Gotta give Whis his due

[Brian in Mesa]

KW refused to alter his 'system' early in the season, and many (including myself) were rightly calling for his head. He has since shown that he CAN make adjustments, and anyone calling for his head right now would be completely wrong. Even if we lose out, he's earned another year.

Exactly.

Calling for his head then was just as justified as saying he is safe now.

 

[40yearfan]

5-7 is 5-7 and I know many of you here hate the guy and want him gone. But this team has won four of five and is on the up swing. Many of the early losses were gut wrenching nail biters that could have gone either way. Many teams would have quit after a stretch like that. Not this team. He has them ready to play every week and you cant deny that they PLAY HARD for him!

They have a lot of young talent that Whis has brought in personally that seems to be evolving into their roles and really emerging. ESPECIALLY on D. I for one am excited to see where this goes and just how good this defense can be next year. 4 of 5 with less than adequate QB play to boot is pretty impressive IMO.

Kudos coach!


Oh and to see how fired up he was in the locker room post game freaking awesome! Glad they showed it!

I wonder how many times I've argued with members of this board about the quality of our personnel? "We don't have the players", "We let all our good defensive players walk", "We never keep any of our good guys."

I've said it all along and I'll repeat it. Our players are as good as any in the league. They just needed time to learn a new defense. Duckjake was saying this before the season ever started.

This victory over the Cowboys has got everyone excited again. If we keep wining, the sell-outs will continue and this team can go into next year with very high hopes, especially if Kolb stays as consistant as he was today.

 

[jw7]

You do know who hired Horton right? Whose decision it was? Who has been the final say in drafting the players that are being developed by Horton etc...

I wasn't a big fan of the Ray Horton hire. My first reaction was "Oh no, another Steelers guy added to the staff".

But as the young players get more comfortable with the system, it is a real fun defense to watch. Blitz can come from anywhere. Paris Lenon ILB blitz? What? I expected the Cowpukes to get 5 sacks, did not really expect the Cards to do it.

 

[40yearfan]

You do know who hired Horton right? Whose decision it was? Who has been the final say in drafting the players that are being developed by Horton etc...

Ken Whisenhunt

C'mon Shane. Whiz only hired the good ones. Graves hired all the bad ones.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Whisenhunt deservedly took some heat for some moves and now deservedly deserves some praise for some moves.

I have finally seen him show some adaptability, which was my largest criticism of him. Nice run Whis! I believe we finish 7-9, which is a good launch point for the next season.

completely agreed.

the guy hired Horton. it seems like a very good hire. If nothing else, Wiz gets a lot of credit for that and keeping his team together when they could have easily quit.

i was extremely down on him the first half of the season, but i'm off the ledge and excited to see what he can do again with a full off-season.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Yep, I have to agree.

Today's second half adjustments and the playcalling was very good. He's been more consistent running the ball recently and less sporadic. He's also almost abandoned the empty backfield on third and short bs.

The fact that he did NOT lose the team is incredible, and is the primary reason I'm off his back.

This... I thought for sure he would lose this team... Wow!

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

C'mon Shane. Whiz only hired the good ones. Graves hired all the bad ones.

Graves should still be removed from the GM position if the Cards want to make any long term improvement.

 

[kerouac9]

Whisenhunt deservedly took some heat for some moves and now deservedly deserves some praise for some moves.

I have finally seen him show some adaptability, which was my largest criticism of him. Nice run Whis! I believe we finish 7-9, which is a good launch point for the next season.

Yup. It took Whis a season and a half to figure out what kind of offense is most effective for this team. It's the one that I (and others) were begging for when #7 was QB, and at the beginning of this season:

Run-first
Pass off play action
Keep the crappy #4 and #5 WRs off the field
Utilize more max protect

The defense comes as a huge surprise to me; Horton has completely exceeded my expectations. But Whis was pig-headed about the "system" and about his quarterback choice. We still have a crappy quarterback who has to be managed. It just took Whis three months of the season to figure it out.

7-9 to end the year will still be below my expectations at the outset, but we'll be interesting going forward.

 

[TJ]

completely agreed.

the guy hired Horton. it seems like a very good hire. If nothing else, Wiz gets a lot of credit for that and keeping his team together when they could have easily quit.

i was extremely down on him the first half of the season, but i'm off the ledge and excited to see what he can do again with a full off-season.

Cheese, you sound so....optimistic. I had to do a double take to make sure that was you

Like you, I was flaming on Whiz when it seemed he was stubborn in his ways. But, as Dick Stockon and John Lynch were saying before the game, Whiz figured out that he needed to tailor his system around the players in it. For example, more "West Coast" pass plays that Kolb was exposed to in Philly.

Also, the Horton hiring is looking very good. Here is another good example of adjustments midway through the season. Horton tried to implement his complex defensive scheme all at once in the beginning of the year. Everyone looked lost out there and throughout the first 7 games, the team was giving up 26 ppg. In the last 5 games, the team is only giving up 17 ppg. Significant improvement.

 

[CFLredzoned]

Yup. It took Whis a season and a half to figure out what kind of offense is most effective for this team. It's the one that I (and others) were begging for when #7 was QB, and at the beginning of this season:

Run-first
Pass off play action
Keep the crappy #4 and #5 WRs off the field
Utilize more max protect

So did they run this offense all day? Or just the second half? The announcers were talking about the 2nd half adjustments and it was obvious the difference. But can you really just turn ship like that over a 20 minute half time break? If so, then that's really encouraging to think of what they could do once they actually practice it. Unless they have been and they just waited until the second half to bust it out?

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Your one of the hater I was referring to and I tend to think that even if we were to finish 8-8 you would find a way to still back handidly bash him.

LOL! I was a huge Whis jocker until last year's debalce and the start of this season. Like is said, if he can avoid a double digit loss season and get this team to .500 I will gladly re-assess my feelings toward him...Unitl then, I am taking a wait and see approach...

 

[wierwolf]

Really. Kudos To Whiz and the whole team. Because to tell you the truth today the Cards were a false start away from 4th and goal on the inches mark to beating the Cowgirls in regulation.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

"I was glad they iced the kicker there at the end so I didn't have to do it," the Arizona boss said during his postgame press conference.

LOL

 

[Bert]

I think the funniest and most ironic thing about this win is that for 2 years I've been on this coaching staff about screen passes. This offense simply couldn't execute a #*#*&$ screen pass to save their lives and I just thought it was pathetic and a reflection of poor coaching.

Then we beat the Cowboys in OT on,,,,,, you guessed it, a screen pass.

Hey, improvement is good.
(Especially when it beats the Cowboys in OT)

 

[Crimson Warrior]

Whisenhunt can't win with some people. The Super Bowl, according to some, was because of Haley and now the Cards are winning because of Horton. You guys do realize Whiz is their boss and they're not doing anything without his approval.

I thought the play calling was pretty questionable a couple of times earlier in the year, but I really liked it in the 2nd half of todays game. Good halftime adjustments by Whiz and Co. I think they outcoached Garrett and Ryan today.

I never particularly liked the idea of changing coaches, and I'm glad whiz has righted the ship. He's got the kind of personality (even keeled and professional) that can get a person through tough stretches like we've been through, without himself being damaged, or damaging his important relationships around him.

I always thought seven wins was a reasonable 2011 goal for this team, and if ken can get us there, then I for one will say "that's okay coach, let's just keep making progress in 2012"

 

[Duckjake]

I thought the play calling was pretty questionable a couple of times earlier in the year, but I really liked it in the 2nd half of todays game. Good halftime adjustments by Whiz and Co. I think they outcoached Garrett and Ryan today.

I never particularly liked the idea of changing coaches, and I'm glad whiz has righted the ship. He's got the kind of personality (even keeled and professional) that can get a person through tough stretches like we've been through, without himself being damaged, or damaging his important relationships around him.

I always thought seven wins was a reasonable 2011 goal for this team, and if ken can get us there, then I for one will say "that's okay coach, let's just keep making progress in 2012"

Who would have thought the Cards would be winning with Defense and Special Teams play? I thought we had potential for a solid D back in August but they've surprised me with how quickly they've turned it around. Even with Big Dan on the sidelines.

However, our offense has managed only one TD in regulation in 4 of the last 5 games. So we need to hope that what we saw in the 2nd half is a sign of what we'll see the next 4 weeks with Kolb back.

 

[BigRedRage]

seems to me we were the most effected by the lockout because of changing our D. If kolb catches fire we are playoff bound next year.

 

[chickenhead]

The Cards have won 4 out of 5 since blowing the Baltimore game. That's a great turnaround and I'll definitely give Whis his due. And of course credit to Horton and a defense that deserves a ton of praise.

I'd still like to see a strong OC added to the mix. Still love to see a GM (or at least have Graves re-sign CC before the year 3000).

But we're now entering a really interesting final four games with three of them at home.

 

[kerouac9]

seems to me we were the most effected by the lockout because of changing our D. If kolb catches fire we are playoff bound next year.

If Kolb plays like an adequate starter we are playoff bound next year (depending on the schedule--not going to worry about the divisions we play in 2012 quite yet).

 

[earthsci]

(depending on the schedule--not going to worry about the divisions we play in 2012 quite yet).

Chicago, Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota, New England, Buffalo, NY Jets, Miami, NFC East, NFC South, SF (x2), StL (x2), Seattle (x2)

 

[JCSunsfan]

In order to make the playoffs next year, we have to improve the offensive line or change the offense to compensate for its flaws.

 

[Bodha]

Due for what?

5-7 is a losing record by my math and better coaches have been fired for less.

 

[Chopper0080]

I am happy that I am seeing progress from this team which has not happened in past losing seasons.

What is most interesting to me is watching our coaches develop along with our players. Remember, this is Whis' first head coaching gig and he was able to lean on a Hall of Fame QB for the first couple years. Now, he is having to figure out how to be successful while keeping true to his system and searching for another franchise QB. He is learning that while the system might be good, it is only as good as the players ability to execute it. Horton is developing into a pretty decent game caller, and the players are learning to make plays within the structure of the defensive scheme.

However, we still aren't there yet. Kolb has to consistently play better. Our offensive line needs an infusion of both talent and youth. We need more playmakers at WR. Our defense could use a top sack guy, and depth all around. We need to start being proactive w/ contracts and resigning our young players before they reach their peak value. But, it is a start.

 

[Rats]

Lets see how we finish up the season. I thought we could win 10 games at the start of the season and we very may well have if not for the close losses. Our O is still a work in progress. The D has kept them in games and PP has elevated them to W's. Coaching on the O side is still suspect and Kolb needs to string some things together for us to say he is the answer. Our D could be really good if they resign Calais and find another Cb. Graves must go. Whis will be here till we string 4 win seasons back to back. Still say he sucks as an OC and at managing a game. But Garrett sucked worse yesterday. All and All a 7-9 season will not be bad with a new Qb and having to learn the system. I dont mind winning 9-6...just win them.

 

[kerouac9]

I am happy that I am seeing progress from this team which has not happened in past losing seasons.

What is most interesting to me is watching our coaches develop along with our players. Remember, this is Whis' first head coaching gig and he was able to lean on a Hall of Fame QB for the first couple years. Now, he is having to figure out how to be successful while keeping true to his system and searching for another franchise QB. He is learning that while the system might be good, it is only as good as the players ability to execute it. Horton is developing into a pretty decent game caller, and the players are learning to make plays within the structure of the defensive scheme.

However, we still aren't there yet. Kolb has to consistently play better. Our offensive line needs an infusion of both talent and youth. We need more playmakers at WR. Our defense could use a top sack guy, and depth all around. We need to start being proactive w/ contracts and resigning our young players before they reach their peak value. But, it is a start.

That's what I was most disappointed by. We have a lot of money invested in the offense and that's where our Head Coach's experience is. You can look back at my posts from the beginning of the year: my hope was that the offense would be involved in shootouts and keep us near .500 while the D develops to the point where we'd be alive come December.

Instead, the O laid down and died until the defense came around and we're the last team in the "in the hunt" graphics for NFC games.