Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Let's see now---
1. Anquan Boldin---how any NFL head coach could manage to alienate this guy is beyond comprehension...and at the time of the NFC Championship it seemed incomprehensible that Boldin would still be so indignant...
2. Matt Leinart---it's not so much that Whisenhunt found the faults in Leinart---it's how he handled the Leinart situation that was regrettable, not only for Leinart but for the team on the eve of the new season.
3. Beanie Wells---never seemed to fit Whisenhunt's system to begin with because he is so one-dimensional. Despite the glaring needs in the o-line and at pass rusher, Whisenhunt uses the first round pick following the Super Bowl on Wells, and he can't even beat out THT---and then---came the knee injury---and then something that is still virtually impossible to comprehend, that despite the knee issue, Whisenhunt pounds the ball with Wells deep into the second halfs of pre-season games.
Then this year---Wells gets hurt again (a toe this time), and even thought the team was off to a great start, Whisenhunt decided to throw Wells on the temporary IR, while Whisenhunt keeps injured TE Todd Heap the entire duration of that time. Wells was clamoring that he was fine and ready to go three weeks before he was eligible to come off the IR. Meanwhile, Heap continues to be de-activated on game days.
Now Wells says he's auditioning for 31 teams---not to excuse him for his non-contact fumble on the one inch line last week---but it is what it is.
4. Todd Heap---what in the world happened with this guy? First there were rumors to the effect that when Whisenhunt following a loss was casting blame on players who weren't participating (e.g. Todd Heap)---then when Heap was finally healthy enough to play---he gets de-activated again, and then gets cut.
5. Adrian Wilson---first of all, Adrian Wilson has put more blood, sweat and tears into the Cardinals' organization than any coach on the current staff ever has---to make him the scapegoat following the bye week with Whisenhunt's new "holding everyone accountable" rule---was outrageous. There would have been no problem subbing quietly for him in the nickel and dime packages---as he wound up playing the vast majority of the defensive snaps anyway---but to single him out was egregious.
And now Wilson has to face daily questions from the media about it possibly and quite probably being his last game at U of P---I don't know about you, but that has me incredibly upset. Wilson, of anyone, deserves better.
Wilson also agreed to a pay cut this past summer, which is humiliating enough for a recent Pro Bowler---talk about loyalty, though. He was the one who all along stood by the Cardinals when he could have forced his way out of town. He was the one crying tears of joy as the Halas Trophy was being lifted.
The thing is---Wilson can still be a dynamic force for the defense in a modified role---if it were up to me, he wouldn't be going anywhere. I would hate to see him in another team's uniform the same way I hate seeing Boldin as a Raven and hated seeing Aeneas Williams as a Ram.
Adrian Wilson should be a Cardinal for life.
6. Darnell Dockett---something's been not quite right about him all year---not sure in this case what Whisenhunt's role in this is---but the reported $200,000 fine for disobeying team orders seems egregious.
Dockett came to Ray Horton to say he and the defense were ready to go prior to the Lions' game---and boy oh boy were they ready to go---so it wouldn't seem like Dockett's animosity is not directed toward Horton.
In the Bears game, Dockett's effort was poor. Why?
7. John Skelton---sure Skelton was very bad in the Seattle game---but look at the seesaw he has been on with Ken Whisenhunt since the day he was drafted:
a. No first team reps at all as a rookie while Derek Anderson fails and Max Hall is tabbed in front of Skelton.
b. When all QB options were exhausted and it was Skelton's turn, he STILL hadn't had any first team reps and was told that street FA Richard Bartel was being brought in and could start in front of him.
c. Despite the lack of reps, Skelton leads the Cardinals to two wins, one versus the Rams and one versus the Cowboys (in come from behind fashion on Christmas)---which was the one bright spot for an otherwise dismal 5-11 season. Then he gets yanked for Bartel at SF early into the second half, which Skelton said after the game he did not see coming.
d. Ken Whisenhunt says to the media, 'I am not happy or comfortable with any of our QBs."
e. The Cardinals trade for QB Kevin Kolb.
f. Kolb struggles mightily, the team gets off to a 1-6 start, then Kolb gets hurt. Skelton replaces him and proceeds to go 6-2, winning 4 of those games on comeback drives....and winning at Philadelphia in stunning fashion, to boot.
g. Despite mounting a winning streak, Skelton is replaced by Kolb for the Dallas game. Kolb and the Cardinals win.
h. Kolb starts the 49ers game and gets hurt. Skelton leads a big comeback and the Cardinals beat the then 10-2 49ers for the first time in the last six chances.
i. Skelton struggles in the first half versus the Bengals but leads an impressive comeback that ends on a very possible TD pass that Early Doucet slips on. Skelton finishes out the season with a feel-ggod win over the Seahawks---first Cardinals' win in four chances over Pete Carroll.
j. Whisnhunt states that the QB job is an open competition between Kolb and Skelton.
k. Skelton gets the least amount of snaps in pre-season, despite there being 5 pre-season games and despite that Kolb is struggling mightily.
l. Skelton gets the start in the 4th pre-season game---but has to play behind a PS LT and has zero time to throw. Is yanked for Kolb, who thankfully later gets a replacement at LT as starts to produce...which is great for him, but tarnished a little by a poor pick six coming out of the locker room to start the second half.
m. Now a two week wait to hear who the starter will be---and it's been announced that neither Skelton nor Kolb would be getting any snaps in the final pre-season game.
n. In a surprise to some and perhaps many, Skelton is named the starter.
o. Skelton injures his ankle early in the first half, Kolb comes in and leads the team to four straight victories in a similar fashion to how Skelton did the year before: capitalizing on very good defense and despite struggling at time on offense, putting up enough points to win.
p. Kolb and the Cardinals lose game 5 to the Rams---and then in game 6 versus Buffalo at home, a struggling Kolb is injured and Skelton comes in, helps to lead the team to what should have been the game winning field goal, except Feely misses it from 38 yards out. Skelton throws a poor interception in OT and a nine game losing streak is well on its way.
q. Skelton's best game in the interim comes versus GB at Lambeau on a day where the defense gives up some rare big TD plays---but Skelton hangs in there for over 300 yards and the last TD pass of what could well be the season.
r. Despite a stunning 13-3 lead generated by the defense versus the top NFC team in the Falcons at their place, no less---after Skelton misses a wide open Larry Fitzgerald in the end zone causing the team to settle for a field goal instead, Skelton is benched in favor of Ryan Lindley, a rookie who had never taken a snap in an NFL game.
Note: this Atlanta game following the bye week had the Cardinals still in decent shape for playoff contention---if they pull off the stunning win they are 5-5---and the winning formula in the second half of last year was great defense combined with just good enough offense and 4th quarter heroics. That formula was looking great at 13-3---but the formula ended right there when Skelton was pulled.
s. Despite Lindley struggling in epic proportions to the tune of 0-15 on third down conversions in a very winnable Jets' game, with the game on the line and having generated 6 career 4th quarter comebacks, Whisenhunt does not sub Skelton in.
t. Instead, Whisenhunt gives Skelton the dubious task of taking on a red-hot Seahawks team up in Seattle where they almost never lose. Skelton is bad---but then again so is the whole demoralized team to the tune of 58-0 bad. That's it for Skelton. He is yanked in favor of Lindley and Lindley fares no better. Lindley gets the start versus the Lions.
u. A week later Skelton is de-activated versus the Bears in favor of a recently acquired Brian Hoyer.
QBs on yo-yos---not much of a chance is there?
8. Russ Grimm---everyone says Whisenhunt and Grimm are buddy-buddies. But realistically as professionals can anyone possibly think that is the case? First of all, Russ Grimm must still be kicking himself in the arse for not being the first to jump at the Cardinals' job. Grimm didn't read the writing on the wall in Pittsburgh as quickly as Whisenhunt did.
Grimm's performance in Arizona has been suspect at best. But even he has had to suffer through role changes---once upon a time he was the co-offensive coordinator in charge of the running game---but that went away as quickly as a Julius Peppers rush around an isolated Cardinal LT.
The there was the whole Springsteen incident at the Super Bowl---which is about as irresponsible a decision as a coach can make.
To think that Grimm and Whisenhunt are on the same page would be an elastic stretch of anyone's imagination.
And what exactly is Grimm's role as assistant head coach other than to flip pre-game over-the-shoulder tosses for Fitzgerald or than to collect a fatter paycheck?
We hardly ever hear from the guy, do we?
Talk about silent partners.
9. The Bidwills---I actually feel somewhat sorry for them, because this is deja vu all over again for them as the they are now faced with a second time in a row of having to eat the last year of a head coach's contract because the head coach could not provide the stability the organization needs on the field and in its relationships with the players and fans.
Seeing and hearing a raucous hoard of Bears' fans whoop it up at the U of P last Sunday is a symbol and signal of just how far the image and reputation of the franchise has fallen these past three years.
With the Cardinals' fall has been the swift rise of the other NFC West teams in the division as two of them this year are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
Where I lack sympathy for the Bidwill is how they handled the rare taste of winning on a national stage---it all started to unravel the day Kurt Warner flew to SF.
But now---franchise altering decisions need to be made---let's see how strongly the memory of the taste of winning has remained.
1. Anquan Boldin---how any NFL head coach could manage to alienate this guy is beyond comprehension...and at the time of the NFC Championship it seemed incomprehensible that Boldin would still be so indignant...
2. Matt Leinart---it's not so much that Whisenhunt found the faults in Leinart---it's how he handled the Leinart situation that was regrettable, not only for Leinart but for the team on the eve of the new season.
3. Beanie Wells---never seemed to fit Whisenhunt's system to begin with because he is so one-dimensional. Despite the glaring needs in the o-line and at pass rusher, Whisenhunt uses the first round pick following the Super Bowl on Wells, and he can't even beat out THT---and then---came the knee injury---and then something that is still virtually impossible to comprehend, that despite the knee issue, Whisenhunt pounds the ball with Wells deep into the second halfs of pre-season games.
Then this year---Wells gets hurt again (a toe this time), and even thought the team was off to a great start, Whisenhunt decided to throw Wells on the temporary IR, while Whisenhunt keeps injured TE Todd Heap the entire duration of that time. Wells was clamoring that he was fine and ready to go three weeks before he was eligible to come off the IR. Meanwhile, Heap continues to be de-activated on game days.
Now Wells says he's auditioning for 31 teams---not to excuse him for his non-contact fumble on the one inch line last week---but it is what it is.
4. Todd Heap---what in the world happened with this guy? First there were rumors to the effect that when Whisenhunt following a loss was casting blame on players who weren't participating (e.g. Todd Heap)---then when Heap was finally healthy enough to play---he gets de-activated again, and then gets cut.
5. Adrian Wilson---first of all, Adrian Wilson has put more blood, sweat and tears into the Cardinals' organization than any coach on the current staff ever has---to make him the scapegoat following the bye week with Whisenhunt's new "holding everyone accountable" rule---was outrageous. There would have been no problem subbing quietly for him in the nickel and dime packages---as he wound up playing the vast majority of the defensive snaps anyway---but to single him out was egregious.
And now Wilson has to face daily questions from the media about it possibly and quite probably being his last game at U of P---I don't know about you, but that has me incredibly upset. Wilson, of anyone, deserves better.
Wilson also agreed to a pay cut this past summer, which is humiliating enough for a recent Pro Bowler---talk about loyalty, though. He was the one who all along stood by the Cardinals when he could have forced his way out of town. He was the one crying tears of joy as the Halas Trophy was being lifted.
The thing is---Wilson can still be a dynamic force for the defense in a modified role---if it were up to me, he wouldn't be going anywhere. I would hate to see him in another team's uniform the same way I hate seeing Boldin as a Raven and hated seeing Aeneas Williams as a Ram.
Adrian Wilson should be a Cardinal for life.
6. Darnell Dockett---something's been not quite right about him all year---not sure in this case what Whisenhunt's role in this is---but the reported $200,000 fine for disobeying team orders seems egregious.
Dockett came to Ray Horton to say he and the defense were ready to go prior to the Lions' game---and boy oh boy were they ready to go---so it wouldn't seem like Dockett's animosity is not directed toward Horton.
In the Bears game, Dockett's effort was poor. Why?
7. John Skelton---sure Skelton was very bad in the Seattle game---but look at the seesaw he has been on with Ken Whisenhunt since the day he was drafted:
a. No first team reps at all as a rookie while Derek Anderson fails and Max Hall is tabbed in front of Skelton.
b. When all QB options were exhausted and it was Skelton's turn, he STILL hadn't had any first team reps and was told that street FA Richard Bartel was being brought in and could start in front of him.
c. Despite the lack of reps, Skelton leads the Cardinals to two wins, one versus the Rams and one versus the Cowboys (in come from behind fashion on Christmas)---which was the one bright spot for an otherwise dismal 5-11 season. Then he gets yanked for Bartel at SF early into the second half, which Skelton said after the game he did not see coming.
d. Ken Whisenhunt says to the media, 'I am not happy or comfortable with any of our QBs."
e. The Cardinals trade for QB Kevin Kolb.
f. Kolb struggles mightily, the team gets off to a 1-6 start, then Kolb gets hurt. Skelton replaces him and proceeds to go 6-2, winning 4 of those games on comeback drives....and winning at Philadelphia in stunning fashion, to boot.
g. Despite mounting a winning streak, Skelton is replaced by Kolb for the Dallas game. Kolb and the Cardinals win.
h. Kolb starts the 49ers game and gets hurt. Skelton leads a big comeback and the Cardinals beat the then 10-2 49ers for the first time in the last six chances.
i. Skelton struggles in the first half versus the Bengals but leads an impressive comeback that ends on a very possible TD pass that Early Doucet slips on. Skelton finishes out the season with a feel-ggod win over the Seahawks---first Cardinals' win in four chances over Pete Carroll.
j. Whisnhunt states that the QB job is an open competition between Kolb and Skelton.
k. Skelton gets the least amount of snaps in pre-season, despite there being 5 pre-season games and despite that Kolb is struggling mightily.
l. Skelton gets the start in the 4th pre-season game---but has to play behind a PS LT and has zero time to throw. Is yanked for Kolb, who thankfully later gets a replacement at LT as starts to produce...which is great for him, but tarnished a little by a poor pick six coming out of the locker room to start the second half.
m. Now a two week wait to hear who the starter will be---and it's been announced that neither Skelton nor Kolb would be getting any snaps in the final pre-season game.
n. In a surprise to some and perhaps many, Skelton is named the starter.
o. Skelton injures his ankle early in the first half, Kolb comes in and leads the team to four straight victories in a similar fashion to how Skelton did the year before: capitalizing on very good defense and despite struggling at time on offense, putting up enough points to win.
p. Kolb and the Cardinals lose game 5 to the Rams---and then in game 6 versus Buffalo at home, a struggling Kolb is injured and Skelton comes in, helps to lead the team to what should have been the game winning field goal, except Feely misses it from 38 yards out. Skelton throws a poor interception in OT and a nine game losing streak is well on its way.
q. Skelton's best game in the interim comes versus GB at Lambeau on a day where the defense gives up some rare big TD plays---but Skelton hangs in there for over 300 yards and the last TD pass of what could well be the season.
r. Despite a stunning 13-3 lead generated by the defense versus the top NFC team in the Falcons at their place, no less---after Skelton misses a wide open Larry Fitzgerald in the end zone causing the team to settle for a field goal instead, Skelton is benched in favor of Ryan Lindley, a rookie who had never taken a snap in an NFL game.
Note: this Atlanta game following the bye week had the Cardinals still in decent shape for playoff contention---if they pull off the stunning win they are 5-5---and the winning formula in the second half of last year was great defense combined with just good enough offense and 4th quarter heroics. That formula was looking great at 13-3---but the formula ended right there when Skelton was pulled.
s. Despite Lindley struggling in epic proportions to the tune of 0-15 on third down conversions in a very winnable Jets' game, with the game on the line and having generated 6 career 4th quarter comebacks, Whisenhunt does not sub Skelton in.
t. Instead, Whisenhunt gives Skelton the dubious task of taking on a red-hot Seahawks team up in Seattle where they almost never lose. Skelton is bad---but then again so is the whole demoralized team to the tune of 58-0 bad. That's it for Skelton. He is yanked in favor of Lindley and Lindley fares no better. Lindley gets the start versus the Lions.
u. A week later Skelton is de-activated versus the Bears in favor of a recently acquired Brian Hoyer.
QBs on yo-yos---not much of a chance is there?
8. Russ Grimm---everyone says Whisenhunt and Grimm are buddy-buddies. But realistically as professionals can anyone possibly think that is the case? First of all, Russ Grimm must still be kicking himself in the arse for not being the first to jump at the Cardinals' job. Grimm didn't read the writing on the wall in Pittsburgh as quickly as Whisenhunt did.
Grimm's performance in Arizona has been suspect at best. But even he has had to suffer through role changes---once upon a time he was the co-offensive coordinator in charge of the running game---but that went away as quickly as a Julius Peppers rush around an isolated Cardinal LT.
The there was the whole Springsteen incident at the Super Bowl---which is about as irresponsible a decision as a coach can make.
To think that Grimm and Whisenhunt are on the same page would be an elastic stretch of anyone's imagination.
And what exactly is Grimm's role as assistant head coach other than to flip pre-game over-the-shoulder tosses for Fitzgerald or than to collect a fatter paycheck?
We hardly ever hear from the guy, do we?
Talk about silent partners.
9. The Bidwills---I actually feel somewhat sorry for them, because this is deja vu all over again for them as the they are now faced with a second time in a row of having to eat the last year of a head coach's contract because the head coach could not provide the stability the organization needs on the field and in its relationships with the players and fans.
Seeing and hearing a raucous hoard of Bears' fans whoop it up at the U of P last Sunday is a symbol and signal of just how far the image and reputation of the franchise has fallen these past three years.
With the Cardinals' fall has been the swift rise of the other NFC West teams in the division as two of them this year are legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
Where I lack sympathy for the Bidwill is how they handled the rare taste of winning on a national stage---it all started to unravel the day Kurt Warner flew to SF.
But now---franchise altering decisions need to be made---let's see how strongly the memory of the taste of winning has remained.
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