Urban's Picks

[RugbyMuffin]

http://www.azcardinals.com/blog/post.php?author=1&id=965

Thank You Urban for throwing us all a bone before you go on vacation. We can debate this for weeks!

Hmmm...... I guess we are playing without a RB this year LOL!

 

[BigRedRage]

I am surprised to this day that people question lutui, I always thought he was good but thats just because he gets in fights, i dont watch the line much.

hes young, full of potential and a cardinals fan, i figured that was a lock.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I am surprised to this day that people question lutui, I always thought he was good but thats just because he gets in fights, i dont watch the line much.

hes young, full of potential and a cardinals fan, i figured that was a lock.

Duece Lutui. Loves the Cardinals. Very Physical. Of course the fans are gonna like him. I am one of those people, too.

The question is: Is he producing ?

SI.com did a GREAT piece on the OL. Thus showing that the NFL is very different from High School and College. Positions you would think are more important are not, and ones you would think are not that important are.

The order of importance was: LT, RT, RG, LG, C. [edit]

Plus there has been mumbling from the coaches that Lutui is our weakest link on the line.

Couple with that, the fact Elton Brown, at least in my mind, looked pretty good last year, especially in the run blocking department.

Right now the reality of the situation for Lutui is that it is his 3rd year in the league and it is make or break time.

 

[joeshmo]

SI.com did a GREAT piece on the OL. Thus showing that the NFL is very different from High School and College. Positions you would think are more important are not, and ones you would think are not that important are.

It think the order of importance was: LT, LG, RT, RG, C.

That was a great article. I was only able to find it fast because I have Ross Tuckers archived story page bookedmark because he has queitly become my favorite national NFL sports writer. He just breaks things down so well and every article always makes me think "Hmmm, that was an interesting take I have enver even thought of before". He really breaks down why he has that opinion rather then trying to force his opinion on his readers. Anyways his order of importance was - LT, RT, RG, LG, C. People may not agree with that ranking but his thought process is very sound and hard to argue.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/04/02/oline.rankings/1.html

HE states that RG is higher on the list then people realize because, "Without question the most difficult of the interior line positions, right guards are most likely to be left one-on-one with an elite inside rusher. The predominance of teams to slide their center to the left to protect the quarterback's blind side creates a greater value for the right guard position."

That may be why we and the coaches focus much more on the play of Lutui and he is under a much bigger microscope then lets say a Wells or a Johnson, because he is on an Island more of the time then the other two interior OL guys. I think thats why we ran the ball better the start the season Lutui had less pressure on him with the Lefty Matt playing most of the time. If Matt plays most of the season I think we are going to see less hand wringing over Lutui as it shifts more over to Wells for the reason that Ross Tucker laid out but its the opposite now if the blindside is switched.

Another good article about OL from Ross Tucker. Breaks down the strengths that OL should have, which would be obvious but he breaks it down pretty well.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/ross_tucker/05/22/linemen/index.html

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Straight from Urban's page:

(EDIT: Sorry I forgot this. It's that much of a no-brainer I guess). RB -- Edgerrin James. There's no one to challenge him yet.

Edge may have lost a step. But the guy is still a big time RB in the NFL.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

If T.Smith is "getting beat out" by Castille then why are we holding onto his contract.

I am a little wary of getting rid of T.Smith he has paved the way for a lot of 1,000 yard rushers.

 

[Skkorpion]

Straight from Urban's page:

(EDIT: Sorry I forgot this. It's that much of a no-brainer I guess). RB -- Edgerrin James. There's no one to challenge him yet.

Edge may have lost a step. But the guy is still a big time RB in the NFL.

I see this remark by Urban more as a reflection of the sad condition of our whole RB group than an endorsement of Edge. If you listened to the off-season podcasts, Darren Urban does not appear to think as highly as you do about James' current abilities.

Darren Urban has now put up his guesses at the defensive starters and agrees with you, Rugby, that Antonio Smith will start at RDE. Interesting comments on LaBoy and Haggans too.

http://www.azcardinals.com/blog/blog.php?author=1

 

[CardinalChris]

Straight from Urban's page:

(EDIT: Sorry I forgot this. It's that much of a no-brainer I guess). RB -- Edgerrin James. There's no one to challenge him yet.

Edge may have lost a step. But the guy is still a big time RB in the NFL.

3.6 YPC is not big time anything. James has seemed to have lost the ability to make people miss. It is a fast, slippery slope down from here.

We are keeping Terrelle Smith because 1) we have the cap room and 2) to protect against an injury in preseason. othing would be worse than cutting him, Castille gets hurt and we are swinging in the wind.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Castille gets hurt and we are swinging in the wind.

Bah, One call to Joel Mackovica will solve that problem.

Seriously, I see you point... a good one at that.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Current Running Backs:
1. E.James
2. T.Hightower
3. M.Shipp
4. J.Arrington
5. S.Baylark
6.. C.Vincent

Current Free Agent Running Backs:
Shaun Alexander
Mike Anderson
Dan Burks
Kory Chapman
Casey Cramer
Ron Dayne - Instead of Shipp?
Samkon Gado - Instead of Shipp?
Tyronne Gross
Verron Haynes - Instead of Shipp?
Steven Jackson (No, not from the Rams)
Kevin Jones - Instead of JJ Arrington?
Dan Kreider
Reno Mahe - Instead of JJ Arrington?
ReShard Lee
Corey McIntyre
Travis Minor
Ryan Neufeld
Alvin Pearman
Josh Scobey j/k
Anthony Thomas
Tyson Thompson - Instead of JJ Arrington ?
Leonard Weaver
Shaud Williams
Quincy Wilson


Not much there

I really think we are looking a gift horse in the mouth concerning Edge.

 

[ThunderCard]

Kevin Jones - Instead of JJ Arrington?

Sign me up. He should be cheaper then JJ.