Things-----they are a changin'-----

[ajcardfan]

One could conclude that one of the major reasons that your clique answers with one line statements is that you seldom, (if ever), actually read my posts. Surely the statement, ("Therefore, it is up to you to either curb your enthusiasm or accept the lack of information to support your claims.") cannot be a qualifier for folks to point to a significant lack of evidence. That whole paragraph is inflammatory. You simply ignore the evidence, and flame me with one liners like this.

I showed how the FO made changes to stop the run before we ever went to TC. I only got one liners in return which had nothing to do with disproving my reasons. So far, it appears that it's working pretty well.

I showed that our O line was improved over last year, even after losing Cooper. Two of last year's starters have been beaten out, and are riding the bench. That is significant proof of improvement.

I showed that we are deeper at CB than we were last year. The players we cut were ranked well below the ones we brought in to replace them. Not by me, but by the people who ranked the free agency period.

I showed that we made our D line stronger and deeper, and how we did it. That was ignored.

I showed that we were stronger and much deeper at RB. That was argued against as well, but without just cause. We do have a running game this year. We did not last year.

I showed that the two safeties we unloaded to create cap space, were not of consequence this year. One is out of football all together and the other is waiting on an injury settlement and is on the bubble with NE. Johnson has improved, and both Mathieu and Jefferson have played very well indeed. Most experts believe that Mathieu is going to be VERY special. Meanwhile Bell, although long in the tooth has brought much experience and knowledge with him for far less money than we were paying.

I showed how BA was addressing things that didn't go well from the week before. Just one incident, (the latest) was correcting the poor tackling from the Rams game. The tackling against Detroit was better than any I watched the Cards do last year. This is a huge improvement from Whiz.

These are clear and concise arguments to back up my claims. They are NOT deniable. And there have been, (and will continue to be), many more. In the face of all this, How DARE you instruct me to curb my enthusiasm? I would be ashamed to have made a remark like that one! But then, I guess that is just my opinion, and I am certainly entitled to that.

Goodness, all those "I showed" statements are your OPINION. No one is ever going to agree with your opinions 100%. Accept that and lighten up a bit.

 

[Chopper0080]

One could conclude that one of the major reasons that your clique answers with one line statements is that you seldom, (if ever), actually read my posts. Surely the statement, ("Therefore, it is up to you to either curb your enthusiasm or accept the lack of information to support your claims.") cannot be a qualifier for folks to point to a significant lack of evidence. That whole paragraph is inflammatory. You simply ignore the evidence, and flame me with one liners like this.

I showed how the FO made changes to stop the run before we ever went to TC. I only got one liners in return which had nothing to do with disproving my reasons. So far, it appears that it's working pretty well.

I showed that our O line was improved over last year, even after losing Cooper. Two of last year's starters have been beaten out, and are riding the bench. That is significant proof of improvement.

I showed that we are deeper at CB than we were last year. The players we cut were ranked well below the ones we brought in to replace them. Not by me, but by the people who ranked the free agency period.

I showed that we made our D line stronger and deeper, and how we did it. That was ignored.

I showed that we were stronger and much deeper at RB. That was argued against as well, but without just cause. We do have a running game this year. We did not last year.

I showed that the two safeties we unloaded to create cap space, were not of consequence this year. One is out of football all together and the other is waiting on an injury settlement and is on the bubble with NE. Johnson has improved, and both Mathieu and Jefferson have played very well indeed. Most experts believe that Mathieu is going to be VERY special. Meanwhile Bell, although long in the tooth has brought much experience and knowledge with him for far less money than we were paying.

I showed how BA was addressing things that didn't go well from the week before. Just one incident, (the latest) was correcting the poor tackling from the Rams game. The tackling against Detroit was better than any I watched the Cards do last year. This is a huge improvement from Whiz.

These are clear and concise arguments to back up my claims. They are NOT deniable. And there have been, (and will continue to be), many more. In the face of all this, How DARE you instruct me to curb my enthusiasm? I would be ashamed to have made a remark like that one! But then, I guess that is just my opinion, and I am certainly entitled to that.

It has been two games against mediocre teams, and we are 1-1. That isn't to say there are some bright spots, but it is too early to state that things are significantly better. Also, consider that when you draft in the top 10, better doesn't always = good. Offensively, we look better. Defensively, we look worse. Is the improvement offensively more significant than the drop off of the defense? I don't know, but it is way too early to tell, just like it is way too early to grade Keim.

I just don't feel the team has earned getting the benefit of the doubt, and instead believe they need to prove it over the course of at least one season.

 

[Darkside]

Its all relative anyway. "Better" for us doesn't mean much. When you're one of the worst offenses in the league, improving to average seems monumental--but you're still not making the playoffs. If you're already a playoff team and improve that's significant, but for us it typically only means that we miss out on top draft picks for the positions we're lacking. We appear to have the ship pointed in the right direction, and that's a start, but we haven't even unfurled the sails yet.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[Catfish]

Its all relative anyway. "Better" for us doesn't mean much. When you're one of the worst offenses in the league, improving to average seems monumental--but you're still not making the playoffs. If you're already a playoff team and improve that's significant, but for us it typically only means that we miss out on top draft picks for the positions we're lacking. We appear to have the ship pointed in the right direction, and that's a start, but we haven't even unfurled the sails yet.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

You are right about "Better" for us doesn't mean much. Maybe it means not the cellar this season. I have never once said that we will have a winning season, (though that is possible). All I have said is that we are better than what we were.

After the Whiz/Warner glory years, we had three nasty seasons where we sunk to below mediocrity, and worse than that, there appeared to be no plan for Whiz to make things any better. That was devastating for all of us.

All I am saying is that the franchise has halted the slide, and righted the ship. They have overhauled the crew, and purchased new sails, and we are now making headway from that terrible dead calm we were in.

Yes, we lost to the Rams. They were clearly better than us last year, and they got even better. Still we lost one that was winnable. It was nice to see BA work on what cost us that game so that we did not 'repeat' against the Lions. That is great improvement from the last three years when Whiz would talk about our mistakes in his post game presser, then ignore them the next week. I am very happy to celebrate anything that helps get us from where we were these past three years.

Do I believe we will beat N.O. at their home? No. Will I be surprised if we pull out a win? Also no. This N.O. team is not the one that beat us in the playoffs. They have two wins, but both were barely eked out late in the game. They are beatable.

 

[AzStevenCal]

You are right about "Better" for us doesn't mean much. Maybe it means not the cellar this season. I have never once said that we will have a winning season, (though that is possible). All I have said is that we are better than what we were.

After the Whiz/Warner glory years, we had three nasty seasons where we sunk to below mediocrity, and worse than that, there appeared to be no plan for Whiz to make things any better. That was devastating for all of us.

All I am saying is that the franchise has halted the slide, and righted the ship. They have overhauled the crew, and purchased new sails, and we are now making headway from that terrible dead calm we were in.

Yes, we lost to the Rams. They were clearly better than us last year, and they got even better. Still we lost one that was winnable. It was nice to see BA work on what cost us that game so that we did not 'repeat' against the Lions. That is great improvement from the last three years when Whiz would talk about our mistakes in his post game presser, then ignore them the next week. I am very happy to celebrate anything that helps get us from where we were these past three years.

Do I believe we will beat N.O. at their home? No. Will I be surprised if we pull out a win? Also no. This N.O. team is not the one that beat us in the playoffs. They have two wins, but both were barely eked out late in the game. They are beatable.

You don't really say anything in this post that I would disagree with fervently. But, as many have mentioned, it's too early to be sure we've righted the ship even though it does appear we are headed in the right direction. I'm a little hopeful but as a Cards fan I've earned the right to temper that hope with a healthy bit of skepticism. I wan't to believe but it's going to take more than two games to bring back that blind optimism I used to approach each week with.

Steve

 

[Catfish]

You don't really say anything in this post that I would disagree with fervently. But, as many have mentioned, it's too early to be sure we've righted the ship even though it does appear we are headed in the right direction. I'm a little hopeful but as a Cards fan I've earned the right to temper that hope with a healthy bit of skepticism. I wan't to believe but it's going to take more than two games to bring back that blind optimism I used to approach each week with.

Steve

Steve-----I have never asked anyone to have blind optimism. You all have the right to your opinions. I have the right to mine too, and I don't appreciate the clique circling me like sharks waiting for the kill, flaming on me that my opinion is wrong. My opinion is just as valid as theirs is. No more, no less. I'll not be talked down to, or insulted. If you don't want to hear my opinion, put me on ignore. If you want to generate discussion, then at least read my opinion, and then enter into a reasonable discussion, not a flame throwing act as was done after my first post on this thread.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Steve-----I have never asked anyone to have blind optimism. You all have the right to your opinions. I have the right to mine too, and I don't appreciate the clique circling me like sharks waiting for the kill, flaming on me that my opinion is wrong. My opinion is just as valid as theirs is. No more, no less. I'll not be talked down to, or insulted. If you don't want to hear my opinion, put me on ignore. If you want to generate discussion, then at least read my opinion, and then enter into a reasonable discussion, not a flame throwing act as was done after my first post on this thread.

The last thing I want to do is make this situation worse but honestly Catfish, I don't see the flaming. I see a post or two that is mildly aggressive and could have been worded a little friendlier but that's about it. For the most part you were responded to with support or reasonably phrased disagreements. Are you sure you're not carrying baggage from another thread into this one?

Steve

 

[ajcardfan]

Steve-----I have never asked anyone to have blind optimism. You all have the right to your opinions. I have the right to mine too, and I don't appreciate the clique circling me like sharks waiting for the kill, flaming on me that my opinion is wrong. My opinion is just as valid as theirs is. No more, no less. I'll not be talked down to, or insulted. If you don't want to hear my opinion, put me on ignore. If you want to generate discussion, then at least read my opinion, and then enter into a reasonable discussion, not a flame throwing act as was done after my first post on this thread.

That just didn't happen. The flaming didn't start until you started to call people p&ms and Cowboys fans. It's great to have spirited discussions IMO. But that breaks down if disagreement is taken personally.

 

[gmabel830]

This afternoon sure as hell looks a lot like last year to me!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Wow. Things sure are a changin' ...

 

[Shane]

The proof sure is in the pudding. catfish was right!

 

[ajcardfan]

The proof sure is in the pudding. catfish was right!

Beat down. The oline sucked, (surprise, surprise) and their WRs and Graham we could not match up with.

Only bright spot, Dockett had his best game in a couple of years.

 

[Broseph]

LMAO when I read this title in relation to the outcome of today's game. Same ol' Cards.

 

[Catfish]

I never expected a win-----but then I never expected this either. Maybe N.O. is the same team that beat us down in the playoffs after all. This was much like Timmy Hightower scoring early then we tanked the rest of the way.

I believe the defense was hurt immeasurably by the loss of Dumpster Dan today. There is no excuse for the poor play of the O-line however.

 

[gmabel830]

I never expected a win-----but then I never expected this either. Maybe N.O. is the same team that beat us down in the playoffs after all. This was much like Timmy Hightower scoring early then we tanked the rest of the way.

I believe the defense was hurt immeasurably by the loss of Dumpster Dan today. There is no excuse for the poor play of the O-line however.

How do you figure this? Williams is primarily in there to stop the run. Saints weren't even willing to run until the game was well out of reach.

 

[Shane]

How do you figure this? Williams is primarily in there to stop the run. Saints weren't even willing to run until the game was well out of reach.

Yup

 

[Buckybird]

How do you figure this? Williams is primarily in there to stop the run. Saints weren't even willing to run until the game was well out of reach.

Thank you!

Levi was beat like a drum ALL DAY & the rest of them played poorly!

This team IMO didn't play all that well against 2 below teams to start the season.

 

[Catfish]

It seems pretty clear to me that in the absence of Williams, the coaches chose to gamble on an all out pass rush by the D-line, and that led to no contain. There was more than just the lack of a run early. There was no one controlling gaps, which allowed RB's to sneak through the line to be open in the secondary after the receivers cleared out. There was also no contain on QB who's mobility killed us late. The defense they opted for in the absence of Williams played right into the strength of N.O.'s offense. Meanwhile, our offense was pretty non existent after the first quarter.

 

[Shane]

Oh my. Now you think Danbus such a great player that if here it would've kept NO from throwing all over us.

Just wow!

 

[MrYeahBut]

You better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone.

 

[Buckybird]

It seems pretty clear to me that in the absence of Williams, the coaches chose to gamble on an all out pass rush by the D-line, and that led to no contain. There was more than just the lack of a run early. There was no one controlling gaps, which allowed RB's to sneak through the line to be open in the secondary after the receivers cleared out. There was also no contain on QB who's mobility killed us late.

From watching the game in NO it sure seemed like we played a lot of m2m coverage again, which led to all the Bree's scrambles. I still don't think we have the horses to match up like that defensively & it shows when teams throw at will

 

[gmabel830]

It seems pretty clear to me that in the absence of Williams, the coaches chose to gamble on an all out pass rush by the D-line, and that led to no contain. There was more than just the lack of a run early. There was no one controlling gaps, which allowed RB's to sneak through the line to be open in the secondary after the receivers cleared out. There was also no contain on QB who's mobility killed us late. The defense they opted for in the absence of Williams played right into the strength of N.O.'s offense. Meanwhile, our offense was pretty non existent after the first quarter.

Thank you for the reply, and there's more logic there than I originally gave credit for.

That being said, the whole Williams news just broke yesterday afternoon, and I have a hard time believing that Bowles & co would dramatically alter the game plan they spent the whole week instilling the night before/morning of the game -- especially with Ta'amu in the game. I think it was just a horrible defensive gameplan to begin with.

 

[Duckjake]

Thank you for the reply, and there's more logic there than I originally gave credit for.

That being said, the whole Williams news just broke yesterday afternoon, and I have a hard time believing that Bowles & co would dramatically alter the game plan they spent the whole week instilling the night before/morning of the game -- especially with Ta'amu in the game. I think it was just a horrible defensive gameplan to begin with.

Williams hardly plays. The Cards have gone with the 2-4-5 or 4-2-5 depending on personell most of the season. But we expected the Defense to struggle. It's the 2012 model offense we didn't expect.

 

[gmabel830]

Williams hardly plays. The Cards have gone with the 2-4-5 or 4-2-5 depending on personell most of the season. But we expected the Defense to struggle. It's the 2012 model offense we didn't expect.

Do you have snap counts for the first two games this year? I'd be interested to know how much Williams has played. I honestly haven't paid that much attention.

 

[Shane]

Wouldn't have mattered one iota in this game the saints had like 20 passes to 3 runs in this game at the half. Dan Williams is not the reason we lost not even close.