moklerman
Rise from the Ashes III
Here's an article from the Cardinals' site with some things that scare me:
The numbers were ugly.
Twenty of 30 passes fell incomplete. Only nine first downs. Only 195 total yards of offense, by far the worst total of the season – and 60 less than the Cardinals had against Carolina, when they were using Tim Rattay at quarterback on three days of practice.
Still, it was a calm coach Ken Whisenhunt who revisited the Cards’ offensive disaster in Tampa during his Monday press conference.
“I think you have to be very careful about overreacting to a game like (Sunday),” Whisenhunt said.
There was a message not to panic in the wake of the Cards’ third straight loss, this week a 17-10 decision to the Buccaneers.
Ultimately, Whisenhunt doesn’t see his offense in need of a makeover. He sees one that needs to execute its plays more often.
The common theme after the game was that the Cardinals had good offensive practices following their bye. Receiver Anquan Boldin estimated Monday that the Cards had about two mental errors in all their work leading up to the Tampa Bay game.
But, Boldin emphasized, “coaches can’t go in the game with you.”
“We should not be held to 10 points by any team in this league,” Boldin added. “It is us stopping ourselves. … Players have to pay attention to detail. Plain and simple.”
There were plenty of examples in Tampa. On the Cards’ opening drive alone, Larry Fitzgerald stepped out of bounds when he shouldn’t have, while Jerheme Urban dropped a pass inside the Tampa Bay 10-yard line. Meanwhile, on the Bucs’ first possession, Tampa Bay receiver Joey Galloway came up with a 37-yard touchdown catch between two Cardinals defenders (when Cards safety Terrence Holt should have knocked the pass down).
On another key play – Warner’s first interception – Whisenhunt said tight end Leonard Pope apparently had trouble locating the pass and inadvertently slowed down, allowing the Tampa defender to make the play.
Whisenhunt said he was disappointed not that Pope didn’t make the catch but that he didn’t break up the interception. The coach also said he didn’t blame Warner for the turnover.
“We can continue doing what we are doing, we just have to be better at it,” Whisenhunt said. “It wasn’t a lack of effort, our team was not (outplayed physically), I don’t think. We just didn’t make the plays.”
The Cardinals were 11th in the NFL in total offense heading into the Bucs’ game. They now stand 20th after their sub-200-yard performance. Whisenhunt said the Cards must recommit to being patient early in the game, especially running the ball.
After gaining 161 and 132 rushing yards the first two games, the Cardinals have failed to reach 100 yards rushing as a team in five of their last six games.
Finding more success on the ground – and in the base offense – will in turn make the no-huddle offense more effective, Whisenhunt said.
Warner, who completed only 10 of 30 passes for 172 yards and two interceptions, tied his mark for the lowest passing rating he has ever had in a game. His 26.0 rating equaled a performance in Carolina in 2000 (18-for-36, 189 yards, four interceptions).
Warner was not available for comment Monday, briefly running through the locker room before heading to meetings.
“I was amazed with how bad we played,” Warner said Sunday after the game.
The Cardinals have time to make it up, however. Half the season remains. And visiting Arizona this weekend are the Detroit Lions, who, despite a 6-2 record and allowing just seven points to Denver Sunday, are ranked 28th in the NFL on defense.
The Cardinals insist they don't believe the Tampa Bay troubles will be repeated.
“It is one of those games you hate to say happens, but unfortunately it does happen,” guard Reggie Wells said. “You have to move on.”
EXTRA POINTSWhisenhunt said rookie Levi Brown will return to his spot as the starting right offensive tackle this week against Detroit. …
The status of safety Aaron Francisco (right knee) and backup tackle Elton Brown (right knee) is being evaluated, Whisenhunt said. Francisco reinjured the same knee that he hurt against Carolina. …
Asked if the Cards might have not gotten to Tampa early enough given the cross-country flight – the team got in about 5 p.m. Tampa time Saturday, with flying time of about 3½ hours – Whisenhunt said he constantly assessing the best time to travel and that his offseason research of teams traveling west to east did not yield any definitive results. Nevertheless, “I don’t know if that had anything to do with what happened,” he said.
