Whisenhunt Aftermath

[Evil Ash]

23 if you look league wide is a decent number unlike the paltry 10 put on the board in Tennessee.

We would have scored more if not for a stupid holding penalty by Wells on our final drive.

Of course no one mentions that our gameplan may have changed drastically due to the fact that Leinart didn't know he was starting until gameday.

 

[Evil Ash]

What about in the SuperBowl when the defense allowed the last score??


If they would have scored 28 vs. only 23............??

Well our offense was responsible for 30 points that day. Unfortunately 7 of those weren't for us.

Dammit Kurt why couldn't you just throw the damn ball away?!

 

[dreamcastrocks]

23 if you look league wide is a decent number unlike the paltry 10 put on the board in Tennessee.

Any time you put your defense on a 99 yard field and tell them to keep the opponent out of the end zone with 2 minutes to go, you should win that game. Simple as that.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Any time you put your defense on a 99 yard field and tell them to keep the opponent out of the end zone with 2 minutes to go, you should win that game. Simple as that.

it's really not simply as that. nothing is in football. That D had been on the field all day long because up until 2:00 left in the game, the offense had put up 3 points. 3 FREAKING POINTS. You realize how often that means the D was on the field?

Should we have won that game? Absolutely, but if we did almost all the credit would have gone to the D and Special Teams. Arguing otherwise when the offense scored 10 points doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

it's really not simply as that. nothing is in football. That D had been on the field all day long because up until 2:00 left in the game, the offense had put up 3 points. 3 FREAKING POINTS. You realize how often that means the D was on the field?

Should we have won that game? Absolutely, but if we did almost all the credit would have gone to the D and Special Teams. Arguing otherwise when the offense scored 10 points doesn't make a lot of sense.

I'm not saying he should have received the credit if he would have won. The D should have received it.

This defense seems to shrink under the pressure of the game more than win in recent memory. Goal line against SF not withstanding.

 

[D-Dogg]

True, the INT was horrible, but to be fair it was his first NFL drive ever. The rest of the game he played far better than either Leinart or Anderson. Worse, he showed far more poise, touch and moxie than either was well.

Against guys who won't be in the league next week. Tyler Palko looked good too.

Hell, last year Toast threw for 350 yards and 3 TDs in the preseason.

Hall and Skelton aren't the answer (yet..I like the potential in Skelton but kind of meh on Hall).

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm not saying he should have received the credit if he would have won. The D should have received it.

This defense seems to shrink under the pressure of the game more than win in recent memory. Goal line against SF not withstanding.

i wouldn't argue that point at all.

 

[joeshmo]

it's really not simply as that. nothing is in football. That D had been on the field all day long because up until 2:00 left in the game, the offense had put up 3 points. 3 FREAKING POINTS. You realize how often that means the D was on the field?

Not the case. Up until that 2 and half minute drive to end the game the TOP ratio was 28:53(Cards) to 28:30(Titans). Cards D wasn't on the field all day long and no reason for them to be tired what so ever. Just a classic end of the 4th quarter D breakdown they have shown the last 3 years.

 

[Mulli]

Great thread, compelling and rich.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Against guys who won't be in the league next week. Tyler Palko looked good too.

Hell, last year Toast threw for 350 yards and 3 TDs in the preseason.

Hall and Skelton aren't the answer (yet..I like the potential in Skelton but kind of meh on Hall).

True. I guess my point is that I judge rookies in their first games differently than guys with many years of experience in the NFL. Sure, Hall threw a horrible INT, but the rest of the game looked great. While both Hall and Skelton have been playing great against 2nd and 3rd teamers, at least they're looking great against someone. (Something you can't say about either of our top two options) At least you can trick yourself into hoping they'll progress.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Hell, last year Toast threw for 350 yards and 3 TDs in the preseason.

In one HALF, no less. If anyone else besides Leinart did that.... nevermind, I don't want to imagine.

 

[Longcolts]

Didn't it take Toast a whole half before he started getting comfortable?

Actually according to Whiz while it did take Leinart a half to get comfortable, he didn't really open up the playbook until the second half.

 

[daves]

it's really not simply as that. nothing is in football. That D had been on the field all day long because up until 2:00 left in the game, the offense had put up 3 points. 3 FREAKING POINTS. You realize how often that means the D was on the field?

It was definitely frustrating to watch the offense struggle in that game, and i agree that Leinart was mediocre - but i have to disagree with your shifting ANY blame for the defensive collapse to the offense. Prior to the Titans' final drive, which took the last 2:37 off the clock, the time of possession was almost dead even, with the Cardinals having a slight edge, at 28:53 - 28:30, and each team had run exactly 52 offensive plays on 8 drives (Cardinals) or 9 drives (Titans).

The ineptness of the Cardinals' offense in that game did not result in the defense being "on the field all day" nor give the defense ANY excuse for their 99-yard letdown. The D had played adequately, but not particularly well, for the whole game, bending but not breaking while giving up 433 yards BEFORE the final drive, 532 total.

Leinart had played a safe, conservative game, 21-31-220-0-0 - which is probably exactly what Whisenhunt wanted from his backup QB against an opponent with a good defense and Vince Young at QB. Keep it close and leave it in the hands of the D. Leinart kept it close, but the D let it slip away.

...dave

[Whoops... just got to the last page of the thread and see that Joe beat me to posting the info about time of possession.]

 

[Derm]

So how much trouble would we have if we started tossing toast on the field (of course to make a point - just a token of "affection" for the brain-dead sportswriters)?

Kind of like the drunken students flinging tortillas at the ASU games.

I know - a lot of trouble. But I'd blame 40 and DuckJake....

 

[Cheesebeef]

It was definitely frustrating to watch the offense struggle in that game, and i agree that Leinart was mediocre - but i have to disagree with your shifting ANY blame for the defensive collapse to the offense. Prior to the Titans' final drive, which took the last 2:37 off the clock, the time of possession was almost dead even, with the Cardinals having a slight edge, at 28:53 - 28:30, and each team had run exactly 52 offensive plays on 8 drives (Cardinals) or 9 drives (Titans).

The ineptness of the Cardinals' offense in that game did not result in the defense being "on the field all day" nor give the defense ANY excuse for their 99-yard letdown. The D had played adequately, but not particularly well, for the whole game, bending but not breaking while giving up 433 yards BEFORE the final drive, 532 total.

Leinart had played a safe, conservative game, 21-31-220-0-0 - which is probably exactly what Whisenhunt wanted from his backup QB against an opponent with a good defense and Vince Young at QB. Keep it close and leave it in the hands of the D. Leinart kept it close, but the D let it slip away.

...dave

[Whoops... just got to the last page of the thread and see that Joe beat me to posting the info about time of possession.]

dave, I will rip your goatee off your face hair by miniscule hair not only for disagreeing with me... but proving me WRONG at the same time.

even without my memory failing me about the D being on the field all day... 10 points isn't anything to be proud of. it's not horrific, but it's not good or mediocre. it's just there... kinda the how i feel about Matt at this point. He's not shown to be horrific... he's not shown to be good... he's just... there. Like an unproven Kent Graham.

 

[TheCardFan]

Unless you've got Matty-blinders on, upon reading Wiz's comments, I don't think you can come to any other conclusion that the onus of responsibility on that poopy play was on Matt.

What's even more significant to me was Leinart's comments about the play as he walked off the field and during his interview. As the leader...you can't point the finger at others in public.

He keeps saying it's only pre-season but that is an excuse for crappy play.

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

All this talk over 1 throw? The regular season cannot get here quick enough. I'm sick only having 3 series per game to judge Matt on.

Then get your pepto bismol ready for having a whole game tape to judge him on.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

What's even more significant to me was Leinart's comments about the play as he walked off the field and during his interview. As the leader...you can't point the finger at others in public.

He keeps saying it's only pre-season but that is an excuse for crappy play.

Huh? Warner did this all the time and some people here suggest that Leinart needs do to this to become a leader.

 

[daves]

dave, I will rip your goatee off your face hair by miniscule hair not only for disagreeing with me... but proving me WRONG at the same time.

I hold you to a high standard, cheesy!

(Remind me to shave before the next time we get together!)

...dave