Cards Rolle and Progress

November 19, 2007 by Walter Mitchell

Ken Whisenhunt calls what his Cardinals are currently achieving “progress.” Without question, Whisenhunt is right. Simply winning a hotly contested game on the road is progress. Playing poorly from the get-go and rallying back to take a commanding lead is progress. Suffering a classic Cardinal third quarter meltdown, which in a span of two and a half minutes a once seemingly cozy 28-13 lead was narrowed to 28-27, and still withstanding such a momentum swing is progress. A 5-5 record, one game out of first place in the NFC West after 10 games, with meaningful games ahead with the holidays approaching is progress…much like having a one of the team’s high profile underachievers doing back flips in tuck position in the end zone, because he is having the game of his NFL career in leading the Cardinals to an electrifying 35-27 win is progress. It was the emancipated slave Frederick Douglass who claimed “without struggle, there is no progress.” Well, these nasty and now unfettered birds have struggled long enough. It seems their time has come…a time for progress indeed! 

Position Analysis:

QB: Kurt Warner, after a very shaky first couple of series, caught fire in the first half, throwing two splendid TD passes, the first to a wide open Anquan Boldin on a 44 yard post pattern, and the second on a 5 yard back-of-the-endzone skinny post that only Larry Fitzgerald could get his hands on. However, thanks to a more aggressive Bengal defense and ultra-conservative play calling on the Cardinals’ part, Warner struggled in the second half, failing five times in a row to convert third downs. His final numbers were a respectable 16/28, 211, 2 TDs, O ints.

The real progress? No turnovers from Warner. No interceptions and no fumbles when he was sacked. 

RB: Edgerrin James ran hard and tough throughout the game to the tune of 55 yards on 22 carries. The highlight of his day, was his nifty 3 yard TD run where he took a hit and managed to plant a hand down and keep his knees from touching the turf and then scurry into the end zone.

The real progress: With a meltdown and ultra-conservative play calling in effect in the latter portions of this game, which was starting to smell like last year’s Bears’ debacle, James did not surrender the football.

WR/TE: Larry Fitzgerald (8/93 1 TD)  and Anquan Boldin (4/71 1 TD) had big first halfs…but, like the rest of the Cardinal offense, stalled to a standstill for most of the second half. Save for a serendipitous 22 yard catch and run by Leonard Pope on a highly pressured left handed chuck by Kurt Warner, the rest of the production from the WRs and TEs was minimal. Pope’s catch and recent red zone success has enabled the coaches to somehow tolerate his team leading 10 false start penalties.

The real progress? Anquan Boldin catching a deep ball for a TD, which hasn’t happened in a while.

OL: This was one of those games where this unit did just enough at the right times to enable the team to win. They gave Warner time on his two TD throws and they gave Edge some holes following a Dansby interception, to run the ball into the end zone on that one possession. But, there were two holding penalties by Al Johnson, which has been unusual for him…and a variety of poorly sustained blocks, which enabled the Bengal front seven to dominate the game down the stretch.

The real progress? The line was able to do just enough and still win…thanks in large part to the Cardinal defense and the points the Cardinals got off Cincinnati turnovers.

DL: Darnell Dockett did everything he could to be disruptive, but was either held or schemed well against. The holding call on Dockett in the 4th quarter was a huge momentum breaker and one of the key plays of the game. Gabe Watson had his nose in on a couple of tackles, as did Antonio Smith. Calvin Pace made one of the best plays of the day when he pulled down RB Kenny Watson with one arm despite being bearhugged by his blocker. Other than these few plays, the Cardinal defensive line was largely ineffective in this game…and looked completely gassed at times versus the Bengals’ hurry-up offense. In addition there were a few plays where the line was standing around when the ball was snapped. Inexcusable, really.

The real progress? The Cardinals intercepted four passes despite getting little pressure on Carson Palmer.

LB: Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes played the hook and seam zones better in this game than any Cardinal tandem possibly ever. Dansby was outstanding for the second week in a row…in on 8 tackles, picking off one athletic interception and nearly securing another. Hayes was in on 9 tackles and, in a diving attempt, he too got his hands on a Palmer pass but was unable to corral it in.

The real progress: The Cardinals’ cover packages are starting to flourish, thanks in large part to Dansby’s and Hayes’ instincts, anticipation and athleticism.

DB: What an amazing performance by Antrel Rolle! The credit here belongs as much to Clancy Pendergast, who is now utilizing Rolle’ strengths and putting Rolle in the right places to make plays…similarly to the way in which Pendergast tailors Adrian Wilson’s role in the defense to his particular strengths. The starting CBs were average at best in this game…Roderick Hood was giving up too much cushion, and Eric Green got caught in no-man’s land (as did the rest of the Cardinal defense) on the gift 37 yard TD bomb to Chris Henry. Green was playing hurt…but the fact that he could play, enabled Antrel Rolle to perform in the role that he obviously is best suited for…which should not be overlooked as one of the more auspicious developments in this game for the Cardinals.

The real progress? When was the last time Cardinal fans watched a Cardinal DB return two interceptions for TDs? (Let alone 3?) And when have we ever seen a Cardinal player do a cartwheel into a back tuck summersault in the end zone? For the excitement that caused, a 15 yard penalty may well have been worth it. As it turned out the Bengals got penalized on the ensuing kickoff anyway.

ST: Tough day all around, from Marcel Shipp’s whiff on Dorsey’s thunderous punt block to Neil Rackers having to change jerseys and shoulder pads because of having to make tackles. The only saving grace was one thirty yard kickoff return by Steve Breaston.

The real progress? At least the Cardinals didn’t give up a punt return for a TD like they did in the Bears debacle.

Coaching: Pendergast gets major kudos for keeping Carson Palmer confused most of the afternoon. And, Pendy did this while the Bengals were in a hurry-up all afternoon, which shows the astute and thorough preparation he put in during the week.

Whiz was not at his play-calling best this week…but the plays he did call did not result in turnovers that may have cost the Cards the game…so, let’s not underestimate this reality.

The real progress? Being ultra-conservative on offense for much of the second half and still winning the game.

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