My Case As To Why The Cards Will Not Have As Bad A Season As Most Experts Predict

[MadCardDisease]

Kirk takes the next step and one of Isabella/Butler/Johnson has a good rookie year.

I'm putting my money on KeeSean Johnson. I think this kid is going to have a solid rookie year.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Last season was a disaster. No one can dispute this. There was nothing positive that came out of it other than Wilks being shown the door. Now we have to start from scratch. But several factors took place that made last season a disaster. Most notable, the head coach. Wilks was obviously not ready for prime time. There were time where he literally had the deer in the headlights look. His supporting staff wasn't much better. His first mistake was hiring Mike McCoy as OC then throwing a dumptruck full of money at Sam Bradford(the holy hell was Keim thinking about). This proved true as Bradford was about as effective as a lightswitch on the diving board and McCoy's offensive game plans made Ken Whisenhunt's look like Bill Walsh's by comparison. Throw in the injury bug and the team basically throwing in the towel by week 8 and we have what we got. We finished 3-13 and in reality had Garopolo not gotten hurt, we wouldn't have beaten the 49ers twice.

That said, the tools on this team were basically the same as the team that went 8-8 with trash heap QB's leading the way and now with an innovative new coach and an exciting looking new QB, this team won't be as bad as last year unless they want to. The line should be improved only because compared to last season, you couldn't get much worse and since Murray is a scrambler, he should be able to buy himself some time. DJ should be healthy and with Kirk returning following a knee injury, Larry being Larry, and Isabella looking like our version of Julian Edleman. My only worry is TE but offensively, we should be improved even if by accident.

Defensively, the line looks good and the secondary has promise but the LB core is a little shaky but we should be better than last season. Zach Allen, IMO, is going to turn out to be the steal of the draft as is Deionte Thompson. The one hiccup is going to be being without PP for 6 games. If we can by some miracle go 3-3 in that time period, we might be in decent shape for the final 10 games.

IMO, and it all stands on being relatively healthy and if Kingsbury and Murray are the real deal, we could win 7-8 games this year. Is this a playoff team? No. There are still more leaks to seal but this isn't a 3 or 4 win team either. If we win 7 games and real progress is shown then I will consider it a successful season. If we flop, then Keim needs to be shown the door. I hope the former is true.

I agree with most everything you said, except the deer in the headlights look from Wilks. He didn't do it at times like you said, he had that look from the first game till the end of the season lol. I've been saying for a while now that this team has enough talent to go 8-8, with a break or two maybe more? As far as what you said about our LB'ers being a little shaky, I truly believe SK will add us some veteran depth there after the cuts in training camp. We have first priority until the season starts from the waiver wire. Go Cards, I'm ready for this season to get started.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

I really believe that we are better than any of us could have hoped for , we have a Unique QB ( Mike Vick feet -- Dan Marino passing arm ) that already knows the offence system that he will run . I predict a winning season , yep that means 9 or more . Famine to Feast , Prince K2 slipped that glass slipper on K1's foot and it fit perfectly !

I like the way you're thinking Mr. Otis lol

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

NJ, I like your view and will just add two things. One a big thing and one not so big. First the not so big:
From all I've read the TE position is not very important in the KK offense.

The big thing for me is:
KK himself. This is his first NFL HC gig and how well he does will probably determine our success or failure. I do like that he has turned over the defense to his DC.

He didn't have to turn over the defense, the front office saw what his main problem was at Texas Tech & told him when hired that part (DC) would be taken care of, all he needed to do was concentrate on the offense. He had bad DC's at TT & recruited the scraps from Texas after all the big boys took the recruits they wanted. His main problem there wasn't scoring points, they did alot of scoring, they just couldn't stop anyone from doing it on defense. Problem solved now with VJ as our DC. Go Cards.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Andy Isabella is nothing like Julian Edelman except being white.

True, but imo he's gonna be good in our offense. Time will tell.

 

[devilalum]

This is gonna be one of those years where the Cards are 5-9 going into week 16 and mathematically still alive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

And the difference between being a 3 win team and a 1 win team or a 0 win team was an injured QB and a dysfunctional Packers team. Also, while I share your concern about KK, Joe Torre was a so so manager at best. Until he found the right team and now he's a legend. As for the Cards in the 90's, I've been watching this team since 1975 and last years team was by far the worst I've ever seen. It isn't even close and it's not even an argument. Last year's team was lethargic, lost, and for the lack of a better term a ***********. As bad as McGuinnis' teams, the 2000 team(the last team to go 3-12) would have kicked the crap out of last year's team.

Bud Wilkinsons teams would've taken last yrs squad to the woodshed lol.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

I dont think they will, but I think they can.

Humphries playing for a contract finally stays healthy and becomes the LT he has shown in glimpses.

Kirk takes the next step and one of Isabella/Butler/Johnson has a good rookie year.

DJ bounces back and is a good fit as the do it all K Raid back.

Suggs, Hicks, and the defensive newcomers play well and the defense is able to play consistently well.

Well said my brother, well said lol.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

McVay coached in the NFL for years before taking the job. Goff already had one year of NFL speed under his belt. The Rams had a talented roster full of NFL experience and just needed a spark.

We are really bad.

I get your pessimism Solar 7, I really do, but I truly believe this season is gonna be way better than what most of us think. I have faith this offense will score points & keep us in games. The bigger question for me is will the defense get back to a top 5-10 one? If that happens, we may be in playoff contention? I don't worry as much about the OL injury history because KM can scramble & the "Air Raid" offense uses quicker passes. DL'men will have to hold back a little on the rush because of the screens run in this offense & the fact KM is fast & elusive. Have faith brother, we will be ok.

 

[Krangodnzr]

The real reason this season could be better than people anticipate?

People are underrating Kyler Murray. Just listening to ALL of the 98.7 radio guys today, they were all gushing about him.

Mid sentence, they cut off talking with "Wow" because of something Murray had done.

 

[Delmar M Lewis]

Bud had a decent team on paper a young OJ Anderson Jim Hart at Qb if I remember right Mel Gray and Pat Tilley in fact Buds 1st year was 6 and 10 the 2nd well kinda like last years

 

[Garthshort]

The team seems to be on the right track. Consider:
1. Big improvement at the most important position. QB.
2. Hopeful situation at WR and TE. In time the WR's should become a strength of the team, depth wise.
3. While the OL looks better, it probably needs another offseason/draft to be VG.
4. The DL IS very thin and also will need to land, in the offseason, a difference maker.
5. With Suggs aging, an OLB will be a high draft priority.
6. Once PP returns the DB group looks promising. The Thompson twins will play a big part in our plans for the safety position going forward. Depth could be either a strength or a weakness. Too early to tell, but we will need to extend Swearinger.

How well we do this year is uncertain, but for me the team is moving in the right direction.

 

[slanidrac16]

True, but imo he's gonna be good in our offense. Time will tell.

I don’t see any of our rookie wr’s getting 80 catches. This offense is going to spread the ball around. I do think that every one of our receivers will have some big plays.

 

[slanidrac16]

I get your pessimism Solar 7, I really do, but I truly believe this season is gonna be way better than what most of us think. I have faith this offense will score points & keep us in games. The bigger question for me is will the defense get back to a top 5-10 one? If that happens, we may be in playoff contention? I don't worry as much about the OL injury history because KM can scramble & the "Air Raid" offense uses quicker passes. DL'men will have to hold back a little on the rush because of the screens run in this offense & the fact KM is fast & elusive. Have faith brother, we will be ok.

Hell , I’ll take s top 15 defense if we have the offense we’re hoping for.

 

[slanidrac16]

The team seems to be on the right track. Consider:
1. Big improvement at the most important position. QB.
2. Hopeful situation at WR and TE. In time the WR's should become a strength of the team, depth wise.
3. While the OL looks better, it probably needs another offseason/draft to be VG.
4. The DL IS very thin and also will need to land, in the offseason, a difference maker.
5. With Suggs aging, an OLB will be a high draft priority.
6. Once PP returns the DB group looks promising. The Thompson twins will play a big part in our plans for the safety position going forward. Depth could be either a strength or a weakness. Too early to tell, but we will need to extend Swearinger.

How well we do this year is uncertain, but for me the team is moving in the right direction.

When a house burns to the ground you can’t start with the roof. This team appears to have retooled fairly well especially when you consider the dead cap space and salary cap we had.

Be competitive this year. Next year we have almost 100 mil in cap space plus another draft.

This year we climb halfway up the mountain. Does that translate into 7 wins? 8 wins? Do we sneak into the playoffs? We’ll have to wait and see. However, any offense that can score 28-30 points a game will definitely make some noise.

 

[cardncubfan]

McVay coached in the NFL for years before taking the job. Goff already had one year of NFL speed under his belt. The Rams had a talented roster full of NFL experience and just needed a spark.

We are really bad.

KK has surrounded himself with a lot of experienced NFL coaches. I would say KK looks to be a better play caller but that remains to be seen. I expect Murray to be better than Goff. At least he can read a defense from what I've read. They had a better O line & D line but rest of the team wasn't much more talented. Their wr's Woods & Watkins vs Fitz & Kirk. Kupp was a rookie & an unknown which is pretty much what we have with the 3 we drafted. Gurley vs DJ is a wash. LB's are about even & we have a better secondary than they had. All I'm saying it's very possible we have a similar year.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/ram/2017_roster.htm

 

[AZCB34]

The real reason this season could be better than people anticipate?

People are underrating Kyler Murray. Just listening to ALL of the 98.7 radio guys today, they were all gushing about him.

Mid sentence, they cut off talking with "Wow" because of something Murray had done.

I have seen little evidence of people underrating Murray. There are so many Kyler ****** right now I am surprised anyone can walk.

 

[AZCB34]

The team seems to be on the right track. Consider:
1. Big improvement at the most important position. QB.
2. Hopeful situation at WR and TE. In time the WR's should become a strength of the team, depth wise.
3. While the OL looks better, it probably needs another offseason/draft to be VG.
4. The DL IS very thin and also will need to land, in the offseason, a difference maker.
5. With Suggs aging, an OLB will be a high draft priority.
6. Once PP returns the DB group looks promising. The Thompson twins will play a big part in our plans for the safety position going forward. Depth could be either a strength or a weakness. Too early to tell, but we will need to extend Swearinger.

How well we do this year is uncertain, but for me the team is moving in the right direction.

How can you prove your first point at this time?

I am not anti Kyler but saying these kinds of things when he hasn't even put on NFL pads let alone played against a defense scheming against him is simply silly.

 

[Garthshort]

AZCB34, you're correct about my first point. I should have added an IMO.

B/t/w, what is your opinion of this year's QB vs. last year's. Much better, a little better, worse or about the same?

 

[Krangodnzr]

I have seen little evidence of people underrating Murray. There are so many Kyler ****** right now I am surprised anyone can walk.

I'm talking about people saying the Cardinals are going to be terrible.

What if Murray comes out and throws 28 TDs in year one? The Cardinals are not likely to be bad in that scenario.

 

[JeffGollin]

I still believe it's all a matter of percentages, upsides & downsides (i.e. we could win as few as 3 games or as many as 10, with higher or lower likelihoods in between). Variables such as luck, injuries, coaching smarts/chemistry, opponents' play etc.will determine the actual season's outcome.

As of the 2nd or third day since TC began, so far I like what I'm seeing & hearing.

But most of the info has had to do with Kyler or his receivers & the DB's. How's the OL look? Any TE's showing anything? The 2 bookend LB's (Chandler and Suggs)? Inside backers? D-Line? Safeties?

Is this a hitting camp? Speed camp? Braniac camp?

This preseason is unique because the coaches, players and style of play is so different that we have little consistent info to go on. So we out-of-towners have to rely on you local folks for every tidbit of info. Thanx.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I still believe it's all a matter of percentages, upsides & downsides (i.e. we could win as few as 3 games or as many as 10, with higher or lower likelihoods in between). Variables such as luck, injuries, coaching smarts/chemistry, opponents' play etc.will determine the actual season's outcome.

As of the 2nd or third day since TC began, so far I like what I'm seeing & hearing.

But most of the info has had to do with Kyler or his receivers & the DB's. How's the OL look? Any TE's showing anything? The 2 bookend LB's (Chandler and Suggs)? Inside backers? D-Line? Safeties?

Is this a hitting camp? Speed camp? Braniac camp?

This preseason is unique because the coaches, players and style of play is so different that we have little consistent info to go on. So we out-of-towners have to rely on you local folks for every tidbit of info. Thanx.

From what the guys on 98.7 have said the first team OL has looked really good, but the second team looks a bit leaky. That means depth is an issue right now.

 

[Matt L]

From what the guys on 98.7 have said the first team OL has looked really good, but the second team looks a bit leaky. That means depth is an issue right now.

Isn't this just what the team is telling them to say?

 

[AZCB34]

The OL hasn't hit anyone yet. They won't even put on pads until tomorrow. Sweet fancy Moses how can anyone assess where the OL is at right now? How can anyone assess where anyone on this team is at yet?

 

[PACardsFan]

The OL hasn't hit anyone yet. They won't even put on pads until tomorrow. Sweet fancy Moses how can anyone assess where the OL is at right now? How can anyone assess where anyone on this team is at yet?

All true. But as fan, always give your team the benefit of the doubt. No need to be negative yet. Last year at this time, I was looking forward to a smash mouth approach to football. By halftime of the opener, it was obvious that we were going to suck big time. No need to accept that position until it hits you right between the eyes. IMO, it’s highly doubtful that we won’t be considerably better. It’s almost impossible to be that bad.