What's Wrong With The Offense and How To Fix It

[Russ Smith]

You're right, Colledge was horrible. I think Young is drawing too much of the blame here. He was lost out there but unlike Colledge, he has a pretty good excuse. And they weren't the only guys getting manhandled on our line. We're going to have to give these guys help every down. The word is out and unless something drastic occurs we're going to see more pressure this year than we've ever faced before.

Steve

I actually suspect that some of Colledges problem was DJ young screwing up consistently next to him. It's just not easy to play when the guy next to you is getting destroyed or going the wrong way on every play. OL works as a unit and if one guy is that bad, and you're the guy next to him I have to think it impacts how you play too.

Doesn't totally excuse his play but he was SO much worse in that game than the others I gotta think Young was a key reason why.

 

[Darkside]

I actually suspect that some of Colledges problem was DJ young screwing up consistently next to him. It's just not easy to play when the guy next to you is getting destroyed or going the wrong way on every play. OL works as a unit and if one guy is that bad, and you're the guy next to him I have to think it impacts how you play too.

Doesn't totally excuse his play but he was SO much worse in that game than the others I gotta think Young was a key reason why.

I think it was a case of two inept lineman playing next to each other. There were times Colledge should have released his man and picked up the blitzer coming down the middle and didn't, and so DJ looked like an idiot banging into him trying to block his man (which is the right move). And there were other times DJ had it totally wrong cutting inside even though the stunt wasn't going that way. DJ is definitely worse though, he had no clue what was going on.

 

[az1965]

Hey Todd Heap---how about a big spark from you this time around? FIZZLING OUT.

FTFY

 

[AzStevenCal]

I actually suspect that some of Colledges problem was DJ young screwing up consistently next to him. It's just not easy to play when the guy next to you is getting destroyed or going the wrong way on every play. OL works as a unit and if one guy is that bad, and you're the guy next to him I have to think it impacts how you play too.

Doesn't totally excuse his play but he was SO much worse in that game than the others I gotta think Young was a key reason why.

I hadn't thought about that but it makes sense.

Steve

 

[Duckjake]

I went back and studied the tape---Colledge was almost as bad as Young---and Young actually made some nice blocks---it wasn't like he whiffed every down, although it sure seemed like it.

Mitch, did you see the play where all 4 Titans defensive linemen hit our QB at the the same time? That's ridiculous. Grimm is awful.

After 5 years we have no QB, no offensive line and no pass rush and are 13-19 over the last two seasons. CKW, his staff and even the Sainted Steve Keim, the entire scouting department and front office need to be on the hot seat.

Sorry for the rant. I just expect more now from this franchise.

 

[Darkside]

Mitch, did you see the play where all 4 Titans defensive linemen hit our QB at the the same time? That's ridiculous. Grimm is awful.

Honestly, when that happened my exact thought was no wonder Manning didn't come here.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Mitch, did you see the play where all 4 Titans defensive linemen hit our QB at the the same time? That's ridiculous. Grimm is awful.

After 5 years we have no QB, no offensive line and no pass rush and are 13-19 over the last two seasons. CKW, his staff and even the Sainted Steve Keim, the entire scouting department and front office need to be on the hot seat.

Sorry for the rant. I just expect more now from this franchise.

No pass rush? We were a top ten team in terms of sacks last year.

This is the preseason! PRESEASON! We don't scheme for other teams like they do. I find Whisenhunt's approach to the preseason 100% correct. Don't scheme, let the players just play and don't worry about losing.

That's why you see DJ Young suck it on an island with no help. The coaching staff has to see what he can do since there will be times that he will be on an island, it happens from time to time.

And not scheming a pass rush allows the team to see what the OLBs can do with no help.

From watching what the Titans do, it was clear that they schemed to get after our QBs, so it's more likely that our offensive line would've performed better in the regular season and our defense would've done better getting after the QB.

 

[Darkside]

I don't often agree with Somers, but he had a good article yesterday on the offense and was more critical of the playcalling than I've seen in the past:

Run the ball

It sounds simple enough, but it's hard to do, especially in a league where the best offenses are the ones with a great passing game. But the Cardinals aren't built to pass and haven't been since quarterback Kurt Warner retired after the 2009 season.

Neither Kolb nor Skelton appears to have the command of the offense, or the skill level, necessary to spread the field with receivers and find the open one. At least as this point.

No passing plays out of your own end zone. Please, work, work, work on executing a screen pass successfully. Stephens-Howling could do some real damage if the Cardinals could ever make it work.

And if Fitzgerald ever is covered by one defender, change the play and throw to him. Don't overthrow him, give him a chance to make a play. That's simplistic, too, but the Cardinals missed Fitzgerald on this type of coverage far too much in 2011.

Focus on special teams

Punter Dave Zastudil has had a great preseason. In Michael Adams, rookie Justin Bethel and Stephens-Howling, the Cardinals have a great rotation of gunners on punt coverage. Let them work.

Play the field-position game and give the offense all the help you can. It's going to need it.

And don't worry about the risk of letting Patrick Peterson return punts all the time. He was one of the team's more-dangerous offensive threats last season. And as we saw, his return ability can be worth a couple of victories.

Play great defense

This is the most important part of the formula.

The defense should be the strength of this team. The Cardinals return all but one starter from the unit that performed so well over the second half of last season.

That Cardinals defense played great on third down and in the red zone. They need the same level of performance.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/car...ffense-can-helped-by-following-key-steps.html

 

[mrbyte]

Throw some un-needed cuss words in that post and I would call it a perfect post Mitch.
True that about Beanie, last game he wouldn't even take a "hand up" from one of our own after a play, a fellow Cardinal just trying to help the man up. He is looking really yoked though, I hope the buffness=durability

Un needed cus words...NEVER has a teams situation needed cus words more!!

 

[Duckjake]

No pass rush? We were a top ten team in terms of sacks last year.

This is the preseason! PRESEASON! We don't scheme for other teams like they do. I find Whisenhunt's approach to the preseason 100% correct. Don't scheme, let the players just play and don't worry about losing.

That's why you see DJ Young suck it on an island with no help. The coaching staff has to see what he can do since there will be times that he will be on an island, it happens from time to time.

And not scheming a pass rush allows the team to see what the OLBs can do with no help.

From watching what the Titans do, it was clear that they schemed to get after our QBs, so it's more likely that our offensive line would've performed better in the regular season and our defense would've done better getting after the QB.

Yeah they schemed all right just rush 4 guys and everybody meet at the QB. Worked like a charm.

The Cards are 13-19 the last two seasons and lost 15 of 18 at one point. They went 6-2 with a QB you say is terrible and can't continue to win for Arizona. So that isn't going to continue. Maybe the approach to the preseason isn't working anymore.

Especially leaving your young LT in his first start on an Island to protect your QB. You do that in practice not in a game where your QB can get knocked out for the season. The Coaches already know Young can't protect well left on an island. If he could he would have been starting ahead of the guys we've had who couldn't.

As for the pass rush the Cards get sacks but not consistent pressure.

And I'm not talking about pre season I'm talking about what I saw last year watching coaches film.

You may think things are rosy when most are saying 8-8 will be an accomplishment and 6-10 is more likely but I don't.