Prediction: This year the Cards are a top 5 defense

[Cbus cardsfan]

Last year the Cards were in the top 10 in both offense and defense and they arguably the most devastating number of injuries of any team in the league. Look at the defense. They lost half of their starting DL(Berry,and the guy who signed with Sea,can't remember his name)their starting MLB(Hayes), their best CB(Rolle) and a number of key reserves. Compare that to this year.

This year:
DL: Berry is healthy.I don't think he gets enough credit for being as good as he is. The middle of the DL has a ton of potential and a solid 5 man rotaion where all 5 guys can actually play and be effective. Okeafor is solid and Smith showed some flashes last year and looked pretty good last week even though it was just a pre-season game.
LB: Hayes looks healthy and can become a tackling machine like Ron Mckinnon except he has the size to hold up in the middle. Pace looks good but it's very early.Still he should,at least, be able to provide a pass rush from out there. Darling is as steady as they get. Dansby is a HUGE key.If he's healthy and producing it's hard to find a better playmaker at the LB position. Depth is a bit of a concern but Huff has started and Mitchell has the ability if he can regain his OU form.
DB's:The two biggest playmakers on the team are in the secondary in Rolle and Wilson(Dansby's right there if healthy). Macklin and Green will give us 3 starting quality CB's in the nickel package. FS is the one area of concern but Griffith has been around along time and knows the game as well as any coach.

There is talent all over the place on this defense and if Clancy can get top 10 out of last years talent then i can't see how they will not be a top 5, or even top 3, defense this year. And i don't just mean yardage wise, i mean in points allowed as well.

 

[Burg72]

Hopefully if we can establish a decent running game, we will control the clock and keep our D off the field. Also, "hopefully", with a better red zone offense our opponents might be playing catch up and make some mistakes. Just my opinion.

 

[CardinalLaw]

If we stay healthy.

 

[PortlandCardFan]

Cbus, if both these predictions of yours are true. The Cards will be SB champs!!!

I can dig it!!

 

[BigDavis75]

I din't know about top 5, I don't feel we have the personnel too pull that off. Also, our Red Zone D was just awful. I don't what the difference from 04 was but it was just awful.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Cbus, if both these predictions of yours are true. The Cards will be SB champs!!!

I can dig it!!

Not necessarily. Last year they were top 10 in both and were 5-11.However, i think you may be able to reverse that and say 11-5

 

[Totally_Red]

Whoa!

To be a top five defense you need to be a solid tackling team IMO. Rewatch the Steelers game and count the missed tackles, especially first team versus first team. Elite defenses like TB, Pittsburgh, and Carolina are solid one-on-one tackling teams. In order to have a truly elite defense, the Cardinals need to make one-on-one tackles not miss them.

Elite defenses also tend to take the ball away (e.g., get turnovers). The Cardinals really didn't do that enough last season. They were just 21st in takeways. The minus 11 in overall turnover margin was third worst in the league behind only Green Bay and New Orleans both at -24.

The Cardinals were just 26th in scoring defense last season, which any coach will tell you is much more important than yardage defense. Twenty two rushing touchdowns allowed was tied for worst in the league with St. Louis.

Carolina, Pittsburgh, Chicago, TB, Baltimore, and Jacksonville are six defenses that Arizona will not surpass this season IMO. I think the Cardinals are positioned to be a legitimate top ten defense, if they stay healthy. With the offense in place, that should be good enough to get the Cardinals to the post-season.

 

[Redsz]

To be a top five defense you need to be a solid tackling team IMO. Rewatch the Steelers game and count the missed tackles, especially first team versus first team. Elite defenses like TB, Pittsburgh, and Carolina are solid one-on-one tackling teams. In order to have a truly elite defense, the Cardinals need to make one-on-one tackles not miss them.

I wonder if this just wasn't just first game sloppyness and jitters?Green was absolutley enraged this week at some of the sloppyness in practice (a couple of F bombs were dropped). So you would hope it doesn't continue against the Pats.

Adrian 'QB killer' Wilson certanly needs to settle down and not look to crush the ball carrier every time. If he can get himself under control, he is going to have double digit sacks and tackles for loss this this year.

One things for sure, this defense can hit and has the speed to blow up plays quickly. But they are agressive and with that agressivness you are going to get missed tackles.

Elite defenses also tend to take the ball away (e.g., get turnovers). The Cardinals really didn't do that enough last season. They were just 21st in takeways. The minus 11 in overall turnover margin was third worst in the league behind only Green Bay and New Orleans both at -24.

This is something that won't change unless the Cards can establish a lead more often and get teams to pass. Which we haven't seen yet. If we can get teams to pass then we can send Berry, Chike, Dockett, Pace, Wilson and Dansby (hopefully) after them.

The Cardinals were just 26th in scoring defense last season, which any coach will tell you is much more important than yardage defense. Twenty two rushing touchdowns allowed was tied for worst in the league with St. Louis.

Which is in stark contrast to 04'!

We ranked 4th overall in 3rd down conversion percentage with just 31.6%.

We ranked 8th overall only allowing 17.6 first downs a game.

We ranked 12th overall in scoring defense with 20.1 pts a game (and only allowing 35 TD's).

And finally we had the 2nd best red zone percentage in the NFL!

So what the heck happened in 05'?!

Carolina, Pittsburgh, Chicago, TB, Baltimore, and Jacksonville are six defenses that Arizona will not surpass this season IMO. I think the Cardinals are positioned to be a legitimate top ten defense, if they stay healthy. With the offense in place, that should be good enough to get the Cardinals to the post-season.

This defense has all the makings of a post-season team. Lets hope for the love god that we can stay healthy!

 

[BACH]

If think the potential is there for a top 10 , but not a top 5.

However, I don't even think the D will be in the top 10. The reason is simple. I believe the O will be a top 3 offense, and that will force the opponents into playing catch-up and focus on the passing game. That will hopefully result in lots sacks and INTs, BUT it also means giving up lots of yardage.

 

[BigRedRage]

the 2004 D that wasnt injured had an excellent turnover ratio

 

[Duckjake]

the 2004 D that wasnt injured had an excellent turnover ratio

And the Cards had one more win.

Important things from last year were the inability to stop teams on the opening drive of each half and the short field.

If I remember correctly, the Cards were top ten in average length of drive allowed last year and dead last in % of those drives that resulted in scores. I think the percentage was around 20.

 

[john h]

Hopefully if we can establish a decent running game, we will control the clock and keep our D off the field. Also, "hopefully", with a better red zone offense our opponents might be playing catch up and make some mistakes. Just my opinion.

On national tv last night Kurt said we will see the biggest difference in our running game inside the 20 yard line as that is where it becomes more difficult to pass. Listening to James talk on the same show he sounds like an animal who said we are going to see some running like we have not seen in a long time. This guy sounds fearless. Maybe some of this will rub off on our other RB's.

 

[Jay Cardinal]

Not to be pessimistic, but what exactly has Rolle done to be called a playmaker? He missed 80% of his first season. He had a bad game against Pittsburgh (arm tackles, penalties).

I just don't see where he made the jump to "playmaker". I hope he does become a great player but he is not there yet. If someone can refute this, please tell me why Antrell Rolle is a great player at this stage in his career. IMO he is no better than Eric Green until he proves it on the field.