1. Some good teams lost 4th quarter leads and their games yesterday:
Bengals
Packers
Bucs (wow what a way to lose a virtually guaranteed win, huh?)
And like the Cardinals, all of those teams were on the road where momentum shifts can make a huge difference.
2. I find it uncanny that we as fans knew so little about Todd Bowles defense and what he was going to throw at the Rams, and yet, the Rams' offensive line seemed to know exactly where the blitzes were coming every time the Cardinals' blitzed.
It makes you wonder whether the defense we saw in pre-season (package and blitz-wise) was already the one we now see in games, because the Rams sure were prepared for all of it. No pressure wrinkle worked. Even with the 2nd string RT in the game.
3. Tyrann Mathieu did one heckuva job on Tavon Austin---the problem was that it didn't free Mathieu up to blitz, which has to be corrected because Mathieu is such a force in bringing pressure.
4. The Cardinals' throwing and pass catching in this game was the best we have seen since the Green Bay playoff extravaganza. Talk about being locked in. Michael Floyd's one handed catch on the deep ball---Roberts' sensational catch on the sidelines and everywhere in between---and even Dray and Sperry's catches were squeaky clean.
5. The wheel route---in retrospect---if you are going to run that play on such an important third down, you are much better off running it to the right, not the left, because it is a much easier throw for a right handed QB.
Notice how much Palmer overthrew Fitz on the first fade pass left. It was SO great BA came right back with the same call on second down and notice how Palmer adjusted his throw and made it perfect.
Throwing left with accuracy requires quicker footwork and shoulder turn (squaring)---and it is harder to do this under pressure.
6. BA's credibility---you know I think we understand (to a small degree) why BA called Levi Brown "elite." First of all, it was wishful thinking...but the hope was that Brown could resume his best form from the last eight games of 2010, especially because BA&SK had bigger needs to fill (at least in how they prioritized the needs).
But now---the whole "we don't throw to the RBs" statement that BA was adamant about, and yet in the most crucial spot in the game, BA throws a wheel route to a rookie RB who had only played a few snaps in the game.
Plus---did you notice how often BA went to empty backfields in order to get 5 "quicks" on third downs? BA didn't even keep 5 WRs on the roster---so yesterday we saw the RBs being used as slot receivers.
If you recall, there was a key missed third down in the 3rd quarter in the red zone when Palmer's pass was tipped by a Ram DT---and that pass was intended for a well-covered Alfonso Smith (that's right it was Alfonso Smith #29)---even Ronde Barber saw that the tipped pass was lucky for the Cardinals because it looked like the Ram CB was going to easily jump the route.
The point is---right now---in key situations, do we really want to be passing to RBs coming off the slot?
6. Another thing---BA kept throwing the WR screens to the right, almost right into the hands of a waiting Jake Long, when he should have been throwing them to the left. Why? That's one key way to slow down Robert Quinn. You make him think he may have to stop to deflect a pass---or---you run screens and draws to his side (the 49ers always slow Quinn down on those).
7. Next time we play the Rams we should make a point to run right at Quinn and put a pounding on him early and often. Run the power off-tackle play and mix it up by cracking down on him one play and kicking him out the next. We allowed him to play in a tuxedo all game. Not good.
8. What would it hurt to see what our best tackle, Eric Winston could do on the left side?...and have Brown compete with Massey for the RT spot. Winston did a fine job on Jake Long---as good as any Cardinal RT has---and Long's about the best LDE we face.
Sure he's not ideally suited, but he's one tough competitor who will fight and battle more than Levi Brown will.
If BA and HC stay with Levi Brown at LT, they are going to have to tell him---anytime we iso you on the RDE and you start to get beat badly, hold, trip, tackle, do whatever you can to make sure the RDE does not blindside Palmer.
It is the lesser of two evils---the offense with Palmer is good enough to make up the ten yards---but protecting Palmer's health (and the ball) is THE #1 priority. It has to be.
Saying this to a tackle actually gives him a safety net because just knowing that the coaches would rather you hold than give up a thunderous blindside strip sack, allows you to play more aggressively. It actually relieves some of the pressure, especially when the coaches know they can't realistically give the LT help on every pass play.
I did this once with a sophomore LT who was talented but very nervous. Same scenario coming off a bad game where he got exposed. I just kept reminding him---safety net---we will find a way to get the yards back---and it was amazing what a difference this made. He hardly gave up another sack all season.
9. Palmer HAS to step up in the pocket much more than what he does. He is way too stationary---which is a tackle's worst nightmare.
10. What Todd Bowles really needs to do is start getting better athletes on the edge in passing situations---it is mind boggling that John Abraham only played 20 snaps---BA said it was because the Rams were running versus the nickel, but the running game wasn't hurting us---the one time we got some pressure on Bradford, he just easily sidestepped the pocket to his right and was able to throw for an easy first down. This was Bradford---imagine what it will be like when we play Kaepernick and Wilson. You have to have quick twitch athletes on the edge who can disengage and chase in a flash---not bull rushers like Campbell (wow, LDE, really?), Shaughnessy (who is better inside than out), Alexander (who allowed Bradford to slip right past him so easily) and Acho (too slow). We really have to play Abraham at RDE on all passing situations and consider sliding Dansby or Brinkley over to the left edge---get Minter more involved in the middle---and then use Washington as a middle and edge rover when he returns. Defending the edge is this defense's biggest weakness and the other teams know it.
