We could be 2-0

[Russ Smith]

Well instead of drafting Fitz we could have drafted Steven Jackson then. We probably could have even traded down and gotten even more value to go along with Jackson. Maybe a nice o-lineman in the second round?

I guess the point that we all agree on is that Fitz was not the best pick for this team at that point in time. Fitz will end up a nice second receiver on any team he's with. Coach Green made that pick for reasons other than "best interest of the team" rationale.

Fitz is a hell of a player but there were definitely other guys we could have picked that would have helped us too such as Roy Williams(if we wanted a WR). My personal feeling is he wasn't the best use of the pick because it was so widely reported that Jax was trying to trade up to get a WR and we could have really reamed them in a trade they had multiple 2nd rounders and they have David Garrard.

But I'm over that, Fitz is going to have a hell of a career for us.

 

[Russ Smith]

I thought he had a long pass to Randle El

Two actually and one to Wilson as well.

They were showing his highlights on ESPN the other night I think it was Salisbury in essence saying after everyone said this guy was overrated look at how he's come out this year.

 

[flocker]

Fitz is a hell of a player but there were definitely other guys we could have picked that would have helped us too such as Roy Williams(if we wanted a WR). My personal feeling is he wasn't the best use of the pick because it was so widely reported that Jax was trying to trade up to get a WR and we could have really reamed them in a trade they had multiple 2nd rounders and they have David Garrard.

But I'm over that, Fitz is going to have a hell of a career for us.

That's exactly what I'm saying. It's a real head scratcher that you and I see it so clearly and the fog never lifted in the war room that day.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Why build an offense around two #1 receivers when we obviously needed a QB or running back?

Look how that same strategy is imploding in Detroit.

You cannont compare Detroit to us because they felt Harrington was their franchise QB... Plus Detroit is set at RB and Drafting and taking Mike Williams was a good thing IMO because Rogers never stays healthy.

 

[CardinalLaw]

Fitz is a hell of a player but there were definitely other guys we could have picked that would have helped us too such as Roy Williams(if we wanted a WR). My personal feeling is he wasn't the best use of the pick because it was so widely reported that Jax was trying to trade up to get a WR and we could have really reamed them in a trade they had multiple 2nd rounders and they have David Garrard.

But I'm over that, Fitz is going to have a hell of a career for us.

How many years does Fitz have to be better then Roy Williams for him to be proclaimed the better WR. Just Wondering.

 

[flocker]

You cannont compare Detroit to us because they felt Harrington was their franchise QB... Plus Detroit is set at RB and Drafting and taking Mike Williams was a good thing IMO because Rogers never stays healthy.

Detroit had far more pressing needs than another #1 receiver. They made the same mistake that we did in drafting Fitz. Some teams have to draft based on need over taking the best available athlete. Sometimes that's just the way it is.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Year Team G GS No Yards Avg Lg TD 20+ 40+ FD

2004 Arizona Cardinals 16 16 58 780 13.4 48 8 15 1 36
2005 Arizona Cardinals 2 2 17 225 13.2 30 1 4 0 12

TOTAL 18 18 75 1005 13.4 48 9 19 1 48


Year Team G GS No Yards Avg Lg TD 20+ 40+ FD
2004 Detroit Lions 14 11 54 817 15.1 46 8 15 2 34
2005 Detroit Lions 2 2 7 109 15.6 51 1 1 1 4

TOTAL 16 13 61 926 15.2 51 9 16 3 38

 

[Crazy Canuck]

I sure wish we would have drafted Ben Roethlisberger last year instead of Fitz. We could be 2-0 right now and a favorite to win the Super Bowl. Don't get me wrong, Fitz is a nice player, although he's been a bit of a disappointment. No where near a bust yet, but his numbers are a bit deceiving.

With Big Ben we would be set for the long term with two other receivers. I don't like it when the head coach is given complete control of personnel decisions. They just hire friends and guys that will listen to them, but not necessarily play well for them. I wonder if Coach Green would have given Roethlisbergers father a cozy job?

That's why I don't like the pending Bennett deal. Man, just think if we could be 2-0 right now. It would feel a lot better.

Yeah, yeah... and if Joe Namath had agreed to sign with the Cards instead of jumping to the AFL we would have won a Super Bowl.

I like Ben... but with that running game in Pitt... it's damn hard to screw-up.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Detroit had far more pressing needs than another #1 receiver. They made the same mistake that we did in drafting Fitz. Some teams have to draft based on need over taking the best available athlete. Sometimes that's just the way it is.

The last time we drafted by need it was Pace/ Johnson, how did that turn out?

That also runs contrary to Green's philosophy: Best Player Available. That strategy has turned out much more fruitful than Tobin or Mac's.

 

[CardinalLaw]

Detroit had far more pressing needs than another #1 receiver. They made the same mistake that we did in drafting Fitz. Some teams have to draft based on need over taking the best available athlete. Sometimes that's just the way it is.

When you draft by need you get the likes of Calvin Pace, Bryant Johnson, Wendell Bryant, Levar Fisher, Josh McCown, Leanord Davis, KVB, Micheal Stone, Thomas Jones, LJ Shelton, Johnny Rutledge, Anthony Clement. Do I need to go on.

When you draft BPA you get Dansby, Dockett, Step, Rolle, Fitz. I would take to many good players at one position, over no good players at any position any day.

 

[Russ Smith]

That's exactly what I'm saying. It's a real head scratcher that you and I see it so clearly and the fog never lifted in the war room that day.

Look you're not the first person here to say that several of us complained last year. If Roy Williams dad was Green's buddy I'm sure we would have taken Roy. That said, Fitz is a hell of a player and so far he's been healthier than Roy who had a bum ankle last year(like Fitz) that required surgery in the offseason(unlike Fitz) and has a history of leg problems in college. Roy's speed fit our need better IMHO, but Fitz is outstanding too.

My personal choice first was Sean Taylor or trade down and take Ben or Roy Williams, you can defend all 3 easily.

There were a bunch of threads here at the time on what we could have done in the draft to get more picks. My biggest problem with the Fitz pick is that the difference between him and guys like Roy and Michael Clayton wasn't big enough to use such a high pick on him. Arguably Clayton had the best rookie year of the 3.

I would have probably taken Taylor or moved down and taken Ben but I'm fine with Fitz.

 

[seesred]

Ben is going to be a great one. That said he he3 would have the same problems here that Josh had last year. No running game with a poor O-line. If we drafted him we would have had to play him not the three we played last year. Q was out for 6 weeks. That would have left him with 1 wide reciever having some success and no o-line. Now Leftwich is hurt and has only played well in spots. 2-0 yes I think we could have been 2-0 with 1 or 2 plays in the Ram games and the mid third quarter to the end of a horrid special team day vs. Giants.

GBR
40

 

[Russ Smith]

How many years does Fitz have to be better then Roy Williams for him to be proclaimed the better WR. Just Wondering.

One would be a good start.

I'm fine with Fitz he's a hell of a player but Roy was better last year (when healthy) and so was Clayton. People forget Fitz wasn't the only guy playing with a bad ankle and Roy's ankle was worse, he actually had surgery on it in the offseason.

Roy had nearly as many catches in 2 less games and 5 less starts(due to injury), nearly 2 YPC more and the same number of Td's.

Again, I would have taken Roy but I think Fitz is a hell of a player, the primary difference is deep speed ROy has, but the argument for Fitz is Roy's history of injury.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

That's exactly what I'm saying. It's a real head scratcher that you and I see it so clearly and the fog never lifted in the war room that day.

The absolute clarity of your hindsight, is truly, truly amazing!

I bet, if we gave you enough time - you could give us last week's Loto Winning numbers...

 

[Crazy Canuck]

When you draft by need you get the likes of Calvin Pace, Bryant Johnson, Wendell Bryant, Levar Fisher, Josh McCown, Leanord Davis, KVB, Micheal Stone, Thomas Jones, LJ Shelton, Johnny Rutledge, Anthony Clement. Do I need to go on.

When you draft BPA you get Dansby, Dockett, Step, Rolle, Fitz. I would take to many good players at one position, over no good players at any position any day.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

The absolute clarity of your hindsight, is truly, truly amazing!

I bet, if we gave you enough time - you could give us last week's Loto Winning numbers...

 

[Pariah]

Jim Brown would have a hard time averaging 3ypc behind this line as it is now and last year.

Stop it. Just stop it already.

Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson...the list of great RB goes on that would still be gaining plenty of yards behind this line. The great ones are great because they make something out of nothing.

Is our line bad? Yeah, it's really bad. But it's not so bad that a very good RB can't do something behind it.

 

[Russ Smith]

The absolute clarity of your hindsight, is truly, truly amazing!

I bet, if we gave you enough time - you could give us last week's Loto Winning numbers...

Who knows if flocker said it before the draft but this board was full of threads before the draft about taking Ben or Roy or Taylor etc so the idea is not necessarily hindsight.

Fitz is a great player, we need to get a damn OL so our RB's have room to run and QB time to throw and Fitz will be one of the great WR's in Card history.

Too bad we can't go back and get Roy Green or Mel Gray in their primes to team with Fitz and Anquan, that would be frightening.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Stop it. Just stop it already.

Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson...the list of great RB goes on that would still be gaining plenty of yards behind this line. The great ones are great because they make something out of nothing.

Is our line bad? Yeah, it's really bad. But it's not so bad that a very good RB can't do something behind it.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Who knows if flocker said it before the draft but this board was full of threads before the draft about taking Ben or Roy or Taylor etc so the idea is not necessarily hindsight.

Fitz is a great player, we need to get a damn OL so our RB's have room to run and QB time to throw and Fitz will be one of the great WR's in Card history.

Too bad we can't go back and get Roy Green or Mel Gray in their primes to team with Fitz and Anquan, that would be frightening.

Yeah, and I think you started most of them...

 

[Pariah]

Right back atcha.

 

[Russ Smith]

Stop it. Just stop it already.

Jim Brown, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, Gayle Sayers, OJ Simpson...the list of great RB goes on that would still be gaining plenty of yards behind this line. The great ones are great because they make something out of nothing.

Is our line bad? Yeah, it's really bad. But it's not so bad that a very good RB can't do something behind it.

All true but let's be real Brown is 69 years old there's no way he gets 3 YPC.

 

[Russ Smith]

Yeah, and I think you started most of them...

Abso freaking lutely!

 

[archicard]

When you draft by need you get the likes of Calvin Pace, Bryant Johnson, Wendell Bryant, Levar Fisher, Josh McCown, Leanord Davis, KVB, Micheal Stone, Thomas Jones, LJ Shelton, Johnny Rutledge, Anthony Clement. Do I need to go on.

Certainly you can't leave Tommy Knight off of this list. He's the poster child for drafting to fill a need...

 

[Pariah]

All true but let's be real Brown is 69 years old there's no way he gets 3 YPC.

2.5?