Reshuffling The Cards

December 10, 2007 by Walter Mitchell

After yesterday’s disappointing 42-21 loss to the Seahawks, the Cardinals need to adjust quickly on the fly in order to resurrect their diminishing playoff hopes. It would seem imperative that–to have any real chance- the Cardinals will need to win their remaining three games (at New Orleans and home versus Atlanta and St. Louis)…and they will need to hope that the surging Vikings will choke down the stretch. Thus, the Cardinals specifically need to somehow rejuvenate what looks to be mentally tired Kurt Warner, they need to become more aggressive up front on both sides of the ball, and they need to make some necessary assignment switches in their secondary. The majority of this article will be devoted to addressing these adjustments. 

Rejuvenating a mentally tired Kurt Warner:

Yes, Warner is aching physically, as most quarterbacks are this time of year. While his left elbow is improving, his ribs and now his right knee are ailing. However, Warner is a gutsy veteran who has ailed down the stretch and delivered before. It’s his mental fatigue that needs to be addressed more than anything else. This fatigue was very much evident yesterday, as Warner threw too often into coverage. Sure, having Patrick Kerney breathing down his neck virtually every play had something to do with Warner’s erratic play…and certainly it was unrealistic to assume that rookie RT Levi Brown would be able to neutralize Kerney, the NFC Defensive Player of the Month. Why the Cardinal coaches didn’t offer Brown more frequent help by having a TE or RB chip Kerney is quite mystifying.

Warner did show some good flashes yesterday…especially the vision and touch he displayed on all his passes to WR Jerheme Urban (6/123/1 TD). Warner’s also developing some chemistry with RB J.J. Arrington and TE Ben Patrick (who will really need to step up with Leonard Pope out).

Coach Whisenhunt should give Warner three days off and have Warner practice hard for an hour on Thursday and Friday. It only makes sense. Have him study the New Orleans tapes…but keep him off the field until Thursday. Give the reps on Wednesday to Tim Rattay and Tim Hasselbeck.

Becoming more aggressive up front on both sides of the ball:

Russ Grimm needs to get his unit back on track this week. In both the running game and the passing game versus the Seahawks, his linemen were slow off the ball, and were not as physcial as they needed to be. He needs to go back and show his boys the Cleveland tape, where the line generated 133 yards on 27 carries, for an impressive 4.9 average. Then, he needs to go back and show them the Detroit tape where the line protected Warner very efficiently all afternoon to the tune of 26/36, 259 yards and a 3-1 TD/int ratio.

Clancy Pendergast should ask Grimm to hand him the Detroit tape after Grimm’s uses it…and remind his front seven of the -18 yard rushing game hurting they stuck on the Lions. And then he needs to get his boys swimming and charging after the QB like madmen…Yesterday, the defensive front seven was not efficient in the first half…they came on much stronger in the third quarter, but fizzled out in the fourth. Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith have been very active in spots, as has Calvin Pace (who was held repeatedly yesterday, as was Dockett). On the the right side, Pendy may want to use Dansby more in pass rush situations because the trio of Joe Tafoya, Darryl Blackstock and Chris Cooper have not been offering any semblance of consistent edge pressure. Cooper was arguably the best pass rusher in the pre-season, albeit more from the interior than the perimeter…however, it would be a great time for him to step up. But, as of right now, Dansby is potentially the most formidible edge rusher on the team.

Assignment Switches in the Secondary:

Enough already. Insert Ralph Brown the starter at RCB, so that the team can use Antrel Rolle inside where he belongs. Brown is a veteran and can hold his own. Meanwhile, Rolle can exert his physical presence and versatility playing close to the box. Playing Oliver Celestin and Terrence Holt at the starting safety spots has created a major liability for this defense. Both players are poor, both in run support and coverage. It would be great to get Aaron Francisco back…at least he will lay the wood on people. However, if Francisco can’t return this week, it’s time to try Matt Ware at free safety. Ware is a better tackler than Holt…he’s a more aggressive athlete, and he can’t do any worse than Holt in coverage, seeing as Holt has zero interceptions and only one pass defended in thirteen starts this season. Thereby the starting secondary becomes: Hood-Rolle-Ware-Brown…and have the feisty Michael Adams play the slot nickel…or have Rolle switch there in nickel situations, with Holt joining Ware as twin safeties. Sticking with the unit as currently assigned would only exacerbate the current secondary woes. Something needs to be done, and fast. “Something…anything” (to quote Todd Rundgren).

The Cards can get a good look at New Orleans tonight…and get their plans in order. Coach Whisenhunt and his staff have been game-planning well in recent weeks, although yesterday’s plans versus the Seahawks were suprisingly flawed. And…the team effort, both physcially and mentally, was not as urgent as one would expect from a playoff contender. Hopefully the preparation and effort will be all-out from here on in.

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