In The Desert, Life Begins at 20
August 11, 2007 by Jim Skane
Bad things to look to avoid:
- Players jumping offside
- Late play calls from the sideline
- Too many or too few players on the field
Good things to look for:
- Easy and smooth transitions in substitution packages
- Varied offensive formations
- Short time lapses between the play calls in the huddle and the actual snaps of the ball
- Number of variations in defensive alignments
In 19 previous years in the desert, these Cardinals have never had a 10 win regular season, won their division, or hosted a playoff game. Year 20 won’t halt those ignominious streaks either.
Year 20 does bring renewed hope. But hope for what?
- The end of the search for our “Franchise Quarterback”
- A team that improves as the season progresses
- That JJ Arrington arrives as a real NFL running back. If he doesn’t, overall offensive performance may continue to stagnate
- That Neil Rackers can make field goals in situations where he can win games
- That special teams finally perform well
- That we suffer no blow-out losses at home and don’t lose any home game we lead going into the 4th quarter
- That we do not lose more than one road game in which we enter the 4th quarter leading by 10 or more points
- The offensive line finally begins opening holes for our runners and improves its pass blocking as the year goes on
-
We win at least 6 games and suffer no more than two blow-out losses.
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this season will determine if the Cards problems have been the lack of revenue from not having their own stadium or if they really are simply jinxed.
Skkorp, thanks for the measured, restrained, rational summary of what we should look for. I would expand it a bit by saying that I look to see if JJ barrels through tacklers at the end of the play instead of diving, for BJ to hold onto everything he catches and for Rolle to not get toasted. I have to say I am just grateful that I don’t have to count how many times BIG jumps offsides.
I am also very curious to see the demeanor of Whiz and Grimm on the sidelines. Will they spit frequently, have twitches, tantrums or do a slow burn?? Should be interesting.
I hope our players have a better feeling than you do…cant’t win 10 games and are hoping for 6 wins. WOW!!! Does this team have some legit issues, you bet!! To me this team has a better offense than the ‘98 playoff team while the D still needs a legit corner. Still, there pieces in place for a defensive turnaround. Get off your fannies Cardinal fans because you are looking at a team that will take off in ‘08. Am I predicting 10-11 wins…no, but it is a possibilty. Special things are right around the corner.
I hold little hope for JJ ever becoming a productive member of this squad. Marcel is who I will be watching. Don’t be surprised if he has 40 + yards tonight.
Jim, you have been beat down too long, my friend. Reading between the lines, your “hoping” that the Cardinal’s season isn’t the same as it has been for the past 20 years.
I want a little more than that.
I watched the game at home while checking in with other watching on the AZ Cards forums. You can see that so many Cards fans are afraid to believe! Yet- things are falling into place- what these guys need now is some experience together, time to become a well oiled machine, since the pieces are all there!
Anyone going to the game next week?
It’s only a preseason opener “audition”, but losing and not showing lots of things to be positive about is worse than winning and having lots of positives. It means we’ll all be on edge until we see something good.
That said, the challenge will be for the new coaching staff to utilize the game tapes to correct a large number of technique and executional flaws.
And I believe the difference between a 4 game win season and a 9 game win season is relatively thin.
The thin just became thinner with the loss of Okeafor. Blackstock and Pace need to step up. Whiz better start looking at the waiver wire for a tackle although the loss of Oliver Ross, considering what he has the done the past 2 seasons, is no great loss.
Skorp, you have to be happy with the game Saturday as all but one of the things to look for or avoid worked out. Now if the Cards can just figure out why they have so many dadblamed false start/offsides penalties you’d be at 100%