Reality is not Always Fun

[Arz101]

When you put nonsense like this out there, it ruins the good points you made.

Is the truth far from azsouthendzone's statement?

 

[Krangodnzr]

This is a terrible take. Brady runs a variant of this offense.



The defense will be better when it’s best player comes back.



There are a lot of experienced veterans on this defense. The problem is I think the Cards have misevaluated Budda Baker and Reddick. They can’t move forward believing those guys are good when neither are.

Budda Baker and Reddick are average players to below average players.

The problem is that the defense needs someone OTHER than Jones and Suggs to force turnovers. No one in the secondary OR at ILB is forcing turnovers. The defensive line needs a real difference maker. I have been ok, at the time, with letting go of some of the veterans like Campbell, Jefferson, and TM, but each one of those guys were above average to really good players. They haven't been replaced.

On defense, I think Murphy is a real keeper. He has mostly played very well at a position rookies usually struggle at a bit. But outside of him, there really isn't any good young defender on the roster.

I'm still bullish on Murray. I think he's going to be a good player, but his lack of experience in college is showing. I think the offense HAS TO start challenging deep more. I don't buy the excuse that Murray isn't getting time, because when there is only a 4 man rush, he's usually getting decent amount of time.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Is the truth far from azsouthendzone's statement?

The defense has plenty of NFL caliber players, but is lacking a few playmakers IMO.

 

[Cards_Campos]

Let me say this. We have played a pretty tough schedule. Obviously Carolina is better without Cam. Detroit led Kansas City with a minute to go. Seattle had the Saints beat if not for turnovers. We are young and learning but the first 4 games were tough. Lets see what happens against Cincinnati if Cincinnati loses tonight. That will be a test of if we are middle tier or if we suck. If Comfy is 0-4 and we lose than we suck. If we say beat them 27-14. we can be decent. Next week will be really telling.

 

[DVontel]

I was mad initially at letting Tony Jefferson go, but he has been atrocious in Baltimore according to their fans.

 

[kerouac9]

Budda Baker and Reddick are average players to below average players.

The problem is that the defense needs someone OTHER than Jones and Suggs to force turnovers. No one in the secondary OR at ILB is forcing turnovers. The defensive line needs a real difference maker. I have been ok, at the time, with letting go of some of the veterans like Campbell, Jefferson, and TM, but each one of those guys were above average to really good players. They haven't been replaced.

On defense, I think Murphy is a real keeper. He has mostly played very well at a position rookies usually struggle at a bit. But outside of him, there really isn't any good young defender on the roster.

I'm still bullish on Murray. I think he's going to be a good player, but his lack of experience in college is showing. I think the offense HAS TO start challenging deep more. I don't buy the excuse that Murray isn't getting time, because when there is only a 4 man rush, he's usually getting decent amount of time.

Yes. But I think the Cards expected Baker to be a star at this point, and he's not. If anything, he's worse this year than he was last year. He's invisible. I think part of that is that Joseph isn't putting him in a position to make plays (I warned about this early in the offseason). But at some point the talent has to shine through.

It's a 3-4 defense; you can survive without a difference maker on the line. I think that Peters is good to great, and maybe Allen will come along. Having to rely on Rodney Gunter back in this system was a mistake.

I agree that Murphy has looked very good. He had an iNT bounce off his hands, but I like what I've seen so far.

 

[football karma]

Did you expect them to be like "yeah the defense is gonna suck. Be ready." That would have been the first time a team has said that in the history of organized sports.

my thought was different

I get what Cardinal media is up to, and, that 98.7 will give the Cards every benefit of the doubt.

my point was that the FO pointed to two players that they expected to be really good -- and they haven't been. Keim has been explicit that moving back to the 3-4 will bring improvement in the D. It hasn't.

There is some grading on a curve stuff here with two starting corners out.... but still, that still does let Chris Carson go from averaging 3.5 yards a carry coming into yesterday and leave with 4.7 per attempt for the day.

 

[Stout]

Yes. But I think the Cards expected Baker to be a star at this point, and he's not. If anything, he's worse this year than he was last year. He's invisible. I think part of that is that Joseph isn't putting him in a position to make plays (I warned about this early in the offseason). But at some point the talent has to shine through.

It's a 3-4 defense; you can survive without a difference maker on the line. I think that Peters is good to great, and maybe Allen will come along. Having to rely on Rodney Gunter back in this system was a mistake.

I agree that Murphy has looked very good. He had an iNT bounce off his hands, but I like what I've seen so far.

I'm sure glad we waited and took Baker, because we ignored that safety talent in the 1st round to get Reddick

 

[Stout]

0 interceptions through 4 games. I don't care how many players are out, that is unacceptable.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Yes. But I think the Cards expected Baker to be a star at this point, and he's not. If anything, he's worse this year than he was last year. He's invisible. I think part of that is that Joseph isn't putting him in a position to make plays (I warned about this early in the offseason). But at some point the talent has to shine through.

It's a 3-4 defense; you can survive without a difference maker on the line. I think that Peters is good to great, and maybe Allen will come along. Having to rely on Rodney Gunter back in this system was a mistake.

I agree that Murphy has looked very good. He had an iNT bounce off his hands, but I like what I've seen so far.

Heh he dropped that INT because of Swearinger bumping into him.

Peters is the best defender that no one talks about. He beats his man a majority of plays.

I think conservatively speaking, the defense needs 2 to 3 upgrades.

 

[kerouac9]

Heh he dropped that INT because of Swearinger bumping into him.

Peters is the best defender that no one talks about. He beats his man a majority of plays.

I think conservatively speaking, the defense needs 2 to 3 upgrades.

I agree with that, but I think we need to have a consensus on what's being upgraded. Are we going from someone who is not an NFL starter to a starter, or are we going from a solid starter to a star? We're getting a superstar back in a few weeks, and another NFL starter back either next week or next year. I think signing a solid free agent DL and OLB would make this defense very good again.

 

[JeffGollin]

Being down both your starting CB's for the entirety of the season so far has been an issue as well. Undermanned and underexperienced doesn't play well to start the season. They'll be better in the 2nd half of the year, but they don't have it together just yet.

Two things stuck in my craw yesterday:

1. Play Design - too many plays - otherwise successful - ended up on the wrong side of the ten-yard marker.

2. When there were player - on - player collisions, the Cardinal player was usually the guy that got pushed backward.

Start with those two things and then go out and find/develop bigger, stronger, smarter, better-trained players.

 

[WildBB]

Still more optimistic then last year. Just for the past draft mainly. I can see them making more strides still.

 

[daves]

I'm sure glad we waited and took Baker, because we ignored that safety talent in the 1st round to get Reddick

I don't pay much attention to the safety talent on other teams, but looking back at the 2017 draft, aside from Jamal Adams who was chosen 6th, Baker has more tackles, sacks, forced fumbles, and TDs than the other two safeties chosen in the 1st round, Hooker and Peppers. Baker was also a 1st-team All-Pro as a special teamer. On the other hand, he hasn't made a single interception. On balance, it's not clear to me that the Cardinals suffered too badly by taking Baker instead of Hooker or Peppers.

...dbs

 

[football karma]

Heh he dropped that INT because of Swearinger bumping into him.

LOL when that play happened, I said to my wife "NOW DJ Swearinger was close to the guy he was covering???"