Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
1. Q Whipped.
The nightmare we all feared when we learned that Boldin was gift-wrapped from brother to brother to the 49ers for a mere 6th round pick. The guy is dynamic as ever and one could make a string case that yesterday he remained the most dynamic, game-changing offensive player on the field.
Boldin is a free agent and the market should be ripe for him. What both Arizona and Baltimore learned when letting him go is how his presence and sheer toughness is irreplaceable.
Could the Cardinals make a run for Boldin to return?---Would Boldin even consider it? Unlikely in both cases. However, wresting Boldin away from the 49ers to let them experience what his loss means to an offense---and, knowing that Boldin is still very good friends with Fitzgerald and the two men that Boldin had issues with, Whisenhunt and Graves, are no longer calling the shots, might suggest a possibility here, albeit a thin one.
2. Roman Numerals.
Greg Roman's game plan versus the Cardinals (reverses, overloads, tackle eligibles, bootlegs, play action to the TE in the red zone) was outstanding for many, many reasons. The creativity of it was a perfect way to keep his offense interested in playing this game when most likely they would have preferred to do what KC did, as in rest their key starters.
There's a good reason why the Cardinals struggled early versus the Eagles and the 49ers---what both teams exploited, with very good success, was the Cardinals' vulnerabilities on the edges. Not only are the Cardinals' OLBers prone to giving up contain, the Cardinals' CBs are not good run forcing tacklers.
The plan was to get into the defense's head and it worked. Add to this a slippery turf and Cardinal DBs over-running WR routes, especially on plays where Kaepernick was able to break contain from the pocket and throw on the run, it was a tall task for the Cardinals' defense to overcome.
3. Box Tops.
The great news, however, is that for the first time in years the Cardinals were able to overpower the 49ers' power in the box.
That was the first step our team had to take. And it should not be under-estimated how important a step that is.
The next key step us that Cardinals need to get more athletic and physical on the edges and the perimeters...and in consistently knowing their coverage assignments. This now becomes as much of a priority as finding a defender who can consistently blanket the TE.
4. Honing the Edges on Offense.
What Chip Kelly is doing in Philly, by making teams play the whole width of the field is going to catch like wildfire...because not only does it create one on one problems in the open field for DCs, it opens up the running game. It's no fluke that Shady McCoy is the leading rusher in the NFC---after being 9th in the NFC last year. The scheme is so difficult to defend.
The Cardinals already have a key piece to this ability in Andre Ellington in that he is a threat outside...now the Cardinals need to find another compliment to Ellington to widen the field to the other side.
5. Costly Turnovers.
If you count missed field goals as turnovers---which is essentially the same as losing a fumble on the play---it's pretty tough to keep overcoming 4 turnovers and win versus championship caliber teams.
Feeley's misses were of course regrettable. It seemed the first one came off what appeared to be a rushed snap. Not that this an excuse, but just an observation.
Palmer's force into 5 49er defenders is mind boggling and seeing as this has happened seemingly in every one of the Cardinals' losses, it begs the question as to how disciplined Palmer is. Now---it must be said that his play from that point on was highly commendable---but, if Palmer can turn this page, imagine how good he and the Cardinals' offense can be.
From the beginning it was hard to understand BA's love for Mendenhall. He is not an instinctive runner, he does not protect the ball by lowering his shoulder, he doesn't break tackles and, as we saw, especially at the worst of times, he is fumble prone.
And while the last kickoff wasn't a turnover---at a time when a touchback was desperately needed, it was unfortunate that Feeley was unable to get it done...for the key to the winning drive was the field position.
6. Snap, Crackle and Pop.
Man, did the 49ers have Carson Palmer's snap timing down pat? It took way too long for BA and Palmer to adjust to this. Palmer does set the offense up the same way virtually every time, to where he's almost always snapping the ball at the 5 second or under mark. Credit the Cardinals' interior for picking up the inside rushes, most of the time, but it caused free rushes from the edges and thus hurried, off the mark throws in key situations.
Interesting that on the TD pass to Andre Roberts, it looked like Lyle Sendlein surprised even Palmer by snapping it a count early.
Good for Andre Roberts, by the way. He's had a down year, following a promising start to the season.
7. The BA Way.
Down 17-0, 4th and goal from the 1 yard line, risking yet another empty trip, BA goes for it. Says a lot about the coach. This is one of the main reasons how he and his staff have been teaching the team how to win.
One would imagine BA is kicking himself in the arse today for not going for it on 4th and 2 when Feeley missed his second FG.
Did you notice that Carson Palmer was begging for BA to go for 2 after the Roberts TD? Betchya that BA was very much considering it. But, the team had fought so hard to come back with 17 unanswered points to tie the game, it would have been hard to rationalize going for it, especially with so much time left on the clock.
8. Expecting The Same Standard.
That's what Carson Palmer said in his post-game presser. The bar has been set, and although it would have been sweet to close out the season 3-3 in the NFC West after an 0-3 start, the key thing is, the coaches and players know exactly how high the bar is and where the standards and expectations are.
Eric Winston put it very well...he said he had never seen a team make such steady improvements over the course of a season. "We got so much better," he said.
9. The Solution.
Karlos Dansby in his presser said a key thing about what the team felt when it was down 17-0. "Instead of panicking, everyone looked for the solution."
The trust the players have garnered in the coaching and in each other is the most significant development of this year's season.
10. The Most Competitive Team in Arizona Cardinals History.
Warts and all---this 10-6 team is the most competitive, because it showed up every day and every week. All the games were competitive.
This was by far the most physical team the Cardinals have ever had.
The good teams with Warner cannot claim the same. Those teams would get blown out in some games. At times the defense was atrocious.
We should give these players and coaches their due. They strapped it up from start to finish---they got after it---there was never any quit---and their achievements deserved them a playoff berth because they truly became one of the top ten best teams in the NFL.
The nightmare we all feared when we learned that Boldin was gift-wrapped from brother to brother to the 49ers for a mere 6th round pick. The guy is dynamic as ever and one could make a string case that yesterday he remained the most dynamic, game-changing offensive player on the field.
Boldin is a free agent and the market should be ripe for him. What both Arizona and Baltimore learned when letting him go is how his presence and sheer toughness is irreplaceable.
Could the Cardinals make a run for Boldin to return?---Would Boldin even consider it? Unlikely in both cases. However, wresting Boldin away from the 49ers to let them experience what his loss means to an offense---and, knowing that Boldin is still very good friends with Fitzgerald and the two men that Boldin had issues with, Whisenhunt and Graves, are no longer calling the shots, might suggest a possibility here, albeit a thin one.
2. Roman Numerals.
Greg Roman's game plan versus the Cardinals (reverses, overloads, tackle eligibles, bootlegs, play action to the TE in the red zone) was outstanding for many, many reasons. The creativity of it was a perfect way to keep his offense interested in playing this game when most likely they would have preferred to do what KC did, as in rest their key starters.
There's a good reason why the Cardinals struggled early versus the Eagles and the 49ers---what both teams exploited, with very good success, was the Cardinals' vulnerabilities on the edges. Not only are the Cardinals' OLBers prone to giving up contain, the Cardinals' CBs are not good run forcing tacklers.
The plan was to get into the defense's head and it worked. Add to this a slippery turf and Cardinal DBs over-running WR routes, especially on plays where Kaepernick was able to break contain from the pocket and throw on the run, it was a tall task for the Cardinals' defense to overcome.
3. Box Tops.
The great news, however, is that for the first time in years the Cardinals were able to overpower the 49ers' power in the box.
That was the first step our team had to take. And it should not be under-estimated how important a step that is.
The next key step us that Cardinals need to get more athletic and physical on the edges and the perimeters...and in consistently knowing their coverage assignments. This now becomes as much of a priority as finding a defender who can consistently blanket the TE.
4. Honing the Edges on Offense.
What Chip Kelly is doing in Philly, by making teams play the whole width of the field is going to catch like wildfire...because not only does it create one on one problems in the open field for DCs, it opens up the running game. It's no fluke that Shady McCoy is the leading rusher in the NFC---after being 9th in the NFC last year. The scheme is so difficult to defend.
The Cardinals already have a key piece to this ability in Andre Ellington in that he is a threat outside...now the Cardinals need to find another compliment to Ellington to widen the field to the other side.
5. Costly Turnovers.
If you count missed field goals as turnovers---which is essentially the same as losing a fumble on the play---it's pretty tough to keep overcoming 4 turnovers and win versus championship caliber teams.
Feeley's misses were of course regrettable. It seemed the first one came off what appeared to be a rushed snap. Not that this an excuse, but just an observation.
Palmer's force into 5 49er defenders is mind boggling and seeing as this has happened seemingly in every one of the Cardinals' losses, it begs the question as to how disciplined Palmer is. Now---it must be said that his play from that point on was highly commendable---but, if Palmer can turn this page, imagine how good he and the Cardinals' offense can be.
From the beginning it was hard to understand BA's love for Mendenhall. He is not an instinctive runner, he does not protect the ball by lowering his shoulder, he doesn't break tackles and, as we saw, especially at the worst of times, he is fumble prone.
And while the last kickoff wasn't a turnover---at a time when a touchback was desperately needed, it was unfortunate that Feeley was unable to get it done...for the key to the winning drive was the field position.
6. Snap, Crackle and Pop.
Man, did the 49ers have Carson Palmer's snap timing down pat? It took way too long for BA and Palmer to adjust to this. Palmer does set the offense up the same way virtually every time, to where he's almost always snapping the ball at the 5 second or under mark. Credit the Cardinals' interior for picking up the inside rushes, most of the time, but it caused free rushes from the edges and thus hurried, off the mark throws in key situations.
Interesting that on the TD pass to Andre Roberts, it looked like Lyle Sendlein surprised even Palmer by snapping it a count early.
Good for Andre Roberts, by the way. He's had a down year, following a promising start to the season.
7. The BA Way.
Down 17-0, 4th and goal from the 1 yard line, risking yet another empty trip, BA goes for it. Says a lot about the coach. This is one of the main reasons how he and his staff have been teaching the team how to win.
One would imagine BA is kicking himself in the arse today for not going for it on 4th and 2 when Feeley missed his second FG.
Did you notice that Carson Palmer was begging for BA to go for 2 after the Roberts TD? Betchya that BA was very much considering it. But, the team had fought so hard to come back with 17 unanswered points to tie the game, it would have been hard to rationalize going for it, especially with so much time left on the clock.
8. Expecting The Same Standard.
That's what Carson Palmer said in his post-game presser. The bar has been set, and although it would have been sweet to close out the season 3-3 in the NFC West after an 0-3 start, the key thing is, the coaches and players know exactly how high the bar is and where the standards and expectations are.
Eric Winston put it very well...he said he had never seen a team make such steady improvements over the course of a season. "We got so much better," he said.
9. The Solution.
Karlos Dansby in his presser said a key thing about what the team felt when it was down 17-0. "Instead of panicking, everyone looked for the solution."
The trust the players have garnered in the coaching and in each other is the most significant development of this year's season.
10. The Most Competitive Team in Arizona Cardinals History.
Warts and all---this 10-6 team is the most competitive, because it showed up every day and every week. All the games were competitive.
This was by far the most physical team the Cardinals have ever had.
The good teams with Warner cannot claim the same. Those teams would get blown out in some games. At times the defense was atrocious.
We should give these players and coaches their due. They strapped it up from start to finish---they got after it---there was never any quit---and their achievements deserved them a playoff berth because they truly became one of the top ten best teams in the NFL.
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