Arizona Defense 2007: Wild Cards
June 16, 2007 by Walter Mitchell
One of the most creative aspects in play for the Arizona Cardinals this year will be the variety of defensive strategies the team will throw at their opponents. There will be considereable mixing and matching of alignments and personnel from week to week…the schemes will be innovative and imaginative. Defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast will be playing his Cards fast and furiously, and, as we will soon see, he will enter each game with several Aces and Trump Cards up his sleeve.
Aces:
1. The Ace of Spades: SS Adrian Wilson. He’s the highest Card in Pendergast’s deck. The opponents are going to have to locate Wilson every play, because he is going to move around this defense like a meteor in the heavens. Expect to find him somewhere in the box (most plays) on a mission to snuff out the run or all-out blitz the QB.
2. The Ace of Hearts: LB Gerald Hayes. Hayes will be easy to find, but very difficult to stop in the middle of these schemes. With the bulk the Cardinals have added to the middle of the defensive line, and a variety of stunts and gap penetrations to occupy the offensive line, Hayes will be free to zero in on the ball, play after play.
3. The Ace of Diamonds: FS Aaron Francisco. These Cardinal aces will be in the middle of all the action, regardless of the scheme, and Francisco will be the hard hitting statement maker, highlight film star that will bring Cardinal fans to their feet numerous times a game.
4. The Ace of Clubs: DT Alan Branch. Yes, he’s a rookie, but he is just the kind of monster tackle the Cardinals have needed in the middle of their defense to stop the run in its tracks.
Trump Cards:
1. CB Roderick Hood. Has the feet and aggressiveness to hawk the opponents’ #1 WR. He will prove to be the smartest free agent addition this year.
2. OLB/DE Chike Okeafor. Will move from one edge to the other to apply constant pressure from the edge.
3. DT Gabe Watson. His run stuffing ability will be on full display this year as he and fellow Wolverine, Alan Branch, help to form a formidible interior wall.
4. CB Eric Green. This will be a breakout year for Green who will show superb feet and anticipation in coverage, both on the corner and in the nickel. He will also pick up where he left off last year as a hard charging run supporter.
5. OLB Karlos Dansby. His role will vary…inside on one play, outside, attacking the edge on another. Look for a minimum of ten sacks from Dansby this year and numerous big plays.
6. DT/DE Darnell Dockett. Whatever the scheme, Dockett will be asked to provide what he does best, penetrate the front line. If he locates the ball better this year and becomes a reliable finisher, he will garner some Pro Bowl votes.
7. DT/DE Antonio Smith. Strong athlete who will defend the run with great effort and rush the passer from the inside with suprising aplomb this year.
8. DE/OLB Bertrand Berry. He’s a key player on this defense, because he’s still the best pass rusher on the team. Getting him healthy and in tip top shape could mean a playoff berth for these young, talented Cards.
9. DE/OLB Calvin Pace. Expect big things from Pace this year, particularly in the way of providing a much needed pass rush.
10. FS Terrence Holt. Will be a key contributor to the Cardinals’ pass defense in hybrid schemes and in the nickel and dime packages.
11. DT/DE Chris Cooper. Rotation lineman who has a nose for the ball and a flair for being disruptive.
12. SS/FS Antrel Rolle. Will be used as a hybrid safety this year and will thrive at that role.
13. CB Travarous Bain. As the season goes on, look for Bain to become a key contributor in the nickel and dime packages.
The 3-4 Personnel—Combinations:
LOB: Okeafor/Pace/Dansby/Blackstock/Tafoya
LDE: Dockett/Bailey/Smith/Branch/Cooper
NT: Branch/Watson/Lewis/Kolodziej
RDE: Smith/Cooper/Berry/Branch
ROB: Berry/Okeafor/Blackstock/Tafoya/Dansby
LIB: Dansby/Hayes/Johnson/Beisel/Davis/Holloway
RIB: Hayes/Davis/Holloway/Tagafau/Beisel/Johnson
LCB: Hood/Rolle/Bain/Brown/
SS: Wilson/Rolle/Gulley/Milligan
FS: Francisco/Holt/Keeler/Ware
RCB: Green/Hunter/Ware/Bain/Brown
The 4-3 Defense: One Combination:
LDE: Okeafor
LDT: Branch
RDT: Watson
RDE: Berry
LOB: Dansby
MLB: Hayes
ROB: Davis
LCB: Hood
SS: Wilson
FS: Francisco
RCB: Green
Hybrid Defense: 5-1 Monster. (Note: Wilson is the Monster back and lines up wherever Pendy’s key against the formation is…Rolle becomes the SS)
LOB: Dansby
LDE: Dockett
NT: Branch
RDE: Smith
ROB: Okeafor
ILB: Hayes
Monster: Wilson
LCB: Hood
SS: Rolle
FS: Francisco
RCB: Green
The Hybrid Nickel:
LDE: Okeafor
LDT: Smith
RDT: Cooper
RDE: Berry
Monster: Wilson
Nickel LB: Davis
Nickel CB: Bain
LCB: Hood
NS: Francisco
NS: Holt
RCB: Green
It is going to be very interesting to watch all the mixing and matching. Pendy knows how to use his personnel and play to his players’ strengths. The shuffling of alignments and players will have our heads spinning at times and will be captivating to watch. Ah…you’d better watch very closely…there’s nothing so magical as a little sleight of hand!
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Walter, thanks. Hope you are right about the CB’s. I share your enthusiasm about Hood but don’t think that Bain will make the final cut. He looks like a PS to me. Expect the experience and ST play of Hunter and Ware, though limited, to beat him out.
Yeah, that guy replacing Pendy will get it done. Wow, Pendy became so dull and predictible…glad we don’t have to deal with his boring schemes any more. Oh wait…
Aaron Francisco wasn’t working with the first team in all of the workouts. All the AZ Beat writers believe that Holt startin is a fait accompli because Wilson likes him more.
On the other hand, as weak as Rolle has been at corner so far, his job’s not being taken this season. The battle is between Green and Hood for the starting spot.
That all said, we’re going to a base 3-4 D this season, and whomever is going to replace Pendergast once his contract is up at the end of this season will be a 3-4 coach. I’m betting Dick LeBeau. Anyone else have any guesses?
Aaron Francisco HAS been lining up on the first team defense…and to believe that Terrence Holt will win the starting job just because AW likes him more, is just plain absurd…about as absurd as continuing to start a LCB who cannot cover NFL WRs due to sub par speed, a propensity to hold and zero ball awareness.
Holt and Fransisco have been splitting 1st team reps so far in mini camps. In their Nickel D they are on the field at the same time. So the competition is still very much wide open.
But dont underestimate a star player lobbying for another player. Especially if that player is the HC favorite player/go to guy like Wilson is to Wiz. Wilson was the only player to show up to Wiz presser and Wiz stated that Wilson was a big part in him coming here and a big reason why Holt was on their free agent wish list. Also dont underestimate the lure of playing a higher paid FA that you yourself had on your wish list, no matter how wrong it may be, it does happen more times then not.
As for the CB spots. During all of the mini camps so far Rolle had his starting CB spot locked down and was not getting any push what so ever from Hood or Green. The competition was happening at the RCB spot between Hood and Green only. You dont need any hitting to know who is playing better at CB so we dont have to wait for training camp to get a good idea how the CB competition is going. So mini camps are a good indication IMO on who will and who wont be starting at the CB spot, and so far Rolle is the unquestioned starter. I just dont see that changing unless he really struggles in preseason, but until then Rolle will continue to be the starter with little push IMO.