OP
OP
Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Here are mine---I will be very interested to read yours.
Top 5 Concerns:
1. In the general sense, is this team tough enough, both physically and mentally? The simplest way to put it is---will 49ers' QB Alex Smith continue to be correct when he said, "If you get on top of the Cardinals they will fold up their tents."
The players that I am convinced are tough: #11, #19, #35, #63, #76, #86, #87, #90, #93, #52, #58, #20, #27.
Problem with this list is in game one we are not starting our toughest o-lineman, #76 (Deuce Lutui) or one of our toughest defenders, #52 (Stewart Bradley)...and #27 (Mike Adams) is coming back from knee surgery.
I wanted to list #24 Adrian Wilson---but it's the mental part that eludes me on him. Plus, he's going to play hurt again---which resulted in his worst year as a Cardinal last year.
The players I worry about: #4, #26, #75, #71, #70, #72, #12, #85, #18, #92, #51, #53, #55, #21, #25, #49. Just haven't seen the type of all-around toughness from them yet that I would call convincing.
The one thing that concerned me about trading for Kevin Kolb---his skittishness in the pocket. I am hoping that he starts stepping up into the pocket the way Bartel did in the last two pre-season games.
Game 1 Grades:
Physical toughness: A. From Beanie to Daryl Washington---the play was more physical than what we've seen and is one of the main reasons why we won this game.
Mental toughness: D- in the first half---B+ in the second half = C. Just good enough to win this game. Give credit for the team making the second half comeback.
Overall: B
2. Lack of a pass rush. We have 2 good inside rushers in #90 and #93---but they cannot play every snap and be consistently effective---and the players who rush from the edges are either over the hill or thoroughly unproven.
Game 1 Grade: B. Clearly Ray Horton is going to compensate for less than average edge rushers and 4 man rush, by storming the A, B and C gaps with blitzes. But the aggressiveness was there and I loved seeing that.
3. The Whiz factor: Poor game management. Poor in-game decisions and lack of in- game adjustments.
Game 1 Grade: B+. Whiz did a solid job keeping the team poised to mount a game-winning comeback. He said he resisted the temptation to rip into his team at half-time. That was a very wise decision.
4. Shoddy Fundamentals: blocking, protecting the ball, tackling, maintaining good leverage and looking back for the ball on pass defense.
Game 1 Grades:
Blocking: B. Beanie averaged more than 4 yards per carry (FB Sherman was very good, as was the o-line led by Daryn Colledge who was very active and played each snap to the whistle---after a slow start the pass protection got stronger as the game progressed.
Protecting the ball: B. One miscue on the fumbled sweep. Kolb took the blame---but Beanie was peeking at the green grass ahead.
Tackling: B. Much improved on the interior. The secondary needs work.
Leverage and picking up the ball on pass defense: D. Here is what happens in a blitz hungry defense---the DBs think the ball is going to come out faster so they start peeking at the cost of losing leverage. The DBs under-estimated Cam Newton's arm and accuracy.
5. Inexperience of both coordinators---neither has much or any experience calling plays. I think both have very good ideas---so I am encouraged by that---but can they deliver when the pressure is on in real games?
Game 1 Grade: B+. I was very encouraged by Miller's and Horton's aggressive calls.
Top 5 Reasons to Be Optimistic:
1. The Players Taking Ownership---Fitz was huge in paving the way for Kolb to become a Cardinal---Darnell Dockett has said that while his new defensive responsibilities are not what he would prefer, he recognizes that the execution of assignments is critical to the team's chances for winning and thus he has accepted his new responsibilities with conviction. I sense that the players have a renewed commitment to winning---as they have to abandon the propensity to be "no shows" in games.
Game 1 Grade: A-. Clearly the players are more committed to winning and each other. Loved seeing Dockett and Campbell talking it up to each other between plays---the communication on and off the field was much more visible.
2. Talent at QB---the talent is there, imo, across the board. Whether the execution will be there---no one knows yet---but we have 3 QBs, all with different strengths who are capable of leading the offense.
Game 1 Grade: A-. Under the circumstances Kevin Kolb played at a very high level---which was great to see.
3. Ray Horton and a fresh approach to attack style defense that also involves discipline. Ray is going to put the players in a position to wreak havoc---the question is, will the players respond?
Game 1 Grade: A for Horton (C- for the players' discipline and execution). The best thing about watching this defense now is you can clearly see that they love playing in the attack mode---this defense is much more fun to play in---the question is, can the players manage to play aggressive AND disciplined at the same time?
4. Mike Miller's passing game. I like it and I like it a lot. Good waggle play action options---good, deceptive route wrinkles---and a good sense of exploiting mismatches, a la Kurt Warner.
Game 1 Grade: A-. A carry over from the pre-season. The spreading of the ball and the reading of the open man are impressive. Whiz was right about having 3-4 #2 WRs---as the standout this week was Early Doucet, who looks in better shape and faster than he has in his 4 years.
5. Kevin Spencer's Special Teams---this guy---if Whiz continues to falter, would be one of my top choices for head coach. He brings it every week---for a phase of the game that takes great coaching to get the most favorable results in. I think that LSH and PP21 could well be the best KR/PR tandem in the NFL---and Jay Feely could well be the most accurate and clutch PK. I also believe that we could lead the league in blocked FGs and punts---and I am confident that we will tackle like dogs on returns.
Game 1 Grade: A. Really---beside the rare missed FG, LSH was making great tackles---Feely and Zatudil were booming their kicks and PP21 and the entire punt return team won the game.
