Archive for the ‘arizona cardinals’ Category
October 13th, 2009
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Author: 
Being an Arizona Cardinals fan for so many years I’ve learned that
there’s no such thing as a bad win. A Cards win is kind of like a back
massage… I always appreciate them even if they’re not that great.
Well the Cardinals were not that great on Sunday but were good enough
to get the win and that will always put a smile on my face. What
doesn’t put a smile on my face is the lingering issues that could be a
sign of bad things to come for Arizona.
When the Cardinals took a
21-0 lead into the half I told my Dad this game is far from over. I
went as far as predicting the final score would be 24-21 Arizona and I
was almost right. I knew the Texans would come back for two reasons…
One the Cardinals won’t run the ball which is something you have to
effectively do when you have a lead. Two, coach Whisenhunt has a past
history as an offensive coordinator of playing ultra conservative when
he gets a big lead early. It’s the NFL not Pop Warner, If you beat a
team by 40 then great. These are paid players not little kids who cares
if we blow them out. Go look at Whisenhunts history with leads it’s a
common theme. He’s the best coach Arizona’s ever had and I love’em to
death for what he’s done with the Cardinals but I’m critical of some
things he’s doing right now.
I keep hearing Cardinal fans in
the stands at games saying we need to pass the ball more and complaining when they run. Really? I
mean I get it we have the best wide receivers in the league but what
game are you watching? When we pass on every down our quarterback can’t
get the ball off because teams don’t have to respect the run so
defenses are just pass rushing all game and killing Kurt. That’s what
happened in the Colts game and in the second half of the Texans game.
Houston who was ranked 29th in run defense realized in the second half
that they don’t have to worry about stopping the run because Arizona
isn’t going to do it. So they made a point of disrupting the pass
attack by getting in Kurt’s face. Play action was killer last year
during the playoff run. But play action doesn’t work when you don’t run
the ball. What I’m saying is common sense but nothing seems to be done
about it. If the Cardinals don’t start running the ball this season could end quickly.
Defense. I don’t know what to make of it with
the Cardinals. They seem to be great in the first half of games but
teams always adjust and pick Arizona apart in the second half. Is this
coaching or the players lack of execution? The Cardinals haven’t
recorded a sack in the last two games. Is this going to continue? Is
the pass rush really an issue or are they just in a slump? Something
has to be done about this because Matt Schaub looked like Peyton
Manning in the second half. I don’t know that Karlos Dansby and Adrian
Wilson are having bad years. But I haven’t seen either of them make a
play this season. They’ve combined for 45 tackles 0 interceptions an 0.5
sacks. Those are mediocre numbers for guys that will be combining for just under $20 million this year on the salary cap. They’re both on pace for their worst
seasons since their rookie year. I’m not worried about those two they just need to get going.
The defense really has been
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde this season. The defense was great in the first
half then awful in the second half. DRC makes a great play to give the
Cardinals the lead then the Texans march down the field easily on them
to set up what should’ve been an easy score on the goal line. Then when
needed the D-line steps up and stuffs Houston to win the game. So props
to the defense for stepping up when needed at the end of the game
because God knows the offense wasn’t going to do anything in overtime if we needed them.
Also props to Calais Campell who had another blocked field goal and an all around good game. He’s really becoming a great player and a fan favorite.
There
was good and bad in this game. I left the game happy but discouraged. But I’m still hopeful that the Cardinals can find a way
to get the run game going and bring some consistancy to the defense.
Arizona is in a solid position to make another run at the division and
that’s still something I’m not use to saying as a Cardinals fan. So as
long as I can say that then I’m happy.
Posted in 
Keys to today’s game…
1. Get the run game going. The
Texans have the 29th ranked run defense in the NFL. If the Cardinals
can’t get the run game going against Houston then this could be a long
season. Run the ball to set up the pass. Get some balance going with
this high power offense
2. Protect Kurt Warner. To me this goes hand in hand with running the ball. If the Cards can run the ball
it will keep Mario Williams and the rest of the Texans defensive line
on their heels.
3. Contain Andre Johnson. Johnson is
great at burning people deep and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been
great at getting beat deep. DRC when covering Andre needs to keep him
in front of him. DRC has the ability to do it as long as he has no mental mistakes.
4. Get the ball to the playmakers. Larry
is often doubled covered. But I can tell you that wasn’t the
case on every play. When Fitzgerald has one on one coverage down field
he needs to get the ball thrown his way every time. Beanie Wells should
see more carries today so I expect this to be a break out game for him.
Alright well this game is kind of a make or break for the Cards.
I don’t call games “must wins” unless they actually are must wins, but
this is a big one. You don’t see a lot of teams recovering from a 1-3
record. Hopefully the Cardinals put away the Texans so we don’t have to
get into that conversation.
Prediction: Cardinals 31 Texans 17
We all watched the game Sunday night and we’re all miserable over
it. But now that the initial shock of the 31 to 10 loss has worn off
I’d like to talk about the state of the Cardinals…
The
offensive line obviously got owned Sunday night. I was saying all week
leading up to the game if the Cardinals tackles can handle the Colts
defensive ends then we win. If the Colts DE’s get to Kurt it will be a
long day. Unfortunately the latter happened. It is what it is, the
Colts D line is just better than the Cards O line. Even though this may
be true, I still feel Arizona played to the strengths of the Colts by predictably having there immobile quarterback sit back in the pocket
all day. Yes, I know the Cardinals were down most of the game which
requires them to pass more and yes I’m aware we have the best wide
receivers in the league. But when you have a defense that’s awful at
stopping the run and beat up in the middle of their line, you have to
run the ball early in the game. The Cards gave up too early on the run
game and I like everyone else would’ve liked to see our first round
draft pick get more than two carries in the game. We needed to make an emphasis of running the ball to set up our stud WR’s and we didn’t do
that.
I am critical of some of the play calling as you can
tell. I mean how much did losing Todd Haley really affect us? Is
Whisenhunt this bad at calling the plays? Maybe it’s just hard to be head coach and call the plays at the same time, I don’t know but
something needs to change. The interception on the goal line was part
of a bad play call. We should’ve run it but from what I hear it was
Kurt that audibled to a throw from a run. So that one’s on Warner. But
not establishing a run game is mostly on the coaches.
Kurt didn’t
play a great game but I’d say most of that has to do with getting
planted in the ground on every play. The over throw to Larry was inexcusable for a guy of his accuracy but when your use to getting hit
on every play it can be tough to step up and deliver a pass on target.
He’s a tough guy and hung in there but with his lack of mobility there
wasn’t much he could do.
I have to give my Dad credit… up in
the stands after a TV timeout my Dad says ” they’re gonna get DRC
(Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) on a stop and go rout for a touchdown,
they’ve been setting him up all game.” Well my Dad couldn’t have been
more right. The ball was snapped, Peyton pumped, DRC bit on the fake
and the rest was history. Cromartie is a freakish athlete and I’m still
glad we drafted him. But he just has to learn how to play football in
the NFL. This isn’t division II where your athletic
ability alone can make you dominate a game. DRC has to learn how to
play zone and has to become more discipline. Until he learns we’re
going to see him burned more and more for touchdowns.
State of the Cardinals
Although
I just wrote a lot of negative things I’m still confident the Cards can
win the NFC West. Arizona has the talent and proven past history that
shows they can beat anyone when at the top of their game. But what
needs to change for the Cards to get back on top of their game?
Some
kind of run game needs to be established in the up and coming weeks.
The only reason why the Cardinals made the playoff run last year was
because the run game came alive. If the run game comes around so will
the rest of the offense. If we run the ball we won’t have to see games where Warner gets
hit a dozen times, teams won’t be pinning their ears back and
rushing Kurt if they have to respect the run.
The play calling in general needs to improve.
It’s not a good thing that our running back is leading the team in
receptions especially with the wide receivers Arizona has. A lot of
that falls on Kurt. There were multiple times I’d see the best jump
ball WR of all time running one on one down the sideline and Warner
would dump it off to a RB. I’d rather lose throwing it deep to
Fitzgerald in one on one coverage than dumping it off to Hightower.
Kurt usually makes the right decision and I trust him, I just think some shots down field couldn’t hurt. That’s more of a decision making issue but still it’s all part of
Whisenhunt and Warner needing to get on the same page.
The
defense like last year needs to get more consistent. Showing up one
week and not the next won’t cut. the D looked good in the first quarter
but as soon as Manning got a few looks at what they were doing it was
game over. Some of this might be play calling some of it might be the
players but either way the defense needs to step it up.
The season is far from over and a bye week might be a good thing.
Don’t jump off the bandwagon just yet. The team is full of talent and
in a weak division. I still expect to see them make another run at the
playoffs.
photo from azcardinals.com
What happened in the game against the 49ers? Will the Cardinals
rebound this week against Jacksonville? Will the offense get back in
rhythm this week? All of this is discussed on this weeks edition of
Voice of the Cardinals.
The Arizona Cardinals home opener as most of you already know is against the San Francisco 49ers. Well I got a chance to exchange some questions with Samuel Lam of Mining the Gold Rush about the up and coming game…
Eli: So what’s going on with Michael Crabtree? Do you see him getting signed at all by the 49ers?
Sam: I’m at the point where I just don’t care anymore. The situation hasn’t changed since the team offered Crabtree $20 million. The 49ers don’t plan to budge on their stance and Crabtree (along with his agent Eugene Parker) feel that a larger contract is needed. At this point, Crabtree is hurting himself each day that passes. The team is fortunate enough to not be desperate in the wide receiver position.
Sam: I initially thought he would have signed by last weekend. But if he doesn’t sign by the first game of the year (in which then he would miss out on a paycheck) then I don’t think he’ll sign at all. He doesn’t benefit from any of this and the possibility of sitting out only makes him look foolish.
Eli: Do the fans in San Francisco trust Shaun Hill as their quarterback?
Sam: The consensus that I’ve seen from fans is that they support Hill. They have seen his success over the past two seasons and they are hoping that he can continue that in the regular season. The support right now goes to Smith as well. The fans want any quarterback that can help the team win. If Hill can do that, they will be behind him. We might be a little spoiled since our last three consistent starting quarterbacks have taken us to the playoffs and Super Bowl wins. But we are hungry for someone great.
Eli: Who has been the biggest surprise for the 49ers this offseason?
Sam: I have been impressed with the play of rookies RB Glen Coffee and QB Nate Davis. Their execution in the preseason gives the team a lot of hope for the future. The other surprise to me is the play of WR Micheal Spurlock. He has been solid at camp and is a great option for the team’s Wildcat plays. I think overall, the secondary has played really well. If the team pass rush takes a while to develop throughout the season, the secondary should be able to provide some relief for the defense.
Eli: Where do you see the 49ers finishing in the division this year?
Sam: On paper, the 49ers don’t look much different from last year. Even though they finished in second place, the team still has a tough schedule and a lot of holes to still fill this season. The Cardinals and Seahawks look better right now. The 49ers might finish with seven wins again this year and finish third. But there is so much upside to the team right now that 10 wins isn’t out of the question either. But right now, looking at the schedule, seven wins seems likely.
Eli: What’s your prediction for the game?
Sam: The Cardinals should win this close game 24-17. The experience of the Cardinals should prevail. The 49ers, however, will most definitely keep it close.
Thanks for your time Sam!
I got a chance to interview Jim Trotter
of Sports Illustrated magazine the other day about the Cardinals up and
coming football season. Normally I do these interviews only on audio
podcast, but since I have access to a studio thanks to the Legal Broadcast Network
I figured I might as well give video a try. It is my first “Voice of
the Cardinals” video so I might have been a little out of my element,
but I should start getting use to the format after a few videos so
don’t be too critical just yet. As for the orange shirt with the red
background I apologize. Being colorblind hasn’t caused me any problems
on radio. I wish I could say the same for video or in my day to day
life.
But I digress… Jim is close with a lot of the
Cardinals players and always has interesting insight on the football
team. So watch and enjoy.
The other night I was lucky enough to cover the Larry Fitzgerald & Friends: Morton’s Celebrity Waiter Night. You can read more about the event by clicking here.
It was a special night put on at Morton’s Steakhouse in Scottsdale, Arizona. The players included Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Chris “Beanie” Wells, Karlos Dansby, Darnell Dockett, Antrel Rolle, Bertrand Berry, Tim Hightower, Neil Rackers, and coach Ken Whisenhunt.
Take a look at the video below to watch some of the interviews myself and Greg Esposito of Fanster.com had with the Arizona Cardinals players.
photo from azcardinals.com
The final cuts have just come in and here is the list of players cut…
- QB Tyler Palko
- WR Steve Sanders
- WR Ed Gant
- CB Wilrey Fontenot
- RB Chris Vincent
- CB Jameel Dowling
- FB Reagan Maui’a
- FB Tim Castille
- S Aaron Francisco
- C Melvin Fowler
- LB Victor Hobson
- G Trevor Canfield
- G Carlton Medder
- DE Alex Field
- DT Keilen Dykes
- OT Oliver Ross
- TE Leonard Pope
- WR Onrea Jones
- DT Rodney Leisle
- LB Chase Bullock
- LB David Holloway
Not a whole lot of surprises to me in there. The big names cut are Aaron
Francisco who has been part of the Cardinals for the last 4 seasons and
Leonard Pope who was a former 3rd round draft pick. Francisco I thought
was going to be right on that cut line but I felt he would be cut in the end. Pope has never
lived up to his potential so he needed to go. Dominique Byrd outplayed Pope during the preseason so I’d agree with this decision.
The
biggest surprise to me was the Cardinals keeping 7 wide receivers
including Lance Long. I’m happy for Lance because he’s worked hard and
done a solid job this offseason. The Cardinals also kept 4 running
backs and one of those was 7th round pick LaRod Stephen-Howling. Another pleasant surprise was
undrafted rookie linebacker Reggie Walker. He played very well all
preseason and it payed off for him. So congratulations to those 3 guys
over coming the odds.
photo from azcardinals.com
It’s time to welcome in the Green Bay Packers for game 3 of the
preseason. Game 3 is right around the time we just want to say enough
already! Lets get to the regular season! I’m sure many of you have
already been saying that yourselves but I enjoy watching rookies get a
chance to show what they’ve got. I only enjoy it for about two games
though. I’ve seen enough, now I’ll just be holding my breath praying
for no injuries.
The biggest injury of note right now is
Anquan Boldin’s tweaked hamstring. I don’t know what to make of this
injury for the reason that it’s not a severe injury but it can be a
thing that lingers for a whole season. A hamstring injury last season
almost cost Boldin his entire playoffs. If this injury continues to
nag Anquan it could be a long season for the Pro Bowler. Hopefully this
is just a minor tweak that’s being treated with extra precaution.
It
looks like Beanie Wells will be back for Friday night. So that’s
something exciting to watch. I don’t expect many carries but either way
it will be nice to see the first round pick on the field.
I think
we’re all pumped to watch LaRod Stephens-Howling again. He may make the
team as a kick return guy after that show he put on during the San
Diego game. I’d like to see Steve Breaston who is reliable and solid
returning the punts and Howling returning kickoffs. Of course that
would me the Cardinals would most likely keep 4 RB’s but I’m down for
keep 4 if Howling keeps playing like he is. Heck he’s done better than
Jason Wright, maybe Wright gets the ax? There’s still two games to go
though so who knows how things will finish out.
This post was written by Greg Esposito of Fanster.com I’m copying this post because Greg and I will be covering the Larry Fitzgerald and Friends Morton’s Celebrity Waiter Night together on Monday August 24th. I’ll let Greg’s post explain the rest.
(Greg Esposito, Fanster.com)
I had a chance to catch up with Cardinals’ star wide receiver Larry
Fitzgerald to preview the Pro Bowler’s big charity event at Morton’s on
Monday evening.
Larry and teammates Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Adrian Wilson, Anquan
Boldin, Chris “Beanie” Wells, Tim Hightower, Bertrand Berry, Karlos
Dansby, Reggie Wells, Darnell Dockett, Antrel Rolle, Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie, Neil Rackers and head coach Ken Whisenhunt are
scheduled to serve almost 200 streaks to patrons as part of the event.
Following dinner, guests will have the opportunity to bid on sports
memorabilia and other items during a live auction.
The proceeds from the dinner, live and silent auctions all go to
benefit the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund. The memorial fund was set
up in memory of Larry’s mother and continues to fund the work she did
with victims of AIDS, breast cancer and other diseases along with
helping support education of Urban Youth.
Tickets for the event are sold out, but check back here on Fanster.com Tuesday for complete coverage of the event.