NFL.com - Cardinals Rise Didn't Happen Overnight

[Catfish]

1st paragraph: As much as I love Dockett, and I do, why does he always get the credit for the D's personality? AW has been doing it for years before DD was even here...

Building a team you want, and can coach is going to take quite some time. All the way up until this year I had said that Green drafted better than Whiz. Not considering that Whiz had a whole different plan drafting. It's finally come together. He finally got the staff he wanted too. He's done an absolutely amazing job. And I am ecstatic Bidwill stuck with him and let him do his thing while fans were calling for his head. I've always been one of the biggest Whiz apologists. I thought he was the best we'd done at HC. But even I didn't expect it to play out this well

Good thoughts Brandon, but I said that I was not dissing Whiz, only that he was not a good play caller. I am glad he is our head coach too, just like you. I just feel that our defense has been much more a product of Horton's input than Whiz's, (but remember that Whiz was the one who went and got him). That has been Whiz's biggest contribution to this team, (getting the right people in the organization). When it became clear that Graves was slow to get new players and coaches on board, Whiz saw that Keim was promoted to a VP spot over Graves as director of player personnel. That has helped tremendously, and it has changed the whole way we look at offensive linemen. This past year, we drafted no fewer than three new offensive linemen, (all of whom could pass block). Before that, all our OL selectees were road-grader run-blockers who had to learn to pass protect. We got by with that mentality when Warner was our QB, because he could read and react so quickly and with accuracy. That has not really worked for any QB here since Warner. Thank God we have the pass blockers that Keim drafted last year, as we would be totally wasted as an offense this year, just like 2010 and 2011. The fact that Batiste, (who came off the PS more or less), and Massie, a proven pass protector are here, gives our offense a chance to work, both at passing and at running, even though it is a learning process for all. So far, our defense has allowed that to happen.

Don't diminish what Whiz has brought to this franchise. He changed the culture of this team. Remember, Whiz promised us a tough, smart, disciplined team. Whiz brought in Keim, who is getting us young players with mental toughness. Whiz brought in Horton who designed a defense that fits our personnel, AND who required that his defense play smart, or they would sit and watch youngsters who would play smart. Whiz brought in John Lott, who made this team strong. Whiz brought in Miller who took the playcalling off Whiz' shoulders.

All I am saying is that Horton's defense scored for us when the offense couldn't score last year, and kept us in games early, and won them late. This year, Horton's defense has derailed every defense they have faced but Miami's, but this time the offense found a way to overcome the defense. That is the first time that has happened since Warner was here, but as the offense grows under Kolb, they should continue to improve just like the defense did under Horton.

 

[52brandon]

Good thoughts Brandon, but I said that I was not dissing Whiz, only that he was not a good play caller. I am glad he is our head coach too, just like you. I just feel that our defense has been much more a product of Horton's input than Whiz's, (but remember that Whiz was the one who went and got him). That has been Whiz's biggest contribution to this team, (getting the right people in the organization). When it became clear that Graves was slow to get new players and coaches on board, Whiz saw that Keim was promoted to a VP spot over Graves as director of player personnel. That has helped tremendously, and it has changed the whole way we look at offensive linemen. This past year, we drafted no fewer than three new offensive linemen, (all of whom could pass block). Before that, all our OL selectees were road-grader run-blockers who had to learn to pass protect. We got by with that mentality when Warner was our QB, because he could read and react so quickly and with accuracy. That has not really worked for any QB here since Warner. Thank God we have the pass blockers that Keim drafted last year, as we would be totally wasted as an offense this year, just like 2010 and 2011. The fact that Batiste, (who came off the PS more or less), and Massie, a proven pass protector are here, gives our offense a chance to work, both at passing and at running, even though it is a learning process for all. So far, our defense has allowed that to happen.

Don't diminish what Whiz has brought to this franchise. He changed the culture of this team. Remember, Whiz promised us a tough, smart, disciplined team. Whiz brought in Keim, who is getting us young players with mental toughness. Whiz brought in Horton who designed a defense that fits our personnel, AND who required that his defense play smart, or they would sit and watch youngsters who would play smart. Whiz brought in John Lott, who made this team strong. Whiz brought in Miller who took the playcalling off Whiz' shoulders.

All I am saying is that Horton's defense scored for us when the offense couldn't score last year, and kept us in games early, and won them late. This year, Horton's defense has derailed every defense they have faced but Miami's, but this time the offense found a way to overcome the defense. That is the first time that has happened since Warner was here, but as the offense grows under Kolb, they should continue to improve just like the defense did under Horton.

for sure. I've always said that I didn't like Whiz calling plays here. But he is a fantastic HC. He needs to get a better line coach and OC again IMO. But I have been impressed with what he has done to this point

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Obviously you've been a Cardinal fan a long time. Folks forget that '74 team finished 10-4 after starting 7-0.

I haven't.... and the problem was on the "D" side of the ball.

 

[daves]

All I am saying is that Horton's defense scored for us when the offense couldn't score last year, and kept us in games early, and won them late.

The defense definitely played well in the second half of 2011 and kept the team in a lot of games when the offense struggled. But they did not score a single point in 2011.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/crd/2011.htm#defense::none

...dave

 

[conraddobler]

The coaching staff here has one thing going for them, the players buy in, that's huge.

At the same time they do some less than impressive things all the time, I can tell by our formation and especially the fullback going into motion that 99 percent of the time it's going to be a run and where.

I know the other team knows this too, we can't run a screen pass to save our lives, bad clock management in the end of games, mostly when we are ahead, there's a ton of things to whine about.

There's a lot more to be glad about then upset about now, that's good, it's not a simple black and white question, but as to ever being for firing him I never really got there but I was very frustrated and still am about certain things that NFL coaches should be able to address.

The mystery of the screen pass continues, and it's a long running saga, for the love of .... just figure it out.

 

[52brandon]

The defense definitely played well in the second half of 2011 and kept the team in a lot of games when the offense struggled. But they did not score a single point in 2011.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/crd/2011.htm#defense::none

...dave

true enough. BUT a defender scored 4 TDs last year

 

[Duckjake]

true enough. BUT a defender scored 4 TDs last year

Not 100% true. Peterson also plays offense.