What will be the perception of this team this upcoming season?

[slanidrac16]

We ARE the NFC Champions.

You know it. I know it. The whole football world knows it. We still have free agency and the draft to add to our roster. There seem to be other changes coming so it is impossible to know exactly how the final roster will shape up.

That being said, just what willl the rest of the league think about us? Will we be looked at as a legitmate contender to defend our NFC Crown? Will we be construed as a flash in the pan? How about the media? Will we get the respect we should from them as we draw closer to opening day?

I think we will have our share of doubters....even on this forum. But as I see it, we should be favored to win the West. We will have the premier offense in the NFC. Boldin might be gone, but the moment we drafted Doucet I kinda thought the Cards were preparing for that. With the emergence of Stevie Wonder Breaston, this offense appears ready to keep rolling. It appears Edge will be gone, but we all probably feel there will be a adequate replacement (LT?) probably in the draft. The loss of Haley will be brought up often but should be eased by the fact that this is Whiz's 3rd year and apparently he will take over the play calling as he did in his first year. Things should go a little more smoothly then it did in 07.

The defense will be the biggest questionmark. Pendy's gone( I hear some cheers in the background) , but his departure will lead to questions of just how well this defense will perform. We've bolstered our defensive backfield with McFadden and DRC is going to be better. That's a nice thought. I have a hunch this this unit will get a big influx of players in the draft.

I get this feeling we are going to get a surprising amount of respect from fans and media alike. It's hard not to recognize what this team accomplished and what they are capable of, especially on the offensive side of the ball. I think most will see us like the Colts of the NFC. Great offense with an adequate defense.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

I bet that more talking heads, and shock web-jounalists pick the Niners to win the division over the Cardinals, as well as some to pick Seattle as their sleeper team.

 

[The Commish]

We'll be perceived as a one year wonder. In my mind that's a good thing - we need our players to be properly motivated.

 

[Lloydian]

There is nothing more sweet to me than to contemplate having the NFC champion team here, and knowing that one pundit after another is going to be doubting. As long as Al and John have to come out for at least one game, I don't care.

 

[Shogun]

Flash in the pan.

 

[Carddan]

All that matters is what happens on the field. We will not be the "long-shot" choice this year as we have been at times in the past. Over-all we will be favored to win our Division, even as the "experts" say it is weak. (How was the AFC West last year?) I personally expect our Division to be much improved. St. Louis can't do worse, Seattle had major injury problems and may have hit bottom, SF seemed to be improving as the year went on. Due to the Super Bowl, the Cardinals will get more attention than ever before. Many more people are now aware of our team and players-Kurt, Fitz, etc. The "experts" are the first one's on and off of bandwagons. If the Cardinals win their first game they will say we're going back to the Super Bowl, if we lose they will say we were a flash in the pan. Just like last year, they will be full of crap no matter what.

 

[Saxon079]

I bet all we hear about is the SB runner up jinks. And with Seattle picking up TJ and most of the so called experts still in love with the 9ers they will pick the Cardinals third.

 

[Fiasco]

they will pick the Cardinals third.

Third NFL championship that is!!!

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

I think the media will focus on...

the marquee teams (ie; Cowboys, Giants, Patriots.) just as they always do. IF we get off to a good start I think we'll hear alot of "turned the corner" and momentum carry-over comments. IF we don't, I'm sure they'll have a kazillion Same ol' Cards stories ready to go. Personally, I prefer the under-dog role. A hungry team is a DANGEROUS team! GO CARDS!

 

[cgolden]

I'd be shocked if we're not the majority pick to win the West. Some guys who want to stand out will pick the Niners or Seahawks but the Cardinals have already retained the 'big name' guys that they needed to and they added McFadden plus whoever we end up drafting.

Bottom line, is we should be as good and most likely better in 2009. If the Niners or Hawks can improve enough to leapfrog us, I'd be surprised. I can't speak for everyone, but my expectations are another home playoff game in 2009, at the very least.

 

[john h]

We'll be perceived as a one year wonder. In my mind that's a good thing - we need our players to be properly motivated.

I think your are correct on that assessment. Even I wonder if we can do that again. Did everything just go our way or were we really that good? I know our receivers can repeat and that Warner can still fire bullets. The question is always there will our big time players like Warner and Fitz remain healthy all year. Lose either of those guys and the chances of a repeat diminish. Will our new guys be better than the guys we lost? Hope so. This year will tell us if we were a one year wonder or really a team that is on the rise. We still need to address the running game which is as important as any need I can think of.
I am optimistic but always concerned as I have been a Cardinal fan for countless years. Probably longer than anyone on this board unless you watched the Cards play the Bears at Wrigley Field.

 

[Perfectionist]

Even I wonder if we can do that again. Did everything just go our way or were we really that good?

In just a few months we will find out the answer to that. I think before the season starts you will have some media people on both sides of the fence. But a couple of early loses, and you will have the media crying same ol Cards.

 

[jrjbritt]

Just Improve!!

I love the Cardinals, but if any of us actually thought we would go to the Super Bowl this past season, we need to get our heads examined. I do agree that I thought that we could have been NFC West contenders, but definitely not make it to the Super Bowl. With that said, I want to see improvement on the regular season and the over all team be more competitive. Yes this year we should be one of the favorites for the NFC crown ( as along as we dont trade Q away). I want to see us:

1. do great at home and win more away games.
2. dont get blown out at any time this year!
3. improve defensively all the way around!

of course there are several other minor details that we need to imporve on, but for know these are points that I would like to see.

 

[Lloydian]

I love the Cardinals, but if any of us actually thought we would go to the Super Bowl this past season, we need to get our heads examined.

Or we have an unending supply of Kool-Aid. I have never gone to a game or turned on the TV thinking the Cardinals would not win. And when they lose, even if everyone else expected the loss, I leave angry and disappointed. That was true even during the worst of the down years.

That picture of me with Snoopy is at the Mall of America on the weekend that Minnesota advanced to the NFC Championship in 1999. I'm still irritated about that game (and had quite the discussion of it with someone else who I found in Orlando following the team all these years).

As the Super Bowl ended, my daughter asked me if I wanted to stay for the trophy presentation. I looked at her and gave her a firm, "No."

 

[Metcalf Rules]

We ARE the NFC Champions.

You know it. I know it. The whole football world knows it.

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...and the American people know it..and Bob Dole knows it, too!

 

[joeshmo]

I think it really depends on what happens the rest of the offseason.

1. How did we draft?
2. Did we get Wilson extended?
3. Did we get Dansby extended?
4. Did we get Dockett extended?
5. Did we get Boldin extended, did we trade him, did we trade him for good or bad compensation?

I think a lot of that will be on the minds of the collective talking heads. Although #2 through #5 will be on the team next year how those negotiations pan out,will put a fair or unfair preception on the team as a whole.

 

[Carddan]

Vegas money is on the Cards, just sayin'.