Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Plenty O' Positives:
1. Another convincing road win.
2. Warner was sensational...5 TDs...0 turnovers (thank goodness Gandy hopped on the 4th quarter fumble). His TD throws to Fitz (2) and Breaston (1) were perfect...yet the two TDs to the TEs (Patrick-1 and Becht-1) were both off check downs and with pressure emerging, and yet Warner even had the presence to lead both players beautifully on the passes.
3. Fitzgerald was outstanding. What a stellar 126 yard 2 TD performance!
4. Breaston made some huge plays, none bigger than the third and 10 conversion on the first drive.
5. Hightower and Wells were great on the ground today...that's right, GREAT. Both ran super hard and finished off the runs with aplomb.
6. Might have been the o-line's best game this year...all played well. Man, getting Tommie Harris ejected was huge. Leave it to Deuce...he sure gets under guys' skin doesn't he?
7. Doucet was a "early" nice factor in the game.
8. After giving up 90 yards in passing and a TD on the first drive (all on perfectly threaded passes by Cutler), the defense played solid, save the 4th quarter letdown...yet redeemed by Matt Ware's interception (Ware's been good, as has Ralph Brown in shadow coverage). The run defense returned (less than 50 yards again)...having a big lead helped...the pass defense was good save the first drive and the numerous errors on Olsen.
9. Docket and Campbell were very active.
10. Ali Highsmith played well in his first ever start.
11. Dansby made some very good hits and plays.
12. Haggans made the great drive stalling play stopping Hester for a nifty 10 yard loss on the reverse.
13. Will Davis got his first career sack.
14. DRC hawked Hester well all day and got stronger as the game went on...great strip on that third down pass to Hester, for example.
15. BMF played solid, not great, but solid. Great play on the FG block.
16. Antrel Rolle was outstanding...sure tackles all day and in the right spot in coverage more often than not...there were many good two man blankets going on out there in coverage. His blocked FG return was yet another incredible jailbreak...man this guy is uncanny with the ball and the slightest little bit of wiggle room.
17. Rackers was superb.
18. LSH was ST player of the game...man, this kid plays hard...great play on Graham's punt to the two yard line.
19. Greg Toler and Michael Adams had good tackles, and too bad Will Davis missed catching the botched pooch kickoff...but he's been good on STs.
20. All in all, not many penalties...pretty good discipline all day.
The Not So Positives:
1. The second half decision by the coaches after a nearly impeccable first half. Been saying this for a while, but these coaches seem to underestimate the fickle nature of momentum...and...once again the play calling became way too conservative...going to Leinart would have been a good idea, if it was later in the game that was completely out of reach AND not following a Bears' TD (the coaches did the same exact thing at Jacksonville if you recall, and they should have learned the lesson then...it sends a poor signal to the whole team and it puts a cold player in the game at the most important position). That said, Leinart cannot throw that intercpetion in that situation, and all the ghosts of MNF past came rushing out of the closet on that play, didn't they? Good for Whiz, though for ending his post game press conference remarks with "we didn't let them off the hook" and a slapping of the microphone!
2. Adrian Wilson quitting numerous times in coverage versus TE Greg Olsen...it was a healf-hearted effort at best, and was extremely disappointing effort from a Pro Bowl caliber player and leader. The one time he stayed with Olsen, he held him, which amazingly he got away with.
3. The defense versus the hitch and screen passes was strikingly inadequate.
Questions:
1. Are the Cardinals a more relaxed and efficient team on offense without Anquan Boldin? For one thing, Warner doesn't have to worry about Q being happy with his touches. For another, it allows Warner to throw for Fitz as often as he wishes. And Warner is always good at spreading the ball.
2. Can the Cardinals learn from the last time they returned home from a big road win and take care of business this week at U of P versus Seattle?
1. Another convincing road win.
2. Warner was sensational...5 TDs...0 turnovers (thank goodness Gandy hopped on the 4th quarter fumble). His TD throws to Fitz (2) and Breaston (1) were perfect...yet the two TDs to the TEs (Patrick-1 and Becht-1) were both off check downs and with pressure emerging, and yet Warner even had the presence to lead both players beautifully on the passes.
3. Fitzgerald was outstanding. What a stellar 126 yard 2 TD performance!
4. Breaston made some huge plays, none bigger than the third and 10 conversion on the first drive.
5. Hightower and Wells were great on the ground today...that's right, GREAT. Both ran super hard and finished off the runs with aplomb.
6. Might have been the o-line's best game this year...all played well. Man, getting Tommie Harris ejected was huge. Leave it to Deuce...he sure gets under guys' skin doesn't he?
7. Doucet was a "early" nice factor in the game.
8. After giving up 90 yards in passing and a TD on the first drive (all on perfectly threaded passes by Cutler), the defense played solid, save the 4th quarter letdown...yet redeemed by Matt Ware's interception (Ware's been good, as has Ralph Brown in shadow coverage). The run defense returned (less than 50 yards again)...having a big lead helped...the pass defense was good save the first drive and the numerous errors on Olsen.
9. Docket and Campbell were very active.
10. Ali Highsmith played well in his first ever start.
11. Dansby made some very good hits and plays.
12. Haggans made the great drive stalling play stopping Hester for a nifty 10 yard loss on the reverse.
13. Will Davis got his first career sack.
14. DRC hawked Hester well all day and got stronger as the game went on...great strip on that third down pass to Hester, for example.
15. BMF played solid, not great, but solid. Great play on the FG block.
16. Antrel Rolle was outstanding...sure tackles all day and in the right spot in coverage more often than not...there were many good two man blankets going on out there in coverage. His blocked FG return was yet another incredible jailbreak...man this guy is uncanny with the ball and the slightest little bit of wiggle room.
17. Rackers was superb.
18. LSH was ST player of the game...man, this kid plays hard...great play on Graham's punt to the two yard line.
19. Greg Toler and Michael Adams had good tackles, and too bad Will Davis missed catching the botched pooch kickoff...but he's been good on STs.
20. All in all, not many penalties...pretty good discipline all day.
The Not So Positives:
1. The second half decision by the coaches after a nearly impeccable first half. Been saying this for a while, but these coaches seem to underestimate the fickle nature of momentum...and...once again the play calling became way too conservative...going to Leinart would have been a good idea, if it was later in the game that was completely out of reach AND not following a Bears' TD (the coaches did the same exact thing at Jacksonville if you recall, and they should have learned the lesson then...it sends a poor signal to the whole team and it puts a cold player in the game at the most important position). That said, Leinart cannot throw that intercpetion in that situation, and all the ghosts of MNF past came rushing out of the closet on that play, didn't they? Good for Whiz, though for ending his post game press conference remarks with "we didn't let them off the hook" and a slapping of the microphone!
2. Adrian Wilson quitting numerous times in coverage versus TE Greg Olsen...it was a healf-hearted effort at best, and was extremely disappointing effort from a Pro Bowl caliber player and leader. The one time he stayed with Olsen, he held him, which amazingly he got away with.
3. The defense versus the hitch and screen passes was strikingly inadequate.
Questions:
1. Are the Cardinals a more relaxed and efficient team on offense without Anquan Boldin? For one thing, Warner doesn't have to worry about Q being happy with his touches. For another, it allows Warner to throw for Fitz as often as he wishes. And Warner is always good at spreading the ball.
2. Can the Cardinals learn from the last time they returned home from a big road win and take care of business this week at U of P versus Seattle?
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