Kevin Spencer is THE MAN

[Duckjake]

Of all the things that have improved for the Cards over the last four years IMO by far the most improved has been the play of our special teams.

I used to leave the room when we'd kickoff or punt because I just couldn't bear to watch the pending disaster.

Now it is the exact opposite. I doubt there is anyone on the board who doesn't view Graham as a significant weapon for the Cards and watching LSH return kicks is as entertaining as it gets.

Meanwhile the improvement in our coverage teams is really unbelievable for anyone who has watched the Cards play for any length of time.

Punt returns could be better but that is just a result of transitioning from Breaston to Roberts or whomever.

A big to Coach Spencer and the guys on ST.

 

[Catfish]

Of all the things that have improved for the Cards over the last four years IMO by far the most improved has been the play of our special teams.

I used to leave the room when we'd kickoff or punt because I just couldn't bear to watch the pending disaster.

Now it is the exact opposite. I doubt there is anyone on the board who doesn't view Graham as a significant weapon for the Cards and watching LSH return kicks is as entertaining as it gets.

Meanwhile the improvement in our coverage teams is really unbelievable for anyone who has watched the Cards play for any length of time.

Punt returns could be better but that is just a result of transitioning from Breaston to Roberts or whomever.

A big to Coach Spencer and the guys on ST.

Agreed-----and you can add Donnie Henderson to this post as well. We have two excellent units in ST's and Defensive Secondary-----and both are young and getting better.

 

[Duckjake]

Agreed-----and you can add Donnie Henderson to this post as well. We have two excellent units in ST's and Defensive Secondary-----and both are young and getting better.

I'm not putting the secondary in the same class just yet. Still too many receivers running wide open. But the coverage has been tighter on occasion and the tackling much better so they're getting closer.

 

[az1965]

Our punt returns always sucked even with Breaston.

 

[Duckjake]

Our punt returns always sucked even with Breaston.

Not even close to when it was 50-50 that we'd fumble or lose 15 yards on the return because of a penalty.

 

[az1965]

Not even close to when it was 50-50 that we'd fumble or lose 15 yards on the return because of a penalty.

I will give you that... Breaston at least had sure hands

 

[Red Dawn]

We are improving but I think it's a little early to crown the special teams. I love Graham and LSH. I agree that we need to improve the punt return game. I'm having trouble recalling which game it was that we screwed up two punt returns (one hit a coverage man and other was a muff?); I am probably blocking those plays out because they were beyond ugly. We also lead the league in fumbled punt returns (4) not including todays games.

 

[Duckjake]

We are improving but I think it's a little early to crown the special teams. I love Graham and LSH. I agree that we need to improve the punt return game. I'm having trouble recalling which game it was that we screwed up two punt returns (one hit a coverage man and other was a muff?); I am probably blocking those plays out because they were beyond ugly. We also lead the league in fumbled punt returns (4) not including todays games.

Totally disagree. The special teams are so far superior to the Chinese fire drills we used to watch that they aren't even in the same country.

You can't isolate one or two returns you have to look at the body of work. I could find you plenty of terribly blown returns, coverages etc... from prior years.

The only thing exceptional the Cards did on special teams until a couple of years ago was have the dubious distinction of having Martay Jenkins set the NFL record for most Kickoff returns in one season.

 

[Red Dawn]

The only thing exceptional the Cards did on special teams until a couple of years ago was have the dubious distinction of having Martay Jenkins set the NFL record for most Kickoff returns in one season.

Wouldn't that be on the Defense?

 

[Duckjake]

Wouldn't that be on the Defense?

Depends. The Cards were pretty good at letting the other team score when they were on offense as well.

 

[Goldfield]

I would argue our improved ST's play is due to better depth. But our Punt returns need to improve.

 

[Duckjake]

I would argue our improved ST's play is due to better depth. But our Punt returns need to improve.

Or more guys who are slightly smaller and quicker than in past years.

I just looked at nfl.com/stats and as far as I can tell the Cards are ranked in the 10 best in every category except Punt Returns.

And as I've said many times who can argue that Ben Graham isn't one of the premier weapons we have on this football team.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I used to leave the room when we'd kickoff or punt because I just couldn't bear to watch the pending disaster.

?????

How can you leave field goals off that list ?

The way the Cardinals handled the Rackers situation was a thing of beauty.

My bold statement of the week: We do NOT win against the Saints two weeks ago, with Rackers as are field goal kicker.

That game, was one of those classic scenarios where Rackers would have choked at some point.

 

[Duckjake]

?????

How can you leave field goals off that list ?

The way the Cardinals handled the Rackers situation was a thing of beauty.

My bold statement of the week: We do NOT win against the Saints two weeks ago, with Rackers as are field goal kicker.

That game, was one of those classic scenarios where Rackers would have choked at some point.

LOL and Rackers wasn't the only one of our FG kickers to be infamous. Butler and O'Donoghue provided some interesting moments of their own.

Chris Jaecke was money though in '98.

 

[kerouac9]

Or more guys who are slightly smaller and quicker than in past years.

I just looked at nfl.com/stats and as far as I can tell the Cards are ranked in the 10 best in every category except Punt Returns.

And as I've said many times who can argue that Ben Graham isn't one of the premier weapons we have on this football team.

The only caveat I'd give--and I can't find the defensive KO return stats to back this up--is that I'm not sure we're being as effective against opposition KO returns as we should be to be a good team. It's hard to say, because our offense hasn't really been productive enough to force a lot of KO coverage.

The FootballOutsiders' analysis of our KO coverage units puts us slightly below average: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamst

It's not a perfect stat, but the average starting point for opponents drives is nearly the 32 yard line (http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/drivestats). That's 26th in the NFL.

I think you're right that we've found players in LSH and Ben Graham who are true weapons on special teams. Especially LSH, whom I'd like to see given a five-year extension sooner rather than later. But I'd like to see more consistency from our kick-coverage teams. The reason that they don't stand out for being bad is because we--frankly--haven't had a lot of need to kick off the ball lately.

 

[Duckjake]

The only caveat I'd give--and I can't find the defensive KO return stats to back this up--is that I'm not sure we're being as effective against opposition KO returns as we should be to be a good team. It's hard to say, because our offense hasn't really been productive enough to force a lot of KO coverage.

The FootballOutsiders' analysis of our KO coverage units puts us slightly below average: http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/teamst

It's not a perfect stat, but the average starting point for opponents drives is nearly the 32 yard line (http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/drivestats). That's 26th in the NFL.

I think you're right that we've found players in LSH and Ben Graham who are true weapons on special teams. Especially LSH, whom I'd like to see given a five-year extension sooner rather than later. But I'd like to see more consistency from our kick-coverage teams. The reason that they don't stand out for being bad is because we--frankly--haven't had a lot of need to kick off the ball lately.

According to ESPN the Cards are allowing 26.8 per return on average which is 25th but the longest return allowed this year is only 39 yards which ranks 7th. I guess that says the Cards aren't getting down field to the return man as quickly as other teams but their containment has been good.

Only 4 teams have fewer kickoffs than the Cards.

 

[kerouac9]

Bump!

 

[Crimson Warrior]

STs are going down like the hindenburg today.

Only the suckiness of hassleback is keeping in the game.

DA is coming in.

 

[arthurracoon]

Bump!

 

[Heucrazy]

Special teams killed this game.

 

[Duckjake]

Attention Mods! If I make any post with any positive reference to any player, coach, or really any aspect of the Arizona Cardinal football team please delete it immediately.



This team is worse than what we had to endure in 2003. They'll be lucky to win another game.

 

[SeattleCard]

Duckjake, you jinxed us!