Things I Think I’ve Learned

[Harry]

1. This team trusts it’s scouting. They’ve held so many players out of preseason that they must be extremely confident they know what they have.
2. This decision means I’m expecting to see a rough start by the O-line. Lines need to learn to work as a unit. Practice will not enable that. It will take several games even if they have the right players.
3. The same is true of the passing game. With so many new WRs, timing must be set in place, so that even under pressure, throws are accurate. That only happens with in game work.
4. Roster decisions are going to be tougher, which tells us this is a much deeper roster. However, there are still major areas of weakness.
5. The O-line has minimal depth. With a 17 game season, this is a major concern.
6. I think the D-line is improved, but seeing is believing. We’ll know after 4 games.
7. The Cards have added impact players who will affect results over the long run. Benson, Dallas, Harrison, Reiman, Robinson, X. Thomas & Taylor-Demerson all are capable of being major factors in winning games. That’s a strong off-season.
8. I won’t list them all, but several second year players showed growth. That’s a sign of quality coaching.
9. They’ve added better depth at CB, but it’s still not clear the group includes a dominant player. There does seem to be improvement and upside.
10. Going forward major personnel work remains on the pass rush & the O-line.
11. Leaving so much cap unused tells me they aren’t thinking playoffs this year.
12. They will actually see cut players picked up by other teams.

 

[Stout]

1. This team trusts it’s scouting. They’ve held so many players out of preseason that they must be extremely confident they know what they have.
2. This decision means I’m expecting to see a rough start by the O-line. Lines need to learn to work as a unit. Practice will not enable that. It will take several games even if they have the right players.
3. The same is true of the passing game. With so many new WRs, timing must be set in place, so that even under pressure, throws are accurate. That only happens with in game work.
4. Roster decisions are going to be tougher, which tells us this is a much deeper roster. However, there are still major areas of weakness.
5. The O-line has minimal depth. With a 17 game season, this is a major concern.
6. I think the D-line is improved, but seeing is believing. We’ll know after 4 games.
7. The Cards have added impact players who will affect results over the long run. Benson, Dallas, Harrison, Reiman, Robinson, X. Thomas & Taylor-Demerson all are capable of being major factors in winning games. That’s a strong off-season.
8. I won’t list them all, but several second year players showed growth. That’s a sign of quality coaching.
9. They’ve added better depth at CB, but it’s still not clear the group includes a dominant player. There does seem to be improvement and upside.
10. Going forward major personnel work remains on the pass rush & the O-line.
11. Leaving so much cap unused tells me they aren’t thinking playoffs this year.
12. They will actually see cut players picked up by other teams.

I agree with a lot of what you're saying here, Harry. This means I'm rather disappointed with the team's approach overall, which has been apparent all offseason.

1--This is a good thing.
2-3--Really frustrates me. I get the injury argument, but showing your belly for a few crucial weeks to start the season and almost treating the regular season games like preseason games to get the team up to speed is dumb, but...
11--I think you're right in that they aren't thinking playoffs this year, which is dumb and, frankly, sickening on an organizational level. The lack of ambition is disgusting.
7--All of those players you mentioned are nothing more than question marks at this point and cannot even come close to being called impact players yet.

 

[MadCardDisease]

To me it is clear that the Cardinals know who their starters are and the preseason games are being used to identify who makes the back half of the roster/practice squad.

As a fan I wish I had more access to what happened in the joint practices with the Colts. That is where the starters got most of their reps this preseason against someone not from the Cardinals. All I got to see were some cell phone videos of what media at the practice were able to briefly capture.

 

[Stout]

To me it is clear that the Cardinals know who their starters are and the preseason games are being used to identify who makes the back half of the roster/practice squad.

As a fan I wish I had more access to what happened in the joint practices with the Colts. That is where the starters got most of their reps this preseason against someone not from the Cardinals. All I got to see were some cell phone videos of what media at the practice were able to briefly capture.

Yep. There's a reason I never bother watching the preseason games.

 

[Garthshort]

Practice for the OL? Is it more important for the rushing or passing game? Or the same? Thanks.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I agree with a lot of what you're saying here, Harry. This means I'm rather disappointed with the team's approach overall, which has been apparent all offseason.

1--This is a good thing.
2-3--Really frustrates me. I get the injury argument, but showing your belly for a few crucial weeks to start the season and almost treating the regular season games like preseason games to get the team up to speed is dumb, but...

I disagree pretty heavily on the value of preseason reps. Time and time again, there are playoff teams that play NONE of their major starters in the preseason and they show little effect. There is only downside to playing key players in the preseason.

11--I think you're right in that they aren't thinking playoffs this year, which is dumb and, frankly, sickening on an organizational level. The lack of ambition is disgusting.
7--All of those players you mentioned are nothing more than question marks at this point and cannot even come close to being called impact players yet.

I'm in the "Show me" mode right now. I don't trust the pass rush.

 

[PJ1]

Totally agree Harry. We will get off to a slow start and be told it takes time to assimilate. Need some reps for everyone. We have many new players.

 

[GeorgiaCard88]

The only silver lining here is that hopefully we have a starting line up with juice in the tank by week 17. Based on our strength of schedule as it stands on paper now- the beginning of this season was going to be fricken rough. Whether we had the starters warm up in pre-season or not is going to make little difference in those first few games

 

[Crimson Warrior]

11--I think you're right in that they aren't thinking playoffs this year, which is dumb and, frankly, sickening on an organizational level. The lack of ambition is disgusting.

What if foregoing a strong effort at making the playoffs this year, is predicated on the idea of having the resources/personnel/culture for a strong effort at making the playoffs for the next five years?

What if we forego some wins this year in an effort to build a franchise that wins consistently for the next five years?

I could be wrong my friend, but I think that's the plan.

In the parity-rich NFL, building a consistently above-average team is I'm sure a careful, thoughtful process.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

1. Leaving so much cap unused tells me they aren’t thinking playoffs this year.

Which is just crazy considering basically half the league makes the playoffs and the NFC is likely to be middling again. With a couple more impact defensive additions, we'd be in a position to make the playoffs.

 

[Mainstreet]

Yep. There's a reason I never bother watching the preseason games.

I guess I look at preseason games differently. Roster depth is critical for any team. I want to see the back end of the roster because they will be needed when injuries hit.

 

[kerouac9]

I disagree pretty heavily on the value of preseason reps. Time and time again, there are playoff teams that play NONE of their major starters in the preseason and they show little effect. There is only downside to playing key players in the preseason.

I'm in the "Show me" mode right now. I don't trust the pass rush.

I agree. Call it what you want, but the majority of the NFL treats the first month of the regular season as an extended warm-up.

For all the hullaballoo about Andy Reid, they lost their first game to Detroit last year and nearly lost on the road to Jacksonville. Four of their first five games were decided by a TD or less.

In 2022, they housed us, then went 4-1 in their next four games with one game decided by a TD or more. It's not like they come into the season at a clear competitive advantage.

What if foregoing a strong effort at making the playoffs this year, is predicated on the idea of having the resources/personnel/culture for a strong effort at making the playoffs for the next five years?

What if we forego some wins this year in an effort to build a franchise that wins consistently for the next five years?

I could be wrong my friend, but I think that's the plan.

In the parity-rich NFL, building a consistently above-average team is I'm sure a careful, thoughtful process.

No one can guarantee their jobs in five years. This is magical thinking. In a parity-rich NFL, being a consistently above-average team is usually about having an elite talent at QB and an elite head coach/staff. That's it.

If you're Pittsburgh, you only need the latter if you have... elite players elsewhere on the roster.

 

[Stout]

I disagree pretty heavily on the value of preseason reps. Time and time again, there are playoff teams that play NONE of their major starters in the preseason and they show little effect. There is only downside to playing key players in the preseason.

I'm in the "Show me" mode right now. I don't trust the pass rush.

It's less getting the preseason reps, for me, than making the opening 3 games of the season your de facto preseason. I'm not in for a lazy 5-year build to the playoffs. I want this team competing for the playoffs from the first snap of the game. Having players that haven't played together, an OL that clearly hasn't had the chance to gel yet, and a D with so many new parts not playing all together is not setting the team up for success. This isn't a playoff team that just had to regroup, sign/draft a few players to replace those they lost, and go again. This is a team in transition, and I think we get absolutely boat raced in week 1 against the Bills. Maybe we don't win the game even if we are prepared, but at least we could compete.

 

[Stout]

What if foregoing a strong effort at making the playoffs this year, is predicated on the idea of having the resources/personnel/culture for a strong effort at making the playoffs for the next five years?

What if we forego some wins this year in an effort to build a franchise that wins consistently for the next five years?

I could be wrong my friend, but I think that's the plan.

In the parity-rich NFL, building a consistently above-average team is I'm sure a careful, thoughtful process.

Then Monti's an idiot. We're sitting on a ton of cap space and using some of it would have done absolutely nothing to hinder the resources moving forward with this team. The "keeping your powder dry" mentality is a loser mentality in the modern NFL.

I also think that's the plan, and it's a loathsome plan.

 

[oaken1]

It's less getting the preseason reps, for me, than making the opening 3 games of the season your de facto preseason. I'm not in for a lazy 5-year build to the playoffs. I want this team competing for the playoffs from the first snap of the game. Having players that haven't played together, an OL that clearly hasn't had the chance to gel yet, and a D with so many new parts not playing all together is not setting the team up for success. This isn't a playoff team that just had to regroup, sign/draft a few players to replace those they lost, and go again. This is a team in transition, and I think we get absolutely boat raced in week 1 against the Bills. Maybe we don't win the game even if we are prepared, but at least we could compete.

we gonna curb stomp the Buffalo Bills in week one

 

[kerouac9]

Then Monti's an idiot. We're sitting on a ton of cap space and using some of it would have done absolutely nothing to hinder the resources moving forward with this team. The "keeping your powder dry" mentality is a loser mentality in the modern NFL.

I also think that's the plan, and it's a loathsome plan.

The charged language aside, I don't see how not-winning eventually leads to a winning culture.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

The charged language aside, I don't see how not-winning eventually leads to a winning culture.

The buy in needs to be seen from top to bottom...how do you think the players feel about sitting on available money when we have obvious issues at some of the most important positions? Is that winning culture?

 

[kerouac9]

The buy in needs to be seen from top to bottom...how do you think the players feel about sitting on available money when we have obvious issues at some of the most important positions? Is that winning culture?

I don't think they care about that at all.

 

[football karma]

Leaving so much cap unused tells me they aren’t thinking playoffs this year.

at a point, its a self fulfilling prophesy


I think the offense has the potential to be really good.

Can the defense be average? It sure would be easier to be an average defense had they, lets say, traded a conditional third for Hasaan Reddick and given him the contract he wanted.

 

[MadCardDisease]

The buy in needs to be seen from top to bottom...how do you think the players feel about sitting on available money when we have obvious issues at some of the most important positions? Is that winning culture?

20 NFL teams have $20M+ available in cap money right now.

If I'm a current player for the Cardinals, or a player on any of those other teams with cap space, I see that as an opportunity to potentially grab a piece of that available money with solid play this season.

 

[BurqueCardFan]

What if foregoing a strong effort at making the playoffs this year, is predicated on the idea of having the resources/personnel/culture for a strong effort at making the playoffs for the next five years?

What if we forego some wins this year in an effort to build a franchise that wins consistently for the next five years?

I could be wrong my friend, but I think that's the plan.

In the parity-rich NFL, building a consistently above-average team is I'm sure a careful, thoughtful process.

We already did that. Last year. When they decided to tank the whole season. Don't need to make a habit out of it, especially if you are building thru the draft AND free agency.

 

[Harry]

I agree with a lot of what you're saying here, Harry. This means I'm rather disappointed with the team's approach overall, which has been apparent all offseason.

1--This is a good thing.
2-3--Really frustrates me. I get the injury argument, but showing your belly for a few crucial weeks to start the season and almost treating the regular season games like preseason games to get the team up to speed is dumb, but...
11--I think you're right in that they aren't thinking playoffs this year, which is dumb and, frankly, sickening on an organizational level. The lack of ambition is disgusting.
7--All of those players you mentioned are nothing more than question marks at this point and cannot even come close to being called impact players yet.

I should have been clearer. I’m not saying Pro Bowl for certain, rather I think these player will win games for this team. It’s a team sport, but these guys will do crucial things that lead to wins. They’re not just roster guys.

 

[Stout]

I should have been clearer. I’m not saying Pro Bowl for certain, rather I think these player will win games for this team. It’s a team sport, but these guys will do crucial things that lead to wins. They’re not just roster guys.

We still don't know any of that. We can't at this point. If we were talking MHJ, I could lend more credence to it, but we're not. I have hope for a few of them, so we'll see.

 

[DVontel]

Why is it assumed that we would come out hot & if our starters played in the preseason?

Anybody remembered when we looked lethargic in the last preseason game before we came out firing on all cylinders in 2021?

I’ll do you even one better. I remember in 2018 where the starters played pretty good in the preseason. We all know how that turned out the first few games(& season!) that year.

 

[Goldfield]

Totally agree Harry. We will get off to a slow start and be told it takes time to assimilate. Need some reps for everyone. We have many new players.

Many rookies