Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Big Picture Impressions:
* It was an extremely competitive and entertaining game.
* Losing this game may ironically be the best thing that happens to this team, if the team is serious about contending for a championship.
* Playing the Patriots in week one, even despite the loss, could be a blessing because this morning the Cardinals have a clearer sense of what their vulnerabilities are---and they can look to the Patriots' sides of the ball for solutions, because they have the discipline in all three phases of the game that the Cardinals' currently lack.
* The Patriots don't ever talk about getting to the Super Bowl---they have a rule that it's a moot point to talk about it until they have earned their way there. The Cardinals should consider adopting the same rule. It might work better with the football gods!
Things To Build On:
* Carson Palmer's second half and beside the one ill-timed whiff (that caused Palmer to rush an incomplete pass up the left hash on a 3rd down) and holding penalty (both from Earl Watford) their very good pass protection, which allowed Palmer the time to let the receivers gain a degree of separation.
* Getting Jermaine Gresham and Jaron Brown more involved in the passing game. Palmer's throw on the dig route to Jaron that set up what could have been a GW FG was picture perfect in its design, timing and accuracy.Adding Fells and Hubert (whom they should call up to the 53 in light of John Brown's and JJ's injuries) to the mix is next.
* Keeping up a good mixture of runs and passes to David Johnson.
* Isolating Fitz in the red zone.
* Getting more good pressure edge rushes from the tandem of Golden and Jones.
* Getting continued production from Calais Campbell and Corey Peters versus the run (it seem just when Frostee Rucker makes super great plays like he did on MNF versus CIN last year, he gets injured---total bummer because he has a nose for the big play---his ball-jarring tackle on Blount was superb).
* Working the Honey Badger back into football shape.
* BA's uncanny and unorthodox use of timeouts to give the offense the time it needed to win the game.
Things to Improve:
* Having a better sense of using the pass to set up the run and in doing so getting Carson Palmer into a rhythm sooner.
* Run blocking designs and executions. David Johnson is having to do too much on his own.
* Adding a FB lead blocker to provide isolations on the ILBers and OLBers (depending on the play) and much needed first hit/run blitz protection for David Johnson and Chris Johnson.
* Getting better depth on drags and crossing patterns (Pats' LB were punishing the shallow depth ones).
* Deep passing game---getting it in sync.
* Tackling willingness, fundamentals and execution.
* Meeting running plays in the holes.
* Blowing up screens (age old issue for Cardinals).
* Contain (reverses and QB scrambles are far too easy---age old issue for Cardinals).
* Press coverage---makes no sense to play up on the WR and then never even touch him.
* Cushion---especially on the backside---keep the play in from of you and it is easier to make plays on the ball---and let Deone Bucannon and Kevin Minter take the romance out of the quick slant.
* Interior pass rush discipline---staying in lanes and getting off blocks to tackle scrambling QB.
* Gunners flying to the ball with safeties behind ready to clean up on the return teams.
* Swarm tackling on STs.
* Blocking on returns---(age old issue for Cardinals).
* Running back punts and kickoff with aggression (age old issue for Cardinals).
* Getting off punts with good distance and hang time.
* Avoiding excessive on the field celebrations.
* Getting the play called and the ball snapped after a big play (age old issue for the Cardinals).
Personnel:
* If Mathis is out, start Cole Toner at RG. Was #3 best G in camp.
* Show Fells and Niklas the tape of TE Martellus Bennett's blocking. Best edge blocker on the field last night. Gresham was #2 best.
* More Jaron Brown and play David Johnson some in the slot with Chris Johnson at RB. If Smoke and Fire are still hurting bring up Hubert---we need the speed element.
* More of Josh Mauro and Robert Nkemdiche with Rucker out. Gunter is struggling. Use Olsen Pierre as inside rusher in the 4 man rush---he's slippery and can take down the QB on scrambles.
* Use Nekmdiche on the edge in the 4 man rush a few snaps a game. Okafor looked ineffective.
* Stop playing press CB with Brandon Williams---it's too much to ask this soon---it's like learning how to drive fast in reverse and keep your eye on the road---it takes years to master. Let him play with a small cushion to keep the plays in front of him. Teach him in zone that he has to cover the WR as long as it takes to get the safety in help position. Then he can switch off and play under. That mistake on Hogan was awful.
* Start Tyrann Mathieu at RCB (corner blitz him from time to time, but make teams think twice about throwing his way) with D.J. Swearing at FS (in base) and Marqui Christian at FS (best nickel FS in camp). Not sure why, but D.J. Swearinger has been very quiet and unproductive---poor lack of hustle and awareness on the 3rd and 15 play where he stood in cement shoes with Amendola running feet behind him.
* Teach Pat P. how to break down and tackle (age lone issue for Cardinals).
* Keep sending Jefferson into the backfield.
* Get Tyvon Branch to turn his head for the ball and use his speed to his advantage.
* Sync the snap, holder and kicker---I thought Butler froze the snapper and the kicker on that FG---way too long of a wait before the snap.
* Bring in a punter with a good leg---plus Butler keeps dropping the noise of the ball down to steeply---there's no way to get distance on drops like that and even on pooch punts he's only punting them 20 yards.
* Get the best tacklers on the roster on STs---like Marqui Christian.
* Keim---make a game changer trade asap like the Vikings did.
3 Best Plays on Offense:
1---Fitz's end zone catch.
2---David Johnson's beast mode run.
3---(tie) Fitz's catch and run on the ball the snuck up on him.
3---(tie) Palmer's textbook dig route pass to Jaron Brown to set up possible GW FG.
3---(tie) Michael Floyd's long catch on the go route up the left sideline
3 Worst Plays on Offense:
1---The double screen to Ellington.
2---Palmer's pass to Floyd on 1st and goal that Malcolm Butler could have easily intercepted.
3---The holding on Watford in that late game situation.
3 Best Plays on Defense:
1---Rucker's FF.
2---Golden's sack, FF and Jones' recovery.
3---Deone Bucannon's tackle on Jimmy G. to keep him short of the 1st down with no timeouts left.
3 Worst Plays on Defense:
1---Williams letting Hogan go unguarded up the sideline.
2---The whole defense for giving up a TD on the first possession of the second half (disturbing trend with Bettcher as DC).
3---The 3rd and 15 play that Jimmy G. converted off a slight scramble left to a wide open Danny Amendola who had three Cardinals in his vicinity but not guarding him.
3 best plays on STs:
1---Catanzaro's extra points, 3 for 3.
2---Catanzaro's kickoffs.
3---Niklas' tackle on the one short kickoff, albeit at the 27 yard line.
3 Worst Plays on STs:
1---the botched FG
2---all of the punts
3---all of the kickoff returns
Can the Cardinals turn things around versus the surging 1-0 Bucs?
* It was an extremely competitive and entertaining game.
* Losing this game may ironically be the best thing that happens to this team, if the team is serious about contending for a championship.
* Playing the Patriots in week one, even despite the loss, could be a blessing because this morning the Cardinals have a clearer sense of what their vulnerabilities are---and they can look to the Patriots' sides of the ball for solutions, because they have the discipline in all three phases of the game that the Cardinals' currently lack.
* The Patriots don't ever talk about getting to the Super Bowl---they have a rule that it's a moot point to talk about it until they have earned their way there. The Cardinals should consider adopting the same rule. It might work better with the football gods!
Things To Build On:
* Carson Palmer's second half and beside the one ill-timed whiff (that caused Palmer to rush an incomplete pass up the left hash on a 3rd down) and holding penalty (both from Earl Watford) their very good pass protection, which allowed Palmer the time to let the receivers gain a degree of separation.
* Getting Jermaine Gresham and Jaron Brown more involved in the passing game. Palmer's throw on the dig route to Jaron that set up what could have been a GW FG was picture perfect in its design, timing and accuracy.Adding Fells and Hubert (whom they should call up to the 53 in light of John Brown's and JJ's injuries) to the mix is next.
* Keeping up a good mixture of runs and passes to David Johnson.
* Isolating Fitz in the red zone.
* Getting more good pressure edge rushes from the tandem of Golden and Jones.
* Getting continued production from Calais Campbell and Corey Peters versus the run (it seem just when Frostee Rucker makes super great plays like he did on MNF versus CIN last year, he gets injured---total bummer because he has a nose for the big play---his ball-jarring tackle on Blount was superb).
* Working the Honey Badger back into football shape.
* BA's uncanny and unorthodox use of timeouts to give the offense the time it needed to win the game.
Things to Improve:
* Having a better sense of using the pass to set up the run and in doing so getting Carson Palmer into a rhythm sooner.
* Run blocking designs and executions. David Johnson is having to do too much on his own.
* Adding a FB lead blocker to provide isolations on the ILBers and OLBers (depending on the play) and much needed first hit/run blitz protection for David Johnson and Chris Johnson.
* Getting better depth on drags and crossing patterns (Pats' LB were punishing the shallow depth ones).
* Deep passing game---getting it in sync.
* Tackling willingness, fundamentals and execution.
* Meeting running plays in the holes.
* Blowing up screens (age old issue for Cardinals).
* Contain (reverses and QB scrambles are far too easy---age old issue for Cardinals).
* Press coverage---makes no sense to play up on the WR and then never even touch him.
* Cushion---especially on the backside---keep the play in from of you and it is easier to make plays on the ball---and let Deone Bucannon and Kevin Minter take the romance out of the quick slant.
* Interior pass rush discipline---staying in lanes and getting off blocks to tackle scrambling QB.
* Gunners flying to the ball with safeties behind ready to clean up on the return teams.
* Swarm tackling on STs.
* Blocking on returns---(age old issue for Cardinals).
* Running back punts and kickoff with aggression (age old issue for Cardinals).
* Getting off punts with good distance and hang time.
* Avoiding excessive on the field celebrations.
* Getting the play called and the ball snapped after a big play (age old issue for the Cardinals).
Personnel:
* If Mathis is out, start Cole Toner at RG. Was #3 best G in camp.
* Show Fells and Niklas the tape of TE Martellus Bennett's blocking. Best edge blocker on the field last night. Gresham was #2 best.
* More Jaron Brown and play David Johnson some in the slot with Chris Johnson at RB. If Smoke and Fire are still hurting bring up Hubert---we need the speed element.
* More of Josh Mauro and Robert Nkemdiche with Rucker out. Gunter is struggling. Use Olsen Pierre as inside rusher in the 4 man rush---he's slippery and can take down the QB on scrambles.
* Use Nekmdiche on the edge in the 4 man rush a few snaps a game. Okafor looked ineffective.
* Stop playing press CB with Brandon Williams---it's too much to ask this soon---it's like learning how to drive fast in reverse and keep your eye on the road---it takes years to master. Let him play with a small cushion to keep the plays in front of him. Teach him in zone that he has to cover the WR as long as it takes to get the safety in help position. Then he can switch off and play under. That mistake on Hogan was awful.
* Start Tyrann Mathieu at RCB (corner blitz him from time to time, but make teams think twice about throwing his way) with D.J. Swearing at FS (in base) and Marqui Christian at FS (best nickel FS in camp). Not sure why, but D.J. Swearinger has been very quiet and unproductive---poor lack of hustle and awareness on the 3rd and 15 play where he stood in cement shoes with Amendola running feet behind him.
* Teach Pat P. how to break down and tackle (age lone issue for Cardinals).
* Keep sending Jefferson into the backfield.
* Get Tyvon Branch to turn his head for the ball and use his speed to his advantage.
* Sync the snap, holder and kicker---I thought Butler froze the snapper and the kicker on that FG---way too long of a wait before the snap.
* Bring in a punter with a good leg---plus Butler keeps dropping the noise of the ball down to steeply---there's no way to get distance on drops like that and even on pooch punts he's only punting them 20 yards.
* Get the best tacklers on the roster on STs---like Marqui Christian.
* Keim---make a game changer trade asap like the Vikings did.
3 Best Plays on Offense:
1---Fitz's end zone catch.
2---David Johnson's beast mode run.
3---(tie) Fitz's catch and run on the ball the snuck up on him.
3---(tie) Palmer's textbook dig route pass to Jaron Brown to set up possible GW FG.
3---(tie) Michael Floyd's long catch on the go route up the left sideline
3 Worst Plays on Offense:
1---The double screen to Ellington.
2---Palmer's pass to Floyd on 1st and goal that Malcolm Butler could have easily intercepted.
3---The holding on Watford in that late game situation.
3 Best Plays on Defense:
1---Rucker's FF.
2---Golden's sack, FF and Jones' recovery.
3---Deone Bucannon's tackle on Jimmy G. to keep him short of the 1st down with no timeouts left.
3 Worst Plays on Defense:
1---Williams letting Hogan go unguarded up the sideline.
2---The whole defense for giving up a TD on the first possession of the second half (disturbing trend with Bettcher as DC).
3---The 3rd and 15 play that Jimmy G. converted off a slight scramble left to a wide open Danny Amendola who had three Cardinals in his vicinity but not guarding him.
3 best plays on STs:
1---Catanzaro's extra points, 3 for 3.
2---Catanzaro's kickoffs.
3---Niklas' tackle on the one short kickoff, albeit at the 27 yard line.
3 Worst Plays on STs:
1---the botched FG
2---all of the punts
3---all of the kickoff returns
Can the Cardinals turn things around versus the surging 1-0 Bucs?
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