How Did This Happen?

[NJCardFan]

How did we go from this: http://www.hulu.com/watch/123643/super-bowl-highlights-2009-super-bowl-xliii-pittsburgh-steelers-vs-arizona-cardinals#s-p1-so-i0

To this: http://www.nfl.com/videos/arizona-cardinals/09000d5d81c863a7/49ers-vs-Cardinals-highlights

I decided to watch the NFL Films of Super Bowl XLIII for the first time and even though it breaks my heart that we didn't win, we gained a lot of respect. The same old Cards were seemingly dead and buried. We were no longer a joke. We not only made a Super Bowl, we were within mere seconds of winning it. Some thought we'd embarrass ourselves but we did the opposite. We slugged it out for 60 minutes with one of the most storied franchises in the history of the league. We were Rocky to their Apollo Creed(original movie, not the sequel). And in one fell swoop, everything we accomplished in that season, is gone. We're back to being mocked. We're back to being the joke of the league. We're, in the eyes of the rest of the football watching public, back to being the same old Cards. How? Why?

 

[THESMEL]

Mickey

remember when Mickey got his hearing aids? Rocky asked him what are those, Mickey said " there so I can hear stupid things better"

It wasn't the talent shake up from SB to 2009, It is partially the talent loss from 2009 to 2010.

But to me it is the Buddy Ryan syndrom. All coach's want complete control of personell and football operations. It is rare that they can handle it.

This is Whiz's 4th year, I love the guy but He has many flaws, and He got it all -top 5 NFL coaching contract - huge control over the team, He aint ready for it, But He learns things the hard way! I love his flaws but hate his behavior and results.

His game and time management is weak but better than his first years. delay of games, timeouts because they aint ready to play ect.

blames players for not making plays, but every unit on both sides of the ball are not ready to play most downs every game, and that is coaching.

Now success covered up alot of stench but we were a mess these last 2 playoff years too. We won happhazard trying not to beat ourselves.

I said it and got booed but I loved it at the same time, it was exciting seeing talent overcome penalties, turnovers, bad playcalling, full scale collapses and meltdowns.

I mean we built and lost 3 score leads? kept the high risk high reward pressure on opponents on offense and defense and it actually worked 9-7 times in 08, and 10-6 times in 09 ! thats fun right there.

3 and out 3 and out 3 and out - score!

But we never looked like champions, We always won tripolar, feast or famine on the edge of your seat games. We were never consistant during this run at anything, even passing.

In short This team has took on the personality of it's Head Coach, like a duck on the pond, calm on top, feet going like crazy. now the personnell changes and football operations are tossed in that mix.

may be wrong but that is what I see. He aint no Parcells. But he aint giving the money back either, just like DD.

How did we go from this: http://www.hulu.com/watch/123643/su...urgh-steelers-vs-arizona-cardinals#s-p1-so-i0

To this: http://www.nfl.com/videos/arizona-cardinals/09000d5d81c863a7/49ers-vs-Cardinals-highlights

I decided to watch the NFL Films of Super Bowl XLIII for the first time and even though it breaks my heart that we didn't win, we gained a lot of respect. The same old Cards were seemingly dead and buried. We were no longer a joke. We not only made a Super Bowl, we were within mere seconds of winning it. Some thought we'd embarrass ourselves but we did the opposite. We slugged it out for 60 minutes with one of the most storied franchises in the history of the league. We were Rocky to their Apollo Creed(original movie, not the sequel). And in one fell swoop, everything we accomplished in that season, is gone. We're back to being mocked. We're back to being the joke of the league. We're, in the eyes of the rest of the football watching public, back to being the same old Cards. How? Why?

 

[Fiasco]

Billy Davis is a huge part of the problem. Why he was promoted to DC after two atrocious years in San Franciso is beyond me. How he remains on staff now is infuriating.

If he was DC in 2008 we may not have made the playoffs and most certainly wouldn't have made the suprbowl.

 

[Bert]

Billy Davis is a huge part of the problem. Why he was promoted to DC after two atrocious years in San Franciso is beyond me. How he remains on staff now is infuriating.

If he was DC in 2008 we may not have made the playoffs and most certainly wouldn't have made the suprbowl.

The moment that I heard that we had hired Bill Davis as DC and were NOT going to hire an OC instead we would promote from within a RGC and a PGC, that was when I knew this house of cards (no pun intended) was going to fall very soon.

Fire BD, hire a real OC and a real DC and this team can still do something in the NFL.

 

[Seandonic]

Number one reason: The Cardinals failed to correctly handle the loss of Kurt Warner. They should have gone out and got McNabb, Bulger, etc...and/or kept Leinart.

Number two reason: The Cardinals mishandled the offensive line. They moved players they shouldn't have, they didn't draft anyone to fill obvious upcoming needs, and the coaching has been poor at best.

Number three reason: The somewhat talented defense was undermined buy having B. Davis chosen to lead them. The fact that there is no outside pass rush on this team certainly plays a major role but a competent DC would still be able to get buy with the remaining talent on this unit. Therefore, the blame lies with Davis.

 

[DoTheDew]

Number one reason: The Cardinals failed to correctly handle the loss of Kurt Warner. They should have gone out and got McNabb, Bulger, etc...and/or kept Leinart.

Number two reason: The Cardinals mishandled the offensive line. They moved players they shouldn't have, they didn't draft anyone to fill obvious upcoming needs, and the coaching has been poor at best.

Number three reason: The somewhat talented defense was undermined buy having B. Davis chosen to lead them. The fact that there is no outside pass rush on this team certainly plays a major role but a competent DC would still be able to get buy with the remaining talent on this unit. Therefore, the blame lies with Davis.

This, and I will add.

Number four reason: We failed to replace leadership on this team. Not just Warner, but the very vocal Boldin and Dansby. We don't have a respectable alpha-male leader of the pack type on our roster anymore. We either have soft-spoken humble guys like Fitz, or thugs like ADub and Dockett. What Boldin and Dansby were, were "grown-ass men." Every team needs them. We have none.

 

[NJCardFan]

I looked at Whiz's drafts and something of note. In 4 draft years and in 27 draft picks, he's drafted a total of 4 offensive linemen: Levi Brown, Brandon Keith, Herman Johnson, Trevor Canfield. However, he's drafted only 9 other offensive players: 3 RB's, 3 WR's, 2 TE's, and 1 QB. None of these picks are knock your socks off picks. None. Of all of his picks, Breaston is the only one who actually been anything. My point is that Whiz is a lousy drafter. And this is leading to our woes now.

 

[desertdawg]

Number one reason: The Cardinals failed to correctly handle the loss of Kurt Warner. They should have gone out and got McNabb, Bulger, etc...and/or kept Leinart.

Number two reason: The Cardinals mishandled the offensive line. They moved players they shouldn't have, they didn't draft anyone to fill obvious upcoming needs, and the coaching has been poor at best.

Number three reason: The somewhat talented defense was undermined buy having B. Davis chosen to lead them. The fact that there is no outside pass rush on this team certainly plays a major role but a competent DC would still be able to get buy with the remaining talent on this unit. Therefore, the blame lies with Davis.

I pretty much gotta agree with all of this. These three issues have absolutely helped knocked the crown off our heads.

 

[Zeno]

Number one reason: The Cardinals failed to correctly handle the loss of Kurt Warner. They should have gone out and got McNabb, Bulger, etc...and/or kept Leinart.

Do you honestly think Whisenhunt would have changed his offense to suit McNabb? That is probably why there wasn't a lot of interest in him by the team. McNabb is struggling in Washington(under 60% more INTs than TDs) in a new system, he would have done the same here...SURE he'd be better than DA - that goes without saying - but I just don't envision him being a good QB in the Cardinals current offensive system.

And Bulger would have been hurt after 2 games and we'd probably be stuck with his back up anyway for long stretches.

 

[DoTheDew]

Do you honestly think Whisenhunt would have changed his offense to suit McNabb? That is probably why there wasn't a lot of interest in him by the team. McNabb is struggling in Washington(under 60% more INTs than TDs) in a new system, he would have done the same here...SURE he'd be better than DA - that goes without saying - but I just don't envision him being a good QB in the Cardinals current offensive system.

And Bulger would have been hurt after 2 games and we'd probably be stuck with his back up anyway for long stretches.

Neither one would have been great, but marginal improvement at QB would have won us the Minnesota and TB games and certainly could have kept our defense playing inspired. We'd be winning the division with any of the guys he listed.

 

[Duckjake]

This, and I will add.

Number four reason: We failed to replace leadership on this team. Not just Warner, but the very vocal Boldin and Dansby. We don't have a respectable alpha-male leader of the pack type on our roster anymore. We either have soft-spoken humble guys like Fitz, or thugs like ADub and Dockett. What Boldin and Dansby were, were "grown-ass men." Every team needs them. We have none.

Don't forget Bertand Berry.

You just can't take that many key guys off a team and replace them unless you have been grooming their replacements for a year or two.

Warner, Boldin, Berry, Okeafor and Dansby. That's a big hill to climb for any team.

 

[NJCardFan]

Don't forget Bertand Berry.

You just can't take that many key guys off a team and replace them unless you have been grooming their replacements for a year or two.

Warner, Boldin, Berry, Okeafor and Dansby. That's a big hill to climb for any team.

You forgot Rolle.

 

[MrYeahBut]

What makes the Cards slide into the abyss so much tougher to take is 2 of the teams we beat in the playoffs that year...Falcons and Eagles are at least as good if not better than they were then.

Total mismanagement at every level

 

[82CardsGrad]

I looked at Whiz's drafts and something of note. In 4 draft years and in 27 draft picks, he's drafted a total of 4 offensive linemen: Levi Brown, Brandon Keith, Herman Johnson, Trevor Canfield. However, he's drafted only 9 other offensive players: 3 RB's, 3 WR's, 2 TE's, and 1 QB. None of these picks are knock your socks off picks. None. Of all of his picks, Breaston is the only one who actually been anything. My point is that Whiz is a lousy drafter. And this is leading to our woes now.

LSH was a solid pick. Calais Campbell showed he can be a force and IMHO, will prove to be a solid pick. The jury of course is also still out of Washington and Williams. And I can't help but think that Beanie, if healthy, will be a top 3-4 back in the league.
I also think Andre Roberts will prove to be a solid pick.
Toler, and to a slightly lesser extent Rashad Johnson weren't terrible picks. Particularly given where Toler came from.

I'm not saying Whiz is flawless in his picks. I just think he's not as bad as you suggest and another year or two will allow for better judgement.

 

[BirdMan21]

Coaching had made the personnel changes look even worse than they should be. Just look at KC, they build an amazing coaching staff and all of a sudden they are going to be winning the AFC west (unless they collapse and SD catches them). But my point being, they made a huge turnaround with coaching up the players they have right.

Just look at NE or Philly (two best examples in my book), they don't really pay for big name FAs at most positions but will at some. But they are able to develop players through coaching so much better than we do. We have enough talent, just the gameplans and player improvement is just not there. And thats on Whiz, he has gotta bring in better coaches than he has.

 

[THESMEL]

risk

wE had an extremely risky draft after the nobrainer in DWILL this year.

Moved up for DWash( better part of the Q trade picks)

Roberts with Griffin and others on the Board

Obrien with a blown knee,

Moved up for Skelton

Dray?

I mean you aint seeing any good team puke up drafts like that after winning 2 straight division championships.

Cody Brown gone-woosh

We were starting UFA WR, what was his name? and the other what was his name? and a QB what was his name?

like I said in my earlier post now personell and football operations of a mad man that aint got a clue and won't ask for help, until its too late.

Its too late!

LSH was a solid pick. Calais Campbell showed he can be a force and IMHO, will prove to be a solid pick. The jury of course is also still out of Washington and Williams. And I can't help but think that Beanie, if healthy, will be a top 3-4 back in the league.
I also think Andre Roberts will prove to be a solid pick.
Toler, and to a slightly lesser extent Rashad Johnson weren't terrible picks. Particularly given where Toler came from.

I'm not saying Whiz is flawless in his picks. I just think he's not as bad as you suggest and another year or two will allow for better judgement.