One Step At A Time

[Mitch]

I know everyone is bored during the bye week...and, after the Cardinals' stunning OT win versus the Cowboys the vibe has everyone dreaming of sugar plums.

When I was finishing up my remarks last week, I cautioned everyone not to look too far ahead, or make any predictions.

Then this week Harry makes his predictions and even Kent Somers followed suit, predicting the outcome of each game (he has the Cardinals winning all of their NFC West games, which, in my way of thinking is beyond comprehension).

Let me ask all of you one fundamental question: are the Cardinals that much better than the Rams?

The answer is moot.

I went through the personnel and concluded that they are every bit as talented as the Cardinals.

The Cardinals have to show up better prepared and more hungry than the opponents each and every week, or all these prognostications are nothing more than the ultimate teaser.

The only game any of us should be thinking about is next Sunday's game at Carolina. And, if you watched the Panthers today, you'd most likely concede that it is going to take a monumental effort to beat them in their crib.

Nothing matters right now other than getting jacked to play the Panthers.

 

[O]

You sir, are correct!

 

[football karma]

I dont agree that the Rams are as talented at the Cardinals. That being said, the game in St Louis will be a difficult one. Warner in a dome gives the Cards an edge.

Things have set up well.

I subscribe to the desperate team theory. Had the Cardinals not had a bye and instead played Carolina today, they would have flown east as the toast of the town to face a Carolina team that had just been embarassed. No Thanks.

Had Carolina lost today, the Cards would be facing a team that had lost two in a row and was desparate. Instead, they face a team that breezed to victory and feels like all is well. I like the latter much better than the former.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I know everyone is bored during the bye week...and, after the Cardinals' stunning OT win versus the Cowboys the vibe has everyone dreaming of sugar plums.

When I was finishing up my remarks last week, I cautioned everyone not to look too far ahead, or make any predictions.

Then this week Harry makes his predictions and even Kent Somers followed suit, predicting the outcome of each game (he has the Cardinals winning all of their NFC West games, which, in my way of thinking is beyond comprehension).

Let me ask all of you one fundamental question: are the Cardinals that much better than the Rams?

The answer is moot.

I went through the personnel and concluded that they are every bit as talented as the Cardinals.

The Cardinals have to show up better prepared and more hungry than the opponents each and every week, or all these prognostications are nothing more than the ultimate teaser.

The only game any of us should be thinking about is next Sunday's game at Carolina. And, if you watched the Panthers today, you'd most likely concede that it is going to take a monumental effort to beat them in their crib.

Nothing matters right now other than getting jacked to play the Panthers.

LOL - Mitch, You're not motivating the actual players here.

We are just a bunch of fan boys on a website. It doesn't really matter how jacked up we get or how far ahead we look.

Now for the players........that will be a testament to how good Coach Wiz actually is.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

And for the record the Rams don't have ONE player on defense as good as Wilson, Dockett, Watson, or Dansby. Even finding someone comparable to Hood, Laboy, or Hayes might be streching it. Any loss to that team at any point should be considered a disappointment and let down on the Cards part.....

 

[TJ]

And for the record the Rams don't have ONE player on defense as good as Wilson, Dockett, Watson, or Dansby. Even finding someone comparable to Hood, Laboy, or Hayes might be streching it. Any loss to that team at any point should be considered a disappointment and let down on the Cards part.....

But they do have a "killer" in Leonard Little

 

[O]

But they do have a "killer" in Leonard Little

Ouch!

 

[Matt L]

I did count two former Cards. Nick Leckey was manning the center spot and Corey Chavous was playing well at safety.

 

[Totally_Red]

And for the record the Rams don't have ONE player on defense as good as Wilson, Dockett, Watson, or Dansby. Even finding someone comparable to Hood, Laboy, or Hayes might be streching it. Any loss to that team at any point should be considered a disappointment and let down on the Cards part.....

Whoaaa! The Cowboys have 13 or so pro-bowlers. Haslett has the Rams playing well IMO. That game at the Jones Dome won't be cake walk by any means. The Cardinals will have to earn it.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Whoaaa! The Cowboys have 13 or so pro-bowlers. Haslett has the Rams playing well IMO. That game at the Jones Dome won't be cake walk by any means. The Cardinals will have to earn it.

I'm not saying we won't have to earn it. But you won't be disappointed if we lose to the Rams? If not I think it's time to up your expectations.

 

[Mulli]

And for the record the Rams don't have ONE player on defense as good as Wilson, Dockett, Watson, or Dansby. Even finding someone comparable to Hood, Laboy, or Hayes might be streching it. Any loss to that team at any point should be considered a disappointment and let down on the Cards part.....

Yep.

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

Suddenly: The Rams....

While I'm obviously very happy to be (4-2) and in 1st I agree that neither the team nor we should look ahead. Too much can happen week-to-week. I thought S.F. would pull it together and challenge us but now, I'm looking at the Rams. WHY?? Well, I see our (5) divisional-games and (5) games against quality opponents. PANTHERS-GIANTS-EAGLES-VIKINGS-PATRIOTS.

Looking at the Rams schedule, I see (5) divisional games. Of the other (5) games they have PATRIOTS-JETS-BEARS-DOLPHINS-FALCONS.

To me, our schedule is MUCH tougher! So, the game in St.Louis on Nov. 2nd just became ALOT MORE important. I think this week is pivotal. The Panthers are TOUGH! They're like a GIANTS' SOUTH team because of Fox's coaching. I'll have one eye on our game and the other on the Rams/Pats. GO CARDS!!

 

[Mulli]

Vikes are barely a quality team, if at all.

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

The Vikings have A.D.

I agree there out-of-sync right now which I put more on the coaching, BUT they are BIG & physical and A.D. is a game-changer. I'm GLAD we get them at Home. After being a fan of (41+) years I've learned to NEVER over-look ANYONE!! The Redskins' recently dominated the Rams on paper. Had home-field advantage. A 4-game winning-streak...AND LOST!!!! The CARDS MUST show up EVERY WEEK and play HARD!!! GO CARDS!! WIN THE WEST!!

 

[Mulli]

I agree there out-of-sync right now which I put more on the coaching, BUT they are BIG & physical and A.D. is a game-changer. I'm GLAD we get them at Home. After being a fan of (41+) years I've learned to NEVER over-look ANYONE!! The Redskins' recently dominated the Rams on paper. Had home-field advantage. A 4-game winning-streak...AND LOST!!!! The CARDS MUST show up EVERY WEEK and play HARD!!! GO CARDS!! WIN THE WEST!!

AP is really good but did you watch Frerotte vs. the Bears?

But I agree that the Cards are not yet good enough to win without a really strong effort from all aspects of the game.

 

[Mitch]

Reasons why teams cannot look ahead and/or take any game for granted:

1. The injury factor...see Dallas (without starting QB Tony Romo) versus St. Louis. With Romo that game could have been a high scoring shootout. If you saw Brad Johnson...it was ugly.

2. The hot factor...the Rams are hot right now...playing them now is a lot harder than playing them earlier on.

3. The underdog factor...when underdogs have nothing to lose, they often play loose and pull out all the stops, like faking field goals, running play action on 4th and 1, and going for it more often on 4th down.

4. The home factor...there's no question teams play far better at home than away. The Cowboys just went through two very similar games on the road as the Cardinals earlier had...they lost a close one to the Cardinals and got blown out by the Rams...and the Cardinals lost a close one to the Redskins and got blown out by the Jets. It's tough to win on the road, period...apparently even for teams with over 10 Pro Bowlers.

This week's game at Carolina is especially tough for the Cardinals...Carolina is a very good team, especially at home...and their defensive game plan will be virtually the same as the Redskins'...they will take their best CB and stick him on Fitz right out of the tunnel, and they will play sticky man all day, because they don't fear Warner scrambling. They didn't even fear Drew Brees scrambling...they are a speed and react defense anyway.

What we will see is whether the Cardinals' coaches learned and adjusted to the Washington game...

The Cardinals also have to somehow come into this game hungrier than they were versus Dallas, which is a tremendous challenge for the coaches and players after they've been basking in the media praise for two weeks following the Buffalo and Dallas victories...plus, they have to adjust to the bye week syndrome, which can either be a good thing or a momentum spoiler.

In the past, the Cardinals would have no chance in this game...but, these birds at time look like a different species...they are hungry, not just for wins but for electrifying stats and the defensive coordinator, once a loose zone advocate, has found a way to play far more aggressive pass coverage, which, with their good pash rush, could mean more turnovers.

We will know that the Cardinals have arrived when they not only win on the road, they win big on the road. That will be the change that none of us has seen for what seems to be eons.

Get'r done, Whiz & Company, get'r done!

 

[Pariah]

Let me ask all of you one fundamental question: are the Cardinals that much better than the Rams?

The answer is moot.

Then why ask the question?

 

[Mitch]

Then why ask the question?

Here's my breakdown:

QB ARZ (Warner over Bulger)
RB STL (Jackson over James)
FB STL (Kreider over Smith)
WR PUSH (Holt even with Fitz)
FL ARZ (Boldin over Avery)
LT STL (Pace over Gandy)
LG ARZ (Wells over Bell)
C PUSH (Incognito even with Sendlein)
RG ARZ (Lutui over Leckey)
RT STL (Barron over Brown)
TE PUSH (Becht/Klopfenstein even with Pope/Tuman)

LDE STL (Little over Smith)
LDT STL (Carriker over Dockett)
RDT STL (Glover over Robinson/Watson)
RDE PUSH (Long even with Berry)
SLB PUSH (Tunoisimoa even with Okeafor)
MLB STL (Witherspoon over Hayes)
WLB ARZ ( Dansby over Culberson/Draft)
LCB ARZ (Hood over Brown)
SS ARZ (Wilson over Chavous)
FS STL (Atogwe over Rolle)
RCB ARZ (Green over Committee)

K STL (Brown over Rackers)
P STL (Jones over Johnson)

Totals ARZ 8, STL 11, 6 PUSHES

 

[Skkorpion]

Another week, another chance. This year, we are in first place. I agree. Baby steps. Keep taking them. Just win.

 

[Skkorpion]

I thought we play the Panthers this week. What gives, Mitch?

 

[football karma]

Here's my breakdown:

QB ARZ (Warner over Bulger)
RB STL (Jackson over James)
FB STL (Kreider over Smith)
WR PUSH (Holt even with Fitz)
FL ARZ (Boldin over Avery)
LT STL (Pace over Gandy)
LG ARZ (Wells over Bell)
C PUSH (Incognito even with Sendlein)
RG ARZ (Lutui over Leckey)
RT STL (Barron over Brown)
TE PUSH (Becht/Klopfenstein even with Pope/Tuman)

LDE STL (Little over Smith)
LDT STL (Carriker over Dockett)
RDT STL (Glover over Robinson/Watson)
RDE PUSH (Long even with Berry)
SLB PUSH (Tunoisimoa even with Okeafor)
MLB STL (Witherspoon over Hayes)
WLB ARZ ( Dansby over Culberson/Draft)
LCB ARZ (Hood over Brown)
SS ARZ (Wilson over Chavous)
FS STL (Atogwe over Rolle)
RCB ARZ (Green over Committee)

K STL (Brown over Rackers)
P STL (Jones over Johnson)

Totals ARZ 8, STL 11, 6 PUSHES

Mitch:

Carriker over Dockett?

I cant go on.

 

[Mitch]

Mitch:

Carriker over Dockett?

I cant go on.

He's a better all around DT. There's no question in my mind.

 

[Mitch]

I thought we play the Panthers this week. What gives, Mitch?

Pariah asked the question, so I attempted to answer it.

 

[Skkorpion]

Pariah asked the question, so I attempted to answer it.

Pariah is the devil. Look up Pariah in the dictionary.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Here's my breakdown:

QB ARZ (Warner over Bulger)
RB STL (Jackson over James)
FB STL (Kreider over Smith)
WR PUSH (Holt even with Fitz)
FL ARZ (Boldin over Avery)
LT STL (Pace over Gandy)
LG ARZ (Wells over Bell)
C PUSH (Incognito even with Sendlein)
RG ARZ (Lutui over Leckey)
RT STL (Barron over Brown)
TE PUSH (Becht/Klopfenstein even with Pope/Tuman)

LDE STL (Little over Smith)
LDT STL (Carriker over Dockett)
RDT STL (Glover over Robinson/Watson)
RDE PUSH (Long even with Berry)
SLB PUSH (Tunoisimoa even with Okeafor)
MLB STL (Witherspoon over Hayes)
WLB ARZ ( Dansby over Culberson/Draft)
LCB ARZ (Hood over Brown)
SS ARZ (Wilson over Chavous)
FS STL (Atogwe over Rolle)
RCB ARZ (Green over Committee)

K STL (Brown over Rackers)
P STL (Jones over Johnson)

Totals ARZ 8, STL 11, 6 PUSHES

Holt is even with Fitz??? C'mon Mitch... Stop playing games here...