Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Just watched the game again...this time more slowly and deliberately in order to key on several payers. Here's what I saw:
The Players Who Stood Out or Surprised:
1. QB Kurt Warner. He looks just like he did in the Super Bowl.
2. WR Steve Breaston. He played a great game and was the go-to WR in this one. In fact, had Troy Palamalu not dove into Breaston's legs from behind on the deep post, Breaston probably would have caught that ball.
3. C Lyle Sendlein. Played very solid football throughout.
4. RB Tim Hightower. Ran tough and got every inch of what he could get, turning some sure losses into positive gains. The coaches ought to tell him to think of every run as a first and goal from the 5 yard line...because when TH is determined to take the ball past a spot, man is he good.
5. TE Dominique Byrd. Smooth, sure handed and fluid in this game...and showed RAC ability and desire.
6. DE Calais Campbell. Has to be one of more athletic, tall DEs one will ever see. He needs to learn how to bend and flex his torso more when he closes in on the ball, but he is active and persistent. I was thinking if the Cardinals ever had a NT who would command a double team, Dockett and Campbell would be very difficult to stop.
7. LB Gerald Hayes. This was the best he's played in traffic for a while...he really stepped up and made plays.
8. LB Karlos Dansby. Played with a bang and with nifty awareness.
9. SS Adrian Wilson. He looks unstoppable out there. He is in tremendous shape. Has to be one of the toughest and strongest safeties ever.
10. FS Antrel Rolle. Looks much more at home and is finishing plays well.
11. CB Michael Adams. For such a diminitive player, this kid packs a punch as a tackler and battles ferociously in coverage. Yes, he got beat that one time...but, as usual, he had no safety help deep. On other long balls thrown his way, he was perfect. This kid can play. He is a gamer.
12. LS Mike Leach. Not only are his snaps even tighter and faster than Hodel's, he gets downfield on punts quickly and made one great tackle.
13. P Ben Graham. What a game he had in this one. Booming long ones when needed and pooching short ones to near perfection.
14. T Herman Johnson. Went back and watched him closely...you know this kid may actually turn out to be a solid RT. His reach and hand punch are very good and his feet were fairly crisp in this one.
15. QB Tyler Palko. Provided a huge spark and energy. Got away with some forced passes, but moved around great and made things happen.
16. WR Onrea Jones. Hey, talk about creating a spark.
17. WR Lance Long and RB LaRon Stephens-Howling. Gotta love these kid's hustle, energy and competitiveness. They are little sparkplugs, both of them.
18. S Keith Lewis. Very noticeable when he was on the field. Got to the ball a couple of times and ran a nice corner blitz.
19. DE Kenny Iwebema. made a couple nice tackles and looked quicker and tougher than last year.
20. Michael Ray Garvin. Not only did he showcase his speed, he has a good sense of where the daylight is on kickoffs...a little less so on punts, but that's to be expected for now.
Good Hits:
1. Jerheme Urban. Best block of the day, nailing the Steeler DB after Breaston had caught a ball near the sidleine.
2. Herman Johnson. Great tackle on the interception.
3. Leonard Pope. Same...saved a TD, at least for one more play.
4. Michael Adams on Mendenhall...perfectly timed and delivered tackle.
5. Ali Highsmith...late in the game he raced through the line and laid the hammer on the Steeler RB for a 3 yard loss.
Concerns:
1. All in all the first defense was good...but, as might be expected, there was more than a few plays where the unit was confused or lined up late. This was happening with CP throughout the year last year. Hopefully Bill Davis will get this straightened out.
Plus there was still a case where it appeared the Cardinals only rushed three on a 3rd and 10, when Big Ben converted it to Limas Sweed.
2. The 2nd team offensive line. Only Herman Johnson, IMO, played consistently well. Brandon Keith was decent. Ben Claxton was getting blown back at times like he was on roller skates. Melvin Fowler finally came in when Tyler Palko did and made a big difference. Elton Brown looks way overweight...in fact, at his weight and with his current girth, it wouldn't seem possible for him to be the backup LT. At LG Brown's play was uneven. At LT Oliver Ross really struggled.
Curiously, I don't recall ever seeing Trevor Canfield in the game. Nor did I see Carlton Medder or Brandon Pierce. The way Elton and Oliver played it might be worth it to see what trevor and Brandon can do.
3. The pass rush...still a real issue and one that may ultimately determine the fortunes (or lack thereof) of this football team. We ought to expect that it will take the rookies Brown and Davis time to assimilate into the defense and the speed and strength of the NFL...but...aside from Okeafor's couple of quick edge rushes, and Campbell's missed sack of Big Ben at the goal line and one quick rush from Davis...there was not much pressure to talk about. Look at what the Steelers were getting from their 1st and especially their 2nd unit!
The Two Eye-Opening Facts Give By The ESPN Crew:
James Harrison was cut four times. Wow. Unreal.
Warner had a 135 QB rating last year off play-action. And what makes that even more amazing is that other teams weren't exactly fearing the Cardinal running game, were they?
Personnel Wishlist:
1. Pass Rusher DE/OLB
2. Backup LT
3. Backup SILB
4. Backup DE
The Players Who Stood Out or Surprised:
1. QB Kurt Warner. He looks just like he did in the Super Bowl.
2. WR Steve Breaston. He played a great game and was the go-to WR in this one. In fact, had Troy Palamalu not dove into Breaston's legs from behind on the deep post, Breaston probably would have caught that ball.
3. C Lyle Sendlein. Played very solid football throughout.
4. RB Tim Hightower. Ran tough and got every inch of what he could get, turning some sure losses into positive gains. The coaches ought to tell him to think of every run as a first and goal from the 5 yard line...because when TH is determined to take the ball past a spot, man is he good.
5. TE Dominique Byrd. Smooth, sure handed and fluid in this game...and showed RAC ability and desire.
6. DE Calais Campbell. Has to be one of more athletic, tall DEs one will ever see. He needs to learn how to bend and flex his torso more when he closes in on the ball, but he is active and persistent. I was thinking if the Cardinals ever had a NT who would command a double team, Dockett and Campbell would be very difficult to stop.
7. LB Gerald Hayes. This was the best he's played in traffic for a while...he really stepped up and made plays.
8. LB Karlos Dansby. Played with a bang and with nifty awareness.
9. SS Adrian Wilson. He looks unstoppable out there. He is in tremendous shape. Has to be one of the toughest and strongest safeties ever.
10. FS Antrel Rolle. Looks much more at home and is finishing plays well.
11. CB Michael Adams. For such a diminitive player, this kid packs a punch as a tackler and battles ferociously in coverage. Yes, he got beat that one time...but, as usual, he had no safety help deep. On other long balls thrown his way, he was perfect. This kid can play. He is a gamer.
12. LS Mike Leach. Not only are his snaps even tighter and faster than Hodel's, he gets downfield on punts quickly and made one great tackle.
13. P Ben Graham. What a game he had in this one. Booming long ones when needed and pooching short ones to near perfection.
14. T Herman Johnson. Went back and watched him closely...you know this kid may actually turn out to be a solid RT. His reach and hand punch are very good and his feet were fairly crisp in this one.
15. QB Tyler Palko. Provided a huge spark and energy. Got away with some forced passes, but moved around great and made things happen.
16. WR Onrea Jones. Hey, talk about creating a spark.
17. WR Lance Long and RB LaRon Stephens-Howling. Gotta love these kid's hustle, energy and competitiveness. They are little sparkplugs, both of them.
18. S Keith Lewis. Very noticeable when he was on the field. Got to the ball a couple of times and ran a nice corner blitz.
19. DE Kenny Iwebema. made a couple nice tackles and looked quicker and tougher than last year.
20. Michael Ray Garvin. Not only did he showcase his speed, he has a good sense of where the daylight is on kickoffs...a little less so on punts, but that's to be expected for now.
Good Hits:
1. Jerheme Urban. Best block of the day, nailing the Steeler DB after Breaston had caught a ball near the sidleine.
2. Herman Johnson. Great tackle on the interception.
3. Leonard Pope. Same...saved a TD, at least for one more play.
4. Michael Adams on Mendenhall...perfectly timed and delivered tackle.
5. Ali Highsmith...late in the game he raced through the line and laid the hammer on the Steeler RB for a 3 yard loss.
Concerns:
1. All in all the first defense was good...but, as might be expected, there was more than a few plays where the unit was confused or lined up late. This was happening with CP throughout the year last year. Hopefully Bill Davis will get this straightened out.
Plus there was still a case where it appeared the Cardinals only rushed three on a 3rd and 10, when Big Ben converted it to Limas Sweed.
2. The 2nd team offensive line. Only Herman Johnson, IMO, played consistently well. Brandon Keith was decent. Ben Claxton was getting blown back at times like he was on roller skates. Melvin Fowler finally came in when Tyler Palko did and made a big difference. Elton Brown looks way overweight...in fact, at his weight and with his current girth, it wouldn't seem possible for him to be the backup LT. At LG Brown's play was uneven. At LT Oliver Ross really struggled.
Curiously, I don't recall ever seeing Trevor Canfield in the game. Nor did I see Carlton Medder or Brandon Pierce. The way Elton and Oliver played it might be worth it to see what trevor and Brandon can do.
3. The pass rush...still a real issue and one that may ultimately determine the fortunes (or lack thereof) of this football team. We ought to expect that it will take the rookies Brown and Davis time to assimilate into the defense and the speed and strength of the NFL...but...aside from Okeafor's couple of quick edge rushes, and Campbell's missed sack of Big Ben at the goal line and one quick rush from Davis...there was not much pressure to talk about. Look at what the Steelers were getting from their 1st and especially their 2nd unit!
The Two Eye-Opening Facts Give By The ESPN Crew:
James Harrison was cut four times. Wow. Unreal.
Warner had a 135 QB rating last year off play-action. And what makes that even more amazing is that other teams weren't exactly fearing the Cardinal running game, were they?
Personnel Wishlist:
1. Pass Rusher DE/OLB
2. Backup LT
3. Backup SILB
4. Backup DE
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Hope I'm wrong, but I hope this teams lack of outside pressure doesn't bite this teams behind in the next few years.
