We got blown out in 2 of our last 3 games. Reason for concern?

[BullheadCardFan]

Seattle beat us 36-6

Panthers beat us 49-15

Reason for concern?

Was the team just not prepared?

Is this on the coaching staff or the players?

Do we have the proper personnel to go to the big dance?

Tough to finish a season on such a low note after playing well for most of the season.

 

[Dback Jon]

No Honey Badger really hurt

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

No Honey Badger really hurt

Mathieu's injury hurt our defense a lot more than I ever imagined it would, and it exposed our patchwork linebacking corps.

Weatherspoon only found his way into 3 games, got 9 tackles, and was a consistent healthy scratch. Minter is an average two-down linebacker at best. Buchanan is a natural safety, and has been playing out of position his entire career. Our rookie linebackers just haven't performed.

I think its time to admit that the impact whole Daryl Washington affair has set our defense back the past couple of seasons, and we have yet to recover.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Add to that, whenever I hear "starting at right guard, Ted Larsen" I cringe.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Add to that, whenever I hear "starting at right guard, Ted Larsen" I cringe.

+1

Add to that Lyle Sendlein

 

[StreetTruckinTitan]

Seattle beat us 36-6

Panthers beat us 49-15

Reason for concern?

Was the team just not prepared?

Is this on the coaching staff or the players?

Do we have the proper personnel to go to the big dance?

Tough to finish a season on such a low note after playing well for most of the season.

I give the Cards a pass on the Seattle game. We just won our division and they already had one foot into the bye week. The Packer game was a little concerning why we werent ready to handle a angry and focused team. But the Panther game was disturbing to say the least. What happened to that 2015 cards team that dominated teams most of the season? Why wasnt the "switch" turned on for the playoffs? I can understand Palmers poor play (finger) but whats up with the defense? Every facet of the game suffered.

Still, I enjoyed the 13 win regular season and I feel good about the direction and future going forward with of our team.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

+1

Add to that Lyle Sendlein

Both Sendlein and Massie were serviceable; below average, but serviceable. In my opinion at least. A decent right guard would have done wonders in shoring up the right-side of the line.

And Jonathan Cooper...he is a bust? Or is he just so far in the doghouse that he can't earn his way back?

 

[CaptTurbo]

I am a big believer in Tony Dungy's philosophy. You cant throw games at the end of the season. Momentum is not a tap that you can turn on and off.

Throwing the Seattle game, especially before a bye, to me, was the worst possible thing to do.

I want to see in this order
Pass rusher (either OLB preferably for a 3-4) or a Fletcher Cox type DE)
C - We need a franchise center
MLB - prototypical mlb (minter upgrade)
RG

CBs like Powers Beithel will be just fine across from 21 with a pass rush.

Edit - oh and NEED a QBOF on the bench next year

 

[Chopper0080]

Seattle beat us 36-6

Panthers beat us 49-15

Reason for concern?

Was the team just not prepared?

Is this on the coaching staff or the players?

Do we have the proper personnel to go to the big dance?

Tough to finish a season on such a low note after playing well for most of the season.

We have garbage talent along the defensive front 7 which allowed teams to push us around and dictate what they wanted to do. That has to change or we will continue to be bullied by good teams. If you look at it, of our front 7 only Calais could start on defense for New England, Denver, Carolina, and Seattle.

Carson has to find a happy medium in terms of being aggressive and not turning the ball over. Too many turnovers in big games when trying to force big plays.

Keim has to do a better job in the first round. You can't afford to draft projects early in the draft. I don't mind drafting safe players, but it does bug me when we draft guys who can't hit the ground running. Humphries may be a top notch player, but you can't take him after you missed on Cooper and are flip flopping the S you drafted.

 

[Chopper0080]

Both Sendlein and Massie were serviceable; below average, but serviceable. In my opinion at least. A decent right guard would have done wonders in shoring up the right-side of the line.

And Jonathan Cooper...he is a bust? Or is he just so far in the doghouse that he can't earn his way back?

Cooper is a bust until he shows can is not. I hate it. I liked him out of college. But he has terrible technique, and can't stay on the field. That combination is a bad one. The idea that Arians would refuse to play his best players is laughable. Cooper has had three years to figure out how to be a pro, and has failed to do so. That is on him.

 

[Goldfield]

Mathieu's injury hurt our defense a lot more than I ever imagined it would, and it exposed our patchwork linebacking corps.

Weatherspoon only found his way into 3 games, got 9 tackles, and was a consistent healthy scratch. Minter is an average two-down linebacker at best. Buchanan is a natural safety, and has been playing out of position his entire career. Our rookie linebackers just haven't performed.

I think its time to admit that the impact whole Daryl Washington affair has set our defense back the past couple of seasons, and we have yet to recover.

This is 100% correct. Secondary with honey Badger was so good it hid our average players on the D. They need to find some LB's badly and get cooper and DJ to play as good starters.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Sucks that we didn't have Redding, Mathieu, or Okafor.

Even without them - we could have beaten Carolina. Atlanta beat Carolina. They were not unbeatable. We just made too many mistakes and didn't ever seem to have a real game plan, IMHO.

 

[Zeno]

I am a big believer in Tony Dungy's philosophy. You cant throw games at the end of the season. Momentum is not a tap that you can turn on and off.

I think that is overblown.

We lost 4 of our last 6 the year we went to the Super Bowl, including 48-20, 35-14 and 47-7 blow out losses.

We just ran in to a team that was better than us and more prepared, it had nothing to do with the Seattle game or with momentum.

 

[TRW]

Nope, no concern at all. They are done for this year. Reset and begin again next year.

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

The idea that Arians would refuse to play his best players is laughable.

The Dude abides.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Both Sendlein and Massie were serviceable; below average, but serviceable. In my opinion at least.

Which is why I brought up Sendlein. I have always felt that we needed to upgrade at the C position. Below average in the middle of the line is not the way to anchor the line.

Larsen and Sendlein were our weak links and add Massie who in your own words is serviceable and the Oline could stand for improvement.

Cooper and Hump better be ready to step up and show they can be counted on as starters

 

[Cardinals.Ken]

Which is why I brought up Sendlein. I have always felt that we needed to upgrade at the C position. Below average in the middle of the line is not the way to anchor the line.

Larsen and Sendlein were our weak links and add Massie who in your own words is serviceable and the Oline could stand for improvement.

Cooper and Hump better be ready to step up and show they can be counted on as starters

100% agree.

 

[TJ]

I still put zero stock into that Seattle game as it was, for all intents and purposes, a glorified preseason game.

I am concerned about the pass rush and the defensive line. Maybe Rodney Gunter gets better with a year of experience and Calais can rebound, but we need more beef up front.

I dont think much needs to be done on offense. Get a new center, perhaps. I think you ride or die with Cooper and Humphries on the right side of the offensive line. Maybe take Cardale Jones in the late rounds as a project/developmental QB (this QB class is dookie).

 

[NJCardFan]

I hate to admit this but if Washington ever comes off of knockoff we need him.

 

[TJ]

I hate to admit this but if Washington ever comes off of knockoff we need him.

a) He hasn't played competitive football in two years
b) Even if reinstated, he still has another pending 2-6 game suspension
c) Can he be relied upon?

 

[Chopper0080]

a) He hasn't played competitive football in two years
b) Even if reinstated, he still has another pending 2-6 game suspension
c) Can he be relied upon?

The answer to all of these is easy...Washington is done. End of story. I think you get this TJ, but others don't seem to.

 

[moosehead]

Players and pundits alike are stating the team played "flat" last night. We've had these weird lapses on and off all season. In spite of all the technical analyses I've read, I haven't read much about playing "flat". Is "flat" the same as "unprepared"? How can a whole team come out and play flat in a game as important as last night? Is it coaching? Is it players? I can see a player having an off game, but an entire team? Is it purely inexperience? Struggling with success? Honestly, and I'm no expert - but this was the exact game I had feared - these strange lulls have had me spooked all season...

 

[Brian in Mesa]

I hate to admit this but if Washington ever comes off of knockoff we need him.

Washington is not a viable option.

 

[Dude]

Seattle beat us 36-6

Panthers beat us 49-15

Reason for concern?

Was the team just not prepared?

Is this on the coaching staff or the players?

Do we have the proper personnel to go to the big dance?

Tough to finish a season on such a low note after playing well for most of the season.

Unlike the Whiz we wont hear the system works just trust it. BA knows we need to fix this. The good news he will do the best he can not the same old same old.

 

[conraddobler]

Any given Sunday.

A team is a very complex thing with a lot of parts to it. They act like it's no big deal when part A or B falls off and you put on a new one but it's a big deal and sometimes you're part isn't falling off but it's not working properly and it's still better than the replacement you can put on so you go with it anyhow.

All that plus the other teams varying in whatever and you can get blown out sometimes.