Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Top 10 Worries:
1. BA's ego has become larger than the team itself.
2. BA's stubbornness and favoritism has created a set of double standards that could irreparably damage the morale and unity of the team.
3. BA's recklessness on offense --- puts players in harm's way, far too often. The 0 backfields and minimal pass protections renders an immobile QB like Carson Palmer a sitting duck. The refusal to offer All-Pro RB David Johnson a fullback to protect him from those big first hits from penetrating DTs, DEs and blitzing LBers is going to either knock Johnson out of the lineup or take away some of his aggressiveness. Not that BA has to use a FB all the time...but at least part of the time in order to keep Johnson protected as much as possible. And BA's propensity to throw WR quick hitches exposes his WRs to a greater pounding that wears them down physically. In Indy, when BA moved Reggie Wayne inside, Wayne was productive but the pounding he took knocked him into retirement and it looks like the same thing will now happen with Larry Fitzgerald.
4. Carson Palmer still has the talent to be superb, but BA's offense, other than the play action passes and a few of the regular 3-5 step drop passes do not cater to Palmer's strengths. Palmer is at his best when he can let plays develop. He's not a quick twitch QB who can make split second reads and get rid of the ball on a dime...and yet because of minimal pass protections and BA's constant urging for Palmer to get rid of the ball. it speeds up Palmer's clock and that's when he forced passes into coverage or blindly throwing to spots. Sometimes Palmer would be better off taking a sack than to try to force every play, but he's not coached that way...which is why Palmer tries to do way too much under pressure and remains turnover prone.
5. The offense doesn't look like fun anymore...the players look programmed and wound up way too tight. Plus, the offense has become way too predictable, especially when almost every play is snapped on the first hut...what an advantage that is for the defense.
6. On defense, James Bettcher has not instilled the kind of position discipline that great teams have, nor has he developed a culture for good, aggressive, fundamental tackling. For these two reasons, the Cardinals give away way too many plays to the opposition, especially in key situations and especially when the Cardinals need key stops in the 4th quarter of close games.
7. The in-game and halftime adjustments from Bettcher and his staff are too little, too late...which is a tell-tale sign of inexperience.
8. Amos Jones is quite possibly the most ineffective STs coordinator in the NFL. The STs under Jones are typically disorganized, passive and penalty prone. Under pressure they consistently wilt. Conversely, they don't put pressure on the opponents. When was the last time the Cardinals blocked a punt? When was the last time the Cardinals scored on a punt return?
9. The Cardinals' players continue to lead the NFL in self-aggrandizing, self-promoting talk.
10. Steve Keim treated this off-season as a rebuild for 2018. The holes he left on this football team are glaring. Just like last year, only more so.
Top 10 reason for Excitement:
1. RB David Johnson. Worth the price of admission.
2. WR Larry Fitzgerald. Cardinals' GOAT.
3. The Cardinals young depth on the offensive line.
4. DT Robert Nkemdiche. Star potential.
5. DEs Markus Golden /Chandler Jones. One of the top pass rushing tandems in the NFL.
6. S Tyrann Mathieu. Honey Badger is back!
7. CB Patrick Peterson. Light, hungry and fast as ever.
8. S Budda Baker. Crafty playmaker.
9. LB Haason Reddick. Pass rush dynamo.
10. K Phil Dawson. Tough, consistent, determined.
Bonus Balls:
1. QB Blaine Gabbert. Possible QBOF?
2. RB Kerwynn Williams. Return man dynamo?
3. T/G John Wetzel. OL stabilizer?
4. TE Troy Niklas. Finally healthy?
5. DE Olsen Pierre. Ready to emerge?
6. $LB Deone Bucannon? Huge year?
7. CBs Justin Bethel/Brandon Williams. Ready for primetime?
8. S Tyvon Branch. The real deal this year?
9. LS Gabe Brewer. On the money this year?
10. QB Coach Byron Leftwich. Difference maker?
1. BA's ego has become larger than the team itself.
2. BA's stubbornness and favoritism has created a set of double standards that could irreparably damage the morale and unity of the team.
3. BA's recklessness on offense --- puts players in harm's way, far too often. The 0 backfields and minimal pass protections renders an immobile QB like Carson Palmer a sitting duck. The refusal to offer All-Pro RB David Johnson a fullback to protect him from those big first hits from penetrating DTs, DEs and blitzing LBers is going to either knock Johnson out of the lineup or take away some of his aggressiveness. Not that BA has to use a FB all the time...but at least part of the time in order to keep Johnson protected as much as possible. And BA's propensity to throw WR quick hitches exposes his WRs to a greater pounding that wears them down physically. In Indy, when BA moved Reggie Wayne inside, Wayne was productive but the pounding he took knocked him into retirement and it looks like the same thing will now happen with Larry Fitzgerald.
4. Carson Palmer still has the talent to be superb, but BA's offense, other than the play action passes and a few of the regular 3-5 step drop passes do not cater to Palmer's strengths. Palmer is at his best when he can let plays develop. He's not a quick twitch QB who can make split second reads and get rid of the ball on a dime...and yet because of minimal pass protections and BA's constant urging for Palmer to get rid of the ball. it speeds up Palmer's clock and that's when he forced passes into coverage or blindly throwing to spots. Sometimes Palmer would be better off taking a sack than to try to force every play, but he's not coached that way...which is why Palmer tries to do way too much under pressure and remains turnover prone.
5. The offense doesn't look like fun anymore...the players look programmed and wound up way too tight. Plus, the offense has become way too predictable, especially when almost every play is snapped on the first hut...what an advantage that is for the defense.
6. On defense, James Bettcher has not instilled the kind of position discipline that great teams have, nor has he developed a culture for good, aggressive, fundamental tackling. For these two reasons, the Cardinals give away way too many plays to the opposition, especially in key situations and especially when the Cardinals need key stops in the 4th quarter of close games.
7. The in-game and halftime adjustments from Bettcher and his staff are too little, too late...which is a tell-tale sign of inexperience.
8. Amos Jones is quite possibly the most ineffective STs coordinator in the NFL. The STs under Jones are typically disorganized, passive and penalty prone. Under pressure they consistently wilt. Conversely, they don't put pressure on the opponents. When was the last time the Cardinals blocked a punt? When was the last time the Cardinals scored on a punt return?
9. The Cardinals' players continue to lead the NFL in self-aggrandizing, self-promoting talk.
10. Steve Keim treated this off-season as a rebuild for 2018. The holes he left on this football team are glaring. Just like last year, only more so.
Top 10 reason for Excitement:
1. RB David Johnson. Worth the price of admission.
2. WR Larry Fitzgerald. Cardinals' GOAT.
3. The Cardinals young depth on the offensive line.
4. DT Robert Nkemdiche. Star potential.
5. DEs Markus Golden /Chandler Jones. One of the top pass rushing tandems in the NFL.
6. S Tyrann Mathieu. Honey Badger is back!
7. CB Patrick Peterson. Light, hungry and fast as ever.
8. S Budda Baker. Crafty playmaker.
9. LB Haason Reddick. Pass rush dynamo.
10. K Phil Dawson. Tough, consistent, determined.
Bonus Balls:
1. QB Blaine Gabbert. Possible QBOF?
2. RB Kerwynn Williams. Return man dynamo?
3. T/G John Wetzel. OL stabilizer?
4. TE Troy Niklas. Finally healthy?
5. DE Olsen Pierre. Ready to emerge?
6. $LB Deone Bucannon? Huge year?
7. CBs Justin Bethel/Brandon Williams. Ready for primetime?
8. S Tyvon Branch. The real deal this year?
9. LS Gabe Brewer. On the money this year?
10. QB Coach Byron Leftwich. Difference maker?
