I think BA tanked this game

[Cards_Campos]

Kinda like what we did in New England in our Super Bowl run

reason: Way too many injuries and we didn't have Fitz. This game was going to be a blood bath and he knew it. He didn't risk deep throws He didn't try any trick or off the wall plays. He was vanilla and I think because it was bad weather and we are banged up. We had a 3 game lead. Im telling you....The way he acted when Ja Brown dropped the TD. He let the defense play and see if we could steal a game. But he had the reigns on and it was obvious to me. The Special Teams I think just sucked. But BA isn't stupid...its long season and no one here thought we were going 15-1. Get people back and we really had a game to give away. We play 2 winnable game the next 2 weeks and I think he is setting us up for those....Just my opinion on how he called the game. Very straight forward didn't push us too hard and didn't risk much.

 

[oaken1]

plus.....even the announcers mentioned he concede the game there at the end....didn't bother to use the timeouts to try and score.

Tank or not....the staff will use this game to light a fire under the teams ass....for the next couple of games, and mostly for when the hags come to the desert.

 

[New Mexico]

That sounds ridiculous. Coaches don't tank games. This was an important game. We lost bc we couldn't block, run, throw, or catch, not bc of vanilla play calling.

 

[sunsfan88]

If any coach in the NFL ever purposefully tries to lose a game and/or doesn't put forth his best effort to get a win, that coach should be unemployed.

No matter the circumstances.

 

[Jim Otis]

My thoughts are this , Drew had some mental/shaky moments early in the game , and BA looked (big picture) past this game to the other games ahead . We need Drew to go to Atlanta with some semblance of confidence that he can handle the Falcons . I saw Drew in over his head against the champs at their house , and if BA called aggressive , pushing Drew to try and win the game , I think that BA sensed it would end in a nightmare for Drew. BA must coach around not having Carson , I can't blame him for trying to keep Drew in a state of mind to be coached for Atlanta . I thought BA went Ropey-Dope to get past this game to the rest of the season (WISE DECISION) .

 

[Jetstream Green]

Kinda like what we did in New England in our Super Bowl run

reason: Way too many injuries and we didn't have Fitz. This game was going to be a blood bath and he knew it. He didn't risk deep throws He didn't try any trick or off the wall plays. He was vanilla and I think because it was bad weather and we are banged up. We had a 3 game lead. Im telling you....The way he acted when Ja Brown dropped the TD. He let the defense play and see if we could steal a game. But he had the reigns on and it was obvious to me. The Special Teams I think just sucked. But BA isn't stupid...its long season and no one here thought we were going 15-1. Get people back and we really had a game to give away. We play 2 winnable game the next 2 weeks and I think he is setting us up for those....Just my opinion on how he called the game. Very straight forward didn't push us too hard and didn't risk much.

He did not tank the game initially but might have found little interest in winning it after the change of events. I know this, the weather was not bad and Seattle did beat us and our team did not look like it was not trying. The Seahawks played hard, earned it and where the better team. Don't like the outcome but I respect the reigning Super Bowl champs and their victory... just like I hope they respect us when we play again and win

 

[CoachKlein]

Like where your head is at. I feel the same way. If the game swings the wrong way on the road in hostile environment (after the blocked punt) don't give anyone any tape to study and use all your cards on offense. The raiders game was the same. Everybody was bitching we were vanilla when BA knew he could beat the winless raiders on the ground and make a few throws for 1st down. After we had the lead of course (which we did) his mind was on the very tough eagles and boys following. Last week was almost the same thing. Get the early lead and be aggressive and only use your cards if the lions came back in it. They never touched the endzone!! BA is smarter than we know believe this!! He knows we don't have an elite qb to just rack up the score like the pack and pats. But he also knows are defense will hold in all situations.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I don't think he tanked the game at all, I just think it's his personality to let losses like this not bother him as much as it would other coaches.

That dropped touchdown pass before the half is a perfect example. It was great that he could laugh it off. I'm sure he was disappointed as hell, but what good would getting mad or frustrated on the sidelines do? Shrug it off and move forward.

It impressed the announcers. They said something like "Not many coaches could smile after a play like that."

I love Arians' attitude and hope it continues to rub off on the team. Let's let this loss go and move forward. On to Atlanta.

Go Cards !!!

 

[NJCardFan]

My thoughts are this , Drew had some mental/shaky moments early in the game , and BA looked (big picture) past this game to the other games ahead . We need Drew to go to Atlanta with some semblance of confidence that he can handle the Falcons . I saw Drew in over his head against the champs at their house , and if BA called aggressive , pushing Drew to try and win the game , I think that BA sensed it would end in a nightmare for Drew. BA must coach around not having Carson , I can't blame him for trying to keep Drew in a state of mind to be coached for Atlanta . I thought BA went Ropey-Dope to get past this game to the rest of the season (WISE DECISION) .

With all due respect, if Stanton's psyche is that fragile, he's in the wrong line of work.

 

[Cards_Campos]

I don't think he intentionally tanked the game. I think he went into the game with a knife and left his gun at home on purpose. If he could get lucky and cause turnovers I think he tries to pull it out. But watching this game guys come on. his plays were basic all day. he never calls a game like that.... He knew he had a 5% chance of winning this game without Fitz. Seattle had to win...came out hitting on all cylinders defense wise...And BA said OK lets lose today and we will win later. In the sense what was the point. Again....I think he shrugs off the drop because he is like....ok ok I know we are not winning this game....Nothing is going our way and lets get out of here...with health and confidence. I bet he even told them...listen we didn't give them our best shot...its all good.

The defense looked ready and I think he was prepared to see if they could win it. But he didn't throw deep didn't throw to Floyd or Ginn....Didn't call any down field plays...and ran the ball pretty much right up the middle. It didn't look like a BA team...and I think that was his intentions. Seattle plays hard why get more people hurt when you have a 3 game lead and play them again.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I don't think he tanked it but it looked liked he kind of approached it like a pre-season game. The offense was very vanilla and there was no real sense of urgency. Maybe he was holding back for the regular season finale in case that means something.

The only problem with that line of thinking is that it doesn't really make sense. His offense is on tape so it's not going to surprise anybody and you never "tank or don't care" about a win. Maybe it's just a point of picking his battles.

Still it's no shame when your only 2 losses are at Denver and at Seattle.

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

If any coach in the NFL ever purposefully tries to lose a game and/or doesn't put forth his best effort to get a win, that coach should be unemployed.

No matter the circumstances.

I would accept tanking for a shot to draft a can't-miss QB prospect like Manning, Luck etc..

Especially considering decades of not being able to find a late round gem.

In hindsight, I would definitely accept a 1 win season (can it really be THAT much more intolerable than a 4 win season?) for a shot at a legit franchise QB.

 

[Buckybird]

I don't think he tanked it but I do believe he played scared with his conservative offensive game plan. The Hawks were a wounded animal close to death & we should've went for the kill.

 

[football karma]

umm -- No.

 

[crisper57]

No trick plays? He tried a read option with our only healthy legit QB! Okay, maybe it wasn't a trick, but it was stupid.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

I love Arians' attitude and hope it continues to rub off on the team. Let's let this loss go and move forward. On to Atlanta.

Go Cards !!!

This.

 

[desertdawg]

Absolutely not a tank job. We just got our asses kicked from head to toe, we needed it too apparently.

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

It's an interesting idea...

If you remember after the season finale against Green Bay where we got CRUSHED, Kurt & Co. seemed to be okay with it. They honestly seemed to believe they had seen some "chinks in the Packer's armor." I DID NOT believe it! But, lo and behold, the next week in the play-offs we torched G.B.'s D. Summing up, I believe "fans" guess and conjecture, BUT...players & coaches KNOW! ...and the GOOD ones...the ones that win consistently...are far smarter than we can ever begin to realize.

MARK IN SC

A soggy day in Charleston but... BASK-ing just the same!

 

[Mitch]

I don't think BA tanked the game---I think he thought he could focus on getting Stanton into enough 3rd and 4's that he could move the chains. But, Stanton, unlike Palmer, has yet to show a high enough completion percentage to warrant a run to set up the pass on third down offense. Apparently, Pete Carroll predicted this (not a high enough completion percentage from Stanton to keep the chains consistently moving) before the game to the FOX crew (which they articulated during the broadcast)---and thus the ultra conservative game plan fed right into Pete Carroll's prediction.

It wouldn't surprise me to see BA flip the focus over this week to a pass to set up the run approach---which would make the offense less predictable and give Stanton more time to throw off play actions and versus stop the run heavy personnel.

 

[ajcardfan]

I don't think BA tanked the game---I think he thought he could focus on getting Stanton into enough 3rd and 4's that he could move the chains. But, Stanton, unlike Palmer, has yet to show a high enough completion percentage to warrant a run to set up the pass on third down offense. Apparently, Pete Carroll predicted this (not a high enough completion percentage from Stanton to keep the chains consistently moving) before the game to the FOX crew (which they articulated during the broadcast)---and thus the ultra conservative game plan fed right into Pete Carroll's prediction.

It wouldn't surprise me to see BA flip the focus over this week to a pass to set up the run approach---which would make the offense less predictable and give Stanton more time to throw off play actions and versus stop the run heavy personnel.

There is no way we tanked this game. I think you got it exactly right Mitch. It would've been stupid beyond belief to throw a game away when the only bowl we've clinched a trip to is the toilet bowl. BA is not stupid. He won't throw away chances to win when we haven't clinched even the #6 seed tet.

 

[Darkside]

Didn't even read your whole post dude. Coaches have a very short tenure, they coach to win, especially someone like BA with our record, when we could have buried the Seahawks. As if he would risk any of his players, on a depleted roster, just coasting and expecting to lose. The whole idea is offensive.

That kind of mindset is for amateurs and chumps. Even the Raiders didn't think that way last week man, when they won their first game. What's wrong with you man, really. Pros are pros, period.

 

[MrYeahBut]

. The whole idea is offensive.

No kidding.

.

 

[TJ]

Arizona ran into a buzz saw. Seattle was by far the more desperate team with everything to lose. They're still among the NFL's best. That was by far the hardest Seattle has played all season.

The idea of a tank job is ludicrous. Rather, we were simply outplayed in every facet of the game.

But if we win two and they lose two, they can't take the division.

 

[desertdawg]

Arizona ran into a buzz saw. Seattle was by far the more desperate team with everything to lose. They're still among the NFL's best. That was by far the hardest Seattle has played all season.

The idea of a tank job is ludicrous. Rather, we were simply outplayed in every facet of the game.

But if we win two and they lose two, they can't take the division.

Exactly, I think we can split games with the whiners and the chickens this year, while obtaining a best record. That's huge in this division.

 

[MWOOD92]

We haven't even clinched a playoff spot yet. Tanking a game against a division rival is pretty ridiculous.