5? Those were the kind of thing that for the old Cards would have been pick 6. They make me nervous.