Never as good… never as bad.

[slanidrac16]

We should all know by now and especially after one game things are never as good or bad as they seem.

I’m tempering my expectation just a bit. I’ll be the first to admit I slipped to the dark side and am not completely convinced of what we witnessed Sunday.
With 4 months to prepare for game one will we be able to execute on a game plan installed on Wednesday?
Now that it’s on tape will opponents adjust to what we did?
Are the Titans as bad as they appeared?
Are the Vikings as vulnerable as they appeared on Sunday.

It certainly is set up to an interesting Sunday. It’s a huge test for Kliff and his staff to follow up with another good game plan.

If we lay an egg all the joy we are feeling right now will be neutralized. Not meant to be a buzz kill. I will be one nervous hombre Sunday.

 

[Krangodnzr]

We should all know by now and especially after one game things are never as good or bad as they seem.

I’m tempering my expectation just a bit. I’ll be the first to admit I slipped to the dark side and am not completely convinced of what we witnessed Sunday.
With 4 months to prepare for game one will we be able to execute on a game plan installed on Wednesday?
Now that it’s on tape will opponents adjust to what we did?
Are the Titans as bad as they appeared?
Are the Vikings as vulnerable as they appeared on Sunday.

It certainly is set up to an interesting Sunday. It’s a huge test for Kliff and his staff to follow up with another good game plan.

If we lay an egg all the joy we are feeling right now will be neutralized. Not meant to be a buzz kill. I will be one nervous hombre Sunday.

Maybe you're assessment of the team was wrong all along?

That's a scenario you aren't even considering much in your post.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Maybe you're assessment of the team was wrong all along?

That's a scenario you aren't even considering much in your post.

Yup. I’m looking forward to seeing if this team can duplicate last week’s effort, not worried it was a mirage. I’ll have plenty of time to bitch if that’s what last week was. But that was such a dominating performance enough for me that I’ll give this team a little more rope before I hang them. Even if we lose this week, I won’t crush them... it’ll be jury’s out time for the next couple games before any kind of judgement comes down.

 

[slanidrac16]

Maybe you're assessment of the team was wrong all along?

That's a scenario you aren't even considering much in your post.

Absolutely. You are right. Call it 50 years of the Cardinal Syndrome! Lol

 

[Red on White]

Last season when everyone was fit and healthy we were very impressive at times. 6-3 start or whatever it was

As the season wore on our depth got tested, players got banged up and we fell away. Lost the war of attrition.

Seemed that teams with quality depth and a strong underlying scheme prospered as the season wore on. Those who relied on their most talented players dominating flashed. Which are we? A question that perhaps won't be answered until more of the season unfolds.

Mental scars from last season's fade out aside though, stripping things down to their most basic level we just torched an 11-5 team from last season on the road. At the very least it's a cause for cautious optimism.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Yup. I’m looking forward to seeing if this team can duplicate last week’s effort, not worried it was a mirage. I’ll have plenty of time to bitch if that’s what last week was. But that was such a dominating performance enough for me that I’ll give this team a little more rope before I hang them. Even if we lose this week, I won’t crush them... it’ll be jury’s out time for the next couple games before any kind of judgement comes down.

I mean, I still can see a 7 win season too.

Its really early and there are tons of variables. But a 12 win season is also not crazy either.

 

[Solar7]

I feel like... 60-40 on this week. No guarantees. It's at home, which helps. The Vikes will be highly motivated to salvage a bad start/close loss, and we might be in a situation where we're sniffing our own farts after the media coverage.

That roster has legitimate stars.

 

[BritCard]

I think many were expecting too little from what is a good roster. I always thought we had a competent RB room and one of the best WR corps in the league. My only concern was Kliff holding them back again, but so far I liked what I saw in adjustments. Although I refer judgement until the 2nd half of the season when he normally gets found out.

On saying that, I always said before that I didn't think the Titans were as good as people thought and they were set for a down year. So it's hard to judge the Cards on game 1. Maybe the Titans are just bad.

Week 2 is always more telling than week 1. Are the Titans that bad? The Seahawks visit will tell us that. The Vikings is the perfect home opener to see where we are with them coming off a Bengals defeat and us thrashing the Titans. This game will tell us a lot.

It's going to be an interesting week.

Conventional wisdom would have us beating the Vikings and going into week 3 with a very high chance of 3-0. We all know we rarely work out that way.

 

[MrYeahBut]

The McGinnis teams were never as bad as I thought.

They turned out to be WORSE!

 

[Billy Bob]

We should all know by now and especially after one game things are never as good or bad as they seem.

I’m tempering my expectation just a bit. I’ll be the first to admit I slipped to the dark side and am not completely convinced of what we witnessed Sunday.
With 4 months to prepare for game one will we be able to execute on a game plan installed on Wednesday?
Now that it’s on tape will opponents adjust to what we did?
Are the Titans as bad as they appeared?
Are the Vikings as vulnerable as they appeared on Sunday.

It certainly is set up to an interesting Sunday. It’s a huge test for Kliff and his staff to follow up with another good game plan.

If we lay an egg all the joy we are feeling right now will be neutralized. Not meant to be a buzz kill. I will be one nervous hombre Sunday.

Titans had 4 months to prepare for that game too, right?

 

[gimpy]

I don't know, I've always been a pessimist with a hope that we will do well.
As far as the four months we had for preparing for this game, didn't the Titans have the same for months to prepare for us?

Maybe that speaks well, not only for the quality of players we have, but, also for our coaching staff?

 

[slanidrac16]

I don't know, I've always been a pessimist with a hope that we will do well.
As far as the four months we had for preparing for this game, didn't the Titans have the same for months to prepare for us?

Maybe that speaks well, not only for the quality of players we have, but, also for our coaching staff?

That’s the hope. It’s going to be on the back of our minds that Kingsbury’s teams start good and fade.
I hope we add a few new wrinkles every week that our opponent hasn’t seen.

 

[Chopper0080]

I feel like the three big things with the Cardinals this season are...

1-Consistency. What are we going to get week in and week out in terms of scheme, execution and focus. Also comes down to lacking an overall identity (personal opinion).

2-Health. Any time you have an older roster in terms of your better players, health is a concern.

3-Development. Having young players in key areas requires the team to develop those players. We can debate if some of the roster issues are due to adding subpar young talent or the staff's ability to develop that talent, but either way, young players will be in key spots and need to be coached up.

 

[BritCard]

I feel like the three big things with the Cardinals this season are...

1-Consistency. What are we going to get week in and week out in terms of scheme, execution and focus. Also comes down to lacking an overall identity (personal opinion).

2-Health. Any time you have an older roster in terms of your better players, health is a concern.

3-Development. Having young players in key areas requires the team to develop those players. We can debate if some of the roster issues are due to adding subpar young talent or the staff's ability to develop that talent, but either way, young players will be in key spots and need to be coached up.

I think the vet experience we added will help a lot with 1 and 3, possibly at the expense of 2

 

[Chopper0080]

I think the vet experience we added will help a lot with 1 and 3, possibly at the expense of 2

That is the plan.

 

[BigRedRage]

ive learned to never be overconfident, especially going into a week after we crushed a team, our opponent is good and our opponent was crushed. This, in theory, should be a dog fight. However, if our Defense can play lights out, the offense has a much easier time doing their job.

 

[Cards_Campos]

We are as good as we were with Palmer and Arians. We have legit play makers on offense and our defense has numerous talented legit studs. We should be a top 5 team in the league. And we shouldn’t lose to the Vikings. I’m not saying we will win by 20. But really should be able to score 35 on them. I see 35-20. And actually might be mad if we give up 20.

 

[cardpa]

Maybe the Titans believed the press clipping as they were the odds on favorite to win the AFC South and the Cardinals were usually picked to come in third or fourth in their division. The Cardinals came ready to play and the Titans got their dupa handed to them. I think it was probably the same for the Vikings, here come the lowly Bengals and the results though closer were the same. Of note the fumble call on Cook was dubious.

I need to see the results of the first six games before passing judgement on the team especially the fourth to sixth game when the competition gets tougher. The first game was a nice start and a solid win but like someone else said 50+ years of following this team does affect your outlook.

 

[Totally_Red]

It is obviously better to catch a team with two new coordinators early in the season. I still think the Titans are a playoff team and the Cardinals outplayed them in all three phases.

This week against the Vikings will be a key test. Don't read your press clipping Cardinals!

 

[Zeem_Freeze]

agree that we aren't as good as we looked (and I'm a lightsider). buy the line down from -4.5 to -2.5 and I think its a safe bet

 

[BritCard]

It is obviously better to catch a team with two new coordinators early in the season. I still think the Titans are a playoff team and the Cardinals outplayed them in all three phases.

This week against the Vikings will be a key test. Don't read your press clipping Cardinals!

Not enough said about this.

The Titans were bad because they have a new OC, as I said they would. He's not a good one either. Same goes with the Vikings. Kubiak might turn out to be good but it's going to take them some time even if he is.

You can't be confident with the Cards but on paper you have to say Cards are 90/10 favorites.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Not enough said about this.

The Titans were bad because they have a new OC, as I said they would. He's not a good one either. Same goes with the Vikings. Kubiak might turn out to be good but it's going to take them some time even if he is.

You can't be confident with the Cards but on paper you have to say Cards are 90/10 favorites.

This.

Despite what the Titans fan was saying, the Cardinals had some obvious advantages. The front seven playing against a fairly predictable offense....you know that you are going to get a healthy dose of runs from Henry and the Titans don't really hide that. And the fact that Lewan was coming off injury means he was probably pretty rusty, while Jones looks like he is in the best shape he has been in since he came to the Cardinals.

The change in OC usually takes a few weeks to adjust. What would normally be a much tighter game got out of hand.

The Vikings are good enough and have enough weapons that the team CAN'T overlook them. I'm not 100% confident.

 

[phillycard]

This is facts Slan. We've been fans long enough to know not to get all crazy over wins. (as good as this one was) We could easily get slapped around by the Vikes if we don't keep focus. I'm respecting that team, as one that is capable of beating us.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

This week against the Vikings will be a key test. Don't read your press clipping Cardinals!

This

 

[juza76]

This.

Despite what the Titans fan was saying, the Cardinals had some obvious advantages. The front seven playing against a fairly predictable offense....you know that you are going to get a healthy dose of runs from Henry and the Titans don't really hide that. And the fact that Lewan was coming off injury means he was probably pretty rusty, while Jones looks like he is in the best shape he has been in since he came to the Cardinals.

The change in OC usually takes a few weeks to adjust. What would normally be a much tighter game got out of hand.

The Vikings are good enough and have enough weapons that the team CAN'T overlook them. I'm not 100% confident.

Also Jones came from an injury
If lewan didn't play good cause was rusty looks to me as an excuse
Their offensive coordinator was their tigh end coach previously so he has been working with that system even before
Lets start to give the credit where its due
If the Cardinals plays as they did versus the Titans they can easily win, unfortunately our beloved team didn't show much consistency in the past after a big win, the fact the back up qbs have often their career days against us is a signal how mentally weak has been this franchise
They can change it? I hope so, but we can still be skeptical at today