Heroes and Goats: ARI@DET

[kerouac9]

“Cardinals don’t beat Cardinals.”
—Head Coach Bruce Arians during his first OTAs ​

In his first season as Head Coach, Bruce Arians helped produce a 5-3 record in games decided by a touchdown or less. Arizona was 4-1 in such games the following season. During the Arizona Cardinals run to the NFC Championship game two years ago, they went 4-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less. The feeling was that Arians had somehow “hacked” the NFL — figured out how to win close games — producing a 13-5 record. The magic is beginning to fade a little bit as those first few seasons start to look like an outlier.

Fans went into the season dismissing the clear warning signs that the run of double-digit win seasons may be coming to an end: the oldest roster in the NFL, a defense that would struggle to improve from it’s #3 DVOA ranking after losing a number of key contributors, an offense that got older following a 21st-ranked DVOA season.

Those fans are now (hopefully) looking in the mirror and asking themselves how this happened.

Heroes

Karlos Dansby - This ageless wonder remains a leader on the defense, snuffing out several screen plays before they could develop.

Josh Bynes - Split time with rookie Haason Reddick and looked far more physical at the point of attack.

John Brown - While he didn’t exhibit the explosive speed from his first season in the NFL, Brown played 63 snaps and showed professional route-running that makes him valuable at less than 100%.

Goats

Carson Palmer - Oof. So bad. Without having Michael Floyd to point the finger at, Palmer’s age immediately showed up. Palmer looked unprepared and indecisive from early on.

A.Q. Shipley - Shipley failed to exhibit the professionalism to be prepared. The Lions generated pressure up the middle on stunts and other line games, which points to poor line calls.

Chandler Jones - With a big contract extension, Jones cannot leave 5 sacks on the field as GM Steve Keim suggested this morning. It’s worth considering that he was not named a captain of the defense.

 

[Hoodhero]

I would put Golden on that list over Jones tbh. The guy was completely invisible.

 

[JeffGollin]

I would put Golden on that list over Jones tbh. The guy was completely invisible.

He was also hurt early in the game.

 

[DVontel]

I thought Dansby looked pretty slow yesterday. Father Time has definitely caught up with him.

 

[kerouac9]

I thought Dansby looked pretty slow yesterday. Father Time has definitely caught up with him.

I think you and other said this on other threads. Can you point to a play where he arrived late and it resulted in a poor outcome? It looked like he was just reading the field before pulling the trigger to me. Bucannon and Reddick run around a lot, but they move themselves out of position and have to recover.

 

[Shane]

He was also hurt early in the game.

He wasnt hurt... He got some of the black turf in his eyes and came back within 1 or 2 plays..

 

[82CardsGrad]

I would toss Iupati on that the GOAT list... The guy just doesn't seem to have it. Both on run and pass plays, I don't see him getting it done at the level this team requires.

I think Andy Lee should be on the HERO list because, well, he didn't look like any of the punters we've had over the past two years!!

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I think you and other said this on other threads. Can you point to a play where he arrived late and it resulted in a poor outcome? It looked like he was just reading the field before pulling the trigger to me. Bucannon and Reddick run around a lot, but they move themselves out of position and have to recover.

I would say where Dansby looked slow was in coverage. That is just age. I agree he has enough experience to make up for the lack of speed he has these days.

 

[BigRedRage]

I would toss Iupati on that the GOAT list... The guy just doesn't seem to have it. Both on run and pass plays, I don't see him getting it done at the level this team requires.

I think Andy Lee should be on the HERO list because, well, he didn't look like any of the punters we've had over the past two years!!

Even the announcers said wow to one of his punts

 

[wit3card]

Reddick played well, maybe not hero but, very well.

O-line after rewatching didn't play great, but Palmer made them look really poor at some points. If you stop the time Palmer needs to throw, the shortest that I could clock in was over 3 seconds, that isn't cutting it in the NFL anymore.

Palmer is the biggest Goat for me. Chandler didn't play great but not as awfull as you suggest. Yes he left maybe some sacks there, but the holding of the Lions line was real ... not pretended.

Don't know where some refs looked during the game, for sure not on the Lions RT, I counted at least 10 holdings ... and 2 Hands to the mask. Funny fact, while we where called for hands to the face, a Lions O-line player had the hand in the Facemask of Chandler Jones XD. Clearly not illegal hands to the face, it was in the facemask not to ... XD

 

[iLLmatiC]

Yeah I think CJ and Golden should share their time on the Goat list. They did very little in the second half to generate a pass rush.

 

[gmabel830]

I would toss Iupati on that the GOAT list... The guy just doesn't seem to have it. Both on run and pass plays, I don't see him getting it done at the level this team requires.

I think Andy Lee should be on the HERO list because, well, he didn't look like any of the punters we've had over the past two years!!

The punter on the hero list -- the hallmark of a bad team!

 

[gmabel830]

I would toss Iupati on that the GOAT list... The guy just doesn't seem to have it. Both on run and pass plays, I don't see him getting it done at the level this team requires.

Perhaps, but also remember he was playing hurt.

 

[Chopper0080]

In fairness, once the Lions adjusted to our edge rush, Bettcher crapped the bed by not blitzing inside. Jones and Golden kept pressure on the outside, but the Lions handled our interior defensive line players while Stafford just used his mobility at will.

You could argue that goats were

Palmer
DL
Wetzel/Iupati/Shipley

 

[kerouac9]

In fairness, once the Lions adjusted to our edge rush, Bettcher crapped the bed by not blitzing inside. Jones and Golden kept pressure on the outside, but the Lions handled our interior defensive line players while Stafford just used his mobility at will.

You could argue that goats were

Palmer
DL
Wetzel/Iupati/Shipley

I'm surprised I didn't see Reddick on that A-gap Blitz. Did we take it out of the playbook? The stack of Jones and Reddick on the outside didn't work. Daryl Washington and Dansby had like a billion sacks pressing the A-gap. What happened to that play?

 

[NJCardFan]

I'm surprised I didn't see Reddick on that A-gap Blitz. Did we take it out of the playbook? The stack of Jones and Reddick on the outside didn't work. Daryl Washington and Dansby had like a billion sacks pressing the A-gap. What happened to that play?

Ray Horton left the team.

 

[iLLmatiC]

It would be nice to get a real defensive coordinator too while we're making a wish list for this team next year.

 

[Chopper0080]

I'm surprised I didn't see Reddick on that A-gap Blitz. Did we take it out of the playbook? The stack of Jones and Reddick on the outside didn't work. Daryl Washington and Dansby had like a billion sacks pressing the A-gap. What happened to that play?

We lost a competent defensive coordinator who used it...man, my bias against Bettcher is so wierd, but I just have zero faith that he is any good.