azdad1978
Championship!!!!
After suffering a loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday night, the Arizona Cardinals resumed practice at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff on Monday morning. Following the loss, Head Coach Dennis Green was very candid about his disappointment in the intensity of his players, and that message was similar this morning.
“We were very disappointed, not discouraged at all, but very disappointed in some of our play,” commented Green. “I think special teams did a good job on tempo. Defense played okay and offensively we never found a rhythm. I think we are just going to have to keep working hard at it and rely on the system a little more. When you turn a program around, it is not that unusual what we are going through right now. Hopefully we will play a lot better this week and we can improve a great deal and do the same in our last two weeks before we get to the regular season.”
Not being discouraged was the key message when Green addressed his team this morning.
“He basically told us not to be discouraged,” said defensive end Bertrand Berry. “We didn’t execute the way we wanted but there were some good things too and we just have to build on those. With that in mind, I think guys came out and gave it their all. I think guys are pretty spent right now but everyone came out and gave good effort this morning.”
Despite the loss, Cardinals players said it isn’t the same old same old.
“Even though we lost, everyone’s attitude is okay,” said Clement. “In the past we would have just gone to pot. You know, ‘here we go, same old Cardinals.’ It is not like that now. It is just we did some bad things, we did some good things, so let’s build on the good things and keep on rolling.”
“I think today’s practice really showed that guys out here really want to win and we are going to do whatever it takes,” added receiver Karl Williams. “I think offensively that nobody was really happy with their performances. There was a lot of individual effort but as a unit we couldn’t get anything going and I think we want to get back out there and fix that.”
It may have been just a preseason loss, but it is refreshing to hear players sounding angry and combative nonetheless.
“Excuse my language, but we (expletive) lost,” summed up safety Adrian Wilson. “You have to come in wanting to win, wanting to win every game, wanting to win every one of our match-ups in a game, and wanting to win every one of our match-ups in practice."
Conditioning
The players ran sprints following the morning practice. Green said it was just something he felt his team needed.
Draft Class Coming Along
Green expects to have four of his rookie draft class starting by the regular-season opener. Larry Fitzgerald and Alex Stepanovich started this last weekend, and he plans on moving linebacker Karlos Dansby ahead of Gerald Hayes as the starting outside linebacker this week. Green also worked defensive tackle Darnell Dockett at left end this morning to see where he fits best, and said that Dockett will start on the defensive line.
Injury News
Linebacker Levar Fisher returned to practice after spending the last two weeks on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury.
“Man, I feel like a rookie all over again,” said Fisher after his first practice back. “I was nervous this morning because it was the first time I really have cut on my knee since I had surgery. I am just ready to go out there and compete and hopefully impress Coach Green enough to give me a roster spot on this team. I’m just out here auditioning right now.”
Green said with Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes doing a solid job at SAM linebacker, Fisher will probably be playing WILL linebacker.
Running back Emmitt Smith suffered a bruised thigh in Saturday night’s contest against the Vikings, but returned to practice on Monday morning.
Linebacker Raynoch Thompson did not participate in the preseason game due to a sore knee, but returned to practice this morning and said he is back to 100%. He even had a post-play scuffle with tackle Everett Lindsay.
“I talked to him but we were just being physical and competitive,” said Thompson. “That is the nature of this game but you have to be cool and collected and execute our plays. It was just the nature of being competitive. He was going for his block and I was trying to make a play and our tempers flared.”
Safety Dexter Jackson came off the PUP list last week but was still feeling pain in his lower back late last week and did not practice this morning. Jackson visited with a back specialist in Los Angeles over the weekend. Green said he does not have the results of that consultation, but expects to know later this afternoon.
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald rolled his ankle twice during Saturday’s game and was wearing a boot at this morning’s practice. Green said the x-rays and MRI on his ankle were negative and that Fitzgerald will likely not play this weekend against San Diego but that he could be ready for the Oakland game.
“I knew it was just a sprain,” said Fitzgerald. “I sprained it before playing basketball back in 8th grade or something. It is definitely hard to be out here watching. It is like being an outsider a little bit when you are watching practice and not able to participate. That makes you want to get back out there even more.”
“It is a collision sport and I guess it is an occupational hazard,” he continued on the Cards growing injury list. “Guys get hurt, that is part of the game.”
Fullback James Hodgins (shoulder) and defensive end Antonio Smith (shoulder) did not practice. Safety Michael Stone (ankle) was limited and cornerback Renaldo Hill strained his hamstring during practice and will likely be out for a few days. Wide receiver Bryant Johnson remains on the PUP list and running back Marcel Shipp (ankle) and receiver Anquan Boldin (knee) are also out indefinitely.
http://www.azcardinals.com/press/pressdetails.php?sid=2109
“We were very disappointed, not discouraged at all, but very disappointed in some of our play,” commented Green. “I think special teams did a good job on tempo. Defense played okay and offensively we never found a rhythm. I think we are just going to have to keep working hard at it and rely on the system a little more. When you turn a program around, it is not that unusual what we are going through right now. Hopefully we will play a lot better this week and we can improve a great deal and do the same in our last two weeks before we get to the regular season.”
Not being discouraged was the key message when Green addressed his team this morning.
“He basically told us not to be discouraged,” said defensive end Bertrand Berry. “We didn’t execute the way we wanted but there were some good things too and we just have to build on those. With that in mind, I think guys came out and gave it their all. I think guys are pretty spent right now but everyone came out and gave good effort this morning.”
Despite the loss, Cardinals players said it isn’t the same old same old.
“Even though we lost, everyone’s attitude is okay,” said Clement. “In the past we would have just gone to pot. You know, ‘here we go, same old Cardinals.’ It is not like that now. It is just we did some bad things, we did some good things, so let’s build on the good things and keep on rolling.”
“I think today’s practice really showed that guys out here really want to win and we are going to do whatever it takes,” added receiver Karl Williams. “I think offensively that nobody was really happy with their performances. There was a lot of individual effort but as a unit we couldn’t get anything going and I think we want to get back out there and fix that.”
It may have been just a preseason loss, but it is refreshing to hear players sounding angry and combative nonetheless.
“Excuse my language, but we (expletive) lost,” summed up safety Adrian Wilson. “You have to come in wanting to win, wanting to win every game, wanting to win every one of our match-ups in a game, and wanting to win every one of our match-ups in practice."
Conditioning
The players ran sprints following the morning practice. Green said it was just something he felt his team needed.
Draft Class Coming Along
Green expects to have four of his rookie draft class starting by the regular-season opener. Larry Fitzgerald and Alex Stepanovich started this last weekend, and he plans on moving linebacker Karlos Dansby ahead of Gerald Hayes as the starting outside linebacker this week. Green also worked defensive tackle Darnell Dockett at left end this morning to see where he fits best, and said that Dockett will start on the defensive line.
Injury News
Linebacker Levar Fisher returned to practice after spending the last two weeks on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury.
“Man, I feel like a rookie all over again,” said Fisher after his first practice back. “I was nervous this morning because it was the first time I really have cut on my knee since I had surgery. I am just ready to go out there and compete and hopefully impress Coach Green enough to give me a roster spot on this team. I’m just out here auditioning right now.”
Green said with Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes doing a solid job at SAM linebacker, Fisher will probably be playing WILL linebacker.
Running back Emmitt Smith suffered a bruised thigh in Saturday night’s contest against the Vikings, but returned to practice on Monday morning.
Linebacker Raynoch Thompson did not participate in the preseason game due to a sore knee, but returned to practice this morning and said he is back to 100%. He even had a post-play scuffle with tackle Everett Lindsay.
“I talked to him but we were just being physical and competitive,” said Thompson. “That is the nature of this game but you have to be cool and collected and execute our plays. It was just the nature of being competitive. He was going for his block and I was trying to make a play and our tempers flared.”
Safety Dexter Jackson came off the PUP list last week but was still feeling pain in his lower back late last week and did not practice this morning. Jackson visited with a back specialist in Los Angeles over the weekend. Green said he does not have the results of that consultation, but expects to know later this afternoon.
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald rolled his ankle twice during Saturday’s game and was wearing a boot at this morning’s practice. Green said the x-rays and MRI on his ankle were negative and that Fitzgerald will likely not play this weekend against San Diego but that he could be ready for the Oakland game.
“I knew it was just a sprain,” said Fitzgerald. “I sprained it before playing basketball back in 8th grade or something. It is definitely hard to be out here watching. It is like being an outsider a little bit when you are watching practice and not able to participate. That makes you want to get back out there even more.”
“It is a collision sport and I guess it is an occupational hazard,” he continued on the Cards growing injury list. “Guys get hurt, that is part of the game.”
Fullback James Hodgins (shoulder) and defensive end Antonio Smith (shoulder) did not practice. Safety Michael Stone (ankle) was limited and cornerback Renaldo Hill strained his hamstring during practice and will likely be out for a few days. Wide receiver Bryant Johnson remains on the PUP list and running back Marcel Shipp (ankle) and receiver Anquan Boldin (knee) are also out indefinitely.
http://www.azcardinals.com/press/pressdetails.php?sid=2109
