what happened to us since winning the division?

[freebyrd]

this is not the same team that played the first half of the year

is it complacency a tougher schedule, what ? i gotta admit i thought we were better than we are
when we went into phillie i thought we would take that game. same with Minnesota at home

i even thought if things went just a bit our way we had a chance in this game.

i'm not even shure about the seahawks next week now talk about a tale of two seasons

 

[Shogun]

They thought they were the ish and were smelling themselves too much.

 

[Arizona's Finest]

I think that in the NFL - and even moreso in college football - a loss can send your season into a spiral. We did it to Buffalo and Dallas. And Philly did it to us.

POS NFL schedulemakers

 

[abomb]

We stopped playing poopy NFC West teams.

 

[TJ]

Remember when Whiz became coach? It was all about "Winning the NFC West." There were never any standards set beyond that. The team finally did what Whiz wanted them to do and decided that the season was over after that.

No heart, no guts, no sense of urgency = no wins. Period end of story.

 

[Shogun]

We stopped playing poopy NFC West teams.

Wouldn't it suck if the Cards and Niners finished at 8-8?

 

[CtCardinals78]

Remember when Whiz became coach? It was all about "Winning the NFC West." There were never any standards set beyond that. The team finally did what Whiz wanted them to do and decided that the season was over after that.

No heart, no guts, no sense of urgency = no wins. Period end of story.

Perfect summation. Whiz attitude and comments since the Philly game have been worrisome. He better be ripping some guys a new one in the media after this game including himself and the coaching staff.

 

[wierwolf]

Wouldn't it suck if the Cards and Niners finished at 8-8?

Yeah it would. Too bad the 9'ers are 5-9...

 

[mjb21aztd]

we turned to crap....

 

[Duckjake]

We're playing pre season football and the other teams are playing sudden death, lose and you're out football.

Add in that our *efense is awful and you get massacres.

 

[phillycard]

We're playing pre season football and the other teams are playing sudden death, lose and you're out football.

Add in that our *efense is awful and you get massacres.

Too bad they don'tv realize that the playoffs are "sudden death, lose and you're out football."

 

[Sandan]

We stopped playing poopy NFC West teams.

Like the Dolphins and Dallas

 

[Duckjake]

Too bad they don'tv realize that the playoffs are "sudden death, lose and you're out football."

What does that have to do with the way they've been playing? They lose any game until January and they're still in.

I'm sure they realize it. The question is can they turn it back on.

With the defense I don't know that it makes much difference.

The Car*inal defense has been bad all year. The offense covered for it early. The offense has shifted into cruise control and so now the deficiencies in the defense are showing big time.

 

[Perfectionist]

what happened to us since winning the division?

We have sucked. No pride anywhere on this team. I think this team owes the fans an opology.

 

[Stout]

Like the Dolphins and Dallas

That's great, Nidan. So, we're playing that well now? Wait, no, we aren't. We're playing like the Laurel Spartans (my old high school). Except the Spartans would probably beat us right now.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

What does that have to do with the way they've been playing? They lose any game until January and they're still in.

I'm sure they realize it. The question is can they turn it back on.

With the defense I don't know that it makes much difference.

The Car*inal defense has been bad all year. The offense covered for it early. The offense has shifted into cruise control and so now the deficiencies in the defense are showing big time.

Excatly. I,for one, don't care about these last few games at all. They make absolutely zero difference. The Cardinals know it, the coaches know it. It's human nature. The question is whether they turn it back on,or not. I don't think they'll have any motivational issues come January. Would it really matter if they were playing these games down to the wire and losing? They are on cruise control. I think Whiz had had enough though and they will come out "ready" next week. They've had their 4 week break. Now it's time to get back to work.

 

[ajcardfan]

Whisenhunt completely mismanaged this team following the Giants game:

1. He was far from distraught over that loss. He wanted to talk positives, and not negatives after that game.

2. In that game's postgame press conference, he made the baffling statement that he didn't care if we backed into the division.

3. We then tanked the Philly game. Pacticed without gear, Whis and players making negative comments all week. Then, in the lead up to the game, and after the game, there were the national stories complaining about how unfair that schedule was. Who do you think was the source of those stories?

4. After getting smoked in Philly, Whis still gave them the "Monday Off" that usually comes only after victories.

5. After getting crushed by Minny, again, the players had Monday off.

6. While teams have adjusted to us on both sides of the ball, we keep running the same stuff like we're above needing to make adjustements.



Where is there any drive for excellence? Accountability?

 

[Duckjake]

Excatly. I,for one, don't care about these last few games at all. They make absolutely zero difference. The Cardinals know it, the coaches know it. It's human nature. The question is whether they turn it back on,or not. I don't think they'll have any motivational issues come January. Would it really matter if they were playing these games down to the wire and losing? They are on cruise control. I think Whiz had had enough though and they will come out "ready" next week. They've had their 4 week break. Now it's time to get back to work.

Now the Car*s have a reason to play Sunday, posting a winning season, so the SeaHawks game should answer our question.

Fortunately Seattle got their "thanks for the memories Mike" game out of the way today beating the Jets so it should make things a little easier for us.

 

[phillycard]

What does that have to do with the way they've been playing? They lose any game until January and they're still in.

I'm sure they realize it. The question is can they turn it back on.

With the defense I don't know that it makes much difference.

The Car*inal defense has been bad all year. The offense covered for it early. The offense has shifted into cruise control and so now the deficiencies in the defense are showing big time.

Because they're not playing like they realize it's one and done. We've coasted since we clinched and trust, that we'll be our downfall. Where is this proverbial light switch you guys have been talking about? Because I don't see it. You think the playoffs start and we just start blowing teams the F out??

 

[CtCardinals78]

Excatly. I,for one, don't care about these last few games at all. They make absolutely zero difference. The Cardinals know it, the coaches know it. It's human nature. The question is whether they turn it back on,or not. I don't think they'll have any motivational issues come January. Would it really matter if they were playing these games down to the wire and losing? They are on cruise control. I think Whiz had had enough though and they will come out "ready" next week. They've had their 4 week break. Now it's time to get back to work.

I disagree. The Pats had the AFCE sealed up by November last year and they still played hard every game. That's the difference the Cards and coaching staff are content with played half assed ball. I would expect a little more from a Cowher understudy. The Pats do it year in and year out. They prepare for every opponent like they are Superbowl champs. They don't do weak half assed half hearted preperation after the division is clinched. Their lack of heart and effort is clearly a reflection of the poor planning and motivation of the coaching staff.

 

[DeAnna]

Whiz attitude and comments since the Philly game have been worrisome. He better be ripping some guys a new one in the media after this game including himself and the coaching staff.

In the media?? never gonna happen - those things are done inside the locker room.

Someone said the Card's team has a fragile ego; Whis is trying to keep them positive but I can't imagine in private he's not concerned.

In Sunday's AZ Republic, Antonio Smith went as much to admit that they're not hungry anymore.

 

[CtCardinals78]

In the media?? never gonna happen - those things are done inside the locker room.

Someone said the Card's team has a fragile ego; Whis is trying to keep them positive but I can't imagine in private he's not concerned.

In Sunday's AZ Republic, Antonio Smith went as much to admit that they're not hungry anymore.

Yes in his pressers. Doesn't care if they backed into the division title, no difference between 3 and 4 seed giving players days off doing cheesy walk through practices. I like Wiz a lot but am very disappointed from what I have seen this last month or so.

 

[Duckjake]

Because they're not playing like they realize it's one and done. We've coasted since we clinched and trust, that we'll be our downfall. Where is this proverbial light switch you guys have been talking about? Because I don't see it. You think the playoffs start and we just start blowing teams the F out??

See my posts on the 2004 Eagles. Clinched early, barely beat bad Dallas and Washington teams, lost two in a row to 7-8 teams and still made it to the SuperBowl.

I disagree. The Pats had the AFCE sealed up by November last year and they still played hard every game.

Poor comparison. NE was playing for only the second undefeated season in the SuperBowl era.

Fortunately this debate makes the board far more entertaining and will be settled in two weeks. Actually by next Sunday when the boys have to turn it back on to have a winning season.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

That's great, Nidan. So, we're playing that well now? Wait, no, we aren't. We're playing like the Laurel Spartans (my old high school). Except the Spartans would probably beat us right now.

No, There was a comment that we were beating nothing but NFC west teams and that is not true at all.

The question still remains what happened ? At one point we were beating teams outside of our division, and hanging with teams like the Panthers, and Redskins.

Now we are just getting our doors blown off. There is a huge difference between the first 8 games of the season, and the last 8 games. If someone cannot see that then they are just way too consumed by the poor play of the last 4 weeks.

This team was not playing this poorly at the beginning of the season.

I think it goes back to depth. Our OLB'er are good as a group but when injuries to Haggans and LaBoy starting coming up we starting to vanish in the pass rush department.

Not to mention injuries have had an impact on special teams.

But our offensive line has also vanished.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Yes in his pressers. Doesn't care if they backed into the division title, no difference between 3 and 4 seed giving players days off doing cheesy walk through practices. I like Wiz a lot but am very disappointed from what I have seen this last month or so.

Well, Whiz is echoing your thoughts. He has already said in the press that he is dissapointed and that this kind of play is unacceptable.

As far as Whiz goes, that is as harsh as it gets.

What? Do we need another embarrassing "They are who we thought they were" speech ?

Come on.