The Cards are still a year away

[CardLogic]

For what it's worth, I think the Cards are right now a "pretty good team," but they're not a good team, yet.

I agree yet as k9 said, what will make a team good is execution; that and wins.

I expect that Whis will be a stickler for execution; and that the team "gets it".

10-6 or 5-11? This team could just as easily do either one

I agree here also.

Start well and the Cardinal's should be playoff bound. Stumble (fumble) out of the gate and they could be out of it before they're in it.

But either starting the season strong or having a stumbling start, I don't believe that the team will quit and coast out the remainder of the season. They certainly sagged following the MNF game last year, but during the end of the season there was a resurgence, a recommitment by the players. The Cardinals won 3 of the last 5; 4 of the last seven, that was even though the coaching staff already had packed their bags to leave town. There will be no quitting this season.

So a slow start this season might put the Cardinal's out of contention early or it just might bring about a reappearance of the Cardiac Cards!

 

[ajcardfan]

I agree with duckjake. Warner's fumble against the Rams was the killer for the season. Especially after we had just gotten a phenomenal break, which we never seem to get, of a botched handoff by Bulger. After that, I could feel every meltdown coming. I never really felt we had the Chiefs or Bears games in hand.

 

[Wild Card]

Will this be the Cards' year?

Don Banks listed this in his "Burning Camp Questions" column today on SI.com, and came to the same conclusion as this thread's title:

7. Will the Cardinals finally stop playing the role of preseason tease and live up to their perennial chic-pick billing?

There's lot of optimism in Arizona, but we've said that before. True, the Cardinals have the easiest schedule in the league this year (a .461 winning percentage in 2006 by their opponents). They've got Leinart installed as their clear-cut No. 1 quarterback, a young and hungry new head coach in Whisenhunt, and an upgraded assistant coaching staff, led by assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm.

But the Cardinals still have a lot of ground to cover on both sides of the ball. Even with Edgerrin James they were 30th in the league in rushing, and they were 30th against the pass. And when I consider NFC West teams that seem to be headed upward, my list starts with San Francisco and St. Louis. As talented as they are in spots, the Cardinals appear to be at least another year away.​

Sounds about right to me, unfortunately. Any team finishing last season in the bottom three for both rush offense and pass defense, and starting over this year under a new coaching staff, wouldn't be my pick for the 2007 playoffs. 2-3 more wins would be my guess.

WC

 

[Black Jesus]

This year really isnt for us... We have too many weaknesses or question marks.

Our Cornerbacks are some of the worst starters in the league.
Outside of Dansby and Hayes we dont know who the other two starters will be at LB.
Our offensive line lost the best player on it and has everyone changing positions again.
Edgerrin James is still our runningback and a year older.
Can Matt Leinart have a strong second season?
Will Boldin and Fitz stay both stay healthy for a full season for once?
Who is our starting tightend?
Will Bryant Johnson not drop wide open passes in the end zone?
Is it Neil Rackers 2005-06 or Neil Rackers 2006-2007?
Who is our kick returner and punt returner?
How does Whiz coach?

There are just too many circumstances around this team that dont add up. Sorry, I love this team and get my hopes up every year just to cry myself asleep when we go 2-6 by week 8.

 

[PoolBoy]

This year really isnt for us... We have too many weaknesses or question marks.

Our Cornerbacks are some of the worst starters in the league.
Outside of Dansby and Hayes we dont know who the other two starters will be at LB.
Our offensive line lost the best player on it and has everyone changing positions again.
Edgerrin James is still our runningback and a year older.
Can Matt Leinart have a strong second season?
Will Boldin and Fitz stay both stay healthy for a full season for once?
Who is our starting tightend?
Will Bryant Johnson not drop wide open passes in the end zone?
Is it Neil Rackers 2005-06 or Neil Rackers 2006-2007?
Who is our kick returner and punt returner?
How does Whiz coach?

There are just too many circumstances around this team that dont add up. Sorry, I love this team and get my hopes up every year just to cry myself asleep when we go 2-6 by week 8.

k jesus you're question marks can be answered, and your question marks....? are questions that every team could have.
can peyton stay healthy this year? can big ben get training wheels?
answers:
leonard davis was NOT the best player on the o line....he was worthless.
breaston is our KR... he was amazing at it in college. and jj is not even competition there.
leonard pope starting tight end. 6 foot 8 in the red zone. im getting excited just thinking about it now that we have a coach who says he actually will throw to the tight end.

 

[Duckjake]

Leonard davis was NOT the best player on the o line....he was worthless.

No he wasn't worthless and he wasn't a cancer either. He just was going to cost more money than the Cards wanted to pay him at this point in his career especially when everyone finally realized he was better suited to play Guard.

THE key for this season is Leinart. The Cards were on the wrong side of the normal weird bounces of NFL football games last season (as usual) with a rookie QB and still were in most of the games(not as usual). Denver and Dallas the exceptions.

Everything is going to hinge on Leinart. We haven't had a young NFL prototype QB in a looooooong time.

Hang your hopes on this bit of history: in years 2,3,and 4 of Neil Lomax' NFL career, the Cards were 22-18-1 with no losing seasons and had a playoff game against Green Bay.



So it shouldn't be long before Leinart's Shoulder starts keeping him out of the last 5 games every season about when the Cards get to 8-3 or 7-4.

 

[football karma]

DJ-- correct again.

While teams can win with without a good qb, they need everything around him to be pretty darn good.

Teams can also win with a pretty good QB that makes up for some deficiencies elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals have had neither a good QB nor have they been really good everywhere else.

In fact, since the Cards moved to AZ they have been through more QBs than I can keep track of. The only one that comes to mind that was actually pursued as a starter for another team was Plummer -- the last Qb to get this team to a winning record.

Think about that -- they have probably had 15 different "answers" at Qb over the last 20 years since Lomax, and only one could be considered a bonafide NFL starter rather than a stopgap.

Its hard to win when that is your QB situation.

 

[Scot1]

Well, reading all this, I've swung back toward optimistic, like every year. I really think that by 2005, DG was a real, true cancer for the team. Picked good players, but then didn't relate, didn't inspire, didn't adjust, chose awful coaches.... Having nobody there would be an improvement.

I do think our CB situation is better than last year. I do think we will have an adequate OL ten games out of the year, even if Grimm has to come out of retirement. Chalk those changes up as an added three victories. Yes, the players will have to adjust to the 3-4 and the new offense, but they had to adjust to true brainlessness throughout last year--I'd only take away a game, at most. So I think 8-8 is very realistic, conceivably even more.

 

[Duckjake]

Well, reading all this, I've swung back toward optimistic, like every year. I really think that by 2005, DG was a real, true cancer for the team. Picked good players, but then didn't relate, didn't inspire, didn't adjust, chose awful coaches.... Having nobody there would be an improvement.

I disagree. Green came to a hopeless situation. There was no talent on the team other than the second year guys like Boldin and the two vets LDavis and AWilson. Make it about 6 to 8 real NFL players. It took him two seasons to get the talent level to just adequate; those two seasons they went 6-10 and 5-11. No big deal. By 2006 real NFL talent is in place, time to play in January for the next 3-4 years. Right?

Wrong. Last year the fumble in the Rams game, the weird game against the Chiefs and finally the Bears game caused Denny to realize even he couldn't beat the Pottsville curse so he threw in the towel and the rookie QB and started thinking about chili dogs and fishing.

 

[D-Dogg]

They easily have the talent to go 8-8.

This is sad. On paper, they have the talent to go 8-8.

19-0 it is!!!

 

[Stout]

K9, as I recall, the Saints had abysmal corners last year, and it was one of the reasons they were bounced from the playoffs.

 

[kerouac9]

K9, as I recall, the Saints had abysmal corners last year, and it was one of the reasons they were bounced from the playoffs.

Stout, you won't find a bigger critic of the Saints than I, and especially the Saints defense. But they do have talent. Mike McKenzie is twice the player that Antrel Rolle is, one of the best cornerbacks in the NFC. On the other side, Fred Thomas is servicable, though he's coming off a really down year last year. To that, they added Jason David, who has a Super Bowl ring. Behind him, they have Jason Craft, who is no slouch, either.

The weakness of the Saints last season was really their LB corps, and that they had a down season at cornerback (could the fact that they were breaking in two inexperienced safeties bear some responsibility?). But I think that the talent is there in the secondary.

 

[Stout]

Stout, you won't find a bigger critic of the Saints than I, and especially the Saints defense. But they do have talent. Mike McKenzie is twice the player that Antrel Rolle is, one of the best cornerbacks in the NFC. On the other side, Fred Thomas is servicable, though he's coming off a really down year last year. To that, they added Jason David, who has a Super Bowl ring. Behind him, they have Jason Craft, who is no slouch, either.

The weakness of the Saints last season was really their LB corps, and that they had a down season at cornerback (could the fact that they were breaking in two inexperienced safeties bear some responsibility?). But I think that the talent is there in the secondary.

I don't think Fred Thomas is serviceable any more at all, and that last year is more of what they'll get. McKenzie isn't nearly as good as you claim, but he is serviceable and right now definitely better than Rolle. I just remember these guys getting absolutely torched in the playoffs. The two inexperienced safeties may have hurt, but it wasn't the main cause. Their additions will help, at LB and in the secondary. They should be a much-improved defense this season.

 

[kerouac9]

I don't think Fred Thomas is serviceable any more at all, and that last year is more of what they'll get. McKenzie isn't nearly as good as you claim, but he is serviceable and right now definitely better than Rolle. I just remember these guys getting absolutely torched in the playoffs. The two inexperienced safeties may have hurt, but it wasn't the main cause. Their additions will help, at LB and in the secondary. They should be a much-improved defense this season.

I'm guessing we'll have to agree to disagree on this, because I don't think you can be convinced. But here's what Lindy's has to say about the Saints' 2006 starters:

McKenzie, Mike - Saints top cover cornerback had a good all-around season in 2006.
Thomas, Fred - Skillful cover man struggled in giving up some big plays last season

And TSN's analysis for comparison...

Mike McKenzie, CB - Can run with almost any receiver and has a second gear when the ball is in the air... Has inconsistent press technique and gives up the inside too often...McKenzie brings experience and good tools to the table but lacks the big-play ability that would place him among the elite defensive backs...

Mike McKenzie and Fed Thomas, last year's starting corners, are capable athletes who still have the speed and attitude to play heavy doses of man coverage. But both have been inconsistent the past two years and have allowed too many deep completions against high-powered offenses.

McKenzie, in particular, has the tools to take a big step forward...

Maybe it's that you think that Rolle is better than I do, but despite looking bad in the playoffs, I think that McKenzie is in the top 10 corners in the NFC.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Note to self, bump this thread next year too.

 

[Mulli]

Note to self, bump this thread next year too.

 

[jefftheshark]

Note to self, bump this thread next year too.

Mods - Please make this thread a "sticky".

JTS

 

[Stout]

Maybe it's that you think that Rolle is better than I do, but despite looking bad in the playoffs, I think that McKenzie is in the top 10 corners in the NFC.

Um, did you actually miss the part where I said he's definitely better than Rolle? Seems like you did.

 

[Rivercard]

When I saw the thread title I thought it was referring to the Levi Brown signing.

 

[Duckjake]

Maybe it's that you think that Rolle is better than I do, but despite looking bad in the playoffs, I think that McKenzie is in the top 10 corners in the NFC.

This will be McKenzie's 9th NFL season. Any indication that he's slowing down?

Probably not. I know Aeneas Williams was a pro-bowler in his 13th year.

Just curious.

 

[kerouac9]

Um, did you actually miss the part where I said he's definitely better than Rolle? Seems like you did.

I did. Sometimes my eyes get ahead of my brain...

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

When I saw the thread title I thought it was referring to the Levi Brown signing.

That's pretty good 4/5 .