Sportsmemo.com - Assessment of Cards 2006

[JC_AZ]

The Arizona Cardinals Are Headed In The Right Directon
Posted: Friday, June 16, 2006 12:00 AM
Leading into preseason NFL football, I'll be releasing my team-by-team previews. I'll start with the Arizona Cardinals.

2006 Arizona Cardinals Team Preview

Overview: The Arizona Cardinals and Head Coach Dennis Green hope that 2006 is the year that the Cardinals can get over the hump. Coming off of a bad 2005 season, the Cardinals hope that this will be the year that the Cardinals finally live up to the preseason hype surrounding them.

Key Additions:

Kendrick Clancy - Defensive Tackle
Milford Brown - Offensive Guard
Edgerrin James - Running Back
Troy Walters - Wide Receiver
Jack Brewer - Safety

Key Draft Picks:
Matt Leinart - Quarterback
Taitusi Lutui - Offensive Guard
Leonard Pope - Tight End
Gabriel Watson - Defensive Tackle

Key Subtractions:
Quentin Harris - Safety
Josh McCown - Quarterback
Russell Davis - Defensive Tackle
Raymond Walls - Cornerback

Coaching Philosophy: Dennis Green likes to push the ball up the field with a vertical passing game and a power-type running game. Green is much more an offensive-minded coach then a defensive one. In 2005 the Cardinals ranked eighth in yards per game on offense, but 26th in points allowed (24.2 per game).

Schedule Analysis: The first half of the Cardinals season includes games on the road against Seattle and Atlanta and games at home against San Francisco and Kansas City. All in all, it makes for a tough, but manageable first-half schedule. The second half of the schedule includes games against San Diego, Denver and at Green's former team the Minnesota Vikings. This schedule isn't overwhleming, but it isn't a cakewalk, either.

Quality of Team: With the addition of Edgerrin James, the Cardinals offense should stay in the top-10 this year. James should be able to put up much better rushing numbers then J.J. Arrington or Marcel Shipp. With a great group of young talent in Matt Leinart, Antrel Rolle, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals have a deep young pool of talent to stay competitive in this league for a long time. Questions in the secondary remain. Opposing quarterbacks completed nearly 62 percent of their passes against the Cardinals secondary last season. The Cardinals are hoping Rolle will be able to stay healthy for the entire year. Rolle will need to continue to develop on the field in order for the secondary and the Cardinals defense as a whole to improve. A cause for concern in 2005, the offensive line did not add any seasoned veterans this offseason. The Cardinals are headed in the right direction. However, they’re a year or two away.

Team Wins:
Last Year: 5-11
This year: 8-8
Playoffs: No

Spread Value: The overhyped Cardinals will start out the season vastly overpriced in my opinion. We always hear about this being the Cardinals year to break out. It hasn’t happened yet, and while I see improvement in the squad, having Kurt Warner stay healthy for an entire year is not something I’m willing to bet on.

Fantasy Focus: Neil Rackers, Kicker
Rackers had a career year last year and single-handedly took some fantasy teams to the title last year. Rackers amassed 167 fantasy points and was No. 1 out of all the kickers last year from a fantasy perspective. Look for Rackers to repeat as fantasy football’s top kicker.

 

[Redsz]

We always hear about this being the Cardinals year to break out.

What a load of BS. Apart from last year - how many times have the Cardinals been picked to 'break out'?

 

[Divide Et Impera]

Too many times:

Last year
99
96
95

 

[arthurracoon]

Fantasy Focus: Neil Rackers, Kicker
Rackers had a career year last year and single-handedly took some fantasy teams to the title last year. Rackers amassed 167 fantasy points and was No. 1 out of all the kickers last year from a fantasy perspective. Look for Rackers to repeat as fantasy football’s top kicker.

Rackers single handedly saved my fantasy team, until Peyton killed me against San Diego

 

[BigRedRage]

mine too = )

 

[joeshmo]

Of those subtractions should they really be called "KEY" subtractions.

 

[PDXChris]

Of those subtractions should they really be called "KEY" subtractions.

I was thinking the same exact thing

 

[JeffGollin]

Just wondering but (can some of you x's & o's guys help me on this?) can the high percentage of passes completed against us have anything to do with our need to bring Adrian up into the box to help stop the run and put more pressure on the passer (in the absence of Bert Berry and Calvin Pace) last season?

Wouldn't the blitz pressure plus one less guy in coverage "encourage" opposing QB's to throw a lot of short 3-step stuff?

And aren't there more telling stats than percent-completed -particularly if most of those completions were to RB's?

 

[Red Air Force]

Just wondering but (can some of you x's & o's guys help me on this?) can the high percentage of passes completed against us have anything to do with our need to bring Adrian up into the box to help stop the run and put more pressure on the passer (in the absence of Bert Berry and Calvin Pace) last season?

Wouldn't the blitz pressure plus one less guy in coverage "encourage" opposing QB's to throw a lot of short 3-step stuff?

And aren't there more telling stats than percent-completed -particularly if most of those completions were to RB's?

Two stats that stand out to me are the fact that we were 4th best in 3rd down percentage at 34.2% and 7th best in time of possession at 28:40.

Additionally the defense allowed the 8th fewest rush attempts/g which tells me we were able to keep thier offense off the field, and force them into more passing situations.

 

[PortlandCardFan]

Two stats that stand out to me are the fact that we were 4th best in 3rd down percentage at 34.2% and 7th best in time of possession at 28:40.

Additionally the defense allowed the 8th fewest rush attempts/g which tells me we were able to keep thier offense off the field, and force them into more passing situations.

Or they had short fields and scored quick then we suck up time going 80yrds for a field goal.

 

[Redheart]

Or they had short fields and scored quick then we suck up time going 80yrds for a field goal.

...yea...it could be that.

Special teams and stopping the run will be a test.

We will be better running the ball, sure.

 

[Stout]

Too many times:

Last year
99
96
95

So, wow...we were overhyped all of once in the last 7 years...yeah, I can see how that's too many. Oh wait...

C'mon, dude. Going back to the nineties?