If someone said before the season the Cardinals would be 4-1 after 5 games...

[AZCardsWin]

.. the Cardinals Organization and us would all be doing cart wheels. So here we are at 4-1! Now lets get to the opTIMism moving forward:

- Cardinals will have 10 days rest before hosting Buffalo (who will be traveling to SF this week, then back to Buffalo, and then back to AZ). Cardinals will have a great chance to get a win.

- TE Heap, RB Stevens-Howling, DT Dockett, QB Skelton should all be near 100% for that Buffalo game. I only note Skelton because I dont want the rookie Lindley backing up Kolb. Kolb- IMO- has won this starting job. He's one tough SOB!

- The Cardinals have the 2nd best record in the NFC halfway thru October! When was the last time you could say that?? At the very worst they will be .500 going into November.

Coming into this season I saw the Cardinals - with a tough schedule and all the questions at QB- being a .500 team at best. Now 9-7 or 10-6 and a playoff chance is a strong possibility.

Heres to a great rest of the season!
Go Cardinals!
Tim in NJ

 

[Jttsaz]

Buffalo is going to AZ straight from SF. They are spending the week in AZ so that they do not have to travel...

 

[AZCardsWin]

Buffalo is going to AZ straight from SF. They are spending the week in AZ so that they do not have to travel...

The Buffalo game will be the key to how the rest of the season plays out. Cardinals need to get back on track and home cookin at UoP is the way to do it.

 

[JeffGollin]

4 & 1 is what it is. (Yippee!)

But it doesn't mean we didn't suck in StL (or that we're automatically entitled to be 5 & 1 after we play our next game).

 

[Russ Smith]

Yep I've been saying the same exact thing.

We have lost our starting QB, starting LT, starting RB, 3rd down RB. For awhile last night our top 3 RB's were all out. Dockett out, Wilson has missed a game etc.

This early to have had that many major injuries and still be 4-1 is impressive.

I do think if Kolb continues to struggle with the rush we'll go back to Skelton and let him struggle with the rush for a few games.
The big hope is the OL gels, it did last season.

just not sure this years version has the talent to gel to that level.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

4 & 1 is what it is. (Yippee!)

But it doesn't mean we didn't suck in StL (or that we're automatically entitled to be 5 & 1 after we play our next game).

Agreed.

But, no, I did not expect to be 4-1. I also stand by my first guess at this team's record of 8-8.

The Cardinals are going to have a tough time winning one out of the next three in my opinion.

 

[thephoenixson28]

People don't look at the big picture. Before playing the rams, the cardinals were playing in miami. The rams already played at home, and didn't have to travel. Arizona only had less than 3 days to get prepared, and also had to deal with injuries. That's why I see the cardinals beating buffalo with all this rest they will get.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Did someone say gel and OL in the same sentence? Sorry to say, we need to get NFL caliber OLmen in order to gel. Our 2 outside pass blockers are just too slow at this point. Oh God, I just thought of who will be rushing our QB in Minnesota. There could be sack records set that day.

 

[gmabel830]

People don't look at the big picture. Before playing the rams, the cardinals were playing in miami. The rams already played at home, and didn't have to travel. Arizona only had less than 3 days to get prepared, and also had to deal with injuries. That's why I see the cardinals beating buffalo with all this rest they will get.

Wait, what? I don't remember traveling all the way to Miami to watch that game in person.

 

[Bodha]

Not really all that excited about the rest of the season anymore.


Oline got exposed 2 weeks running, it wasnt a fluke, we have the worst Oline ever.


Everyone is excited we are 4-1, not recognizing that we should just as easily be 1-4 right now. That doesnt bode well with our tough stretch coming up.

 

[Jetstream Green]

People don't look at the big picture. Before playing the rams, the cardinals were playing in miami. The rams already played at home, and didn't have to travel. Arizona only had less than 3 days to get prepared, and also had to deal with injuries. That's why I see the cardinals beating buffalo with all this rest they will get.

and you don't get the little matter of we played the Dolphins at home But the whole Thursday night games is a load of crap unfair to both teams, as the stupid oversea games that take a home game advantage away from a team, and the proposed increase of games to 18 in a brutal sport where 16 is almost too much already...all in the name of the owners wanting more money.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Yep I've been saying the same exact thing.

We have lost our starting QB, starting LT, starting RB, 3rd down RB. For awhile last night our top 3 RB's were all out. Dockett out, Wilson has missed a game etc.

This early to have had that many major injuries and still be 4-1 is impressive.

.

Man... When u step back and look at it like u just did, it really is almost a miracle we are where we are right now.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Lets be real. Our line isn't getting better and will face even more of a vicious rush the rest of the season after Thursday night.

Look at the schedule and most of you will realize that 8-8 is the very best we can hope for the rest of the way. And is with squeaking out close games with the ball bouncing our way. Sorry, but you can't win in the NFL with no OL and no running game. We were very fortunate and had a lot of fun starting 4-0. But after the Bills game, I am afraid the carnival ride will be over.

 

[thephoenixson28]

Wait, what? I don't remember traveling all the way to Miami to watch that game in person.

My mistake. I was thinking about when we played in ST Louis. My point was, we had to travel, and they didn't.

 

[Darkside]

Not really all that excited about the rest of the season anymore.


Oline got exposed 2 weeks running, it wasnt a fluke, we have the worst Oline ever.


Everyone is excited we are 4-1, not recognizing that we should just as easily be 1-4 right now. That doesnt bode well with our tough stretch coming up.

That's one way to look at it. That's not how I view it though. Last year we were 1-6 while losing a lot of close games. This year we're 4-1...because this team has learned how to win. We are mentally tough.

People want to fire Whiz, fire Grimm, fire Miller after one loss. We don't lack coaching. What we lack is the same thing we've lacked for several years: talent on our offensive line. That definitely needs to be addressed obviously but I really don't believe it's a coaching problem, it's a talent issue.

And I don't believe you when you say you've lost interest. You're just as hardcore as the rest of us. And this team is so close. We dont have holes all over the field, we have one glaring issue. May not be this year, but we are close to being an elite team.


Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Duckjake]

and you don't get the little matter of we played the Dolphins at home But the whole Thursday night games is a load of crap unfair to both teams, as the stupid oversea games that take a home game advantage away from a team, and the proposed increase of games to 18 in a brutal sport where 16 is almost too much already...all in the name of the owners wanting more money.

Home teams are 41-24 this season. So there's a good chance we can get to 5-1 but Mario Williams is coming to town. Our Oline will resurrect his career I'm afraid. On the other hand maybe we can run at him and resurrect our run game.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap10...o-williams-wrist-injuries-have-slowed-me-down

 

[Bodha]

That's one way to look at it. That's not how I view it though. Last year we were 1-6 while losing a lot of close games. This year we're 4-1...because this team has learned how to win. We are mentally tough.

mmmm, I hear you, but I siagree.

The games we lost close last year, werent as close as the games we won this year.

-Seattle WR dropped winning TD in endzone
-NE kicker missed chip shot FG for win
-Dont know how we pulled out that Miami win. Basically I think it was the OT coin toss

None of those things above we controlled. It was the other team messing up or pure luck.

 

[Gee!]

I, in fact, did say we were gonna go 4-1.. But I thought the loss would have been to the Pats.. I even said we would go 6-1 before we played SF..

 

[Duckjake]

mmmm, I hear you, but I siagree.

The games we lost close last year, werent as close as the games we won this year.

-Seattle WR dropped winning TD in endzone
-NE kicker missed chip shot FG for win
-Dont know how we pulled out that Miami win. Basically I think it was the OT coin toss

None of those things above we controlled. It was the other team messing up or pure luck.

Plus last year the Cards didn't have two consecutive games where they allowed a combined 17 sacks and averaged 2.28 yards per carry rushing. The offensive line is cratering. Even with our defense continuing to play at a high level I just can't see the Cards generating sufficient offense to win enough games to make the playoffs.

 

[Phrazbit]

I actually think quite a few people had us at 4-1 in the prediction thread before the year, I believe I had them going 5-1 to start the year before things get a lot tougher starting in Minnesota.

But I dont think anyone had them getting to 4-1 by beating New England.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Not really all that excited about the rest of the season anymore.


Oline got exposed 2 weeks running, it wasnt a fluke, we have the worst Oline ever.


Everyone is excited we are 4-1, not recognizing that we should just as easily be 1-4 right now. That doesnt bode well with our tough stretch coming up.

.... and you are not recognizing that the vast majority of games are won by seven points or less.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

and you don't get the little matter of we played the Dolphins at home But the whole Thursday night games is a load of crap unfair to both teams, as the stupid oversea games that take a home game advantage away from a team, and the proposed increase of games to 18 in a brutal sport where 16 is almost too much already...all in the name of the owners wanting more money.

They're already playing 20 games, 21 for the Cards in 2012.

 

[Bodha]

.... and you are not recognizing that the vast majority of games are won by seven points or less.

You arent recognizing that the vast majority of teams (actually all teams) dont give up 17 sacks in 2 games.

After TNF, I dont know how the heck we're at 4-1 right now with this Oline.


What I do know is this: odds are things wont get much better once theyre this broken.

Do you expect this line to only give up 1 or 2 sacks each game the rest of the season? Maybe not 8, but it wont take 8 to beat us.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

You arent recognizing that the vast majority of teams (actually all teams) dont give up 17 sacks in 2 games.

After TNF, I dont know how the heck we're at 4-1 right now with this Oline.


What I do know is this: odds are things wont get much better once theyre this broken.

Do you expect this line to only give up 1 or 2 sacks each game the rest of the season? Maybe not 8, but it wont take 8 to beat us.

I don't know what the future holds and I suspect that you don't either.

 

[Bodha]

I don't know what the future holds and I suspect that you don't either.

I do not.

But if I were to just speculate using the knowledge ive accumulated over the past 5 weeks, I am worried.

The Oline situation is a difficult one because its not like a guys out. Like Dockett last week. When in, the entire Dline performs differently. With our Oline, this line thats given up 17 sakcs in 2 weeks, is our line. Its not going anywhere. How different can it be in 10 days? The guys we are playing against are schemeing too.


I dont feel good ATM about the rest of this season. Next Sunday will be a big indication of the next 11 games.