Rowen Out As OC/ Replaced by Mike Kruczek

[Brewster10]

Stop trying to hoard in on Clancy's success...

I dont think Green says anything to Pendergast during the games...

Quite frankly, other than talkin on that headset... i dont see Green interacting with anybody on the sideline

 

[Big Red Line]

how many offensive coordinators/special teams coordinators need to get fired before someone realizes, hey, maybe it's the guy PICKING THESE GUYS WHO NEEDS THE AXE?

If DG gets a stay of execution once this season is over, I will vomit.

Seems to me that every time you post, it's a kind of vomit

 

[Cheesebeef]

Seems to me that every time you post, it's a kind of vomit

that's nice - you know, if you want to start a flame war, you're barking up the wrong tree - I suggest I suggest you use the ignore button or act like a civilized human being.

 

[Mulli]

Seems to me that every time you post, it's a kind of vomit

unnecessary

 

[az1965]

If true, best decison so far in this season by Green... there is no way we should go into another game with Rowen's stupid playcalling...

 

[gr000000vy]

Cardinals fire offensive coordinator

sorry if its been posted...



By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer 1 hour, 13 minutes ago

TEMPE, Ariz. - Frustrated
Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green fired offensive coordinator Keith Rowen on Tuesday and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Mike Kruczek.
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The move came hours after the Cardinals blew a 20-point lead and lost to the
Chicago Bears 24-23 on Monday night.

"I've known Keith for a long time. I have the utmost respect for him," Green said. "We are not scoring enough points."

Kruczek becomes Green's third offensive coordinator in the coach's 2 1/2 seasons in Arizona. Rowen took the job after Alex Wood was fired following the 2004 season.

"I don't hesitate to make changes. That's just who I am," Green said. "I like things to go a certain way, and if they don't, I normally do something about it."

Green said he was talking with Rowen about taking another position on the staff.

Kruczek also will remain as quarterbacks coach, a job he has held since Green arrived.

"I think his close working relationship with Matt Leinart will give us a better chance," Green said.

Kruczek was a quarterback at Boston College and backup to Terry Bradshaw with the
Pittsburgh Steelers. He was head coach at Central Florida for six years before joining Green's staff.

At his Tuesday news conference, Green noted that Rowen had nothing to do with the strange series of late plays that led to the Monday night collapse:

• the blindside sack of Leinart that led to Mike Brown's 3-yard fumble return for a touchdown.

• the 40-yard return of Edgerrin James' fumble by Charles Tillman for another score.

• Devin Hester's 83-yard punt return for the go-ahead touchdown.

• Neil Rackers' miss of a 41-yard field goal attempt with 53 seconds to play.

"But at certain times, you feel like you have to do something a little bit different, something that we hope will be better for us," Green said. "I think Mike is a very demanding taskmaster kind of guy. He's old school all the way, and I think that's what we're going to need right now."

Arizona has lost five straight since a season-opening victory over San Francisco and is 12-26 since Green took over. The Cardinals play at winless Oakland on Sunday.

Arizona is 14th in the NFL in points per game. Some of the other offensive statistics, though, are ugly. The Cardinals are 23rd in total offense, 25th in yards per play, 31st in yards rushing per game and 32nd in rushing yards per attempt.

James, who has yet to have a 100-yard rushing game since coming to Arizona this season, carried 36 times for 55 yards against the Bears. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most carries in NFL history for a back who averaged less than 2 yards per attempt.

Under Rowen in 2005, the Cardinals led the NFL in passing, but ranked last in rushing. He has been an NFL assistant for eight teams since 1984, including a three-year stint at offensive line coach on Green's staff at Minnesota.

The Monday night loss marked the third consecutive home game in which Arizona squandered a late opportunity to win. In a 16-14 loss to St. Louis, Kurt Warner fumbled a snap at the Rams 18 as the Cardinals were working for a winning field goal. Against Kansas City, the Chiefs rallied from 10 down in the fourth quarter to win 23-20. Rackers missed a 51-yard field goal attempt at the finish.

 

[gr000000vy]

opps guess it has....

 

[CardShark]

Hope it helps.

 

[bratwurst]

Unless Rowen was one of the guys blocking on the line, this won't make much of a difference.

 

[Big Red Line]

that's nice - you know, if you want to start a flame war, you're barking up the wrong tree - I suggest I suggest you use the ignore button or act like a civilized human being.

I've been a Cardinals fan longer than you have and am no ******. Your vitrolic rants are lower than the bar usually used to denote the nether limits of civilization. Perhaps you are trying for humor, but the attitude you signify is generally associated with people who do not understand how to win. I know you have family and friends who post on this board and I have no wish to denigrate you personally, so I will end with something positive. Your name is clever.

 

[Mulli]

I've been a Cardinals fan longer than you have and am no ******. Your vitrolic rants are lower than the bar usually used to denote the nether limits of civilization. Perhaps you are trying for humor, but the attitude you signify is generally associated with people who do not understand how to win. I know you have family and friends who post on this board and I have no wish to denigrate you personally, so I will end with something positive. Your name is clever.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Cheese sometimes rubs me the wrong way, but I treat him with respect. He is a fellow Cards fan.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I've been a Cardinals fan longer than you have and am no ******. Your vitrolic rants are lower than the bar usually used to denote the nether limits of civilization. Perhaps you are trying for humor, but the attitude you signify is generally associated with people who do not understand how to win. I know you have family and friends who post on this board and I have no wish to denigrate you personally, so I will end with something positive. Your name is clever.

again - there's an ignore button. why don't you use it?

 

[az1965]

Unless Rowen was one of the guys blocking on the line, this won't make much of a difference.

No, but Rowen was the one calling running plays after running plays when the Bears had 8, 9 men in the box to stop it with 0 to 1 yards per rush and continued 3 and outs.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

No, but Rowen was the one calling running plays after running plays when the Bears had 8, 9 men in the box to stop it with 0 to 1 yards per rush and continued 3 and outs.

It is so wierd. It was literally like watching Jackyl & Hyde out there. I was flat out convinced that we would run a run up the middle of the line on the first play of the game. What did we do? We ran a freaking playaction pass. His playcalling was the best all year on the first two drives of the game. After that, he just went into a shell.

 

[Big Red Line]

It is so wierd. It was literally like watching Jackyl & Hyde out there. I was flat out convinced that we would run a run up the middle of the line on the first play of the game. What did we do? We ran a freaking playaction pass. His playcalling was the best all year on the first two drives of the game. After that, he just went into a shell.

Probably the first series or two were scripted prior to the game, at least in either/or form.

 

[bratwurst]

No, but Rowen was the one calling running plays after running plays when the Bears had 8, 9 men in the box to stop it with 0 to 1 yards per rush and continued 3 and outs.

Don't sit here and think for one second and say Green didn't want us to call those runs.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

Probably the first series or two were scripted prior to the game, at least in either/or form.

Maybe the Cards need to write a script titled, "How to win a game you're leading by 14 points in the 1st qtr."

 

[az1965]

Don't sit here and think for one second and say Green didn't want us to call those runs.

Whoever... Rowen's gone... Green can be gone sooner or later

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Probably the first series or two were scripted prior to the game, at least in either/or form.

The problem is, is that after the first drive, I dont think that the 2nd drive could have been scripted.

The 2nd half was scripted by following last week's performance.

 

[Mitch]

Great...let's try yet ANOTHER coach who hasn't EVER called a play in an NFL game.

 

[Big Red Line]

The problem is, is that after the first drive, I dont think that the 2nd drive could have been scripted.

The 2nd half was scripted by following last week's performance.

Good point, but I think one could script a general approach, which worked very well on two drives, and inexplicably was abandoned. What is the old saying, "Playing not to lose is the best way to lose."

 

[Zeno]

Great...let's try yet ANOTHER coach who hasn't EVER called a play in an NFL game.

This doesn't bother me one bit. Every NFL coach could have had this said about them at one point in their career.

 

[Doc Cardinal]

Matt must like Coach K.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

I've been a Cardinals fan longer than you have and am no ******. Your vitrolic rants are lower than the bar usually used to denote the nether limits of civilization. Perhaps you are trying for humor, but the attitude you signify is generally associated with people who do not understand how to win. I know you have family and friends who post on this board and I have no wish to denigrate you personally, so I will end with something positive. Your name is clever.

Cheese is definitely an acquired taste BRL.

I used to get on his case all the time for basically the same reason.

He's a lifer though, just like you and I, so he's earned the right to rant.

Last night while we were winning, I had a thought about calling out some of the doom and gloomers who predicted a slaughter (including cheese).

Unfortunately, his shtick has been on point for all five-plus years I've been on the board.