Somebody please explain the 4, 5, 6 win predictions for next year.

AZ1766

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Well I hope you don't have "I love Tango and 'nem" (THEM) tattooed on your arse, either!!!
 
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Good stuff, RLakin.

As far as the Chiefs and Chargers example goes, the Chiefs are pinning their hopes on Holmes coming back healthy, which does not look likely. Burning their pick on Johnson I'm sure has the conversations in KC getting more quiet and most likely filled with "you didn't hear this from me." They did upgrade the defense and I agree, will be the team to beat in the AFC West.

The Chargers traded offense for defense, and took a gamble in the process. I'm not convinced Boston will ever play another full season in his career (just a gut feeling, cheesebeef. calm down).

In our division alone, SF abandoned 3/4 of a D line that was seventh against the run. Second rounder Anthony Adams is not going to fill that hole. That defense is ripe for an old school pounding, should Sullivan take advantage of it. Garcia's noodle arm is a year older, but that's a different story.

The Rams are counting on AW coming back healthy, even at his age, and 5'9" Travis Fisher to shut down the rest of the NFC West receivers. Losing Hodgins will hurt, but it's Ricky Proehl that's going to really sting. As many TD's as Torry Big Ego Holt last season.

The Rams and Niners are two teams that are definately worse off this season. In our division alone.
 

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Originally posted by AZCB34
First, my disclaimer. I believe the Cards will win 7-8 games (probably 7). I think the biggest single obstacle right now is the fact that philosophies and schemes are changing on both sides of the ball...supposedly. If that is fact, then there is going to be a learning curve and the offensive and defensive units will only be as good as the slowest starter picking up their assignments.

Chemistry is important but it is unclear right now how it may impact the development of the offense. The way it sounds to me, Blake is taking these youngsters and getting some "unorganized" practices going. If that pans out, then the chemistry should be decent by the time camp starts. I am not worried about it being there.

Well said Cubbie.
 

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What has never changed in 7 years with McGinnis in charge of the defense?

Answers:
1. The Cards never stop the run.
2. The Cards always rank in the bottom 10 of virtually every defensive category kept by the NFL.
3. The Cards never change their scheme to an attacking one.

With the same coaching culprits in charge of the defense - Dave McGinnis, Larry Marmie, Joe Greene - I have ceased expecting improvement. And until the defense improves significantly, I cannot see more than 8 wins, and that's with no injuries.

Don't misinterpret. I like McGinnis as a head coach far more than as a defensive coordinator. He's a motivator and lets his coaches coach. But Dave's loyalty to proven bad coaches has stunted team improvement.

Until McGinnis is forced to dump Marmie and Joe Greene, or forces a defensive scheme change on them, this team will underrachieve.

We've read that the team has gone to an attacking defensive one-gap scheme. So show me the proof. Until I see extended evidence of a true commitment to an attacking defense, I'm not buying into the reports.
 

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While coaches are sometimes partly responsible....players are the one's on the field and need to perform. Of course, coaches need to evaluate the talent and play the best possible scheme to match the talent. The best thing for our defense is to screw the read & react idea and create total havoc on the field. Show some imagination and make the game fun too.....I want blitzes coming from anywhere at anytime.... I want offenses reacting to our defense and I want us to use our speed.....Ray & Levar are supposed to be small quick guys...... I want them coming for the QB !!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

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Originally posted by conraddobler
The answer is everyone is just too jaded from past experience and previous attempts to be optimistic to properly judge this team.

Think about it every year some of us say 10-6 blah blah blah and every year they never even get close.

Really it's all about the QB more than anything we lose Lomax then it has been just crap since then utter crap.


Plummer was so awful in the first half I seriously don't think our fans even remember that you can score and play football in that quarter too not just spot the other team a lead.



thats pretty much it right there. We have won like 16 games the last three seasons. Saying were going to win 9 more this year would be stretching the limits plausibility. If we stay healthy, I'll bet we win more than six too. But its a little crazy to predict a 10 win season when we haven't had one. ever.

and as for jake. I wonder what his td to int ratio was in the first half or even the first quarter?

first quarter is probably like 40 int and 5 td

so long jake... dont let the door hit you in the...

:thumbup:
 
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Originally posted by Crimson Warrior
thats pretty much it right there. We have won like 16 games the last three seasons. Saying were going to win 9 more this year would be stretching the limits plausibility. If we stay healthy, I'll bet we win more than six too. But its a little crazy to predict a 10 win season when we haven't had one. ever.

and as for jake. I wonder what his td to int ratio was in the first half or even the first quarter?

first quarter is probably like 40 int and 5 td

so long jake... dont let the door hit you in the...

:thumbup:

Here's Jake's stats from last season.
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1003/splits

Horrible in the first quarter.


I'm not trying to sound callous, but I don't see what the last three years has to do with this coming season, especially considering the changes on this team.
 

Crimson Warrior

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Originally posted by SECTION 11
Here's Jake's stats from last season.
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1003/splits

Horrible in the first quarter.


I'm not trying to sound callous, but I don't see what the last three years has to do with this coming season, especially considering the changes on this team.

probably absolutely nothing 11, but, I just cannot visualize a winning season until I actually see better performance on the field.
 

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If anything the last 3 years should be incentive for anyone left from those teams to improve!!! They should be working outside of organized practices to get better. just like Blake is organizing and putting in the work & effort that makes you a winner like Emmitt.....Each season is a brand new chance to do something special....There is no reason to come in with expectations of winning 5, 6 or 7 games.......... the players I want on the team are the ones that believe in winning the Superrbowl & expect it to happen.
 
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Originally posted by Crimson Warrior
probably absolutely nothing 11, but, I just cannot visualize a winning season until I actually see better performance on the field.


Hard to argue that, Crimson.

I'm going full on with my gut this season.
Last year my gut said that our running game would finally emerge. Step one to winning in the NFL.
I don't know if it was right or not. It ended up 15th, but we were still running Jones behind it, and didn't have the lead at the half as much as we should have, but there was definately progress for a while there.
 

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Originally posted by PortlandCardFan
That is one half full glass! :D

How do you know it's 50%? Have you measured it? How can you make blanket statements like that without facts to back it up? I'm not convinced the cup is half full.
 

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I think we have more overall talent. It will just be a matter of them learning the details. Our recievers haven't forgotten how to run and catch, they just have to learn the check offs and audibles and such. I think the team will be better at the end of the year and our record will depend on 1) how well the team plays at the beginning of the year and 2) whether or not our defense plays more aggressively. We are just as capable of winning our division as going 3-13. Sounds kind of wishy-washy, I know but it's really hard to judge this team. If I have to make a prediction I'll forsake the dark side for Kool Aid. We're having a winning season. :thumbup:
 

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Originally posted by SECTION 11
Here's Jake's stats from last season.
http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/1003/splits

Horrible in the first quarter.


I'm not trying to sound callous, but I don't see what the last three years has to do with this coming season, especially considering the changes on this team.

Come on 1 pick every 15 attempts is horrible (-: To be fair that's not his career rate, he tends to throw less INT's in the first quarter.

But in his career he's still only had about 10%(9) of his Td passes and about 40 in the 4th quarter. Of course Woody Paige would call us both clueless for thinking that means anything.
 

40yearfan

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Cards record in 2003 will be 10 - 6. They will be one of the top 5 teams in rushing and in the top 15 in passing (the first 3 or 4 games will be mostly rushing with the passing attack really heating up after the 5th or 6th game). Blake will have a QB rating in the high 70's or low 80's. Smith and Shipp will gain 1800 yards between them.

The defense will rank in the top 15 against the run and the pass and the Cards will almost double their sack count from 2002. Wilson will be among the leaders in interceptions and KVB will be among the leaders in tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Special teams will also improve (less turnovers, better tackling) and Player will be one of the Cards who make it to the Pro Bowl.
 

Shane

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Originally posted by 40yearfan
Player will be one of the Cards who make it to the Pro Bowl.

God I hope its not our punter. Especially if hes the only player chosen to go.

Please god let there be more then one player in the pro-bowl?
 
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40yearfan

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Originally posted by Shane H
God I hope its not our punter. Especially if hes the only player chosen to go.

Please god let there be more then one player in the pro-bowl?
<p>Shane----if you'll notice, I said one of the Cards to make it to the Pro Bowl meaning there will be others. Davis is a distinct possibility and I think one of our DL will also be making the trip.
 

Shane

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Originally posted by 40yearfan
<p>Shane----if you'll notice, I said one of the Cards to make it to the Pro Bowl meaning there will be others. Davis is a distinct possibility and I think one of our DL will also be making the trip.

I know. Im just stating that I hope its not the the punter getting the praise for PB consideration come december otherwise we are going to be in trouble yet again!
 

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Originally posted by 40yearfan


The defense will rank in the top 15 against the run and the pass and the Cards will almost double their sack count from 2002. Wilson will be among the leaders in interceptions and KVB will be among the leaders in tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

Is this hope or is the opinion? If opinion, what have you seen from the offseason to make ou believe both our run defense and pass defense will become better than the other 14 teams currently ahead of us?
 

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This is my response to an earlier thread, but it serves it's purpose here just as well.

Okay here it goes:
For the UPCOMING season

Positives:

NUMERO UNO AND THE UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION POSITIVE ON THE TEAM . . . NO MORE JAKE!

I can't tell you how many games last year deterioriated into me hoping Jake would fail, so the front office would finally have no choice but to boot his sorry ass outta town. And this was after I thought he had turned a corner the year previous to that. But Jake destroyed this team - some may say he never let his picks get to him and he always hung his head up, but you know what - YOU SHOULD BE DISSAPOINTED WHEN YOU SCREW UP AS MUCH AS HIM , and then you should do everything in your power to become better. Everything starts at the top and with Jake gone, I am psyched to finally see our offense on the field with a new leader.

2) Jeff Blake - my favorite pick up of the off-season. The guy throws the prettiest long ball in the entire NFL, and he has made some pretty unknown guys look very good in the past. Also comes in with a chip on his shoulder which I like.

3) The secondary - If this squad had a monster pass rush, they'd probably by the end of the season be regarded as one of the top units in the NFL. Individually, I don't we've ever had this much youth and talent in our starting back field and that's pretty exciting.

4) Freddie Jones - Loved him as a Charger. Love teams that can throw to the TE, because if you can get it, a good TE is a nightmarish match-up for defenses. Blake has always used the TE - made Tony McGee a Pro Bowler in Cincy if I'm not mistaken, and after he left, when was the last time you heard about him?

5) O-line: The hope that this chronically inured under perfroming line will finally become dominant and smash people six feet under. Lots of concerns here as well, but their potential is exciting.

6) Depth - The Belly of the team has been addressed in certain areas - O-line, RB (although this is a psotion of contention in my cons later), LBs - actually when I think about, maybe I'm not so sure about this one and the problems in saying we have depth will come out later in the cons.

Cons:

1) D-Line: Until this unit ACTUALLY shows me something, I will not and cannot believe the weakest part of our team has been addressed - Drafting a guy that rated out as a 2nd or 3rd pick into the starting lineup along side another group of guys that got their asses collectively handed to them all season long (well the last ten games) doesn't signal to me that we "upgraded" the pass rush. People here say they will be happy if we get ten more sacks raising the overall level to 30 sacks for the season. 30 sacks is a joke as well - an extra .5 sacks a game isn't gonna make up for the two touchdown drubbings this team took last season.

2) WR - I love all these potential, but I am a believer that potential is a word that signifies something for the FUTURE. WR has shown to be obne of the hardest positions to get accustomed to in the NFL - unless of course you are Randy Moss and personally, I don't care how good a teacher Coach Sullivan is, and considering his mind should be on matching an offense to his personel (get to this later), these guys aren't going to get the attention from HIM that they need - certainly not to make a big enough impact this season IMO.

3) The health of our O-line. None of these guys apparently are healthy right now. All of them have had health problems throughout their careers (meaning last year and before). We have never seen them be as good as we hope they can be, and well, knowing our history and apparent curse, I'll believe it when I see it.

4) RB - The way I see it, Emmitt Smith is an albatross on this team. One , the guy 34 years old. When was the last time a 34 year old RB had a great season? Two, what kind of message does this send to Marcel Shipp. RB is not a position where players learn on the job, especially a year after they have proven themselves worthy of starting material and gained a new contract. Also what fans doe you see being added to our fan base. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't season ticket sales go down again from last season. Do you think the casual fan, who never went to Card game before are going to now to see a RB three years outside of his prime? I don't.

5) Coaching philosophy - Jerry Sullivan needs to figure out what kind of team this is gonna be. It appears that it is built to be a smash mouth team, which can spread the field (hopefully with it's WRs), but a wide open offense, with a lumbering line, an aging RB, and guys who not only have to come out of college and get adjusted to the NFL, but also get adjusted to a Offense that will hpefully be as Dynamic as what the Rams had is a pretty tall order.

The fact that Mean Joe Greene and Larry Marmie are still around is joke to me as well. How many years have these guys had to do something with the talent given to them. Yes I know that talent isn't or hasn't been very good, but this team always seems to be on their heels. I have never seen any of our D-Lineman get better over time. KVB came out like a lion, got hurt, and played vailantly last year, but I never saw any growth in his game. And I don't acre if Wendell Bryant was out all offseason - a coach should be able to get someone with his talents at least to make some impact by the end of the season.

And Coach Mac - a great rah, rah guy. And that's not a negative. His passion for the game is infectious, and maybe with a group this young and inexperienced, they can buy all that stuff hook line and sinker. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a lot behind the passion in the way of game smarts. I knew we were going to lose last year in Game 1 v. Washington when we were up at half because Spurrier would make adjustments on us, and we would sit tight. Sure enough. we got blizted to hell in the third quarter and the game was put out of reach. His decision not to make adjustments against a one-legged Donovan McNabb has been gone over to death here - but my biggest concern came late in the season against St. Louis - a game I believe Mac personally lost. His call to run the ball on 3 and sixth, when all you needed was a first down to win the game coming on the heels of the two minute warning was a cowardly and Joe Bugl like move. Earlier in the season, the Saints were in the same position, with their back-up QB at center vs Tampa and the coach knew that one, with the two minute warning, Tampa wouldn't need to call timeout and two that if they got, it's the game. They passed and got it, we ran off tackle and got 2 yards. Then his clock management at the end was pitiful.

There has never been a game where I though Mac outcoached another team - save one - when he willed us to victory over Washington the week before the stadium vote. We have heard his proclamations that this year we will attack too often and have yet to see it.

6) Our Depth - This is a bit of an oxymoron. To say we have dpeth, implies that we have starters to play in front of them. Our D-line is a sieve, AND there is no depth there. At RB there is good depth, but the WRONG GUY IS STARTING AND I BELIEVE WILL GET A MAJORITY OF THE CARRIES. WR - yeah we have a lot of guys ther, but not on of them has proven one damn thing in this game. In the d-backfield, we have four solid starters, but IMO nothing behind them. At QB, we have Blake, then two guys who are in their second years (now this could be a good thing - I mean Aaron Brooks was the back-up with no experience when Blake played in NO and that has turned out pretty well.

7) The additions made to the team - My biggest fear is that each one of these additions is directly related to another position on the field. If our WRs can't adjust fast enough, the offense is screwed and Jeff Blake and Hodgins won't be able to make contributions which I think they could. Look at the Cowboys the year after their 3rd Super Bowl, when Michael Irvin was suspended the first four game - Behind a great O-Line that had won Super Bowls, Emmit had nowhere to run - and that was with recievers along with Irvin who were Super Bowl Champions. Our addition of Jackson's great, but if ther's no pass rush, he can't cover for ten minutes.

I think it's sweking the fact to say this was a five win team last year. Bottom line for me and the way I look at us going into this season is that we finished 1-9 and were pathetic, to the point of absurdity, doing so. That is the team we are upgrading. And that is what tempers my enthusiasm the most. Especially considering that you can play the injury card - but Boston's gone regardless - can't point to that injury - our O-Line still isn't healthy and Gilmore still isn't fully recovered. On defense, it's not like the guys we have now didn't play last year during that horrid stretch at the end of the year - they were all in there.

As far as the coming out of nowhere factor, the bottom line is this - with each one of the teams who Suprised the league, you can look back at them and see some traces of what was going to make them Great. The Rams got Faulk, already had Bruce (who had put up a 1700 yard season two yars prior), already had Orlando Pace, drafted a WR at #6 in the draft who was getting comparisons to Jerry Rice, as well as going out and getting the best QB on the Market in Trent Green. Everyone thought that team would be improved from the prior year - and when Green went down, the unexpected happened and Kurt Warner became a star.

With the Pats - they still had a lot of core guys that were on playoff teams from years previous - but let;s not id ourselves - that was one of the great coaching jobs in the history of the NFL - Bellicheck is a mastermind, was with the Giants, was with the Pats with Parcells and was with the Jets - Mac has never been recognized as such.

With the Ravens - they were pegged as one of the supirse teasm, ebacuse they went 8-8 the year before, drafted Jamal Lewis, had a top five defense they year before the won the Super Bowl and they were geeked and tuned up for their final run - not to mention the amount of first rounders who actually developed on that team - our talent level just ain't there. In addition, BIllick, while a smug f*ck, is a brilliant football mind. He created one of the greatest offenses in NFL History as well as one of the greatest Defenses.

I just don't see Mac in the same light as those coaches for one and two our Faulk is Emmit Smith, and our Bruce is Brian Gillmore.

Hopefully, you all in a couple years will be able to add the Cards to the list I just made above, but for me I'll believe it when I see it. 6-10, possibly 4-12, high end 8-8.
 

40yearfan

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Originally posted by cheesebeef
Is this hope or is the opinion? If opinion, what have you seen from the offseason to make ou believe both our run defense and pass defense will become better than the other 14 teams currently ahead of us?
<p>Opinion----I don't believe in hope. Bryant will finally play up to his potential and a healthy KVB will become a dominant force to be reckoned with. Pace will be a pleasent surprise and Russell Davis will come into his own. Also, don't count out Wakefield. With his new contract, he will try to live up to the faith shown in him by the Cards and have an exceptional year.<p> It will be DL by committee with players shuffling in and out as the Cards have some good depth. Not much will be lost by interchanging the people on this line and by keeping them fresh, they will be able to contain the whole game instead of just in the first half. Also with the offense playing more ball control (less 3 and outs in the 1st and 2cd quarter), the defense won't have their daubers down and won't always be playing in an uphill contest. That was 75% of the problem last year always knowing that you couldn't allow any more TD's the rest of the game if you wanted to have any chance to win (Since the Cards weren't scoring many points, the defense would have to hold the other team to only 1 or 2 TD's and with our offensive fumbling and interceptions, the offense was already giving those TD's up so basically, the defense needed to pitch a shut-out almost every week). Think how demoralized the defense must have felt when every week, it was the same thing. Behind by an insurmountable lead by the end of the 1st quarter.<p>I feel our LB crew has improved also and will be in on the tackles and sacks behind the LOS, much more so than last year. With an improved DL, the secondary won't have to cover WR's for a great amount of time and will be much more effective. Starks will be much more effective this season and Jackson will give instant credibility to the whole backfield.
 

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It all depends of injuries. If Blake goes down early, it will be a disaster IMO.

If this team stays healthy, I could see 9 maybe 10 wins. The Rams and 49ers aren't nearly as intimidating as a couple of years ago. Plus I think the O will have much fewer turnovers this year and win those games that got away last year.
 

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Originally posted by jw7
It all depends of injuries. If Blake goes down early, it will be a disaster IMO.

If this team stays healthy, I could see 9 maybe 10 wins. The Rams and 49ers aren't nearly as intimidating as a couple of years ago. Plus I think the O will have much fewer turnovers this year and win those games that got away last year.
Well said. I see 7-9 wins, unless Blake goes down then Im sayin like 4-6...
 

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