Having a Real Hard Time Talking Myself into the 2011 Cardinals

[JeffGollin]

Instead of trying to "talk yourself" into believing in the Cardinals, why not just wait and see how things unfold? (Keeps the acid reflux down to a dull roar).

 

[Duckjake]

To have expectations like that is just setting yourself up for disappointment and anger.

Nonsense.

There is no reason in the world that the Arizona Cardinals can't become the Pittsburgh Steelers or New England Patriots of the last 10 years. If you are content with the crumbs from their table fine. I'm not.

The Cards want $3000 a year from me I want 11 wins from them. Seems like a fair trade.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Why haven't you applied for a FO/coaching position with the Cardinals yet? You obviously know more about it than they do, and seem to take this **** even more seriously than even DeWreck ever can. With you at the helm, we can guarantee a winning season every season, no?

Here's a site idea for you: cardinalsconsulting.com (unless it's already taken).

We can then start a campaign, especially through Twitter, which a lot of our players seem to frequent, to have Cards personnel go through your consultation checklist of "things that will make me not bitch about you."

nice football take!

 

[MrYeahBut]

nice football take!

Nice football take

 

[gmabel830]

Nonsense.

There is no reason in the world that the Arizona Cardinals can't become the Pittsburgh Steelers or New England Patriots of the last 10 years. If you are content with the crumbs from their table fine. I'm not.

The Cards want $3000 a year from me I want 11 wins from them. Seems like a fair trade.

I'm a season ticket holder too, and would obviously love for this to happen - BUT I don't expect it to happen and won't get down on the front office, coaches, or players if they don't ever reach that level. You need a lot of luck to reach that level (from lucking out on personnel moves like Brady, James Harrison to catching lucky breaks in key games) no matter how many good moves you make and plan for. With the talent we have on this team, I think it's very reasonable to hope and expect we will be able to stay competative in our division and string together a number of years on par with 08/09 over the life of Larry's contract. Hoping for more is why we are fans, but expecting more will just drive you nuts and probably means you'll miss the little things to enjoy about being a fan. Maybe I'm wrong -- but hope you enjoy the season as much as I will. Had a blast last year even with the on-field performance!

 

[Jetstream Green]

If you want to have a shot at even becoming good, you better set your sights on being great. I happen to think and expect that our front office feels the Cardinals can be great and if they do so, the worst we can expect will be a competative team which is a lot better than the past and even the reality of another trip to the Superbowl. Young Mr. Bidwill I suspect would not have a problem with Duckjake having the same high expectations as a fan.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Watching the Packers/Saints game just reinforces for me the absolute must for a franchise QB. Rodgers is just phenomenal right now, he just shredded the Saints. Brees is really a quality player as well. Watching these guys is just purely enjoyable for me.

Look at the guys that have won the SB in the last few years and every team has had a stud under center. Maybe the least of the bunch was Eli, but he managed to do it with the supporting cast he had.

Seeing how Rodgers developed since Favre left has me hoping that Kolb can become that type of player. That's reason enough for my optimism this year.

 

[desertdawg]

Watching the Packers/Saints game just reinforces for me the absolute must for a franchise QB. Rodgers is just phenomenal right now, he just shredded the Saints. Brees is really a quality player as well. Watching these guys is just purely enjoyable for me.

Look at the guys that have won the SB in the last few years and every team has had a stud under center. Maybe the least of the bunch was Eli, but he managed to do it with the supporting cast he had.

Seeing how Rodgers developed since Favre left has me hoping that Kolb can become that type of player. That's reason enough for my optimism this year.

Yamon, for real. If our defense believes in said QB (Kolb), they can do some big things too. The redzone defense last year really suggests that we have heart on this team, they were on the field alot, even after good stands. That's when they would drop in the game/stats that everybody goes by. I don't see any quit in the D this year, the club went and paid top coin to get the best QB possible. I also think they picked up the best D guy in the draft. I know I haven't been in here as long as you OGs but I've whatched me some Redbirds for a minute. This is change.

Side note: K9 is a pimp, knows his stuff and doesn't need to sugarcoat or bypass the problems we are looking at. Everybody here has disagreed with what the Cards have done at one time or another, usually most times. I don't care what his sources are, same as Joe and some others in here, he just has that street cred with me. He's mad at me, but I still read is ****.

 

[kerouac9]

Yamon, for real. If our defense believes in said QB (Kolb), they can do some big things too. The redzone defense last year really suggests that we have heart on this team, they were on the field alot, even after good stands. That's when they would drop in the game/stats that everybody goes by. I don't see any quit in the D this year, the club went and paid top coin to get the best QB possible. I also think they picked up the best D guy in the draft. I know I haven't been in here as long as you OGs but I've whatched me some Redbirds for a minute. This is change.

Side note: K9 is a pimp, knows his stuff and doesn't need to sugarcoat or bypass the problems we are looking at. Everybody here has disagreed with what the Cards have done at one time or another, usually most times. I don't care what his sources are, same as Joe and some others in here, he just has that street cred with me. He's mad at me, but I still read is ****.

Nucka, you're one of my favorite posters on here. Laid back, no drama, says what he thinks. Your grammar isn't always where I want it to be, and I need you to choose a new avatar for me (I'm not running with Big Sweetness, because that's going to make me think of Lil' Sweetness, and that'll make me sad). We're down.

 

[THESMEL]

I don't know, not enough information about the Cardinals or the rest of the division.

I think we have as good a chance of winning the division as any of the other teams in the NFCW? I'm hopeful.

We will know more after the bye week, It is not just wins and losses but growing together toward a complete team.

Beanie is a beast, He can carry this team if he gets the touches. keep the defense off the field as much as possible.

Fitz can not carry this team or he would have last year, He had a good year while the team sucked.

Whiz destroyed the relationship with talent on the SB team, They did not want to be or stay here.

We need to max protect Kolb and feed trhe bean like good teams break in a new QB,


Mike Miller will call passes, but i have hope with this read?

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/15547838/miller-takes-over-play-calling-for-cardinals

 

[Chopper0080]

Many of you will take that as a good sign. But I managed to talk myself into the 2003 Arizona Cardinals going 9-7 and going from starting a "I Hate You Calvin Pace" thread to saying that he should get between 8 and 10 sacks his rookie year.

I think I talked myself into believing that the 2010 Arizona Cardinals lead by Derek Anderson should be an 8-8 team.

I just don't see what a lot of you are seeing. We don't have anyone at the peak of their careers right now besides Larry Fitzgerald, and a great WR can't lead his team to the playoffs. Our defense can't stop anyone on the ground, and our offense doesn't appear to have enough playmakers to put pressure on opposing teams to abandon the run (which was what the 2008 and 2009 Cards were able to do, along with the 2009 Green Bay Packers).

I think that the offense is going to be pretty average, with some improvement from the passing game as the season goes along. The offensive line just isn't very good, and they have no chemistry or continuity: there are 0 returning starters paired along the OL right now.

But the defense is going to be awful. Ask Cincinnatti Bengals fans how nice it is to have one of the Top 10 corners in the NFL with little pass rush support in front of him. We might have the least-talented defense in the NFC, despite sinking a number of draft picks into that unit since Whis came aboard, and Denny Green before him. Most of those guys are gone now.

We were 5-11 last year playing the stinktacular AFC West and the improving NFC South. This year we play the improving NFC East and the dominant AFC North (the Browns are going to surprise some people this year).

For Arizona Cardinals fans, hope springs eternal every Spring and September. The lockout robbed us of the eventful Spring, and I just can't get it together for September.

CAR @ ARI - W
ARI @ WAS - L
ARI @ SEA - L
NYG @ ARI - W
ARI @ MIN - L
PIT @ ARI - L
ARI @ BAL - L
STL @ ARI - W
ARI @ PHI - L
ARI @ SF - W
ARI @ STL - L
DAL @ ARI - L
SF @ ARI - W
CLE @ ARI - W
ARI @ CIN - W
SEA @ ARI - W

8-8, but I think that many of our losses will be much closer, and we should win some games big. I don't know. 5-3 at home should at least keep the seats filled.

I am optimistic because I just watched a very talented Green Bay defense give up 500 yards of offense, 34 points, and they won. All it took was a little return magic, a WR who dominated the game, and a couple stops on short yardage.

The NFL is crazy in how defense has turned out to being as effective as it needs to be. You don't have to shut teams out to win in the NFL today, you just have to hold them to less points than your opponent (my homage to Dan Fouts). Seriously though, looking at our schedule we can outscore San Fran, Seattle, Cincy, Carolina, Minnesota, Washington and Cleveland. All teams with decent offenses, but a general lack of playmakers in the passing game. We have playmakers in our passing game which give us a distinct advantage in these matchups.

 

[desertdawg]

Nucka, you're one of my favorite posters on here. Laid back, no drama, says what he thinks. Your grammar isn't always where I want it to be, and I need you to choose a new avatar for me (I'm not running with Big Sweetness, because that's going to make me think of Lil' Sweetness, and that'll make me sad). We're down.

Found it, we can both keep our dog on.

 

[carrrnuttt]

nice football take!

Sorry man. I'm not a professional analyst like some of you guys:

Sports is an escape from Life. If you're negative enough that YOU can stress OTHER people out, maybe you need to loosen your grip on sports. Either that, or quit treating people who feel more positively than you as being "less intellectual" than you are about the subject.

Some people, like me, feel okay with leaving most of the deep thinking about sports to people who are getting paid to do so. I already do too much thinking in my daily grind. Not that I won't complain when some aspect of the team (players; FO; owners) acts "out of tune" (see my sig), but when it comes to arguing the minute details that some here can get to, I find that tedious and asinine.

Yeah. Some people are overly positive. So what? Would you prefer a vacation (aka: escape) to Antarctica over one to Hawaii or the Bahamas? People come in here brimming with hope, because people want to escape into hope. I don't mind reading about negative opinions, but some people here seem to make it their mission to leave all hope behind and that it is unacceptable for anyone else to have hope.

I guess I don't take this **** seriously enough.

 

[wa52lz]

I want to know why you think the Browns will be better? They really haven't done anything outside the draft to improve their team and their 2nd best OL(Steinbach) is out for the year. And it would be silly to say their draftees will contribute and the Cards guys won't. Or that their 2nd years guys will improve but the Cards guys won't. I doubt that Colt McCoy's improvement will be greater than Kolb's improvement over last years wreck.

edit: I guess you weren't comparing the Browns to the Cards but I still don't think they'll be much better, if at all. Hillis likley won't repeat last years performance.

The difference is Kolb, our draftees and 2nd year players are Cardinals so of course the wont contribute or improve.

 

[Duckjake]

The difference is Kolb, our draftees and 2nd year players are Cardinals so of course the wont contribute or improve.

Sadly that's been the case more often than not over the years. But.....

It was veteran free agents like Warner and Berry and Okeafor and 5th and 6th year draftees who actually improved for a change that got us an NFC Championship, not rookies and 2nd year draft picks and UDFAs.

We've had to rely too much on the latter for a long time with that 2 year exception. The Cards will be good again because we have what appears to be some really good young talent. We just need for the Bad Azz Baby Birds to grow up.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Sorry man. I'm not a professional analyst like some of you guys:

who said anything about being a professional football analyst... just don't see why you can't analyze the football instead of posting a bunch of stuff that has nothing to do with football and is really only said to try and antagonize and start a fight.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Sadly that's been the case more often than not over the years.

agreed, which is why I'm always leery of just believing we'll be better because our young guys have another year under their belt.

 

[daves]

We were 5-11 last year playing the stinktacular AFC West and the improving NFC South. This year we play the improving NFC East and the dominant AFC North (the Browns are going to surprise some people this year).

We won 5 games last season and it could have easily been worse. This year, against a much stronger schedule, we're predicting 8 wins and IMO that's a good sign this organization and team are headed in the right direction.

Amazingly, this year's anticipated strength of schedule is lower than last year's. Each qualified as easiest in the league.

...dave

 

[187]

No one's been able to explain to me how we're going to contain the run with the exact same front seven that was dreadful at it last year. Our rush defense was worse than our pass defense last year, but every time I bring it up people say, "Well, we kept Joey Porter, so maybe he's going to be good this year."

If Dan Williams' dump truck sized ass is in shape and plays more snaps that will make a huge impact. Bryan Robinson got murdered against the run last year. Nose tackle is one of the most important positions in a 3-4 and if you don't have a garbage truck on two legs anchoring the middle of the field you are in trouble. Fortunately we have that. Unfortunately, he likes to eat a lot of garbage and needs to show he is in shape on the field. Bradley will take Lenon's place soon enough, switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 in a short offseason doesn't help the transition any. If Dan commands double teams to clear up traffic for Daryl and Bradley plays like the 260lb tank he is we will be much better against the run.

 

[Duckjake]

If Dan Williams' dump truck sized ass is in shape and plays more snaps that will make a huge impact. Bryan Robinson got murdered against the run last year. Nose tackle is one of the most important positions in a 3-4 and if you don't have a garbage truck on two legs anchoring the middle of the field you are in trouble. Fortunately we have that. Unfortunately, he likes to eat a lot of garbage and needs to show he is in shape on the field. Bradley will take Lenon's place soon enough, switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4 in a short offseason doesn't help the transition any. If Dan commands double teams to clear up traffic for Daryl and Bradley plays like the 260lb tank he is we will be much better against the run.

I agree with everything you've said except the shape stuff. Nose Tackles have to be big boys. The bigger the better in my opinion. They have 600+ pounds of offensive linemen leaning on them most plays. The reason he isn't getting moved backwards like Robinson is that he does eat a lot.

 

[JeffGollin]

This season as in every other one: This Cardinal team is capable of anything (both good or bad).

 

[Krangodnzr]

I agree with everything you've said except the shape stuff. Nose Tackles have to be big boys. The bigger the better in my opinion. They have 600+ pounds of offensive linemen leaning on them most plays. The reason he isn't getting moved backwards like Robinson is that he does eat a lot.

Being heavy and being out of shape are two different animals.

You can be heavy (fat) and be in shape. You can also be light (skinny) and not be in shape. We want Williams in shape, but he needs to be heavy too.

It's funny, so many on this board wanted Terrance Cody over Williams, and from what I've read he isn't doing too well in Baltimore. He might weight alot, but he is so out of shape that 300lbs centers are knocking him on his butt a lot.

 

[Duckjake]

Being heavy and being out of shape are two different animals.

You can be heavy (fat) and be in shape. You can also be light (skinny) and not be in shape. We want Williams in shape, but he needs to be heavy too.

It's funny, so many on this board wanted Terrance Cody over Williams, and from what I've read he isn't doing too well in Baltimore. He might weight alot, but he is so out of shape that 300lbs centers are knocking him on his butt a lot.

I don't think we wanted Cody instead of Big Dan at all, we just wanted a real NT and Cody was the guy most people knew about. So Cody got the most attention on ASFN.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I don't think we wanted Cody instead of Big Dan at all, we just wanted a real NT and Cody was the guy most people knew about. So Cody got the most attention on ASFN.

Exactly. Most people targeted Cody because we didn't think that Dan Williams would be available.

 

[40yearfan]

Sorry man. I'm not a professional analyst like some of you guys:



I guess I don't take this **** seriously enough.

Good post carrrnuttt. Believe me, there are a lot of people on this board who feel just exactly like you do. We know this team has negatives, just as all 31 other NFL teams have. Rather than dwell on them, we dwell on the positives. Hope springs eternal. This team could catch lightning in a bottle and end up in the SB. Anything is possible and karma only works for those who believe in themselves.