Walter Mitchell article

[Skkorpion]

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/storypage.php?Story_ID=357&Category=cardinals

 

[red desert]

Originally posted by Skkorpion
http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/storypage.php?Story_ID=357&Category=cardinals

I think even with as little as two additions, Jevon Kearse and Chris McAlister, this defense cold become deep and talented.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Re: Re: Walter Mitchell article

Originally posted by red desert
I think even with as little as two additions, Jevon Kearse and Chris McAlister, this defense cold become deep and talented.

agreed - but that's like saying if this team could get Richard Dent and Aeneas Williams in their Prime they'd be deep and talented. Either one of could be franchised and if not - our boy Graves is going to have to make the Sales pitch of his life to get either one of them.

 

[SeattleCard]

Article isn't entirely true and seems a bit sensationalized. Blake hasn't six terrible weeks in a row as written. He had a pretty strong performance against the Steelers and threw a couple TD's against the Bengals. Nothing spectacular - but a few of those games I wouldn't consider 'terrible.'

I don't disagree with the notion that Blake isn't the team's future - however I seriously doubt you are going to see anything other than additional dosages of Jeff Blake the rest of the season.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by SeattleCardsFan
Article isn't entirely true and seems a bit sensationalized. Blake hasn't six terrible weeks in a row as written. He had a pretty strong performance against the Steelers and threw a couple TD's against the Bengals. Nothing spectacular - but a few of those games I wouldn't consider 'terrible.'

I don't disagree with the notion that Blake isn't the team's future - however I seriously doubt you are going to see anything other than additional dosages of Jeff Blake the rest of the season.

He didn't really say terrible and he's right about slow starts, but the comment about ignoring Boldin as a recipe is way off base, Sunday was the first game this year where you could make that claim. And if you read the Bears postgame comments they basically said on film we saw how often they throw the ball to him, we knew we had to take him away. Jones caught a bunch of balls early in the game(something last week people on this very board were complaining about) as Blake went to open guys rather than forcing to Boldin. Didn't work.

He obviously didn't play well(I didn't see the game) but it wasn't like he was ignoring Quan I haven't seen too many people make that claim.

I also disagree with the needs competition point Walt made, there's just no way we can know that. Blake's play has fallen off since the NFL as a whole adjusted to the first 2 games, basically adjusted to the fact that Boldin turned out to be a MUCH better WR than anybody expected. If you recall Detroit had their nickel CB on him the whole first half, now he's often getting doubled. He's still played well, but with him not getting that easy 1 on 1, it's come down to other WR's and players to make plays, and nobody else, including Blake, has consistently done so.

Walt even complained about the all short passes on 3rd down, no offense but if he forced those balls downfield and got picked you'd complain about that. The game was close, the Bears were equally inept save that great catch by Gage, there was NO REASON to force balls if you didn't feel anybody downfield is open. Take the under, hope someone breaks a tackle, and if not punt the ball. I watched the Chief game they did this over and over but Holmes and their WR's frequently got the first down anyways.

Blake certainly isn't playing well, I just think it's a bit unfair to complain about him not getting the ball to Jones one week, and then the next week say he's ignoring Boldin as a pattern, which is patently untrue.

Overall I agree with most of what Walt wrote, but the fact is until Blake turned the ball over, this was a tight game winnable for either team. Kordell only played "well" after the TO's when as usual the D folded, up until that point neither QB had played well. Had Blake continued to be careful and he would have clearly been taken to task for that.

Also remember, this same Bear team beat Denver a week earlier, held that offense to 10 points, and did it basically the same way, give the QB the underneath stuff, take away downfield and play the game close. Jake had 2 long balls in that game that just missed, one a drop of an underthrow, one a very slight overthrow that Lelie didn't sell out to catch. Beyond that he nearly half his passing yards on the last drive of the game with time running out. Denver had the exact same problem wiht the Bears the difference was Jake didn't turn it over, so the game stayed close.

 

[ajcardfan]

If anything, Blake has been looking to Boldin too much at times. Until this past Sunday. Understandable, with the other options he has.

We can cry all we want about McCown and Parsons playing, but the past several seasons should've taught us little will happen along those lines. I'd be happy if one or both just got to play in Europe.

 

[red desert]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
If anything, Blake has been looking to Boldin too much at times. Until this past Sunday. Understandable, with the other options he has.

We can cry all we want about McCown and Parsons playing, but the past several seasons should've taught us little will happen along those lines. I'd be happy if one or both just got to play in Europe.

Watching the game on Direct TV the announcers were sure harping on how Blake was failing to look for Boldin. In fact, just about every drive they would show Boldin wide open. I know what I saw, and what I saw was Boldin open, time and time again. And we all know what he can do after the catch.

 

[phinius]

Originally posted by red desert
Watching the game on Direct TV the announcers were sure harping on how Blake was failing to look for Boldin. In fact, just about every drive they would show Boldin wide open. I know what I saw, and what I saw was Boldin open, time and time again. And we all know what he can do after the catch.

Ordinarily I agree with most of what Russ Smith writes, but he seems to be off base on his comments indicating that Blake wasn't ignoring Boldin. I saw the game on regular TV and saw the same things on TV (especially in the first half) that Red Storm saw. Maybe it was the OC's fault.

Phinius, the old timer

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by phinius
Ordinarily I agree with most of what Russ Smith writes, but he seems to be off base on his comments indicating that Blake wasn't ignoring Boldin. I saw the game on regular TV and saw the same things on TV (especially in the first half) that Red Storm saw. Maybe it was the OC's fault.

Phinius, the old timer

I didn't see the game and really don't know about that specific game. Walt said the game fit a pattern or a recipe of how you lose on the road, my objection was claiming ignoring Boldin is part of that recipe, the guy has caught what 70 balls this year there's no way he's been consistently ignored which Walt's article sort of implied by the use of recipe.

It's really hard to tell on tv who's open and who's not because you can't see the whole field. I know the Bears said their game plan was to take Boldin away, they certainly seemed to think they did that, not that we just didn't throw to him. Frank Gifford drove me nuts for years on MNF saying so and so was open and then on replay you see why, the ball is thrown, everyone on D moves to the ball, leaving their man "wide open". If that's not the case Sunday I retract the comment, I just hadn't read too many people saying Boldin was open all game before walt's comment.

Now if Boldin is waving his hands open, and coming back to the huddle saying he is, I'm inclined to think he was. But I just have a hard time believing the guy who is Blake's clear favorite receiver was just being ignored.

If Walt really meant that game only, I withdraw the objection, but the way I read it he said that was part of a pattern of why we lose on the road and I just don't agree, you don't catch 70 balls in 12 games if that's the case.

Sounds like the main reason people are saying that is because FOX pointed it out so maybe it's true in that game.

 

[vince56]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
Frank Gifford drove me nuts for years on MNF saying so and so was open and then on replay you see why, the ball is thrown, everyone on D moves to the ball, leaving their man "wide open". If that's not the case Sunday I retract the comment, I just hadn't read too many people saying Boldin was open all game before walt's comment.

Now if Boldin is waving his hands open, and coming back to the huddle saying he is, I'm inclined to think he was. But I just have a hard time believing the guy who is Blake's clear favorite receiver was just being ignored.

Watching the game on TV, they had a camera isolated on Boldin most of the game with a 5-10 yard radius around him. A few times Boldin was nearly throwing a fit on the field because Blake didn't look his way. Rightly so too, Boldin was WIDE open several times on 3rd down, past the marker even, and Blake would throw to Jones or gilmore for not enough yardage.

Russ, Blake had a bad game. Accept it. Move on

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by vince56
Watching the game on TV, they had a camera isolated on Boldin most of the game with a 5-10 yard radius around him. A few times Boldin was nearly throwing a fit on the field because Blake didn't look his way. Rightly so too, Boldin was WIDE open several times on 3rd down, past the marker even, and Blake would throw to Jones or gilmore for not enough yardage.

Russ, Blake had a bad game. Accept it. Move on

Ok, in that case my later comment is wrong. I felt Walt made it sound like this was a regular occurrence, which it isn't.

It sure sounds like it happened Sunday, I've seen enough of Quan to know he's not the keyshawn type who insists he was open on every down when he's usually not. If he was getting frustrated then he was open.

I fully agree Blake had a bad game, don't need to see it to know that you can tell from the lack of points, the turnovers and the inability to move the offense at all in the game

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Russ: Just to clarify some points...the recipe was for this particular game. Honestly, Russ, if you endured the three hour frustration like we did, you'd be more aware of just how awful Blake was.

The only good half of football Blake has played in the last six weeks was the second half of the Bengal game. His first half performances in all of the six games have been consistently poor. Blame part of it on preparation...but a fair share of the onus falls on Blake's shoulders. He looks like he's in a stupor half the time. There's little to no moxie in this guy. Look at his energy level...look at how easily he gets rattled.

With higher expectations and better preparation, this offense could be scoring regularly...early in games as well as late in games. The problem is, the coaching staff is too complacent...too willing to compromise. So is the quarterback...yet, once again, the struggling QB, according to Mac, "gives us the best chance to win." Sickening. Blake gave the team NO chance to win last Sunday and hasn't come out of the gates with any kind of fire for almost two months. When is enough, enough?

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
Russ: Just to clarify some points...the recipe was for this particular game. Honestly, Russ, if you endured the three hour frustration like we did, you'd be more aware of just how awful Blake was.

The only good half of football Blake has played in the last six weeks was the second half of the Bengal game. His first half performances in all of the six games have been consistently poor. Blame part of it on preparation...but a fair share of the onus falls on Blake's shoulders. He looks like he's in a stupor half the time. There's little to no moxie in this guy. Look at his energy level...look at how easily he gets rattled.

With higher expectations and better preparation, this offense could be scoring regularly...early in games as well as late in games. The problem is, the coaching staff is too complacent...too willing to compromise. So is the quarterback...yet, once again, the struggling QB, according to Mac, "gives us the best chance to win." Sickening. Blake gave the team NO chance to win last Sunday and hasn't come out of the gates with any kind of fire for almost two months. When is enough, enough?

He's definitely struggling in the first halves. The key is he has to protect the ball he's got 1 pick in the 3 wins and 13 in the 9 losses.

Thanks for the clarification I took your article to be saying ignoring Boldin was common. As I originally said "but the comment about ignoring Boldin as a recipe is way off base, Sunday was the first game this year where you could make that claim."

If he was open and Jeff wasn't going to him that makes the performance all the worse.

I don't worry about things like fired up and the like I think it's hard to come out fast in this offense with these WR's, but I just don't want my QB to keep turning it over this much. If Parsons can play without doing that I'm all for the change. I have no doubt Josh can't do that he's turned it over too much in the limited time he has played I just don't trust him over a full game.

 

[red desert]

Originally posted by phinius
Ordinarily I agree with most of what Russ Smith writes, but he seems to be off base on his comments indicating that Blake wasn't ignoring Boldin. I saw the game on regular TV and saw the same things on TV (especially in the first half) that Red Storm saw. Maybe it was the OC's fault.

Phinius, the old timer

DEude, the name is R-E-D D-E-S-E-R-T, not red storm. J/k.

 

[red desert]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
Russ: Just to clarify some points...the recipe was for this particular game. Honestly, Russ, if you endured the three hour frustration like we did, you'd be more aware of just how awful Blake was.

The only good half of football Blake has played in the last six weeks was the second half of the Bengal game. His first half performances in all of the six games have been consistently poor. Blame part of it on preparation...but a fair share of the onus falls on Blake's shoulders. He looks like he's in a stupor half the time. There's little to no moxie in this guy. Look at his energy level...look at how easily he gets rattled.

With higher expectations and better preparation, this offense could be scoring regularly...early in games as well as late in games. The problem is, the coaching staff is too complacent...too willing to compromise. So is the quarterback...yet, once again, the struggling QB, according to Mac, "gives us the best chance to win." Sickening. Blake gave the team NO chance to win last Sunday and hasn't come out of the gates with any kind of fire for almost two months. When is enough, enough?

I agree wholeheartedly. Walter, you posed a question in one of your earlier articles, went something like this: "what do you see when you look in Blakes eye's?" I see fear, I see panic, but I don't see a qb that is going to lead the team to vicory.

 

[AZCB34]

I am going to say that I find it hard to comprehend that Blake was IGNORING Boldin. I fully admit that the FOX guys showed Boldin open but Boldin is not the #1 option or read on every play (maybe he should be). That is the wild card in this. If Blake saw his first option...or second option for that matter was "open" then we must assume he did the right thing.

I also don't remember about pass protection on some of those plays where Blake misseed Boldin so that may have been a part of the problem.

Now, I am not apologizing for Blake. I may be the most disappointed person on the board with how Blake has played since I REALLY wanted the Cards to get him. But we have to all realize that he may have missed Boldin not because he was ignoring him but rather due to the play that was called.

 

[jtav10]

again as the leader of the jeff blake fan club for 12 years, i can tell you he is in trouble right now. i promise you he had no idea this team would be this bad and i honestly feel he is in a survivor mode right now. you can play either of the young guys but they will get killed and i mean physically. i love how everyone talks about everything except the real problem, the line of scrimmage. marcell sucked sunday but there was no where to go. blake knows what to do but cant operate with no run game or protection. no the real problem in arizona is the worst line play i have ever seen on both sides of the ball. theyed get peyton manning killed, make jamaal lewis look as an average back and ray lewis a mediocre linebacker, let alone make a good cover man look lost. personally, i will be watching the next game with my cards blake jersey on and hoping he doesnt get killed. and before i finish, what idiot do you think is gonna rush down here to play for this messed up situation, are you kidding me? i bet if manning is drafted he wont sign cause he knows he could be injured for life. hey walter, quit blaming every one else when anyone who knows football knows eventually the game is won or lost at the line of scrimmage and our lineman suck...

 

[Walter Mitchell]

As Red Desert, Phinius and Vince alluded to, FOX isolated on Boldin...and Boldin was open on his usual crossing patterns virtually every time...and Boldin was thrown to only twice in the first half (if memory serves me correctly)...one of which was a go pattern that Blake overthrew...and in all the critcal 3rd down situations, Boldin was open and never even looked at. If this isn't ignoring the best player on the offense, I don't know what is.

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by Walter Mitchell
As Red Desert, Phinius and Vince alluded to, FOX isolated on Boldin...and Boldin was open on his usual crossing patterns virtually every time...and Boldin was thrown to only twice in the first half (if memory serves me correctly)...one of which was a go pattern that Blake overthrew...and in all the critcal 3rd down situations, Boldin was open and never even looked at. If this isn't ignoring the best player on the offense, I don't know what is.

I'll mention it again since you didn't respond to it...is Boldin the #1 option in Blakes progressions every play? I seriosuly doubt it but he probably should be so just because Boldin was open and Blake didn't throw it there doesn't mean he was ignoring Boldin. It may mean Blake thought his first read was open enough to throw that way OR he was being pressured.

IF Boldin is the #1 read in EVERY play he was missed then there is a SERIOUS problem with Blake but I would hope Sullivan is smart enough to have passing plays were Boldin is the 3rd or 4th read.

I better say it again. I am not defending Blake but I find the ignoring comments incomprehensible.

 

[ajcardfan]

Originally posted by red desert
Watching the game on Direct TV the announcers were sure harping on how Blake was failing to look for Boldin. In fact, just about every drive they would show Boldin wide open. I know what I saw, and what I saw was Boldin open, time and time again. And we all know what he can do after the catch.

That's why I said "Until this Sunday".

I really don't think he was "ignoring" him. It seemed like there was a concentrated effort to get the ball to Freddie more. By design? Who knows? Walter doesn't, I don't, you don't. Also, on some of those plays, we had blitzers shooting in free meaning the QB throws the hot route. You don't want Boldin to be the hot route. We had a terrible game for blitz pickup and this affected Boldin. Other times, Blake probably just flat out didn't see him. He hasn't been shy about throwing him the ball in all the other games, so I seriously doubt he saw him open and thought, "Screw that, I'm passing to Gilmore."

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by red desert
I agree wholeheartedly. Walter, you posed a question in one of your earlier articles, went something like this: "what do you see when you look in Blakes eye's?" I see fear, I see panic, but I don't see a qb that is going to lead the team to vicory.

You guys must have much bigger tv sets than I do

I

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
That's why I said "Until this Sunday".

I really don't think he was "ignoring" him. It seemed like there was a concentrated effort to get the ball to Freddie more. By design? Who knows? Walter doesn't, I don't, you don't. Also, on some of those plays, we had blitzers shooting in free meaning the QB throws the hot route. You don't want Boldin to be the hot route. We had a terrible game for blitz pickup and this affected Boldin. Other times, Blake probably just flat out didn't see him. He hasn't been shy about throwing him the ball in all the other games, so I seriously doubt he saw him open and thought, "Screw that, I'm passing to Gilmore."

I made the comment to someone in a PM jokingly that maybe Blake did it on purpose to show the rest of the team just how bad the receivers are outside of Boldin. In other words you guys want to blame me fine, I won't throw the ball to Boldin and you'll see just how bad the rest of you guys are.

Sort of like last year when Gilbert Arenas got tired of being called a ball hog so he refused to shoot virtually the entire first 3 quarters of a game to make the point.

I don't really believe that's what happened but I think it would be funny if it did.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

JTAV10: With all due respect, our offensive line, although inexplicably inconsistent (blame this on whatever you want), is chock-full of talent. This is one of the reasons why opponents such as the Ravens and Steelers, who can aplly good pressure with their front fours, elected not to rely on a four man rush...and decided to send five and six rushers after Blake...the Ravens know Blake firsthand and they knew they could rattle him...the Steelers just followed the Ravens' game plan.

When a spirited and tough leader runs this offense, watch out. I will maintain as I did in last week's article that with the right QB, a change at RT and another big play threat at WR, this offense will be a juggernaut. Even as they are right now, there's enough talent to score 20-24 points a game. The Cardinals have been poorly quarterbacked and coached for so long, it's only natural to think the whole offense stinks. Well, I'll tell you this: The Cardinals have 7 starters on offense I wouldn't even consider trading: Shelton, Kendall, Davis, Jones, Hodgins, Shipp and Boldin. To me all of them at their respective positions have Pro Bowl potential.

 

[jtav10]

walter, i guess thats why the ravens tried to sign blake because of these suppossed problems blake has according to you. and by the way, when was the last time that spirited leader was spotted in arizona? this team is horrible, soft and lazy. maybe jeff is just learning to play at the pace that the others are accustomed to and unfotunately that leads to nothing good. i mentioned archie manning in another thread, he was a great player and superb leader but surrounded by misfits which led to loss and misery. isnt this where we are?

 

[phinius]

Originally posted by red desert
DEude, the name is R-E-D D-E-S-E-R-T, not red storm. J/k.

R-E-D D-E-S-E-RT, please accept my sincere apologies. I had a senior moment and certainly didn't mean to offend you.
Phinius, the old timer