Once again, very little to look forward to
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
September 19, 2005
Here’s another penalty that needs to be called on the Cardinals: Illegal use of a franchise.
Shouldn’t there be an expiration date on hopelessness? Haven’t fans suffered long enough?
The Cardinals have been here for 18 years, and Sundays at Sun Devil Stadium haven’t changed.
Arizona loses, the locker room is filled with bowed heads and soft voices, and someone has the audacity to say things will be better. You know what? Spare us. Spare us the clichés about playing hard and battling until the last second. Or the "we just have to do the little things better" line.
We’ve heard it before and it means as much to us as "the check is in the mail."
I will give the Cardinals one thing: After 186 losses, Arizona found a new way to go home empty-handed.
Its 17-12 loss to St. Louis Sunday ended when left tackle Leonard Davis was flagged for a false start with seven seconds left and the Cardinals at the Rams’ 10-yard line.
Ten seconds are taken off the clock when the offense commits a penalty in the final minute, so quarterback Kurt Warner didn’t even get a chance to throw one final pass.
"I think there are two things that it comes down to in this business," coach Dennis Green said. "One is to win and two is that you play to win. We did not win, but we played to win."
Huh?
That makes about as much sense as Green’s clock management in the final two-and-a-half minutes. (But more on that later.)
Is it just me, or is the Dennis Green era beginning to bear a striking resemblance to the Buddy Ryan era?
Both coaches lifted the fans’ spirits their first year, and if the Cardinals continue down their current path, both coaches are going to crush sweet dreams their second year.
What makes this 0-2 start so disheartening is that Arizona was supposed to be better than this. The Cardinals were the sexy pick to win the NFC West.
Instead, they’re about to be 0-3 — does anyone really believe they’ll win at Seattle Sunday? — and that trip to Mexico City to face the San Francisco 49ers should be called the Adios Bowl.
"I don’t know what to tell you," defensive tackle Russell Davis said. "I’m at a loss for words right now."
What is there to say?
Sunday’s loss can be broken down rather easily:
Penalty on Ariz.- offensive line.
The Cardinals were whistled for eight second-half penalties, and all eight, incredibly, were on the offensive line.
Cardinals linemen were flagged three times on two consecutive possessions bridging the third and fourth quarters, Davis was called for unnecessary roughness with 3:30 left, stalling that drive, and, of course, he ended the game prematurely with his false start.
"They always say that holding can be called on every play, and we had a stretch where I think it was called on every play for a while," Warner said.
The unnecessary roughness call on Davis infuriated fans in the south end zone stands, and they pelted the field with water bottles, delaying the game for a few minutes.
Their frustration was understandable, but their aim was off. The Cardinals didn’t lose the game because of the officiating.
They lost because they had to settle for field goals on four trips inside the Rams’ 30-yard line.
They lost because their running game, while improved — Marcel Shipp had 54 rushing yards on 12 carries and should be the starter—still isn’t good enough to control the line of scrimmage.
They lost because Warner and center Alex Stepanovich mishandled a snap at the St. Louis 1-yard line in the second quarter, and Arizona had to settle for a field goal. The Cardinals have scored one offensive touchdown in two weeks.
That’s great if kicker Neil Rackers is on your fantasy team, but not so great if you want to see meaningful football in December. Then there was Green’s questionable decision not to use a timeout with 2:28 left and the Rams facing a fourth-and-six at midfield. Green said he wanted to save his last timeout in case Arizona needed it on its final drive. But an offense can stop the clock.
A defense can’t, and Green wasted 28 seconds the Cardinals desperately needed. Arizona’s defense deserved better Sunday. So did the fan. The season has just begun, and already there’s little to look forward to.
But then, we’re used to that.
Contact Scott Bordow by email, or phone (480) 898-6598
By Scott Bordow, Tribune Columnist
September 19, 2005
Here’s another penalty that needs to be called on the Cardinals: Illegal use of a franchise.
Shouldn’t there be an expiration date on hopelessness? Haven’t fans suffered long enough?
The Cardinals have been here for 18 years, and Sundays at Sun Devil Stadium haven’t changed.
Arizona loses, the locker room is filled with bowed heads and soft voices, and someone has the audacity to say things will be better. You know what? Spare us. Spare us the clichés about playing hard and battling until the last second. Or the "we just have to do the little things better" line.
We’ve heard it before and it means as much to us as "the check is in the mail."
I will give the Cardinals one thing: After 186 losses, Arizona found a new way to go home empty-handed.
Its 17-12 loss to St. Louis Sunday ended when left tackle Leonard Davis was flagged for a false start with seven seconds left and the Cardinals at the Rams’ 10-yard line.
Ten seconds are taken off the clock when the offense commits a penalty in the final minute, so quarterback Kurt Warner didn’t even get a chance to throw one final pass.
"I think there are two things that it comes down to in this business," coach Dennis Green said. "One is to win and two is that you play to win. We did not win, but we played to win."
Huh?
That makes about as much sense as Green’s clock management in the final two-and-a-half minutes. (But more on that later.)
Is it just me, or is the Dennis Green era beginning to bear a striking resemblance to the Buddy Ryan era?
Both coaches lifted the fans’ spirits their first year, and if the Cardinals continue down their current path, both coaches are going to crush sweet dreams their second year.
What makes this 0-2 start so disheartening is that Arizona was supposed to be better than this. The Cardinals were the sexy pick to win the NFC West.
Instead, they’re about to be 0-3 — does anyone really believe they’ll win at Seattle Sunday? — and that trip to Mexico City to face the San Francisco 49ers should be called the Adios Bowl.
"I don’t know what to tell you," defensive tackle Russell Davis said. "I’m at a loss for words right now."
What is there to say?
Sunday’s loss can be broken down rather easily:
Penalty on Ariz.- offensive line.
The Cardinals were whistled for eight second-half penalties, and all eight, incredibly, were on the offensive line.
Cardinals linemen were flagged three times on two consecutive possessions bridging the third and fourth quarters, Davis was called for unnecessary roughness with 3:30 left, stalling that drive, and, of course, he ended the game prematurely with his false start.
"They always say that holding can be called on every play, and we had a stretch where I think it was called on every play for a while," Warner said.
The unnecessary roughness call on Davis infuriated fans in the south end zone stands, and they pelted the field with water bottles, delaying the game for a few minutes.
Their frustration was understandable, but their aim was off. The Cardinals didn’t lose the game because of the officiating.
They lost because they had to settle for field goals on four trips inside the Rams’ 30-yard line.
They lost because their running game, while improved — Marcel Shipp had 54 rushing yards on 12 carries and should be the starter—still isn’t good enough to control the line of scrimmage.
They lost because Warner and center Alex Stepanovich mishandled a snap at the St. Louis 1-yard line in the second quarter, and Arizona had to settle for a field goal. The Cardinals have scored one offensive touchdown in two weeks.
That’s great if kicker Neil Rackers is on your fantasy team, but not so great if you want to see meaningful football in December. Then there was Green’s questionable decision not to use a timeout with 2:28 left and the Rams facing a fourth-and-six at midfield. Green said he wanted to save his last timeout in case Arizona needed it on its final drive. But an offense can stop the clock.
A defense can’t, and Green wasted 28 seconds the Cardinals desperately needed. Arizona’s defense deserved better Sunday. So did the fan. The season has just begun, and already there’s little to look forward to.
But then, we’re used to that.
Contact Scott Bordow by email, or phone (480) 898-6598
