Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Here's what BA had to say today when asked about the Cardinals'-49ers' rivalry:
"it can't be a rivalry if you get your ass kicked all the time."
BA went on to say that the 49ers likely consider the Seahawks as their rivals.
Talk about motivation!
BA can handle the truth.
And the players need to follow suit, as they have been doing, in order to get over this hurdle in their development.
BA handled the truth in another matter earlier this week when he called Patrick Peterson's performance versus the Giants one of his poorest games.
Peterson has to make some adjustments---not just in his technique, but in the understanding that because of the rules, he may have more passes completed on him---but he has to make the other team earn it.
I think he held twice in the third quarter on potential TD passes (one he got away with and the other gave the Giants a gift first-and-goal from the one yard line) because he had gotten beaten by Rueben Randle earlier on the fade pass and did not want to be embarrassed a second time.
The thing is---Peterson played that fade TD pass very well---it took perfect timing and a perfectly threaded pass and excellent catch for it to happen.
On the other two passes---the reality was both of them were mistimed and poorly overthrown.
So---keep playing tight and make the other QB have to throw a perfect strike.
What the new rules suggest is that CBs are at a distinct disadvantage when they play "off-coverage" because the good WRs will shield the CB from the ball for relatively easy receptions.
CB's like Peterson have a better chance in press coverage by gaining some leverage early and then shadowing inside the routes, as Jerraud Powers tried to do versus Victor Cruz in the 4th quarter. It made for smaller windows and more lofted passes over the top of the coverage. Thus, more difficult to complete.
While Peterson would love to prove he can play on an island, like Darrelle Revis, he could really profit from knowing he has some safety help over the top---then he can use his superior athleticism to his advantage and he can start trying to pick up the ball sooner in order to make key interceptions.
Antonio Cromartie shadowed his man very well---the one time Manning tried to throw over the top of him, Cromartie recovered perfectly and broke up the pass without having to resort to any illegal contact.
Of course, all of this is made easier if the Cardinals get better and more consistent pressure on the QB.
However, it seem that Todd Bowles has been working his pass rushing schemes up in order to prepare the defense for the likes of Kaepernick and Wilson, because there has been a heavy emphasis of hemming the QB in and making him have to step up into a shallow pocket---as they did effectively versus Philip Rivers and not quite as successfully versus Eli Manning because the interior rushers didn't collapse the pocket quickly enough, so manning could step into most of his throws.
What this means is rushing 5-6 players---keeping contain on the outside with the inside rushers maintaining their lanes to the QB.
John Abraham in game one was rushing way too wide of Rivers, and if he plays this week, he cannot do this versus Kaepernick because Kaepernick will just bolt right through the wide opening that a wide rush creates.
What Bowles is starting to do is rush from the edge with a DB or LB, and not with one of the DE types. He had Honey Badger blitz the edge on one of his 5 snaps---and Jerraud Powers from the other side another time---and in both cases the DBs were very mindful of keeping contain and funneling the QB back into the shallow pocket.
What the interior rushers need to do a much better job of is getting their hands up in the passing lanes---as Larry Foote did to key the late game-sealing interception versus Rivers. Lots of passes from the shallow pocket are going right over the players helmets.
Vernon Davis will likely play---and if he looks like he is going to be the usual threat---this is the week when Cromartie will be called on to shadow Davis. This is one of the main reasons why Keim, BA and Bowles wanted Cromartie---for his length, speed and cover ability on bigger receivers, including the likes of Vernon Davis, Jimmy Graham and Jared Cook.
The most challenging matchup is who picks up Boldin if and when Cromartie plays Davis. Jerraud Powers can run with Boldin, but he can't match up physically with him.
Deone Bucannon is making some progress in coverage---he's closing the gap---but still a step away from making a play on the ball.
Peterson has his hands full with Crabtree---yet---man it would be great of Honey Badger could take a few turns on Crabtree---but it's hard to say whether Honey Badger has his feet wet a=enough this season to be able to handle Crabtree.
All this said---Greg Roman once again is going to challenge the Cardinals horizontally and force the OLBers to maintain contain on reverses, bootlegs, waggles, etc. This si why we may see some creative contain switches from Bowles in order to get the better athletes on the edges.
On offense---the Cardinals have a chance to exploit the 49ers' secondary, particularly in the red zone. In order to do so, the Cardinals' offensive line has to keep playing physical football and minimize pass pro scheme glitches. In addition, this could be an ideal week to play Jaron Brown more than they have. He is like our Michael Floyd Jr., and Floyd because of his success versus the 49ers is going to command the safety's attention, thus leaving a tall speed WR like Jaron Brown on the opposite side in a mismatch with no safety help.
On special teams---the Cardinals need to handle Bruce Ellington in the return game---and they need some good returns from Ginn Jr. to counteract the big leg of punter Andy Lee. A punt block of Lee in this game could be huge.
This is a statement game and BA senses it---and he's right---it is not a rivalry until the Cardinals actually make it one.
"it can't be a rivalry if you get your ass kicked all the time."
BA went on to say that the 49ers likely consider the Seahawks as their rivals.
Talk about motivation!
BA can handle the truth.
And the players need to follow suit, as they have been doing, in order to get over this hurdle in their development.
BA handled the truth in another matter earlier this week when he called Patrick Peterson's performance versus the Giants one of his poorest games.
Peterson has to make some adjustments---not just in his technique, but in the understanding that because of the rules, he may have more passes completed on him---but he has to make the other team earn it.
I think he held twice in the third quarter on potential TD passes (one he got away with and the other gave the Giants a gift first-and-goal from the one yard line) because he had gotten beaten by Rueben Randle earlier on the fade pass and did not want to be embarrassed a second time.
The thing is---Peterson played that fade TD pass very well---it took perfect timing and a perfectly threaded pass and excellent catch for it to happen.
On the other two passes---the reality was both of them were mistimed and poorly overthrown.
So---keep playing tight and make the other QB have to throw a perfect strike.
What the new rules suggest is that CBs are at a distinct disadvantage when they play "off-coverage" because the good WRs will shield the CB from the ball for relatively easy receptions.
CB's like Peterson have a better chance in press coverage by gaining some leverage early and then shadowing inside the routes, as Jerraud Powers tried to do versus Victor Cruz in the 4th quarter. It made for smaller windows and more lofted passes over the top of the coverage. Thus, more difficult to complete.
While Peterson would love to prove he can play on an island, like Darrelle Revis, he could really profit from knowing he has some safety help over the top---then he can use his superior athleticism to his advantage and he can start trying to pick up the ball sooner in order to make key interceptions.
Antonio Cromartie shadowed his man very well---the one time Manning tried to throw over the top of him, Cromartie recovered perfectly and broke up the pass without having to resort to any illegal contact.
Of course, all of this is made easier if the Cardinals get better and more consistent pressure on the QB.
However, it seem that Todd Bowles has been working his pass rushing schemes up in order to prepare the defense for the likes of Kaepernick and Wilson, because there has been a heavy emphasis of hemming the QB in and making him have to step up into a shallow pocket---as they did effectively versus Philip Rivers and not quite as successfully versus Eli Manning because the interior rushers didn't collapse the pocket quickly enough, so manning could step into most of his throws.
What this means is rushing 5-6 players---keeping contain on the outside with the inside rushers maintaining their lanes to the QB.
John Abraham in game one was rushing way too wide of Rivers, and if he plays this week, he cannot do this versus Kaepernick because Kaepernick will just bolt right through the wide opening that a wide rush creates.
What Bowles is starting to do is rush from the edge with a DB or LB, and not with one of the DE types. He had Honey Badger blitz the edge on one of his 5 snaps---and Jerraud Powers from the other side another time---and in both cases the DBs were very mindful of keeping contain and funneling the QB back into the shallow pocket.
What the interior rushers need to do a much better job of is getting their hands up in the passing lanes---as Larry Foote did to key the late game-sealing interception versus Rivers. Lots of passes from the shallow pocket are going right over the players helmets.
Vernon Davis will likely play---and if he looks like he is going to be the usual threat---this is the week when Cromartie will be called on to shadow Davis. This is one of the main reasons why Keim, BA and Bowles wanted Cromartie---for his length, speed and cover ability on bigger receivers, including the likes of Vernon Davis, Jimmy Graham and Jared Cook.
The most challenging matchup is who picks up Boldin if and when Cromartie plays Davis. Jerraud Powers can run with Boldin, but he can't match up physically with him.
Deone Bucannon is making some progress in coverage---he's closing the gap---but still a step away from making a play on the ball.
Peterson has his hands full with Crabtree---yet---man it would be great of Honey Badger could take a few turns on Crabtree---but it's hard to say whether Honey Badger has his feet wet a=enough this season to be able to handle Crabtree.
All this said---Greg Roman once again is going to challenge the Cardinals horizontally and force the OLBers to maintain contain on reverses, bootlegs, waggles, etc. This si why we may see some creative contain switches from Bowles in order to get the better athletes on the edges.
On offense---the Cardinals have a chance to exploit the 49ers' secondary, particularly in the red zone. In order to do so, the Cardinals' offensive line has to keep playing physical football and minimize pass pro scheme glitches. In addition, this could be an ideal week to play Jaron Brown more than they have. He is like our Michael Floyd Jr., and Floyd because of his success versus the 49ers is going to command the safety's attention, thus leaving a tall speed WR like Jaron Brown on the opposite side in a mismatch with no safety help.
On special teams---the Cardinals need to handle Bruce Ellington in the return game---and they need some good returns from Ginn Jr. to counteract the big leg of punter Andy Lee. A punt block of Lee in this game could be huge.
This is a statement game and BA senses it---and he's right---it is not a rivalry until the Cardinals actually make it one.
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