Mike Lombardi on Cardinals' Blue- and Red-chip players

[kerouac9]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...-saints-cowboys-with-a-wealth-of-bluechippers

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Blue-chip players: DT Darnell Dockett and WR Larry Fitzgerald.

Red-chip players: SS Adrian Wilson, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, DT Calais Campbell.

The Cardinals have many talented, young guys who might become red- or blue-chip players soon (receiver Steve Breaston comes to mind). While they have a solid supporting cast, losing blue-chip quarterback Kurt Warner without a blue or red replacement is the main question in Arizona.

Ken Whisenhunt is a coach that Lombardi is considering making his 6th blue-chip coach, but for some reason Jon Fox is already ranked as a blue-chip coach, which is horseflop.

I think the takeaway from a report like this is that the Cards have a lot of young talent that has a lot to prove (Leinart, Wells, Toler, L. Brown, etc.) and a lot of veterans who need to prove that they're still good (Rhodes, Porter). By the end of the season the red list at least should nearly double.

 

[Unsterblich856]

Adrian Wilson is the 3rd best safety in the league. How is he not a blue-chip?

 

[DoTheDew]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...-saints-cowboys-with-a-wealth-of-bluechippers



Ken Whisenhunt is a coach that Lombardi is considering making his 6th blue-chip coach, but for some reason Jon Fox is already ranked as a blue-chip coach, which is horseflop.

I think the takeaway from a report like this is that the Cards have a lot of young talent that has a lot to prove (Leinart, Wells, Toler, L. Brown, etc.) and a lot of veterans who need to prove that they're still good (Rhodes, Porter). By the end of the season the red list at least should nearly double.

I think that, given how few blue and red chips players we have compared to many of the other teams on that list, while still being back to back division champs, Whiz should get a boost.

 

[kerouac9]

I think that, given how few blue and red chips players we have compared to many of the other teams on that list, while still being back to back division champs, Whiz should get a boost.

I don't know. We lost one blue-chip player (according to Lombardi) in Dansby and another red-chip player in Boldin. I think that would put us in line with most of the playoff teams.

Lombardi sees the Cards as a "green chip" team in the NFC (essentially third-tier):

Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals remind me of a hit television show that suddenly loses the main character and everyone is apprehensive about whether the show can maintain ratings or even stay on the air. Could Seinfeld have survived without Jerry? Could The Sopranos have survived without Tony? Can the Cardinals survive without Kurt Warner? The Cardinals have a good team, a very good head coach, and they play in a division that does not have a dominating quarterback. Yet, for the Cardinals to be the same kind of team they were with Warner, Matt Leinart must do his best Warner impression from the left side. Last year, Arizona's strength was its passing game. The Cardinals finished last in the NFL in rush percentage, relying on the arm of Warner and the skill set of their wideouts to make big plays down the field. They will have to be different to compensate for the loss of Warner as Leinart can't single-handedly fill the role. They are capable of moving up as the preseason unfolds and we see exactly what the new show with the new actor might look like.

His POV--and it's a hard one to argue with--is that a blue-chip QB will probably get you to the playoffs and pretty deep therein. Losing Warner is a big loss, and I don't know if an improved running game is going to help that much. 6 of the Top 10 rushing teams last season failed to reach the playoffs last year (and three of the top 5).

 

[joeshmo]

Why is Darren Sharper on his list of blue chippers. We talking about the same overrated, gets burnt more then does getting INT's, not a single team in the league even wanted him for 1.5 mill dollars, 34 year old coming off of micro fracture surgery on his knee, wont even have his brace off until sometime mid training camp, and wont be ready for game 1. We talking about that Darren Sharper? A Blue Chipper? If he is considered a blue chipper then Wilson is without one as well. Sharper is a top 10 at his position but Wilson isnt? Andy Lee is a blue chipper but Graham isnt?

Some pretty odd items in this piece IMO.

 

[bg7brd]

I don't know. We lost one blue-chip player (according to Lombardi) in Dansby and another red-chip player in Boldin. I think that would put us in line with most of the playoff teams.

Lombardi sees the Cards as a "green chip" team in the NFC (essentially third-tier):



His POV--and it's a hard one to argue with--is that a blue-chip QB will probably get you to the playoffs and pretty deep therein. Losing Warner is a big loss, and I don't know if an improved running game is going to help that much. 6 of the Top 10 rushing teams last season failed to reach the playoffs last year (and three of the top 5).

I'm sure Dansby moved up from red chip to blue chip just by leaving the Cards. Shouldn't you have to make a pro bowl to be a blue chip player?

 

[Mitch]

Lombardi is a white chip reporter. This list is a farce.

Blue Chips Cardinals: 11, 24, 29, 90 (All Pro-Bowlers)

Red Chip Cardinals: 4, 5, 15, 25, 26, 34, 36, 53, 55, 63, 66, 75, 82, 93.

GO CARDS! RIP THESE NAY-SAYERS!

 

[Mitch]

I'm sure Dansby moved up from red chip to blue chip just by leaving the Cards. Shouldn't you have to make a pro bowl to be a blue chip player?

Exactly! This is why you are the big bird!

 

[HookemCards]

His AFC maybe even worse: Chris Chambers a red chipper; Ocho Cinco blue; Cedric Benson blue; Calvin Pace blue; Ricky Williams blue. In the NFC: Miles Austin was a beast last year but not sure i'd call him a blue chipper just yet; Woodson has been touched on; Is Vilma really a top 10 LB in the league? Red I can see, but blue.

 

[JeffGollin]

Here's to a Chip-less Season

I really don't care about how one guy - however well respected - feels about a few players being blue, red, green or organdy chips.

Football is a team sport. In some success stories, a few stars are talented enough to carry the team, but there are many instances where a successful team has fewer big names but the "belly" of its roster is filled with more solid (though less spectacular) players.

And then there's the matter of how well the guys on each unit play together and how hard and how poised they consistently play.

The goal is to win the most games and ultimately the Super Bowl; not necessarily who on your roster is the right color chip.

 

[40yearfan]

There are some players in the NFL who are cow chips.

 

[Mitch]

I really don't care about how one guy - however well respected - feels about a few players being blue, red, green or organdy chips.

Football is a team sport. In some success stories, a few stars are talented enough to carry the team, but there are many instances where a successful team has fewer big names but the "belly" of its roster is filled with more solid (though less spectacular) players.

And then there's the matter of how well the guys on each unit play together and how hard and how poised they consistently play.

The goal is to win the most games and ultimately the Super Bowl; not necessarily who on your roster is the right color chip.

You're absolutely right, Jeff. Great post!

 

[kerouac9]

I really don't care about how one guy - however well respected - feels about a few players being blue, red, green or organdy chips.

Football is a team sport. In some success stories, a few stars are talented enough to carry the team, but there are many instances where a successful team has fewer big names but the "belly" of its roster is filled with more solid (though less spectacular) players.

And then there's the matter of how well the guys on each unit play together and how hard and how poised they consistently play.

The goal is to win the most games and ultimately the Super Bowl; not necessarily who on your roster is the right color chip.

Both of last season's super bowl entrants were LOADED with blue-chip players. All four Conference Championship teams last season were LOADED with blue-chip players.

Your comment makes for a nice once-in-a-decade story (like the Carolina Panthers when they went to the Super Bowl), but if you want to have a team that contends for a championship five out of every seven years, you're going to have to locate and keep blue-chip talent.

 

[bg7brd]

What constitutes a "Blue Chip" player and what constitutes 'LOADED" ? You should at least have to earn a pro bowl appearance (not go because everyone in front of you decided not to). As far as I'm concerned, the Cards have 4 blue chip players...AW, Dockett, Fitz, and DRC.

 

[Gee!]

What the hell? I thought this was about college players? Who calls pro players chippers? I could give a crap what Mike Lombardi thinks.. He can go to hell..

 

[splitsecond]

John Fox ranked as bluechip? I think Carolina Huddle might have some things to say about that.

 

[kerouac9]

What constitutes a "Blue Chip" player and what constitutes 'LOADED" ? You should at least have to earn a pro bowl appearance (not go because everyone in front of you decided not to). As far as I'm concerned, the Cards have 4 blue chip players...AW, Dockett, Fitz, and DRC.

If you read the article, he defines it:

Michael Lombardi's definitions for blue- and red-chip players:

Blue-chip player: Rates among the top 10 at his position in the league. He is good enough to create mismatches vs. most opponents. He must also be one of the team's featured players and have a direct impact on the outcome of the game.

Red-chip player: Plays the game with no real weaknesses, is a solid starter, and will be able to capitalize on certain opponents, but is never consistently dominant. He might not play as well against the league's very best, but shows up each week and has a high degree of competitiveness, ranking among the top 15 at his position.

Some people would learn more if they're not defensive first and try to learn something.

The Saints had 9 blue- or red-chip players (not counting Sean Peyton), according to Lombardi. The Colts had 8. The Jets and Vikings had 10. The Cowboys had 9; the Chargers 11. If nearly half your starters are Top 15 players, I think that qualifies.

Especially if you have players at the right positions. If you have a blue-chip QB, LT, DE, CB, and S, you're probably going to make the playoffs and contend for a Super Bowl.

 

[bg7brd]

If you read the article, he defines it:



Some people would learn more if they're not defensive first and try to learn something.

The Saints had 9 blue- or red-chip players (not counting Sean Peyton), according to Lombardi. The Colts had 8. The Jets and Vikings had 10. The Cowboys had 9; the Chargers 11. If nearly half your starters are Top 15 players, I think that qualifies.

Especially if you have players at the right positions. If you have a blue-chip QB, LT, DE, CB, and S, you're probably going to make the playoffs and contend for a Super Bowl.

My point is that it's all subjective. Who cares what his outline is if he's going to pick and chose players at his own discretion. He lists AW as only a red chip player which is laughable. He was ALL PRO in 2009. You don't get anymore blue chip than that. When AW was at the pro bowl, Dansby was sitting at home planning ways to spend his new contract. Yet, he is listed as blue chip....hardly. If Karlos was still with the Cards, do you think he would be listed as blue chip??

You should try a little koolaid in your sour milk. It tastes better that way.

 

[Mulli]

So teams with a lot of good players make the playoffs and contend for Super Bowls? Wow, I feel so much smarter now.

 

[kerouac9]

My point is that it's all subjective. Who cares what his outline is if he's going to pick and chose players at his own discretion. He lists AW as only a red chip player which is laughable. He was ALL PRO in 2009. You don't get anymore blue chip than that. When AW was at the pro bowl, Dansby was sitting at home planning ways to spend his new contract. Yet, he is listed as blue chip....hardly. If Karlos was still with the Cards, do you think he would be listed as blue chip??

You should try a little koolaid in your sour milk. It tastes better that way.

I bet that the slew of tight ends who toasted Adrian Wilson last season probably think that he's a red chip guy.

Adrian Wilson is a man, and I love having him on the team, but he's not a complete player. He got schooled by a one-legged Jeremy Shockey in the playoffs. When he's manned-up in coverage, it looks ugly.

It's funny how when a Card gets overlooked for the pro bowl, it's a meaningless exhibition where players get rewarded for performances often long in the past, but when it's a guy that someone wants to hate on, the Pro Bowl is an important impartial judgment of a player's value. Two years ago Karlos Dansby deserved to go to the Pro Bowl, but Derrick Brooks went because he was good five years ago. Derrick Brooks wasn't even starting for his team two years ago.

I think that if Karlos was still with the Cards, he would be listed as a blue-chip player because last season he was an almost-blue player (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/243857-tavern-talk-blues-by-team-by-mike-lombardi) and he made more plays--especially int he playoffs.

I don't think that Lombardi's is a perfect list by any means. But I'm surprised and disappointed that it wasn't a jumping off point for discussion and instead the usual beaten-wives response that "So-and-so-national-writer Hates the Cards" and "this guy doesn't know what he's talking about."

 

[Mulli]

I bet that the slew of tight ends who toasted Adrian Wilson last season probably think that he's a red chip guy.

Adrian Wilson is a man, and I love having him on the team, but he's not a complete player. He got schooled by a one-legged Jeremy Shockey in the playoffs. When he's manned-up in coverage, it looks ugly.

It's funny how when a Card gets overlooked for the pro bowl, it's a meaningless exhibition where players get rewarded for performances often long in the past, but when it's a guy that someone wants to hate on, the Pro Bowl is an important impartial judgment of a player's value. Two years ago Karlos Dansby deserved to go to the Pro Bowl, but Derrick Brooks went because he was good five years ago. Derrick Brooks wasn't even starting for his team two years ago.

I think that if Karlos was still with the Cards, he would be listed as a blue-chip player because last season he was an almost-blue player (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/243857-tavern-talk-blues-by-team-by-mike-lombardi) and he made more plays--especially int he playoffs.

I don't think that Lombardi's is a perfect list by any means. But I'm surprised and disappointed that it wasn't a jumping off point for discussion and instead the usual beaten-wives response that "So-and-so-national-writer Hates the Cards" and "this guy doesn't know what he's talking about."

What else would we discuss about Lombardi's piece besides how we disagreed with him? Not really shocking that a Arizona Cardinals forum would want a Cardinal ranked higher. Are there ten better SS in the league than AW? Does AW not influence outcomes of games?

Blue-chip player: Rates among the top 10 at his position in the league. He is good enough to create mismatches vs. most opponents. He must also be one of the team's featured players and have a direct impact on the outcome of the game.

It is at least arguable that AW belongs.

 

[Mulli]

I just noticed his comment on Leonard Davis. I take back everything negative I ever said about Lombardi.

 

[kerouac9]

What else would we discuss about Lombardi's piece besides how we disagreed with him? Not really shocking that a Arizona Cardinals forum would want a Cardinal ranked higher. Are there ten better SS in the league than AW? Does AW not influence outcomes of games?



It is at least arguable that AW belongs.

I don't care that people disagree (or agree, for that matter) with Lombardi, I'm more interested in hearing people explain why they agree or disagree with him. People saying, "AW's awesome! Lombardi's an imbecile" seems to gloss over the continuing problems that AW has in coverage and how frequently he gets turned around by middle-tier TEs (or better).

It is arguable that AW belongs, but I don't think it's as cut-and-dry as people here are suggesting. I'm not sure that AW creates a mismatch against most opponents, for example.

 

[bg7brd]

I don't care that people disagree (or agree, for that matter) with Lombardi, I'm more interested in hearing people explain why they agree or disagree with him. People saying, "AW's awesome! Lombardi's an imbecile" seems to gloss over the continuing problems that AW has in coverage and how frequently he gets turned around by middle-tier TEs (or better).

It is arguable that AW belongs, but I don't think it's as cut-and-dry as people here are suggesting. I'm not sure that AW creates a mismatch against most opponents, for example.

How many other 2009 ALL PROs are not considered blue chip?

 

[kerouac9]

How many other 2009 ALL PROs are not considered blue chip?

I don't know. Do your own homework. How many 2009 ALL PROs were put in a dress by one-legged tight ends in Divisional Championship games?