More Good than Bad vs Raiders

[PACardsFan]

I watched the 1st half last night & came away thinking that I watched an entirely different half than the doom & gloomers on this board did.
POSITIVES
- OL was getting a much better surge off the ball than what I've seen in the last few years. Will it improve? Definitely.
- Shipp & Arrington ran harder than Edge & had far better results. When Edge adjusts to this OL, he will rush for 1500 yds.
- B Johnson looks confident & ready for a year worthy of a late 1st rounder.
- Boldin & Fitz will not disappoint.
- D was aggressive (Personal foul on Dockett was BS) & hard hitting. Secondary looked far better than I expected (Pass Interference on Rolle was BS also). Other than a few bad calls & a couple of penalties, we would have shut the Raiders out.
- We got down 21-7, but our intensity never did. Last year's team would have folded up their tent & gone home.
- Rackers looked great.

NEGATIVES
- Leinart looked average at best. If his passes continue to float, someone is going to get injured.
- OL pass protection must improve. Keep in mind that the Raiders do excel in putting pressure on the QB.
- We need to generate a better pass rush.
- Special Teams were overly aggressive & over-pursued. It's too early to say this will be a problem.

Overall, I was pleased with what I saw. We played all but 3-4 series with a 3rd string QB. Had this been a regular season game, I really think we would have won by at least 2 tds, maybe 3. Take away Boyd's Int return & a couple of bad penalties & we could have won this game big.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Good stuff. I watched it too and I gotta agree. The thing that upset me that most last night was the HORRENDOUS Oakland commentators. Those guys were sooo bad.

 

[cardsfanmd]

By the way, you are ugly.

 

[JeffGollin]

I logged on last night (before the NFL Net airing of the game) and was bummed out by the amount of venom being dished out on this boardf blasting the team.

But I wouldn't go so far as to say that there were more positives than negatives.

When we lose - and that lost is pockmarked by numerous mistakes and breakdowns in execution - it will be nerve-wracking until those things get fixed and the team starts looking better.

I agree that if our new coaching staff can clean up the problems they see on tape, we'll be OK. But until it actually happens, I know I'll be sweating.

I'm looking for specific improvement in performance. I want to see Edge gain consistent ground yardage. I want to see Leinart looking sharper. I want to see a retooled O-line with Levi Brown at RT coming off the ball crisply and handling pass pro on a consistent basis. I want to see fewer dumb mistakes on defense. I want to see Antrel Rolle making 3 or 4 good plays for every bad one (instead of vice versa). I want to see Blackstock, Pace or Tufauga stepping up to fill Chike's shoes without skipping a beat. I want to see Bienemann and Pope raising their level of play by 50%.

I think all of the above is possible, but I want to see it first before I can relax.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The Dockett penalty was not BS. He blew the guy up and drove right through him.

Isn't it funny how our run blocking has gotten better, but now our pass blocking is terrible?

It is also very funny how people are butchering Togafau's name. So far I have seen Tongafau Togafua, and Tufauga.

 

[Mulli]

The Dockett penalty was not BS. He blew the guy up and drove right through him.

Isn't it funny how our run blocking has gotten better, but now our pass blocking is terrible?

It is also very funny how people are butchering Togafau's name. So far I have seen Tongafau Togafua, and Tufauga.

Yeah, I wish out DL would stop doing that to OL.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Yeah, I wish out DL would stop doing that to OL.

I loved the play and laughed out loud when I saw it, but it was definitely unnecessary.

 

[Mulli]

I loved the play and laughed out loud when I saw it, but it was definitely unnecessary.

Judges also would have accepted that DL are not supposed to blow people up after the whistle.

 

[BigRedRage]

I thought our running game looked fantastic for the first night out. Shipp had over 5.0 ypc

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I thought our running game looked fantastic for the first night out. Shipp had over 5.0 ypc

Shipp looked way more comfortable running behind a FB, than Edge did.

 

[crisper57]

At first, I thought Matt was floating too many passes. Then I went back and looked at the game again. Alot of those floaters came when protection broke down and Matt could not step into his passes. When he had time, he seemed to do a little better. He definitely needs to work on that, but I can't lay all the blame at his feet.

Pope looked good. There was one play where he blocked his man 9 yards down the field.

Rackers got all his confidence back with that 60-yarder.

Levi looked good, not great.

Eric Green played very well. Maybe he should be our #1 CB. Rolle got burned on the first complete pass to his side of the field. He was just flailing on the ground as Porter ran past him.

Penalties have always been the undoing of this team. Same old Cards in that respect.

Shipp was a pleasant suprise. He really tore up yardage in a hurry. He just looks like a tough guy to bring down, doesn't he?

I came away from the game thinking the OL needed more time to gel and improve. We need to stop getting stupid penalties, but other than that, I was pleased with the starters' performance. Coach Whiz said on the radio today that the Oakland D lined up in schemes that the Cards had not planned for, yet the line made most the necessary adjustments. That is the value of Russ Grimm right there.

My optimism is now tempered by the injury news. Ross looked good last night and now he is done. Chike's injury is going to be very difficult to overcome.

Let's just hope the football gods are done handing out punishment to our team.

 

[40yearfan]

I watched the 1st half last night & came away thinking that I watched an entirely different half than the doom & gloomers on this board did.
POSITIVES
- OL was getting a much better surge off the ball than what I've seen in the last few years. Will it improve? Definitely.
- Shipp & Arrington ran harder than Edge & had far better results. When Edge adjusts to this OL, he will rush for 1500 yds.
- B Johnson looks confident & ready for a year worthy of a late 1st rounder.
- Boldin & Fitz will not disappoint.
- D was aggressive (Personal foul on Dockett was BS) & hard hitting. Secondary looked far better than I expected (Pass Interference on Rolle was BS also). Other than a few bad calls & a couple of penalties, we would have shut the Raiders out.
- We got down 21-7, but our intensity never did. Last year's team would have folded up their tent & gone home.
- Rackers looked great.

NEGATIVES
- Leinart looked average at best. If his passes continue to float, someone is going to get injured.
- OL pass protection must improve. Keep in mind that the Raiders do excel in putting pressure on the QB.
- We need to generate a better pass rush.
- Special Teams were overly aggressive & over-pursued. It's too early to say this will be a problem.

Overall, I was pleased with what I saw. We played all but 3-4 series with a 3rd string QB. Had this been a regular season game, I really think we would have won by at least 2 tds, maybe 3. Take away Boyd's Int return & a couple of bad penalties & we could have won this game big.

I agree. I also saw a lot of positives in that game, especially after I watched it for the second time.

I heard Wiz talking yesterday and he blamed himself for the interception that Boyd threw. He said there was a mix up in the play calling and he should have called a time out to fix it, but he didn't and the play resulted in an interception. Glad to see we finally have a coach who isn't 100% perfect and that any mistakes made have to be made by the players.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

At first, I thought Matt was floating too many passes. Then I went back and looked at the game again. Alot of those floaters came when protection broke down and Matt could not step into his passes. When he had time, he seemed to do a little better. He definitely needs to work on that, but I can't lay all the blame at his feet.

Pope looked good. There was one play where he blocked his man 9 yards down the field.

Rackers got all his confidence back with that 60-yarder.

Levi looked good, not great.

Eric Green played very well. Maybe he should be our #1 CB. Rolle got burned on the first complete pass to his side of the field. He was just flailing on the ground as Porter ran past him.

Penalties have always been the undoing of this team. Same old Cards in that respect.

Shipp was a pleasant suprise. He really tore up yardage in a hurry. He just looks like a tough guy to bring down, doesn't he?

I came away from the game thinking the OL needed more time to gel and improve. We need to stop getting stupid penalties, but other than that, I was pleased with the starters' performance. Coach Whiz said on the radio today that the Oakland D lined up in schemes that the Cards had not planned for, yet the line made most the necessary adjustments. That is the value of Russ Grimm right there.

My optimism is now tempered by the injury news. Ross looked good last night and now he is done. Chike's injury is going to be very difficult to overcome.

Let's just hope the football gods are done handing out punishment to our team.

If he wasn't getting his feet set, and not stepping into his passes, wouldn't you blame that on his feet?

 

[Mulli]

If he wasn't getting his feet set, and not stepping into his passes, wouldn't you blame that on his feet?

His ankles were also involved?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

His ankles were also involved?

I'm sorry, that is incorrect. The "foot bone" is connected to the "ankle bone" just doesn't have a ring to it.

/Judges

 

[Mulli]

I'm sorry, that is incorrect. The "foot bone" is connected to the "ankle bone" just doesn't have a ring to it.

/Judges

PROTEST

Oh those bones, oh those bones,
oh those skeleton bones.
Oh those bones, oh those bones,
oh those skeleton bones.
Oh those bones, oh those bones,
oh those skeleton bones.
Oh mercy how they scare!

With the toe bone connected
to the foot bone,
and the foot bone connected
to the ankle bone,
and the ankle bone connected
to the leg bone.
Oh mercy how they scare!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

and the foot bone connected
to the ankle bone,
and the ankle bone connected
to the leg bone.
Oh mercy how they scare!

Even when you sing it, it doesn't have a ring to it. Replay challenge upheld. You will be charged a timeout.

 

[Mulli]

I feel like Dennis Green.

 

[Mitch]

I agree. I also saw a lot of positives in that game, especially after I watched it for the second time.

I heard Wiz talking yesterday and he blamed himself for the interception that Boyd threw. He said there was a mix up in the play calling and he should have called a time out to fix it, but he didn't and the play resulted in an interception. Glad to see we finally have a coach who isn't 100% perfect and that any mistakes made have to be made by the players.

40 Year Fan: Amen, brother!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I agree. I also saw a lot of positives in that game, especially after I watched it for the second time.

I heard Wiz talking yesterday and he blamed himself for the interception that Boyd threw. He said there was a mix up in the play calling and he should have called a time out to fix it, but he didn't and the play resulted in an interception. Glad to see we finally have a coach who isn't 100% perfect and that any mistakes made have to be made by the players.

I also wanted to comment on that. When I saw that formation, there is no way you can throw a slant or a quick pass on it, especially when they are in a zone. Kudos to Wiz for admitting that.

 

[cardsfanmd]

The Dockett penalty was not BS. He blew the guy up and drove right through him.

Isn't it funny how our run blocking has gotten better, but now our pass blocking is terrible?

It is also very funny how people are butchering Togafau's name. So far I have seen Tongafau Togafua, and Tufauga.

They also seemed to have trouble with Chike's name.

 

[Gambit]

I feel like Dennis Green.

Too many chili dogs again?

 

[Mulli]

Too many chili dogs again?

That would be good.

 

[DakotaCardsFan]

They also seemed to have trouble with Chike's name.

Are you referring to Cheeky O'Keefer?

 

[Mulli]

Are you referring to Cheeky O'Keefer?

So much for Cheeky's luck of the Irish.