It's not as bad as it looks

[conraddobler]

First Downs 18
Passing 13
Rushing 4
Penalty 1
Third Down Efficiency 4-12

TOTAL NET YARDS 379
Total Plays 63
6.0
NET YARDS RUSHING 82
Rushes 22 16
Average Per Rush 5.1
NET YARDS PASSING 297
Completions-Attempts 29-42
Yards Per Pass Play 6.3
Times Sacked 5
Yards Lost to Sacks 30
Had Intercepted 1

PENALTIES 8
Penalty Yards 72
FUMBLES 3
Fumbles Lost 1


I posted this to provide a bit of perspective, actually I am not at all depressed going forward.

What I saw was a team that is just not gelling yet. Really it is as simple as that at it's core.

Are there glaring weaknesses right now? Yes there are but of those only a few are grave concerns and I will list them below.


Oliver Ross, don't know how fixable this is.


Elton Brown, but this is going to fix itself with time.

O line coach, not so fixable but can be band aided with more help from the experienced coaches on the staff and at this point I'd say that's going to happen now.


That's it as far as I am concerned, sure there are positions still that need upgrading like every other team has but all in all the only glaring things are those above.

In the interest of continuity what DG and staff have to do is decide right now! if Ross is going to improve, if he's coachable or if he's just a bust and if he is, if it's not fixable then you start Wakefield right now and leave it that way and stop messing with the line and just let them be what they are going to be, good, bad or ugly becuase they have to start getting to know each other or it's never going to get better.

The bright spots, we have an intermediate passing attack that is the best in the NFL, no one is going to go over the middle as well as we will because Boldin is a warrior!

Fitz is about the ultimate pitch and catch guy you could ever have and Johnson I think will shake it off eventually although he's not anyones savior that's for sure.

If Johnson just learns to hang onto the ball he's going to be more than enough to make us one of the best passing team in the NFL.

Warner isn't my favorite, he dosen't handle adversity very well at all and that's why I don't like him. Once the rest of the team grows up in a few games he will be more than fine to run the attack.

Our defense is going to be ok, not against the run but as they mature they won't get fooled on the screens and cutbacks like they have to the extent they have.

Bottom line, we are a young team that was relatively recently thrown together, this kind of start isn't unreasonable, maybe the playoff predictions were but it's the youth right now causing most of the problems, they will begin to get it together and will be a load for most teams relatively soon.

 

[flocker]

You forgot to post the score stat.

 

[conraddobler]

Score 12


there you go

 

[Pariah]

I truly believe (and maybe this is niave), that had Big not jumped and ended the game, we would have seen a Warner to Bolding or Warner to Fitz TD in the closing second to win the game.

The board would be a different place--instead of being almost 100% doom and gloom, we'd have a great deal of talk about how we overcame penalties and other poor plays to win. We'd be talking about how scrappy we are.

...I know, I know..."If 'if's' and 'but's' were candy and nuts, everyday would be christmas."

 

[clif]

Conrad,

I agree with you completely. As I posted in another thread.. I left the game not really upset as I thought I would. I see a team that just needs to come together.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Good teams find a way to win. Bad teams find a way to lose.

This team isn't gelling yet? No kidding, but shouldn't that be what the preseason is for, to get this team together?

I'm tired of the "this team isn't as bad as it seems" argument. How many games did we lose by a field goal last year? Doesn't really matter, does it cause we still lost. No one else remembers how much you lost by or how many first downs you got, they just remember that you didn't win the game.

And that really is the bottom line, isn't it?

 

[duckfallas]

Or maybe someone would have missed abother block and the game would have ended in a sack? That call on Big could have gone either way. It wasn't like he stood up. From what I saw on the reply, he started to lean to the outside just before the snap. You don't call that crap on the last play of a game unless its the Cardinals.

 

[conraddobler]

Good teams find a way to win. Bad teams find a way to lose.

This team isn't gelling yet? No kidding, but shouldn't that be what the preseason is for, to get this team together?

I'm tired of the "this team isn't as bad as it seems" argument. How many games did we lose by a field goal last year? Doesn't really matter, does it cause we still lost. No one else remembers how much you lost by or how many first downs you got, they just remember that you didn't win the game.

And that really is the bottom line, isn't it?

We are all tired of this, geez no one is more tired of this than I am but I will ask you one question.

Isn't a lot of your frustration simply dashed expectations that were higher than they usually are?

I mean we all bought into the playoff and division talk and young teams tend to break your heart just before they get good.

I didn't even get mad I just sat in shock and stared out numbly at the world and asked why? why? why?

It was comical my whole family just disappeared, I think they thought I was going to snap.

I'm over it, they will do more of this before they stop and it sucks.

I don't like Warner or DG but it will turn around, I'm sure it will just not as fast as any of us would like.

 

[Pariah]

Or maybe someone would have missed abother block and the game would have ended in a sack?

Yeah, maybe. My point was we were one play away fro winning the game.

I'm not saying it's a "moral victory" or anything, just that reading the board this AM you'd think we lost by 50 points.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

it is all about winning & losing in the end .. however, this team isn't that far off from winning

It looks like they tried to fix some carryover problems from last year and those fixes haven't fit together yet and it takes more than preseason and 2 regular season games to get clicking and have new pieces trusting each other and working together

coming in I saw the major weakness in the cards their OL and running game ... it's not that arrington is untalented ... it's just that his style doesn't match up well to an OL that isn't consistent

the defense looks good ... maybe not that deep in areas (LB & Secondary) ... but given how much they are asked to do they do a nice job

I'd love to have the pass rush of the cards on the hawks or players like barry & dockett

penalties, turnovers, ST and mental breakdowns are killing them ... a lot of this has to be attributed to coaching ... and some to talent (looking at the areas that are breaking down - an overmatched OL will get jumpy as the game goes on, leading to false starts, holding, etc.........)

i think if they clean up their play just a little, they are a tough matchup for anyone in the league and can still threaten to be at around .500 come seasons end

 

[Jersey Girl]

We are all tired of this, geez no one is more tired of this than I am but I will ask you one question.

Isn't a lot of your frustration simply dashed expectations that were higher than they usually are?

I mean we all bought into the playoff and division talk and young teams tend to break your heart just before they get good.

I don't think it is. I am just so sick and freaking tired of losing. Hey, I'm hopeful every year and practically every year I am disappointed. Maybe some of it stems from living in an area where the football teams makes the playoffs more years than not (at least as of late). It just seems that our Cardinals can never get over the hump. It just ticks me off is all.

 

[conraddobler]

Conrad,

I agree with you completely. As I posted in another thread.. I left the game not really upset as I thought I would. I see a team that just needs to come together.

I totally agree and it boils down to this.

Youth is great but the one thing you always lack is of course experience.

You get that by screwing up.

It's not pretty but it's the truth.

 

[conraddobler]

I don't think it is. I am just so sick and freaking tired of losing. Hey, I'm hopeful every year and practically every year I am disappointed. Maybe some of it stems from living in an area where the football teams makes the playoffs more years than not (at least as of late). It just seems that our Cardinals can never get over the hump. It just ticks me off is all.

That's what we all get for follwing the worst NFL team of the last 25 years.

Truly that's what we were.

So our patience is shot, IMO it's been much much worse but in order to be a fan you couldn't possibly look at it rationally and see that or you'd kill yourself.

Look at the years we actually started Tom Tupa for God's sake, look at the horror that was and realize what I do that this team is young and stupid and they are going to do more of this than any of us would like but it has an upside unlike the teams we are all used to.

 

[Rocco]

it is all about winning & losing in the end .. however, this team isn't that far off from winning

It looks like they tried to fix some carryover problems from last year and those fixes haven't fit together yet and it takes more than preseason and 2 regular season games to get clicking and have new pieces trusting each other and working together

coming in I saw the major weakness in the cards their OL and running game ... it's not that arrington is untalented ... it's just that his style doesn't match up well to an OL that isn't consistent

the defense looks good ... maybe not that deep in areas (LB & Secondary) ... but given how much they are asked to do they do a nice job

I'd love to have the pass rush of the cards on the hawks or players like barry & dockett

penalties, turnovers, ST and mental breakdowns are killing them ... a lot of this has to be attributed to coaching ... and some to talent (looking at the areas that are breaking down - an overmatched OL will get jumpy as the game goes on, leading to false starts, holding, etc.........)

i think if they clean up their play just a little, they are a tough matchup for anyone in the league and can still threaten to be at around .500 come seasons end

thanks for the outside perspective. I agree with you, I think we're a decent team thats saddled with a bad offensive line. Unfortunately, that may ruin our entire season.

 

[duckfallas]

Yeah, maybe. My point was we were one play away fro winning the game.

I'm not saying it's a "moral victory" or anything, just that reading the board this AM you'd think we lost by 50 points.

It was a very winnable game. The lambs suck and are not that good. Unfortunately, the Cards suck worse right now.

 

[clif]

I didn't even get mad I just sat in shock and stared out numbly at the world and asked why? why? why?

It was comical my whole family just disappeared, I think they thought I was going to snap.

I'm over it, they will do more of this before they stop and it sucks.

I don't like Warner or DG but it will turn around, I'm sure it will just not as fast as any of us would like.

You and me both. I was pretty much over it by the time I got to my car.

My wife was expecting me to blow up, but I didn't.. I think we are headed in the right direction.

 

[RedViper]

I think Warner will start getting us into the endzone. Boldin and Fitz both look really good at this point and Shipp is starting to generate some yards. Our defense is weak on the run, but they are definitely a defense to be feared. Teams are going to continue to pay for trying to go over the middle. Berry and Okeafor and going to continue to bring it. If we can beat Seattle this week it will be a brand new day. Although with our run defense, you'd think Alexander would kill us, but he hasn't really done so in the past two tries. I think we've got a decent shot and knocking out Seattle.

 

[MigratingOsprey]

and I also can emphasize with the lack of patience and desire to get over the hump and being tired of one aspect killing the team and the youth factor

the hawks have been living there for the past 10 years .... if the defense is good, the O is suspect ... if the O is solid, the rush defense sucks ... if they get the rush D figured out they can't rush the pass ... eventually the whole D falls apart

3 years of playoffs are nice ... but still going 20 years without winning one of those games sucks

winning the division is great - not winning more than 9 games is disapointing

as expectations get consistently higher it's easier to get frusterated ... many hawk fans are pissed about the way they beat the falcons and consider the team to be lucky

I don't get is personally .... i see things at worst staying stagnant and quite possibly improving

but losing has a tendency to jade a fan base ... i know the excitement of a new coach, uniforms and stadium ... but also saw the realization that even with those, if you don't get 9-10 wins every year the jaded fans will stay away

am I disapointed the hawks lost in the playoffs last year - yes

i am glad it's not 1992 where they are slugging through a 2-14 year in the dome - yes

it's tough, but have faith ... have been through much worse

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

and I also can emphasize with the lack of patience and desire to get over the hump and being tired of one aspect killing the team and the youth factor

the hawks have been living there for the past 10 years .... if the defense is good, the O is suspect ... if the O is solid, the rush defense sucks ... if they get the rush D figured out they can't rush the pass ... eventually the whole D falls apart

3 years of playoffs are nice ... but still going 20 years without winning one of those games sucks

winning the division is great - not winning more than 9 games is disapointing

as expectations get consistently higher it's easier to get frusterated ... many hawk fans are pissed about the way they beat the falcons and consider the team to be lucky

I don't get is personally .... i see things at worst staying stagnant and quite possibly improving

but losing has a tendency to jade a fan base ... i know the excitement of a new coach, uniforms and stadium ... but also saw the realization that even with those, if you don't get 9-10 wins every year the jaded fans will stay away

am I disapointed the hawks lost in the playoffs last year - yes

i am glad it's not 1992 where they are slugging through a 2-14 year in the dome - yes

it's tough, but have faith ... have been through much worse

While your sentiments are appreciated I doubt you can ever say you or any other hawks fan has "been through much worse" when you are talking to a lifelong Cardinals fan. The history of ineptness with this franchise is second to none.

 

[duckfallas]

You and me both. I was pretty much over it by the time I got to my car.

How many beers did you have yesterday?

 

[MigratingOsprey]

i'm saying we both can say we've been through worse than our respective current situations

the hawks have been in a much worse place then they are now

the cards have been in a much worse place then they are now

as far as historical ... in my 20 some years of fandom, things haven't been rosy for either side

I got in right when the hawks went into decline in the 80s .... the 90s were horrible for both and the hawks have been better as of late

both have had bad owership lead to funky decisions ... your franchise moved, the hawks had their bags packed to anaheim ... we've both seen QB play that no human should suffer through ... we've both had seasons where 4-5 wins would be a good result

as far as franchise history i'd take the hawks over the cards ... but it's not like either team is the steelers or anything

 

[clif]

How many beers did you have yesterday?

I actually only had one.