Every year we Cardinals fans look back and say, “If So-and-So just made that TD catch…” or “We’d have won a couple of more games, but so-and so got hurt.” Maybe, maybe not. “But,” this year more than any I can remember since the ’98 season the Cardinals have a precarious hold on the claim to a playoff contending team.
“If” the team can stay healthy, “if” our QB situation doesn’t confuse the offensive play-calling, “if” the line continues improving under Grimm, “if” Rogers-Cromartie can play and play reasonably well in his first season, “if” the team can stay healthy, “if” the defense can put the kind of pressure on the QB that they should from Pendergast’s 3-4 hybrid…then I think the Cardinals are not only a playoff team, but a championship contender.
“But,” that’s a lot of “if’s.”
Quarterback:
The QB situation is a microcosm of the Cardinals football team. It’s full of promise, but prone to game- and season-killing mistakes.
Of course we all hope that Leinart is the QB of the present (the future is here, for better or worse). But we just don’t know. I think Warner surprised us all last season by playing as well as he did, but he was still prone to untimely turnovers.
One of these guys needs to emerge because if a QB can’t play well in Arizona with the likes of Boldin and Fitz, then we’ve got trouble. If Leinart grabs the job by the horns and doesn’t let go, I think it’ll be the touchstone for the offense—this isn’t (or at least, shouldn’t be) a system where the QB can be just okay ala Dilfer in Baltimore.
Running Back:
I’m not as down on Edge as the primary back as many on ASFN, but I do think he needs a change of pace back to compliment him at this point in his career. I’m not sure that Hightower is that guy. I know that guy isn’t Shipp. But JJ Arrington should be.
Edge will rarely see eight in the box, so he should be able to churn out another 1,200 – 1,300 yard season without a problem. But, IMO, whiz needs to recognize that his personnel is better suited for a pass-first offense. With Edge getting on in RB-years, he’s not going to be a game-changer, but he will keep defenses honest. He will be reliable and steady. Until we get the guy in the backfield that is a game-changer, our big plays will come in the passing game.
Wide Receiver:
What’s to say. This corps is one of the best in the NFL, and has the potential to get better with the addition of Doucet. Forget the calls for a burner. While that’d be nice, these WRs can deliver a smashmouth style of offense in the passing game. Boldin and Fitz are big enough to punish smaller DBs and physically punish them to the point where the passing game should be more effective as the game wears on.
Just try to keep you feet, Fitz.
Tight-End:
The Cardinals red-zone offense could be deadly if either Pope or Patrick emerges this season. If Tuman wins the starting spot our blocking from the position will certainly be solid, but I think it hampers the Cards’ red-zone passing offense.
Offensive Line:
For the first time in a looong time the Cards are returning an offensive line intact. There are other reasons for optimism, too. Grimm made progress with these guys last year and another year under the belts of Brown and Lutui ought to pay dividends. If there’s continued improvement with this group, it could be the key to good QB play and maybe we’ll even see a re-emergence of the 10+ yard gains on the ground from Edge.
Defensive Line:
Depth is an issue everywhere on the defense save the LBs. I LOVE our starting lineup along the DL in both the 3-4 and 4-3. I think we can get a lot of penetration with these guys…if they stay healthy.
Linebacker:
I think we’re looking pretty good at the LB spot. From the 3-4 we should be able to get crazy pressure with Berry and Okeafor coming off the edges combined with the push I think we can get from the front three. My one concern for this season is how they’ll play against the run.
Cornerback:
CB is a question mark. If DRC can play as he’s expected to and be the guy the Cards can put out on an island, this’ll be a good starting group. If DRC doesn’t pan out, we’ve got problems, IMO. Another concern I have is DRC staying healthy—the man weighs 180 pounds! He’d be ripe for an injury in a cricket match much less in the NFL.
Worst-case scenario: DRC plays lights-out for the first 4 games. By all accounts he looks to be the second coming of Deion Sanders. …then he gets broken in half trying to tackle Steven Jackson.
Safety:
This could be the strength of the defense…hell, it could be the best safety tandem in the league…if Rolle plays like we think he can at the FS spot. But, again, the depth issue is a little scary. Francisco is a good backup, but his coverage skills are seriously lacking as a full-time starter.
[FONT="]I don’t think any of the Cardinals’ “if’s” are particularly far-fetched, but it might be too much to ask for all of them to come to pass in the same season. “But,” “if” they do, I think we could be watching football in mid- to late-January.[/FONT]
“If” the team can stay healthy, “if” our QB situation doesn’t confuse the offensive play-calling, “if” the line continues improving under Grimm, “if” Rogers-Cromartie can play and play reasonably well in his first season, “if” the team can stay healthy, “if” the defense can put the kind of pressure on the QB that they should from Pendergast’s 3-4 hybrid…then I think the Cardinals are not only a playoff team, but a championship contender.
“But,” that’s a lot of “if’s.”
Quarterback:
The QB situation is a microcosm of the Cardinals football team. It’s full of promise, but prone to game- and season-killing mistakes.
Of course we all hope that Leinart is the QB of the present (the future is here, for better or worse). But we just don’t know. I think Warner surprised us all last season by playing as well as he did, but he was still prone to untimely turnovers.
One of these guys needs to emerge because if a QB can’t play well in Arizona with the likes of Boldin and Fitz, then we’ve got trouble. If Leinart grabs the job by the horns and doesn’t let go, I think it’ll be the touchstone for the offense—this isn’t (or at least, shouldn’t be) a system where the QB can be just okay ala Dilfer in Baltimore.
Running Back:
I’m not as down on Edge as the primary back as many on ASFN, but I do think he needs a change of pace back to compliment him at this point in his career. I’m not sure that Hightower is that guy. I know that guy isn’t Shipp. But JJ Arrington should be.
Edge will rarely see eight in the box, so he should be able to churn out another 1,200 – 1,300 yard season without a problem. But, IMO, whiz needs to recognize that his personnel is better suited for a pass-first offense. With Edge getting on in RB-years, he’s not going to be a game-changer, but he will keep defenses honest. He will be reliable and steady. Until we get the guy in the backfield that is a game-changer, our big plays will come in the passing game.
Wide Receiver:
What’s to say. This corps is one of the best in the NFL, and has the potential to get better with the addition of Doucet. Forget the calls for a burner. While that’d be nice, these WRs can deliver a smashmouth style of offense in the passing game. Boldin and Fitz are big enough to punish smaller DBs and physically punish them to the point where the passing game should be more effective as the game wears on.
Just try to keep you feet, Fitz.
Tight-End:
The Cardinals red-zone offense could be deadly if either Pope or Patrick emerges this season. If Tuman wins the starting spot our blocking from the position will certainly be solid, but I think it hampers the Cards’ red-zone passing offense.
Offensive Line:
For the first time in a looong time the Cards are returning an offensive line intact. There are other reasons for optimism, too. Grimm made progress with these guys last year and another year under the belts of Brown and Lutui ought to pay dividends. If there’s continued improvement with this group, it could be the key to good QB play and maybe we’ll even see a re-emergence of the 10+ yard gains on the ground from Edge.
Defensive Line:
Depth is an issue everywhere on the defense save the LBs. I LOVE our starting lineup along the DL in both the 3-4 and 4-3. I think we can get a lot of penetration with these guys…if they stay healthy.
Linebacker:
I think we’re looking pretty good at the LB spot. From the 3-4 we should be able to get crazy pressure with Berry and Okeafor coming off the edges combined with the push I think we can get from the front three. My one concern for this season is how they’ll play against the run.
Cornerback:
CB is a question mark. If DRC can play as he’s expected to and be the guy the Cards can put out on an island, this’ll be a good starting group. If DRC doesn’t pan out, we’ve got problems, IMO. Another concern I have is DRC staying healthy—the man weighs 180 pounds! He’d be ripe for an injury in a cricket match much less in the NFL.
Worst-case scenario: DRC plays lights-out for the first 4 games. By all accounts he looks to be the second coming of Deion Sanders. …then he gets broken in half trying to tackle Steven Jackson.
Safety:
This could be the strength of the defense…hell, it could be the best safety tandem in the league…if Rolle plays like we think he can at the FS spot. But, again, the depth issue is a little scary. Francisco is a good backup, but his coverage skills are seriously lacking as a full-time starter.
[FONT="]I don’t think any of the Cardinals’ “if’s” are particularly far-fetched, but it might be too much to ask for all of them to come to pass in the same season. “But,” “if” they do, I think we could be watching football in mid- to late-January.[/FONT]
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