our problem from whiz' point of view, OUR PLAYERS ARE PLAYING TOO PERFECT!?

[freebyrd]

this is from the michael bidwill article but i thought the quote was so ridiculous and was the height of cognitive dissonance, that i thought it need its own thread

here's the quote

Coach's corner: Ken Whisenhunt

"When we were winning three games in a row last year, we were making mistakes, but we were overcoming those. We're now making mistakes that we're not able to overcome. We're not able to come back offensively like we have been able to in the past. Some of it is attributed to our guys maybe trying to play too perfect. We get to a point where we're so worried about making a mistake that maybe we make mistakes."
Stat pack

wow....just wow
i can't wrap my head around that at all
are you sure he was an engineer and not a poly sci' major? cause thats some major league political spin right there

 

[ChandlerCard]

Simple. Happens all the time. Guys start walking on pins and needles and leave their instincts behind. Once you make the smallest mistake you spiral out of control quickly. As a musician I completely get this and you can see it on the field with guys who don't relax and play their game.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Whoa. freebyrd found the Caps Lock key on his keyboard.

 

[Duckjake]

Simple. Happens all the time. Guys start walking on pins and needles and leave their instincts behind. Once you make the smallest mistake you spiral out of control quickly. As a musician I completely get this and you can see it on the field with guys who don't relax and play their game.

Golfers talk about trying to be too perfect adversely affecting their games all the time.

However, like you say, thinking too much about what you are doing, is a better description of what "trying to be too perfect" means.

 

[Pariah]

He's not saying they're "playing too perfect" at all. He's saying they're clenching, thinking too much. Worrying about making mistakes instead of playing on instinct and what they've been trained to do.

 

[bg7brd]

He's not saying they're "playing too perfect" at all. He's saying they're clenching, thinking too much. Worrying about making mistakes instead of playing on instinct and what they've been trained to do.

I agree. It's like the opposite of being in a "zone".

 

[Shane]

There was absolutely nothing wrong with what he said there FYI!

 

[TJ]

Essentially, he is saying they are overcompensating for their mistakes. I think this is spot on

 

[MoeIsBetter]

Their playing not to make mistakes and that itself is killing them.

 

[BirdMan21]

Ya he is basically saying they are playing not to lose rather than playing to win (damn the mistakes that may happen along the way). Its the main problem most PGA Tour golfers run into during their slumps. Like an earlier poster said, they are too afraid of making a mistake they don't just go out and do what they have spent their entire life doing.

 

[DoTheDew]

Whiz is spot on. Problem is that if it's most of the players instead of just, say DA, then it's due to coaching. If all your players are afraid to mess up it's because, you, the coach made them afraid.

 

[PJ1]

Makes perfect sense. A pitcher aiming rather than throwing. A hockey player gripping the stick too tight in a scoring slump.

Afraid to make a mistake and thinking too much. Except for DA who doesn't think at all.

 

[azsportsfan01]

I think your hatred of Whisenhunt is blinding everything. What he said is exactly right. Think Anderson is going out there free and easy? He is playing tense and trying not to make a mistake.

 

[conraddobler]

Oh come on, DA relaxed is as bad or worse than DA thinking about things.

I think Whiz's words apply to himself too, cause he's not gambling anymore, even though in many cases it's called for more than ever now.

Also on defense it looks as if they're freelancing to me, which isn't the same thing as what he said.

 

[Duckjake]

Oh come on, DA relaxed is as bad or worse than DA thinking about things.

I think Whiz's words apply to himself too, cause he's not gambling anymore, even though in many cases it's called for more than ever now.

Also on defense it looks as if they're freelancing to me, which isn't the same thing as what he said.

To heck with all this psychology.

It isn't really hard to figure out what is wrong with the Cards. They have a QB who can't throw, an offensive line that can't block, and what should be one of the best secondaries in the NFL playing like one of the worst.

 

[bg7brd]

To heck with all this psychology.

It isn't really hard to figure out what is wrong with the Cards. They have a QB who can't throw, an offensive line that can't block, and what should be one of the best secondaries in the NFL playing like one of the worst.

I think the major reason for this is our pathetic pass rush.

 

[PACardsFan]

Oh come on, DA relaxed is as bad or worse than DA thinking about things.

I think Whiz's words apply to himself too, cause he's not gambling anymore, even though in many cases it's called for more than ever now.

Also on defense it looks as if they're freelancing to me, which isn't the same thing as what he said.

With Warner behind center, no one was afraid to take risks, including Whiz. Everyone on that team knew that when old graybeard got hot, he might complete 20 passes in a row & we'd have 3-4 scores before halftime. The margin of error with DA is so, so, small that everyone knows that when we get behind a couple scores, IT'S OVER. That wasn't the case with this team the past few years. Our D the last few years knew they only needed a few stops & we'd be in good shape. The D now knows that giving up 14 pts means we lose. It's not that difficult to analyze. This team is screwed because of the QB position. Whiz is forced to say whatever he says & it's mostly coachspeak. If Warner played another season, we'd be 8-2 right now. Warner compensated for all our shortcomings. That's not a knock on the rest of the team, it's just a fact. If the D had a bad day (Green Bay), then we'll have to score 51 to win. When the OLine was shaky, he knew exactly when & where to deliver the ball. When he had to get in someone's face, he did it. He was our leader & the team fed off of him.

Look, take Manning away from the Colts, Brady from the Pats, Brees from the Saints, Rivers from the Chargers, Ryan from the Falcons, Vick from the Eagles, Rodgers from the Packers & NONE of these teams resemble themselves. Put DA in their places & these teams would suck just as bad as we currently do. Warner was special & we miss him badly. Whiz will make changes next year & we will be better, but I don't think Whiz will ever lean on his QB like we did with Warner.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

...

Look, take Manning away from the Colts, Belichick from the Pats, Brees from the Saints...

FTFY (Cassell looked all pro for the Pats too)

 

[NJCardFan]

He's not saying they're "playing too perfect" at all. He's saying they're clenching, thinking too much. Worrying about making mistakes instead of playing on instinct and what they've been trained to do.

In other words, playing not to lose. Whiz is coaching this way as well.

 

[JeffGollin]

I don't agree with Wiz and am with PACardFan on this one - When you're shaky at QB, you're too likely to "fall down and can't get up."

QB is too important a position to screw around with, and what transpired since last Spring left us weak and terribly exposed there.

Warner. Leinart. Anderson. Hall. McNabb. Bulger. We can debate each of those options til the cows come home.

But the net-net is that our quarterbacking is not good enough for us to consistently win games with. Plus - Our Plan B (in case #1 gets injured) still remains an untried rookie.

I am also not thrilled with the lack of answers Billy Davis has had for (a) giving up the big play and (b) stopping the other team's #1 receiver.

"Trying to play too perfectly" may be one factor worth working on (& Wiz has to be careful about what he says publically within the context of motivating his team), but our quarterbacking and defensive deficiencies are the key factors that are dragging us down.

 

[Pariah]

In other words, playing not to lose.

Actually, that's not what I was saying.

 

[freebyrd]

In other words, playing not to lose. Whiz is coaching this way as well.

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