NE 30 ARI 3: Cardinals Missing Opportunities

[Mitch]

What seems apparant after this ugly performance by the Cardinals is that the coaching staff is missing out on valuable opportunities to experiment with its personnel and its in-game situations this pre-season.

1. The running game. Running the football requires three very important things: (1) a smashmouth mentality; (2) proper execution of assignments; (3) a commitment to getting it right.

The Cardinals remain severely lacking in all three areas. Smashmouth mentality? No semblance of it whatsoever. First of all, the prized $30M free agent RB has expressed no interest in getting hit in the pre-season...yeah, yeah, yeah, RBs take a pounding during the course of an exhausting 16 game season...but...to preclude himself from playing while others are out there taking it on the chin sends a poor message to the team...if the star RB doesn't care about the pre-season, why should anyone else?

And...the star RB is new to the team...should we really expect that he will be able to walk right in and start running the ball effectively in the first game, without having done it at any time in the pre-season? It's foolish to think this will happen.

Proper execution? Commitment? This offensive line, as constructed, cannot and will not execute in the running game. Why? Three of the five starters don't have the ability to run block effectively in the NFL (obviously changing the o-line coach wasn't going to change the talent of the personnel...which is why so many of us have been screaming at the Cardinals for not acquiring more offensive line talent)...the player (L. Davis) who would be most feared blocking in the interior, is playing on the outside...and yet, the mere thought of juggling the personnel to find the best fits is scoffed at by coaches and fans alike...for the sake of continuity? CONTINUITY? This continuity sucks in terms of running the football...face it.

The pre-season provides teams with the opportunity to experiment...why not juggle the personnel? Why not try different combinations? Something? Anything?

For example, what's to prohibit the Cardinals on certain downs to flip-flop Leonard Davis and Reggie Wells, so as to give the line a stronger opportunity to run up the middle? What's to prohibit them from putting their two best run blockers (Davis and Milford Brown) on the same side on certain plays, if not on every play?

The reality is: This team and organization is committed to passing the football. The offensive line is built to pass block (which they do pretty darned well)...two of the best three players on the football team are WRs...the new star RB is one of the premier pass catching RBs in the NFL...the #3 WR would be a #2 on many teams...and the team drafted a 6'7" pass catching TE in the third round...even the complimentary players such as J.J. Arrington and Obafemi Ayanbadejo are assets in the passing game. Pass, pass pass.

Kurt Warner's best success in the league came in a pass happy system...and Matt Leinart loves to spread the ball around any which way he can...

If there are no personnel changes or position changes on this offensive line...and they way things go with the imagination-less Cardinals...don't expect any changes...it would behoove the Cardinals to remain commited to the passing game, first and foremost...and in doing so, they can concede that a five yard swing pass to Edgerrin James is certainly as good as a five yard run...and the bread and butter running play should become the draw (the way the Pats ran it with Kevin Faulk), knowing that draw plays and screens are the two best ways to slow down a pass rush.

I personally don't believe teams HAVE to run the ball to win in the NFL...I believe that teams should cater to their strengths...I certainly believe that balance is great and ideal...but, hey, as long as teams can find ways to outscore their opponents, it really doesn't matter how they do it.

All we've been hearing is that Edgerrin James' biggest impact will be in the red zone, because the Cardinals will finally be able to run the ball in there. Oh yeah? With this offensive line? The Cardinals are kidding themselves.

Yes, but...with Edge running swing, out and circle routes out of the backfield, the Cardinals will certainly be a more formidible team in the red zone. That's where the Cardinals WILL be improved in red zone offense...add the 6'7" Leonard Pope to the mix...and look out!

This being the case, how about showing up Friday night in Chicago in a 4WR (Q and Pope in the slots and BJ and LF wide)/1RB (James) spread and open the offense up? Why not start featuring the most daunting alignment the Cardinals can throw at teams?

2. 4th downs. Twice last night, Green elected to punt on 4th downs inside Patriots' territory. WHY? It's the PRE-SEASON! Why not put the most pressure he can on the offense right now...to get them ready for the all-important 4th down conversions the team will have to convert this year. Is field position all that important in a pre-season game?

2 Pt. Conversions. In addition, it would be great to see the Cardinals go for as many two-point conversions as possbile in the pre-season. Why not?

3. Matt Leinart with 1st string WRs...if we don't see this in the next two games, the coaching staff is missing out on a huge opportunity to build chemistry between Leinart and the top receivers.

4. Man to man...press coverage. What in the world is Clancy Pendergast doing with his pass coverages this pre-season? Why is Antrel Rolle "Mr. Cushion"? (No different than what he was last year) And every one else? Why not experiment with press coverages? Why not take the most aggressive approach? Last night was a waste...and guess what? The Patriots (save Ben Watson) are about as easy to defend in pass coverage as any offense in the NFL...last night's coverage was an embarrassment.

5. Why not try certain players as starters? While Robert Griffith played well last night...(and the push from Aaron Francisco may have a lot to do with why Griffith played so hard and well)...why not see what Francisco can do as the starter for a week...how about Gerald Hayes?...

Last night's best players:

1. Matt Leinart...what really impressed me was his feet...not only how quickly he set up in his backpedal, but the way he set his feet on his throws and the way he scrambled (nice suprise).

I was thinking during his two-minute drive that he alone was helping to solve two issues...a) improving the rushing stats; (b) improving the team's clock management with his quick decisions and timeouts...all very needed and impressive!

2. J.J. Arrington. Good returns and stronger runs.

3. Leonard Davis. He did his part. Too bad he's not more vocal.

4. Larry Fitzgerald. Two great receptions (one voided by penalty)...but man does he look good.

5. Eric Edwards. Nice series...good seam catch and nice block on sweep.

6. Kendrick Clancy. How about the play he caved in a Pats' double team and dove over the pile for the tackle? That's about the best effort I've seen from a Cardinal DT getting to the ball in quite some time.

7. Bertrand Berry. Johnny-on-the-Spot once again.

8. A.J. Schable. Nice sack...this kid can play.

9. Orlando Huff. Some more good tackles, but a step slow in coverage, like all other LBers this night.

10. Gerald Hayes. His inside blitzes are strong. Nice added dimension.

11. Dyshon Carter. Talk about textbook tackling! Refreshing on a night where even Matt Cassell was breaking Cardinal defenders' ankles.

12. Robert Griffith. Best game as a Cardinal. Forced the run extremely well, laying the wood on people. Was quicker to react in pass coverage too.

13. Aaron Francisco. Talk about laying the wood on people...how about the hit he laid on FB Heath Evans? This kid is playing super hard.

14. Neil Rackers. Nice 48 yarder. Poor kickoffs, by his standards, though.

15. Michael Spurlock. Poor fumble...no excuse...but his returns were good...he's got game.

Failed to Show Up List:

1. Edgerrin James. 2. Alex Stepanovich. 3. Reggie Wells. 4. Milford Brown. 5. Jeremy Bridges. 6. John Bronson. 7. Marcel Shipp. 8. Adam Bergen. 9. Anquan Boldin. 10. Obafemi Ayanbadejo. 11. Darnell Dockett. 12. Darryl Blackstock. 13. Calvin Pace. 14. James Darling. 15. Antrel Rolle. 16. Adrian Wilson. 17. Lamont Reid. 18. Ernest Shazor. 19. The whole 2nd string offensive line, except C Nick Leckey, who played decently.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

What seems apparant after this ugly performance by the Cardinals is that the coaching staff is missing out on valuable opportunities to experiment with its personnel and its in-game situations this pre-season.

1. The running game. Running the football requires three very important things: (1) a smashmouth mentality; (2) proper execution of assignments; (3) a commitment to getting it right.

The Cardinals remain severely lacking in all three areas. Smashmouth mentality? No semblance of it whatsoever. First of all, the prized $30M free agent RB has expressed no interest in getting hit in the pre-season...yeah, yeah, yeah, RBs take a pounding during the course of an exhausting 16 game season...but...to preclude himself from playing while others are out there taking it on the chin sends a poor message to the team...if the star RB doesn't care about the pre-season, why should anyone else?

And...the star RB is new to the team...should we really expect that he will be able to walk right in and start running the ball effectively in the first game, without having done it at any time in the pre-season? It's foolish to think this will happen.

I couldnt disagree with you more here. This isnt an "edge" thing. This is the trend that most starting RB's don't play a ton of preseaosn snaps and some even less than what Edge is playing Look at Alexander, L. Johnson, LT...none of them are getting more thana couple of carries a game in preseason. Why would you risk getting him injured here for the sake of what? gaining 20-30 yards in preason? NEVER

Proper execution? Commitment? This offensive line, as constructed, cannot and will not execute in the running game. Why? Three of the five starters don't have the ability to run block effectively in the NFL (obviously changing the o-line coach wasn't going to change the talent of the personnel...which is why so many of us have been screaming at the Cardinals for not acquiring more offensive line talent)...the player (L. Davis) who would be most feared blocking in the interior, is playing on the outside...and yet, the mere thought of juggling the personnel to find the best fits is scoffed at by coaches and fans alike...for the sake of continuity? CONTINUITY? This continuity sucks in terms of running the football...face it.

The pre-season provides teams with the opportunity to experiment...why not juggle the personnel? Why not try different combinations? Something? Anything?

For example, what's to prohibit the Cardinals on certain downs to flip-flop Leonard Davis and Reggie Wells, so as to give the line a stronger opportunity to run up the middle? What's to prohibit them from putting their two best run blockers (Davis and Milford Brown) on the same side on certain plays, if not on every play?

This certainly couldnt hurt except that Davis is going to -and should-be playing LT so I don't want him to move. Now putting Wells at Center or mxing up who is playing RT or lg might provide some results.

The reality is: This team and organization is committed to passing the football. The offensive line is built to pass block (which they do pretty darned well)...two of the best three players on the football team are WRs...the new star RB is one of the premier pass catching RBs in the NFL...the #3 WR would be a #2 on many teams...and the team drafted a 6'7" pass catching TE in the third round...even the complimentary players such as J.J. Arrington and Obafemi Ayanbadejo are assets in the passing game. Pass, pass pass.

Kurt Warner's best success in the league came in a pass happy system...and Matt Leinart loves to spread the ball around any which way he can...

If there are no personnel changes or position changes on this offensive line...and they way things go with the imagination-less Cardinals...don't expect any changes...it would behoove the Cardinals to remain commited to the passing game, first and foremost...and in doing so, they can concede that a five yard swing pass to Edgerrin James is certainly as good as a five yard run...and the bread and butter running play should become the draw (the way the Pats ran it with Kevin Faulk), knowing that draw plays and screens are the two best ways to slow down a pass rush.

I personally don't believe teams HAVE to run the ball to win in the NFL...I believe that teams should cater to their strengths...I certainly believe that balance is great and ideal...but, hey, as long as teams can find ways to outscore their opponents, it really doesn't matter how they do it.

All we've been hearing is that Edgerrin James' biggest impact will be in the red zone, because the Cardinals will finally be able to run the ball in there. Oh yeah? With this offensive line? The Cardinals are kidding themselves.

Yes, but...with Edge running swing, out and circle routes out of the backfield, the Cardinals will certainly be a more formidible team in the red zone. That's where the Cardinals WILL be improved in red zone offense...add the 6'7" Leonard Pope to the mix...and look out!

This being the case, how about showing up Friday night in Chicago in a 4WR (Q and Pope in the slots and BJ and LF wide)/1RB (James) spread and open the offense up? Why not start featuring the most daunting alignment the Cardinals can throw at teams?

I agree here. I often wondered during yesterdays games why we didnt go to a 4-wide set, 1 rb and move the TE out. I think it is certainly in their arsenal, they just havent done in a game yet

2. 4th downs. Twice last night, Green elected to punt on 4th downs inside Patriots' territory. WHY? It's the PRE-SEASON! Why not put the most pressure he can on the offense right now...to get them ready for the all-important 4th down conversions the team will have to convert this year. Is field position all that important in a pre-season game?

2 Pt. Conversions. In addition, it would be great to see the Cardinals go for as many two-point conversions as possbile in the pre-season. Why not?

Although I don't agree trying a 2pt conversion for the sake of trying it is a good plan, I do agree that trying them in preseason allows your team to run more plays in the redzone and practice the goaline offense...whcih the Cards struggled with last year.

3. Matt Leinart with 1st string WRs...if we don't see this in the next two games, the coaching staff is missing out on a huge opportunity to build chemistry between Leinart and the top receivers.

He will get his chance, but he isn't our best chance to win. Warner needs asmany snaps with the 1st team as possible. It appeasr Leinart got the majority of the snaps with the first team in practice these last few days and it may have hurt Warner some in this game...

4. Man to man...press coverage. What in the world is Clancy Pendergast doing with his pass coverages this pre-season? Why is Antrel Rolle "Mr. Cushion"? (No different than what he was last year) And every one else? Why not experiment with press coverages? Why not take the most aggressive approach? Last night was a waste...and guess what? The Patriots (save Ben Watson) are about as easy to defend in pass coverage as any offense in the NFL...last night's coverage was pitifully passive.

5. Why not try certain players as starters? While Robert Griffith played well last night...(and the push from Aaron Francisco may have a lot to do with why Griffith played so hard and well)...why not see what Francisco can do as the starter for a week...how about Gerald Hayes?...

Last night's best players:

1. Matt Leinart...what really impressed me was his feet...not only how quickly he set up in his backpedal, but the way he set his feet on his throws and the way he scrambled (nice suprise).

I was thinking during his two-minute drive that he alone was helping to solve two issues...a) improving the rushing stats; (b) improving the team's clock management with his quick decisions and timeouts...all very needed and impressive!

2. J.J. Arrington. Good returns and stronger runs.

I am not sold yet...he was sooo bad last year that I am waiting on that first big pop from a SS to see how he reacts. Remember he hasnt taken any big hits since last year....Lets see what happens when someone really lays into him.

3. Leonard Davis. He did his part. Too bad he's not more vocal.

4. Larry Fitzgerald. Two great receptions (one voided by penalty)...but man does he look good.

5. Eric Edwards. Nice series...good seam catch and nice block on sweep.

Terrible missed block on the baja-cain (sp) sack. WOW, was he bad. I don't think our TE's are gonna scare anyone this year including Pope. If we can make one of them serviceable it would be helpful

6. Kendrick Clancy. How about the play he caved in and dove over the pile for the tackle? That's about the best effort I've seen from a Cardinal DT getting to the ball in quite some time.

7. Bertrand Berry. Johnny-on-the-Spot once again.

8. A.J. Schable. Nice sack...this kid can play.

9. Orlando Huff. Some more good tackles, but a step slow in coverage, like all other LBers this night.

10. Gerald Hayes. His inside blitzes are strong. Nice added dimension.

Yeah but for as much as we blitz we still cant seem to get to the QB as much as we should be. Don't know what it is but I would like to see less CB blitzes and more LB blitzes where we overload one side and force the QB to make a very quick decsion. Also, do we run any d-line stunts at all? I dont see many of them and when we do (a la Pace QB pressure from last week) we seem to do well.

11. Dyshon Carter. Talk about textbook tackling! Refreshing on a night where even Matt Cassell was breaking Cardinal defenders' ankle. Pitiful.

12. Robert Griffith. Best game as a Cardinal. Forced the run extremely well, laying the wood on people. Was quicker to react in apss coverage too.

13. Aaron Francisco. Talk about laying the wood on people...how about the hit he laid on FB Heath Evans? This kid is playing super hard.

14. Neil Rackers. Nice 48 yarder. Poor kickoffs, by his standards, though.

15. Michael Spurlock. Poor fumble...no excuse...but his returns were good...he's got game.

Failed to Show Up List:

1. Edgerrin James. 2. Alex Stepanovich. 3. Reggie Wells. 4. Milford Brown. 5. Jeremy Bridges. 6. John Bronson. 7. Marcel Shipp. 8. Adam Bergen. 9. Anquan Boldin. 10. Obafemi Ayanbadejo. 11. Darnell Dockett. 12. Darryl Blackstock. 13. Calvin Pace. 14. James Darling. 15. Antrel Rolle. 16. Adrian Wilson. 17. Lamont Reid. 18. Ernest Shazor. 19. The whole 2nd string offensive line, except C Nick Leckey, who played decently.

Overall I saw some good things last night in an otherwise pitiful performance. I thought Belicheck outcoached Green by going to 5-wide sets and counteracting the Cards aggressive blitzing by throwing to the TE and rb out of the backfield. But honestly, none of us know if there was much -if any- game planning for the Pats on the Cards part so I am not concerned in the least.

 

[Goldfield]

I am not concerned in the least.

You have got to be kidding...

 

[BigRedFan]

I think the Cardinals should give up on a traditional running attack and use a run and shoot offense like Houston did with Warren Moon, mix it up with occasional draw plays and screen passes. This would cater to their strengths better.

Some good points made except for the 2 point conversion idea, the Cardinals didnt have any opportunities last night

What seems apparant after this ugly performance by the Cardinals is that the coaching staff is missing out on valuable opportunities to experiment with its personnel and its in-game situations this pre-season.

1. The running game. Running the football requires three very important things: (1) a smashmouth mentality; (2) proper execution of assignments; (3) a commitment to getting it right.

The Cardinals remain severely lacking in all three areas. Smashmouth mentality? No semblance of it whatsoever. First of all, the prized $30M free agent RB has expressed no interest in getting hit in the pre-season...yeah, yeah, yeah, RBs take a pounding during the course of an exhausting 16 game season...but...to preclude himself from playing while others are out there taking it on the chin sends a poor message to the team...if the star RB doesn't care about the pre-season, why should anyone else?

And...the star RB is new to the team...should we really expect that he will be able to walk right in and start running the ball effectively in the first game, without having done it at any time in the pre-season? It's foolish to think this will happen.

Proper execution? Commitment? This offensive line, as constructed, cannot and will not execute in the running game. Why? Three of the five starters don't have the ability to run block effectively in the NFL (obviously changing the o-line coach wasn't going to change the talent of the personnel...which is why so many of us have been screaming at the Cardinals for not acquiring more offensive line talent)...the player (L. Davis) who would be most feared blocking in the interior, is playing on the outside...and yet, the mere thought of juggling the personnel to find the best fits is scoffed at by coaches and fans alike...for the sake of continuity? CONTINUITY? This continuity sucks in terms of running the football...face it.

The pre-season provides teams with the opportunity to experiment...why not juggle the personnel? Why not try different combinations? Something? Anything?

For example, what's to prohibit the Cardinals on certain downs to flip-flop Leonard Davis and Reggie Wells, so as to give the line a stronger opportunity to run up the middle? What's to prohibit them from putting their two best run blockers (Davis and Milford Brown) on the same side on certain plays, if not on every play?

The reality is: This team and organization is committed to passing the football. The offensive line is built to pass block (which they do pretty darned well)...two of the best three players on the football team are WRs...the new star RB is one of the premier pass catching RBs in the NFL...the #3 WR would be a #2 on many teams...and the team drafted a 6'7" pass catching TE in the third round...even the complimentary players such as J.J. Arrington and Obafemi Ayanbadejo are assets in the passing game. Pass, pass pass.

Kurt Warner's best success in the league came in a pass happy system...and Matt Leinart loves to spread the ball around any which way he can...

If there are no personnel changes or position changes on this offensive line...and they way things go with the imagination-less Cardinals...don't expect any changes...it would behoove the Cardinals to remain commited to the passing game, first and foremost...and in doing so, they can concede that a five yard swing pass to Edgerrin James is certainly as good as a five yard run...and the bread and butter running play should become the draw (the way the Pats ran it with Kevin Faulk), knowing that draw plays and screens are the two best ways to slow down a pass rush.

I personally don't believe teams HAVE to run the ball to win in the NFL...I believe that teams should cater to their strengths...I certainly believe that balance is great and ideal...but, hey, as long as teams can find ways to outscore their opponents, it really doesn't matter how they do it.

All we've been hearing is that Edgerrin James' biggest impact will be in the red zone, because the Cardinals will finally be able to run the ball in there. Oh yeah? With this offensive line? The Cardinals are kidding themselves.

Yes, but...with Edge running swing, out and circle routes out of the backfield, the Cardinals will certainly be a more formidible team in the red zone. That's where the Cardinals WILL be improved in red zone offense...add the 6'7" Leonard Pope to the mix...and look out!

This being the case, how about showing up Friday night in Chicago in a 4WR (Q and Pope in the slots and BJ and LF wide)/1RB (James) spread and open the offense up? Why not start featuring the most daunting alignment the Cardinals can throw at teams?

2. 4th downs. Twice last night, Green elected to punt on 4th downs inside Patriots' territory. WHY? It's the PRE-SEASON! Why not put the most pressure he can on the offense right now...to get them ready for the all-important 4th down conversions the team will have to convert this year. Is field position all that important in a pre-season game?

2 Pt. Conversions. In addition, it would be great to see the Cardinals go for as many two-point conversions as possbile in the pre-season. Why not?

3. Matt Leinart with 1st string WRs...if we don't see this in the next two games, the coaching staff is missing out on a huge opportunity to build chemistry between Leinart and the top receivers.

4. Man to man...press coverage. What in the world is Clancy Pendergast doing with his pass coverages this pre-season? Why is Antrel Rolle "Mr. Cushion"? (No different than what he was last year) And every one else? Why not experiment with press coverages? Why not take the most aggressive approach? Last night was a waste...and guess what? The Patriots (save Ben Watson) are about as easy to defend in pass coverage as any offense in the NFL...last night's coverage was an embarrassment.

5. Why not try certain players as starters? While Robert Griffith played well last night...(and the push from Aaron Francisco may have a lot to do with why Griffith played so hard and well)...why not see what Francisco can do as the starter for a week...how about Gerald Hayes?...

Last night's best players:

1. Matt Leinart...what really impressed me was his feet...not only how quickly he set up in his backpedal, but the way he set his feet on his throws and the way he scrambled (nice suprise).

I was thinking during his two-minute drive that he alone was helping to solve two issues...a) improving the rushing stats; (b) improving the team's clock management with his quick decisions and timeouts...all very needed and impressive!

2. J.J. Arrington. Good returns and stronger runs.

3. Leonard Davis. He did his part. Too bad he's not more vocal.

4. Larry Fitzgerald. Two great receptions (one voided by penalty)...but man does he look good.

5. Eric Edwards. Nice series...good seam catch and nice block on sweep.

6. Kendrick Clancy. How about the play he caved in a Pats' double team and dove over the pile for the tackle? That's about the best effort I've seen from a Cardinal DT getting to the ball in quite some time.

7. Bertrand Berry. Johnny-on-the-Spot once again.

8. A.J. Schable. Nice sack...this kid can play.

9. Orlando Huff. Some more good tackles, but a step slow in coverage, like all other LBers this night.

10. Gerald Hayes. His inside blitzes are strong. Nice added dimension.

11. Dyshon Carter. Talk about textbook tackling! Refreshing on a night where even Matt Cassell was breaking Cardinal defenders' ankles.

12. Robert Griffith. Best game as a Cardinal. Forced the run extremely well, laying the wood on people. Was quicker to react in pass coverage too.

13. Aaron Francisco. Talk about laying the wood on people...how about the hit he laid on FB Heath Evans? This kid is playing super hard.

14. Neil Rackers. Nice 48 yarder. Poor kickoffs, by his standards, though.

15. Michael Spurlock. Poor fumble...no excuse...but his returns were good...he's got game.

Failed to Show Up List:

1. Edgerrin James. 2. Alex Stepanovich. 3. Reggie Wells. 4. Milford Brown. 5. Jeremy Bridges. 6. John Bronson. 7. Marcel Shipp. 8. Adam Bergen. 9. Anquan Boldin. 10. Obafemi Ayanbadejo. 11. Darnell Dockett. 12. Darryl Blackstock. 13. Calvin Pace. 14. James Darling. 15. Antrel Rolle. 16. Adrian Wilson. 17. Lamont Reid. 18. Ernest Shazor. 19. The whole 2nd string offensive line, except C Nick Leckey, who played decently.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

You have got to be kidding...

Why would I be kidding?

We have a new rookie QB that took most of the snaps with the first team once he arrived. We put in 7-8 pass plays for him so that he could play. I doubt the Cards had a serious "game plan" installed for the Pats.

I think the biggest concern coming into this game was geting Leinart on the field. And they accomplished that.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Since 3 of the 5 OL can't block and there's no semblence of any running, you should be safe in making a bet. I'm willing to bet $100, barring injury, that Edge gets 1000+ yards this year. As sorry as things are, it looks like a sure bet for you. I won't even ask for odds. What do you say, are we on?

 

[justAndy]

i lost count of the missed tackles.
It's one thing to be beaten by a good team with a great scheme and clever coaching.
The lack of fundamentals is what's really brutal to me.

 

[Pariah]

I'm not panicking yet. Remember pre-seasons under Coach Mac? We used to be the unstoppable until the real bullets started flying in Sept.

Pre-season means very little.

 

[conraddobler]

Looking good in preseason never helped before, I almost take it as a good sign, last week of course we tried some because of the new stadium and the home crowd.

This game was about a few reps without hurting anyone, that's all it was.

 

[Buckybird]

Tackling is horrible, they all seem to tackle to high!!! Pace has shown me nothing at LB, he cannot hold Dansby's jock. Pace is a DE and will always be.

 

[football karma]

I agree that pre-season performances need to be taken with a grain of salt. In some sense, I saw a first unit that seemed very satisfied after the Steeler game playing against a Pat team that came away from its first pre-season game against Atlanta with a sense of urgency.

That being said, there were two very troubling, mutually reinforcing trends last night that brought me back to last year's regular season futility in a hurry:

A defense that allowed the other team to control the ball and an offense that couldnt run.

The Cardinals were last in rushing last year not only because of a poor (dead last) yards per attempt, but also because they were near the bottom in attempts per game. There were playoff teams (the Patriots and Panthers among them) who really didnt rush the ball on a per attempt basis significantly better than the Cards, but had lots more attempts during the game.

How did the Pats and Panthers pull that off -- they had defenses that could get the other team's offense off of the field and give their offense more opportunity to develop the running game.

Net/net -- even during the regular season will teams have very uneven performances from week to week. However, i am a dissapointed in the defense allowing these Chinese-water-torture-like dink and dunk drives down the field that never allow the Cardinal offense to develop any continuity.

 

[Russ Smith]

Tackling is horrible, they all seem to tackle to high!!! Pace has shown me nothing at LB, he cannot hold Dansby's jock. Pace is a DE and will always be.

I actually thought Pace looked pretty good, but the problem is where he looks good is in getting into the backfield or rushing the QB, not so much in coverage or as a LB yet. I think it's compounded because without Dansby, we suddenly can't cover underneath. I really wonder is it all the LB's or are safeties simply so quick to come flying up that it leaves a huge gap behind them on underneath passes? It seems when we throw the ball short to a TE or a RB, it's usually the safety that makes the tackle after the ball is caught. When teams do it to us, it's a CB, a player chasing from behind, or a safety 10-15 yards downfield making the hit. We're never in position to stop those plays.

I'm not an expert in defensive schemes it may well be the LB's, but my inclination is we have 2 safeties who are more interested in high fiving after they make a big hit, than in covering their area? They both made a bunch of big hits last night but not a single one of them was a 3rd down stop. But Brady does that to everyone, that's why he's a great player.

 

[conraddobler]

I actually thought Pace looked pretty good, but the problem is where he looks good is in getting into the backfield or rushing the QB, not so much in coverage or as a LB yet. I think it's compounded because without Dansby, we suddenly can't cover underneath. I really wonder is it all the LB's or are safeties simply so quick to come flying up that it leaves a huge gap behind them on underneath passes? It seems when we throw the ball short to a TE or a RB, it's usually the safety that makes the tackle after the ball is caught. When teams do it to us, it's a CB, a player chasing from behind, or a safety 10-15 yards downfield making the hit. We're never in position to stop those plays.

I'm not an expert in defensive schemes it may well be the LB's, but my inclination is we have 2 safeties who are more interested in high fiving after they make a big hit, than in covering their area? They both made a bunch of big hits last night but not a single one of them was a 3rd down stop. But Brady does that to everyone, that's why he's a great player.

I think it's pretty much ado about nothing, to me it seemed as if the Pats wanted to work on some stuff that happened to be very effective in preseason.

We seemed to be head hunting, and in preseason there's not much wrong with that.

Pace plays a bit like a DE still, dosen't wrap up like a good LB, he flails a lot, still a work in progress but he's fast enough and it's no suprise he's not good at covering yet, that's the one thing about the position that takes the most work to learn but I think he's going to be good.

All in all we'll be fine, it seemed like Clancy P was just tinkering all night long and if you are going to do that do it in preseason, I doubt we use much if any of the stuff we did last night in games, if we do it will be here or there, he was just moving the players around and toying with stuff.

My theory is this, last nights game we got the toying we didn't do in the first game out of our system, the Pats were on a mission to establish something this game, so in essence what you got was a typical preseason scenario where one team gives a crap and the other could care less.

Same thing happened last week with the Steelers in reverse, does our beating the Steelers mean they suck and we are going to the Super Bowl? No, it means nothing.

 

[football karma]

the only two good things about last nights game:

1. It doesnt count

2. If this team is a little too full of itself and has bought in too much to the preseason buzz, then last night was a cold bucket of water to remind them that there is a lot of work to be done.

 

[Duckjake]

but my inclination is we have 2 safeties who are more interested in high fiving after they make a big hit, than in covering their area? They both made a bunch of big hits last night

I really like watching those big hits. Especially in preseason games.

Much more fun than watching Thompson and McKinnon drag receivers down from behind.

It's just me I'm sure but I wouldn't mind a 7-9 or 8-8 season if the Cards D knocked the snot out of people every game. 1994 was one of my favorite seasons.

 

[PJ1]

the only two good things about last nights game:

1. It doesnt count

2. If this team is a little too full of itself and has bought in too much to the preseason buzz, then last night was a cold bucket of water to remind them that there is a lot of work to be done.

Totally agree. A wake up call for sure.

 

[slanidrac16]

#1
Mitch
Mitch


Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Wrentham, MA
Posts: 341 NE 30 ARI 3: Cardinals Missing Opportunities

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What seems apparant after this ugly performance by the Cardinals is that the coaching staff is missing out on valuable opportunities to experiment with its personnel and its in-game situations this pre-season.

1. The running game. Running the football requires three very important things: (1) a smashmouth mentality; (2) proper execution of assignments; (3) a commitment to getting it right.
AGREE.

The Cardinals remain severely lacking in all three areas. Smashmouth mentality? No semblance of it whatsoever. First of all, the prized $30M free agent RB has expressed no interest in getting hit in the pre-season...yeah, yeah, yeah, RBs take a pounding during the course of an exhausting 16 game season...but...to preclude himself from playing while others are out there taking it on the chin sends a poor message to the team...if the star RB doesn't care about the pre-season, why should anyone else?
DISAGREE. BODERLINE REDICULOUS.
And...the star RB is new to the team...should we really expect that he will be able to walk right in and start running the ball effectively in the first game, without having done it at any time in the pre-season? It's foolish to think this will happen.
DISAGREE. I KNOW FOR SURE HE WON"T CONTUBUTE IN WEEK #1 IF HE IS INJURED WHILE PLAYING IN AUGUST.

Proper execution? Commitment? This offensive line, as constructed, cannot and will not execute in the running game. Why? Three of the five starters don't have the ability to run block effectively in the NFL (obviously changing the o-line coach wasn't going to change the talent of the personnel...which is why so many of us have been screaming at the Cardinals for not acquiring more offensive line talent)...the player (L. Davis) who would be most feared blocking in the interior, is playing on the outside...and yet, the mere thought of juggling the personnel to find the best fits is scoffed at by coaches and fans alike...for the sake of continuity? CONTINUITY? This continuity sucks in terms of running the football...face it.

The pre-season provides teams with the opportunity to experiment...why not juggle the personnel? Why not try different combinations? Something? Anything?
ABSTAIN. WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE FINAL STARTING LINE UP.
For example, what's to prohibit the Cardinals on certain downs to flip-flop Leonard Davis and Reggie Wells, so as to give the line a stronger opportunity to run up the middle? What's to prohibit them from putting their two best run blockers (Davis and Milford Brown) on the same side on certain plays, if not on every play?
ABSTAIN. SEE ABOVE.
The reality is: This team and organization is committed to passing the football. The offensive line is built to pass block (which they do pretty darned well)...two of the best three players on the football team are WRs...the new star RB is one of the premier pass catching RBs in the NFL...the #3 WR would be a #2 on many teams...and the team drafted a 6'7" pass catching TE in the third round...even the complimentary players such as J.J. Arrington and Obafemi Ayanbadejo are assets in the passing game. Pass, pass pass.
WELL THEN WHY ALL THE RANT TO CHANGE THE LINE?
Kurt Warner's best success in the league came in a pass happy system...and Matt Leinart loves to spread the ball around any which way he can...

If there are no personnel changes or position changes on this offensive line...and they way things go with the imagination-less Cardinals...don't expect any changes...it would behoove the Cardinals to remain commited to the passing game, first and foremost...and in doing so, they can concede that a five yard swing pass to Edgerrin James is certainly as good as a five yard run...and the bread and butter running play should become the draw (the way the Pats ran it with Kevin Faulk), knowing that draw plays and screens are the two best ways to slow down a pass rush.

I personally don't believe teams HAVE to run the ball to win in the NFL...I believe that teams should cater to their strengths...I certainly believe that balance is great and ideal...but, hey, as long as teams can find ways to outscore their opponents, it really doesn't matter how they do it.

All we've been hearing is that Edgerrin James' biggest impact will be in the red zone, because the Cardinals will finally be able to run the ball in there. Oh yeah? With this offensive line? The Cardinals are kidding themselves.

Yes, but...with Edge running swing, out and circle routes out of the backfield, the Cardinals will certainly be a more formidible team in the red zone. That's where the Cardinals WILL be improved in red zone offense...add the 6'7" Leonard Pope to the mix...and look out!
AGIAN< BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING WHY WORRY AT ALL ABOUT RUNNING THE BALL? PUT THE 5 BEST PASS PROTECTORS OUT THERE AND FORGET ABOUT CAHNGING ANYTHING.
This being the case, how about showing up Friday night in Chicago in a 4WR (Q and Pope in the slots and BJ and LF wide)/1RB (James) spread and open the offense up? Why not start featuring the most daunting alignment the Cardinals can throw at teams?
DISAGREE. IF WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT WAIT FOR THE 49ER'S.
2. 4th downs. Twice last night, Green elected to punt on 4th downs inside Patriots' territory. WHY? It's the PRE-SEASON! Why not put the most pressure he can on the offense right now...to get them ready for the all-important 4th down conversions the team will have to convert this year. Is field position all that important in a pre-season game?
AGREE. IT"S A PERFECT TIME TO PUT THE TEAM IN "GAME WINNING" SITUATIONS.
2 Pt. Conversions. In addition, it would be great to see the Cardinals go for as many two-point conversions as possbile in the pre-season. Why not?
AGREE. I SAID THIS IN A POST EARLIER TITLED "SILLY IDEA?"
3. Matt Leinart with 1st string WRs...if we don't see this in the next two games, the coaching staff is missing out on a huge opportunity to build chemistry between Leinart and the top receivers.
AGREE, TO A DEGREE. HOWEVER, LEINART WILL BE THROWING TO READS WHETHER IT"S BOLDIN OR MCCOY. ALSO, HOW MUCH WILL 20 PLAYS IN PRESEASON HELP CHEMISTRY IF WARNER GETS INJURED IN SAY WEEK 11?

4. Man to man...press coverage. What in the world is Clancy Pendergast doing with his pass coverages this pre-season? Why is Antrel Rolle "Mr. Cushion"? (No different than what he was last year) And every one else? Why not experiment with press coverages? Why not take the most aggressive approach? Last night was a waste...and guess what? The Patriots (save Ben Watson) are about as easy to defend in pass coverage as any offense in the NFL...last night's coverage was an embarrassment.
DISAGREE. I DON'T THINK IT IS WISE TO SHOW ALL YOUR CARDS DURING PRESEASON. AS STATED IT'S PRESEASON AND THATS A PERFECT TIME TO PLAY SCHEMES THAT PUT PRESSURE ON CERTAIN UNITS(SUCH AS THE LB'S) TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE CAPAPBLE OF.
5. Why not try certain players as starters? While Robert Griffith played well last night...(and the push from Aaron Francisco may have a lot to do with why Griffith played so hard and well)...why not see what Francisco can do as the starter for a week...how about Gerald Hayes?...
AGREE TO A DEGREE. THERE ARE STILL 2 PRESEASON GAMES LEFT. LETS SIT BACJ AND WATCH.
Last night's best players:

1. Matt Leinart...what really impressed me was his feet...not only how quickly he set up in his backpedal, but the way he set his feet on his throws and the way he scrambled (nice suprise).

I was thinking during his two-minute drive that he alone was helping to solve two issues...a) improving the rushing stats; (b) improving the team's clock management with his quick decisions and timeouts...all very needed and impressive!
AGREE.
2. J.J. Arrington. Good returns and stronger runs.
AGREE.
3. Leonard Davis. He did his part. Too bad he's not more vocal.
AGREE.
4. Larry Fitzgerald. Two great receptions (one voided by penalty)...but man does he look good.
AGREE.
5. Eric Edwards. Nice series...good seam catch and nice block on sweep.
AGREE.
6. Kendrick Clancy. How about the play he caved in a Pats' double team and dove over the pile for the tackle? That's about the best effort I've seen from a Cardinal DT getting to the ball in quite some time.
AGREE.
7. Bertrand Berry. Johnny-on-the-Spot once again.
AGREE.
8. A.J. Schable. Nice sack...this kid can play.
AGREE.
9. Orlando Huff. Some more good tackles, but a step slow in coverage, like all other LBers this night.
AGREE.
10. Gerald Hayes. His inside blitzes are strong. Nice added dimension.
AGREE.
11. Dyshon Carter. Talk about textbook tackling! Refreshing on a night where even Matt Cassell was breaking Cardinal defenders' ankles.
INCONCLSIVE. I SAW THE 1 TACKLE
12. Robert Griffith. Best game as a Cardinal. Forced the run extremely well, laying the wood on people. Was quicker to react in pass coverage too.
AGREE TO A DEGREE. LIKE THE WOOD HE WAS LAYING, BUT IS HE A STEP SLOW?
13. Aaron Francisco. Talk about laying the wood on people...how about the hit he laid on FB Heath Evans? This kid is playing super hard.
AGREE. HE'S BEEN VERY GOOD ON SPECIAL TEAMS ALSO.
14. Neil Rackers. Nice 48 yarder. Poor kickoffs, by his standards, though.
AGREE. THE BEST!
15. Michael Spurlock. Poor fumble...no excuse...but his returns were good...he's got game.
AGREE.
Failed to Show Up List:

1. Edgerrin James. 2. Alex Stepanovich. 3. Reggie Wells. 4. Milford Brown. 5. Jeremy Bridges. 6. John Bronson. 7. Marcel Shipp. 8. Adam Bergen. 9. Anquan Boldin. 10. Obafemi Ayanbadejo. 11. Darnell Dockett. 12. Darryl Blackstock. 13. Calvin Pace. 14. James Darling. 15. Antrel Rolle. 16. Adrian Wilson. 17. Lamont Reid. 18. Ernest Shazor. 19. The whole 2nd string offensive line, except C Nick Leckey, who played decently.
I'M NOT THE LEAST WORRIED ABOUT GUYS LIKE JAMES , BOLDIN, ROLLE , WILSON, DARLING, AND WELLS.
WE MIGHT AS WELL ACCEPT THE FACT THAT THE O-LINE WILL BE A WORK IN PROGRESS. HOPEFULLY WE CAN WIN MORE THAN WE LOSE WHILE THIS GROUP COMES TOGETHER.
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[red desert]

Great analysis, Mitch.

 

[abomb]

I'm not panicking yet. Remember pre-seasons under Coach Mac? We used to be the unstoppable until the real bullets started flying in Sept.

Pre-season means very little.

 

[Chopper0080]

I believe that our line is not a road grader yet, but is about two years away. It probably will line up as Davis, Lutui, Wells, Brown, ??? which is when I expect us to make our run. You do have to be able to run to close out games and execute in the red zone and I think that this would be the line to physically do it.

 

[AZ Shocker]

I'm willing to bet $100, barring injury, that Edge gets 1000+ yards this year.

Wow...I might have I take that bet.

Edge is great and all, but did you watch a Cardinals game last year, or the two thus far? Besides...1000 yards is nothing these days. Big deal...that's only 62.5 yards a game. Whoop-dee-freakin-doo. lol

 

[JeffGollin]

The pre-season provides teams with the opportunity to experiment...why not juggle the personnel? Why not try different combinations? Something? Anything?
Mitch - Bigger priority (not that we were successful) was to get everyone on the field playing effectively as a unit.

Once that's accomplished (if it's ever accomplished) we can experiment all we want. But until then, the coaches first have to get all aspects of this team to shake, rattle & function.