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Training Camp Practice Report Monday, July 28
The Arizona Cardinals held a morning and afternoon practice at N.A.U. in Flagstaff on Monday, July 28.
The announcement that first-round draft pick Calvin Pace had signed his contract putting an end to his three-day hold out came shortly after the morning practice and was welcomed news for Head Coach Dave McGinnis.
“We just signed Calvin Pace and he’ll be in here and that’ll give us a little more juice,” stated McGinnis. “This practice this morning was the best practice by far that we’ve had. Every aspect of it, from starting their individual work. That looked like a football team practicing today. We still had a couple of errors but very, very few and the effort was tremendous and they were busting on each other’s ass which is what training camp is for. The receivers started making some catches down the field. The offensive line was coming off the ball. The defense was swarming and flying to it and we signed Calvin Pace today.”
Quarterback Jeff Blake also feels like things are starting to click.
“I think each day we have improved,” offered Blake. “Today was probably our best practice because we’ve got a couple of practices under our belt. Guys are getting more into the feel of practice and football shape and things are starting to click. Guys are getting their legs back and every part of their body adjusted to the football. My arm is finally coming around after a couple of practices and getting loose and the ball is popping off my arm real good.”
Besides the improved practices, McGinnis is also enjoying the nastiness that Blake and teammate Dexter Jackson are inspiring.
“You can see it and you can hear it,” said McGinnis of their leadership. “I want it to be a nasty team and have a nasty mentality and those guys bring it. It’s been obvious already.”
During special teams drills, Blake lectured two of his young rookies on the importance of trash talking with the defensive backs.
“I am just trying to get them to play at a high level,” explained Blake. “This game is played at a very high level with a lot of intensity, a lot of flair, a lot of pizzazz, whatever you want to call it. To sit back and not enjoy the opportunity to be prime time, that is a shame.”
“I like for my guys to not be intimidated, but to be the intimidators and that means we dictate to the defense what we are going to do to them,” he added. “If they feel that way, they’ll play that way, and nobody will be able to stop us.”
Blake most enjoys trading taunts with teammate Dexter Jackson, saying, “He gives it and I can give it too. It is just naturally what he does and sometimes I do it too.”
Jackson had his own barb ready for Blake.
“I don’t really hear Jeff too much,” laughed Jackson. “I am talking to my defense. In one-on-ones Jeff talks, but if you look at the last couple of days, they’ve probably only completed 30% of their passes so you can tell Blake to get his guys better and come on because the secondary is here.”
In all seriousness, Jackson likes what he’s seen so far from the defensive unit.
“We are getting guys fired up,” he shared. “We still need guys to get on details more. We are a one-gap team, so if we get beat then we know who is out of their gap. We just need to get guys situated and we’ll be okay.”
McGinnis was equally pleased with the afternoon practice.
“This was a hell of a work day today,” said McGinnis. “These guys put in a good day of a National Football League training camp. We padded them up both practices and they busted their asses today. We had a blitz period that was very physical. This is a group that knows how to work and we need to continue to work.”
The Cardinals will have two practices again on Tuesday.
Pasch Play of the Day
“Wide receiver Jason McAddley beats safety Quentin Harris, Preston Parsons under throws the ball, McAddley slows up, reaches behind him, I don’t have any idea how he saw the ball, and makes the catch over his head about 40-yards downfield.”
In other news…
Offensive lineman Leonard Davis returned to practice after suffering a rolled ankle in yesterday’s afternoon practice. McGinnis also made mention of Duane Starks suffering from a tweaked hamstring.
“He’s got that hamstring,” said McGinnis. “It’s not doing him any good to sit out. It’s not doing us any good either.”
Training Camp Practice Report Monday, July 28
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The Arizona Cardinals held a morning and afternoon practice at N.A.U. in Flagstaff on Monday, July 28.
The announcement that first-round draft pick Calvin Pace had signed his contract putting an end to his three-day hold out came shortly after the morning practice and was welcomed news for Head Coach Dave McGinnis.
“We just signed Calvin Pace and he’ll be in here and that’ll give us a little more juice,” stated McGinnis. “This practice this morning was the best practice by far that we’ve had. Every aspect of it, from starting their individual work. That looked like a football team practicing today. We still had a couple of errors but very, very few and the effort was tremendous and they were busting on each other’s ass which is what training camp is for. The receivers started making some catches down the field. The offensive line was coming off the ball. The defense was swarming and flying to it and we signed Calvin Pace today.”
Quarterback Jeff Blake also feels like things are starting to click.
“I think each day we have improved,” offered Blake. “Today was probably our best practice because we’ve got a couple of practices under our belt. Guys are getting more into the feel of practice and football shape and things are starting to click. Guys are getting their legs back and every part of their body adjusted to the football. My arm is finally coming around after a couple of practices and getting loose and the ball is popping off my arm real good.”
Besides the improved practices, McGinnis is also enjoying the nastiness that Blake and teammate Dexter Jackson are inspiring.
“You can see it and you can hear it,” said McGinnis of their leadership. “I want it to be a nasty team and have a nasty mentality and those guys bring it. It’s been obvious already.”
During special teams drills, Blake lectured two of his young rookies on the importance of trash talking with the defensive backs.
“I am just trying to get them to play at a high level,” explained Blake. “This game is played at a very high level with a lot of intensity, a lot of flair, a lot of pizzazz, whatever you want to call it. To sit back and not enjoy the opportunity to be prime time, that is a shame.”
“I like for my guys to not be intimidated, but to be the intimidators and that means we dictate to the defense what we are going to do to them,” he added. “If they feel that way, they’ll play that way, and nobody will be able to stop us.”
Blake most enjoys trading taunts with teammate Dexter Jackson, saying, “He gives it and I can give it too. It is just naturally what he does and sometimes I do it too.”
Jackson had his own barb ready for Blake.
“I don’t really hear Jeff too much,” laughed Jackson. “I am talking to my defense. In one-on-ones Jeff talks, but if you look at the last couple of days, they’ve probably only completed 30% of their passes so you can tell Blake to get his guys better and come on because the secondary is here.”
In all seriousness, Jackson likes what he’s seen so far from the defensive unit.
“We are getting guys fired up,” he shared. “We still need guys to get on details more. We are a one-gap team, so if we get beat then we know who is out of their gap. We just need to get guys situated and we’ll be okay.”
McGinnis was equally pleased with the afternoon practice.
“This was a hell of a work day today,” said McGinnis. “These guys put in a good day of a National Football League training camp. We padded them up both practices and they busted their asses today. We had a blitz period that was very physical. This is a group that knows how to work and we need to continue to work.”
The Cardinals will have two practices again on Tuesday.
Pasch Play of the Day
“Wide receiver Jason McAddley beats safety Quentin Harris, Preston Parsons under throws the ball, McAddley slows up, reaches behind him, I don’t have any idea how he saw the ball, and makes the catch over his head about 40-yards downfield.”
In other news…
Offensive lineman Leonard Davis returned to practice after suffering a rolled ankle in yesterday’s afternoon practice. McGinnis also made mention of Duane Starks suffering from a tweaked hamstring.
“He’s got that hamstring,” said McGinnis. “It’s not doing him any good to sit out. It’s not doing us any good either.”
