Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
1. The Fumble.
Just when the Cardinals had recovered from a poor first series thanks to an easy sack on first down and then on defense had thwarted the Bucs' first series...they were righting the ship and starting to drive the ball---and this happens.
What was so egregious about it was that Mendenhall had nearly been nabbed with a fumble on the previous play. One would think that ball security would have been first and foremost on his mind.
Perhaps even more egregious is that Mendenhall fumbled when he ran into Fitzgerald---shades of Mark Sanchez's butt fumble.
This set such a poor tone for the first half---just when order and a modicum of momentum had been restored.
Made the Cardinals look like total chumps.
Then---worst of all---Mendenhall not only goes out of bounds late in the game, he fumbles the ball again? The ball was easily poked out as well. Easily. No protecting and squeezing of the corners at all.
If it's me coaching, Mendenhall does not start versus Carolina. He's got to earn his way back for those careless and hapless mistakes.
2. Bunch Formation Rushes.
Stupid. Just plain stupid. You want to clear the box---not invite more defenders into it.
Moreover, Fitzgerald is going to get injured while blocking inside the box at the LB level, because he is going to get rolled up from behind like Jonathan Cooper did.
Plus, the rushes haven't worked---pretty much for the obvious reasons.
3. Stopping the Run.
Every time Doug Martin has rushed 27 times for the Bucs he's averaged 137 yards.
Holding him to 58 yards in 27 carries yesterday was a major accomplishment, from a defense that has not fared well versus good running teams in recent years.
Not only did the Cardinals swarm and corral Martin play after play, they put a pounding on him. Yeremiah Bell stood Martin up three times on three of the most textbook "fill, pop, wrap and finish" tackles as one will ever see.
I guarantee you that Martin had to crawl out of bed this morning. He was hit from every side and twisted and rolled in in every direction.
The thing is---Martin and the Bucs' o-line are well above average---those boys can play. The Cardinals took the romance out of their running game like few have.
Kudos to every Cardinal defender who strapped on a helmet yesterday---they came to play and they came to finish.
4. Dialing Up Pressure.
Todd Bowles got it done. He threw the kitchen sink at the Bucs---the pressure got stronger and stronger as the game went on---no fatigue factor at all in the heat and humidity.
And we saw something i don't think we've seen in quite some time---a RDE (in newly called up Dontay Moch) who got to the QB for big backside hits via both a speed rush and a bull rush.
5. Dialing Up Selfish Stupidity.
Darnell Dockett---two absurd 15 yard personal foul penalties with the team down 10-0. Interesting that the climate of the game changed for good when he went out. Interesting too to see how effective Calais Campbell was playing on the left side where Dockett normally plays. Versus a right handed QB having Campbell on his right side is a tough obstacle.
6. Momentum Busters.
Boneheaded plays left and right.
The offense finally gets a chunk yard play to midfield by Fitzgerald in the 3rd quarter---and they can't even get the next play off and thereby have to call a timeout.
Then, the next play, that they called timeout for, is a poorly thrown out pass left to Fitzgerald versus Revis that could have easily been a turnover.
The off-sides penalties.
The two dropped passes on key third downs by Ellington and Roberts.
The push-off PI by Housler on a repeat of a play he made a great catch on earlier (interesting how BA calls the same plays twice, even did it onece back to back yesterday). BTW---Housler looks slow---looks like the ankle is still bothering him.
The two interceptions---
One on a deep out pass to Floyd---that is a spot throw just beyond the pylon that Palmer has to throw a second earlier. Credit rookie CB Jonathan Banks for making a stellar play on the ball when he was supposed to cover Ellington---but the throw needed to be quicker and Ellington needed to command more attention over the middle to keep the double team off Floyd.
The other---on one of the most absurd play calls one will ever see---it's first down inside Bucs' territory, and the offense is marching again---they send in Bradley Sowell as an extra TE to give the appearance that they are going to run the ball---and the call is an out pass to the far left sideline that Revis nearly picked off earlier?
If anything the call is a play action over the linebackers and between the safeties.
For the game: 1-10 on third downs.
Worse of all---the frequent general confusion in just getting the personnel lined up---this is Week 4? And this is an offense coached by BA and Tom Moore? Ridiculous at this juncture.
7. Get Mad Carson.
It did you some good. You were furious about the Revis interception---it looked as if you felt Fitzgerald mis-timed the route.
The fact is---you threw a perfect TD dart to Fitzgerald when the team needed it most. On that play Fitzgerald deked Revis like the All-Pro that he is, and you delivered the ball right on the money, right on time.
You handled your duties well down the stretch. Stay mad. Impose your will, like the best QBs do.
8. Brown, Jefferson and Potter.
Juron Brown picked a great time to step up, didn't he?
And how about the play of Tony Jefferson and Nate Potter filling in for Rashad Johnson and Daryn Colledge...huge performances....did you see Potter clearing the DT out for Palmer to throw the TD to Fitzgerald. Huge.
9. Zastudil and Feely and add Mike Leach in there too.
Z has the word "stud" in his name for a good reason...because he was big-time clutch in this game. As was Tampa native Jay Feely and the unsung snapper Mike Leach.
10. Patrick Peterson and Being 2-2 for the 1st Quarter of the Season.
Peterson became the man yesterday. His stock was already high---but now it is going to skyrocket. The best CBs show up when you need them most. And PP21 was like Dominos Pizza yesterday---he delivered.
And when you think about it---as ugly and unproductive as this game was on offense for three quarters---the team managed to finish off the game and found a way to prevail under duress and self-inflicted setbacks---it sits at 2-2 after a quarter of the season that marked 3 away games. The team has played 3 games down to the wire, and has won 2 of them, the second being a much needed road win.
As I said two weeks ago, I thought it would take some time before BA and the staff could teach this team how to win. So, to be 2-2 at this point, is sweet!
Just when the Cardinals had recovered from a poor first series thanks to an easy sack on first down and then on defense had thwarted the Bucs' first series...they were righting the ship and starting to drive the ball---and this happens.
What was so egregious about it was that Mendenhall had nearly been nabbed with a fumble on the previous play. One would think that ball security would have been first and foremost on his mind.
Perhaps even more egregious is that Mendenhall fumbled when he ran into Fitzgerald---shades of Mark Sanchez's butt fumble.
This set such a poor tone for the first half---just when order and a modicum of momentum had been restored.
Made the Cardinals look like total chumps.
Then---worst of all---Mendenhall not only goes out of bounds late in the game, he fumbles the ball again? The ball was easily poked out as well. Easily. No protecting and squeezing of the corners at all.
If it's me coaching, Mendenhall does not start versus Carolina. He's got to earn his way back for those careless and hapless mistakes.
2. Bunch Formation Rushes.
Stupid. Just plain stupid. You want to clear the box---not invite more defenders into it.
Moreover, Fitzgerald is going to get injured while blocking inside the box at the LB level, because he is going to get rolled up from behind like Jonathan Cooper did.
Plus, the rushes haven't worked---pretty much for the obvious reasons.
3. Stopping the Run.
Every time Doug Martin has rushed 27 times for the Bucs he's averaged 137 yards.
Holding him to 58 yards in 27 carries yesterday was a major accomplishment, from a defense that has not fared well versus good running teams in recent years.
Not only did the Cardinals swarm and corral Martin play after play, they put a pounding on him. Yeremiah Bell stood Martin up three times on three of the most textbook "fill, pop, wrap and finish" tackles as one will ever see.
I guarantee you that Martin had to crawl out of bed this morning. He was hit from every side and twisted and rolled in in every direction.
The thing is---Martin and the Bucs' o-line are well above average---those boys can play. The Cardinals took the romance out of their running game like few have.
Kudos to every Cardinal defender who strapped on a helmet yesterday---they came to play and they came to finish.
4. Dialing Up Pressure.
Todd Bowles got it done. He threw the kitchen sink at the Bucs---the pressure got stronger and stronger as the game went on---no fatigue factor at all in the heat and humidity.
And we saw something i don't think we've seen in quite some time---a RDE (in newly called up Dontay Moch) who got to the QB for big backside hits via both a speed rush and a bull rush.
5. Dialing Up Selfish Stupidity.
Darnell Dockett---two absurd 15 yard personal foul penalties with the team down 10-0. Interesting that the climate of the game changed for good when he went out. Interesting too to see how effective Calais Campbell was playing on the left side where Dockett normally plays. Versus a right handed QB having Campbell on his right side is a tough obstacle.
6. Momentum Busters.
Boneheaded plays left and right.
The offense finally gets a chunk yard play to midfield by Fitzgerald in the 3rd quarter---and they can't even get the next play off and thereby have to call a timeout.
Then, the next play, that they called timeout for, is a poorly thrown out pass left to Fitzgerald versus Revis that could have easily been a turnover.
The off-sides penalties.
The two dropped passes on key third downs by Ellington and Roberts.
The push-off PI by Housler on a repeat of a play he made a great catch on earlier (interesting how BA calls the same plays twice, even did it onece back to back yesterday). BTW---Housler looks slow---looks like the ankle is still bothering him.
The two interceptions---
One on a deep out pass to Floyd---that is a spot throw just beyond the pylon that Palmer has to throw a second earlier. Credit rookie CB Jonathan Banks for making a stellar play on the ball when he was supposed to cover Ellington---but the throw needed to be quicker and Ellington needed to command more attention over the middle to keep the double team off Floyd.
The other---on one of the most absurd play calls one will ever see---it's first down inside Bucs' territory, and the offense is marching again---they send in Bradley Sowell as an extra TE to give the appearance that they are going to run the ball---and the call is an out pass to the far left sideline that Revis nearly picked off earlier?
If anything the call is a play action over the linebackers and between the safeties.
For the game: 1-10 on third downs.
Worse of all---the frequent general confusion in just getting the personnel lined up---this is Week 4? And this is an offense coached by BA and Tom Moore? Ridiculous at this juncture.
7. Get Mad Carson.
It did you some good. You were furious about the Revis interception---it looked as if you felt Fitzgerald mis-timed the route.
The fact is---you threw a perfect TD dart to Fitzgerald when the team needed it most. On that play Fitzgerald deked Revis like the All-Pro that he is, and you delivered the ball right on the money, right on time.
You handled your duties well down the stretch. Stay mad. Impose your will, like the best QBs do.
8. Brown, Jefferson and Potter.
Juron Brown picked a great time to step up, didn't he?
And how about the play of Tony Jefferson and Nate Potter filling in for Rashad Johnson and Daryn Colledge...huge performances....did you see Potter clearing the DT out for Palmer to throw the TD to Fitzgerald. Huge.
9. Zastudil and Feely and add Mike Leach in there too.
Z has the word "stud" in his name for a good reason...because he was big-time clutch in this game. As was Tampa native Jay Feely and the unsung snapper Mike Leach.
10. Patrick Peterson and Being 2-2 for the 1st Quarter of the Season.
Peterson became the man yesterday. His stock was already high---but now it is going to skyrocket. The best CBs show up when you need them most. And PP21 was like Dominos Pizza yesterday---he delivered.
And when you think about it---as ugly and unproductive as this game was on offense for three quarters---the team managed to finish off the game and found a way to prevail under duress and self-inflicted setbacks---it sits at 2-2 after a quarter of the season that marked 3 away games. The team has played 3 games down to the wire, and has won 2 of them, the second being a much needed road win.
As I said two weeks ago, I thought it would take some time before BA and the staff could teach this team how to win. So, to be 2-2 at this point, is sweet!
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