The Saints Go Marching On
December 16, 2007 by Walter Mitchell
This year’s Arizona Cardinals made things interesting for 14 weeks…give them credit for that. But, today’s 31-24 loss to the Saints was particularly disconcerting, seeing as the Cardinals made a plethora of mistakes that, at this time of year, are pretty much inexcusable…like continuing to throw the ball into tight coverage when the momentum is clearly theirs…like looking totally confused on offense with the QB calling for a player to run into motion and having to call timeouts (on the very second play of the second half, and then later on) because of the confusion…like committing 10 penalties in the most important game of the year…and there was even a fumbled snap…and then there was a defense that basically cashed their chips in at the door and quit on the team and the season…the bottom line is: these Cardinals don’t learn from past mistakes, just like the Cardinals of the past. These Cardinals remain incorrigible.
The intro basically says it all…while Kurt Warner is a man of tremendous integrity, he remains an inherently flawed player who loses focus just when the team needs him to do the smart and right things. Warner battled in this game—made some nifty throws under pressure in the red zone to the tune of 3 TDs–, but he also threw and fumbled the game away. Sound familiar?
Drew Brees, Warner’s counterpart, played a flawless game…he basically did not force any pass and he took what the defense gave him, which, sorry to say, was wide open receivers left, middle and right.
At the beginning of the year many of us were concerned about the defense’s poor pass coverage…and today that fear was realized once again. The pass coverage today was not worthy of a high school JV team’s effort. Even the team’s best cover player, LCB Roderick Hood quit on a ball, which cost the Cardinals a TD pass from Brees to David Patten.
In addition, the Cardinals allowed Aaron Stecker a big game running the ball. He even ran over Aaron Francisco on the three yard line, and Stecker is far slighter than Francisco or anyone else on the Cardinals’ front seven.
The Cardinal defensive line was a complete no-show. Nada. Anyone who thinks that Darnell Dockett deserves to go to the Pro Bowl, may want to rethink that notion. Dockett was invisible in the biggest game of the year. That says it all. Last week he was a head case, and this week so was fellow DT Antonio Smith, who has floundered down the stretch.
Another major concern coming out of training camp was the Cardinals’ extreme vulnerability to the QB bootleg and waggles…today, not once did a Cardinal DE play contain effectively, thus allowing Drew Bress a luxury of throwing room and easy targets down field.
The bottom line is: all Sean Payton had to do was study a pre-season tape of the Cardinals…and voila!
The one area of the game the Cardinals did well in was the special teams…especially converting the fake punt to Sean Morey…and Steve Breaston was solid in returns. Rackers missed a 54 yarder, which is nothing new this year.
What about next year? Here are some quick thoughts…I will elaborate on these thoughts for weeks to come…yet, these are the first thought that come to mind:
QB: One of the most unsettled positions on the team at a position that is most critical. Is Matt Leinart a bona fide NFL QB? He seems to lack the mental and physical toughness…although he certainly seems to possess the intelligence. Kurt Warner makes too may mistakes. Tim Rattay is too physically weak. The Cardinals would be wise to address this position big-time in the off-season.
RB: Edge ran much harder this year. J.J. is coming on. Marcel fills a role, but may not last another year if another RB is acquired.
WR: Fitz and Boldin need to be complimented by a speed WR. This is a real need.
TE: The young trio of Pope. Patrick and Beinneman shows potential, especially if they offer improved blocking. Patrick may be the most naturally talented of the bunch.
OL: The only question mark is Reggie Wells at RG. Gandy’s been solid at LT, and RT Levi Brown should be much improved next year. C Al Johnson and RG Deuce Lutui have impressive inside prowess. As for Wells, he has played better this year inside at guard than ever before…but, he’s still not the mauling LG the team needs.
DL: Calvin Pace is a keeper, IMO. The team desperately needs a stud RDE, and they may have one in Chike Okeafor, if he can stay healthy. Bertrand Berry’s best days are behind him. Darnell Dockett has had a good year, but he needs more help around him. NTs Gabe Watson and Alan Branch are works in progress.
LB: Karlos Dansby showed up today…and thanks to that, and the strong season he’s had, it behooves the Cardinals to show him the money…and then pray that Dansby isn’t a contract year wonder. Gerald Hayes is solid, as is Monty Beisel, as a backup and special teamer.
DB: Rod Hood has disappointed lately, but he’s been the best cober man of a poor group. Adrian Wilson has been sorely missed, no question. RCB Eric Green showed good flashes again this year, but was erratic…and Antrell Rolle has flourished in a hybrid-type nickel role. The team desperately needs a bona fide FS…and certainly another cover corner.
ST: It’s likely the Cards will have a new PK and punter next year. Rackers is too nerve Rackersing…and Berger was just a temporary alternative. Steve Breaston is legit…and Sean Morey came on as the season progressed…but better, tougher athletes are needed across the board.
Coaching: Plain and simple…Whiz and company have to demand a more disciplined and mistake-free style of play. The new coaches have showed the players that the coaching makes them competitive…but the coaches need to insist on discipline, otherwise the self-destruction will continue. This is Whiz’s top priority.
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Mitch - Are you going to welch on our bet on Aaron Francisco becoming a starter (doubled down to Shane Boyd making the roster)? Your powers of prognostication consistently fail to impress.
That being said, this is a pretty good analysis. As I said numerous times, Reggie Wells makes a great swing lineman who can sub at all 5 line positions, but he’s never going to be an adequate starter. Is Russ Grimm the answer as an OL coach? It’s really hard to say that right now, considering that 4 of the 5 positions seem to be in place with solid talent.
I think the pleasant surprise has been the TEs that we have. They don’t block well, but there’s good depth there. Does this team need an All-Pro player at TE? I don’t think so, but there’s an adequate group here.
The Cards have to address the pass rush this offseason. Pace may be a keeper–but only at a certain price. I think that Pace may test the free agent waters, and he’ll be bought away at a price above what he’s worth. Hopefully Chike Okeafor can come back from his injury and hit the ground running. Daryl Blackstock has improved this offseason and represents good depth.
It’s hard for this coaching staff to demand accountability from the players w/r/t penalties when they’re not accountable when getting plays in on time. This coaching staff can’t stop learning this offseason, and I have no idea how they’ll get it done. Perhaps in training camp they can operate scrimmages with a 20-second playclock so that they’ll be able to increase the pace?
Leinart and improved discipline are going to be the keys to the 2008 season.
TE has been one of the big surprises as the season progressed. I agree that Pope and Patrick will improve and this is perhaps not as big a need as it was when the season started.
I’m not sure how accountability is or will be addressed. That includes coaches. But penalties and clock management MUST BE improved or we will continue to have close losses.
Reggie Wells MUST BE replaced. That was a big Graves blunder.
I agree with Dansby, Pace, BJ resign and that Berry should be waived and replaced probably by Chike with a draftee backing up.
The secondary must be the big move this off-season. While losing Wilson hurt us big time, nobody else stepped up and giving up 230 yds a game passing just isn’t going to cut it. We need to draft a CB with our first pick next year. Our second biggest need is a new backup QB, moving Warner to QB coach. It’s clear his time is done in the NFL. We must find a good backup QB with experience this off-season. Rattay is too small to be effective and I won’t even bother commenting on Tim.
As far as the comment that we need a speed receiver, my hope is that Breaston will step into that roll. He could be that guy. I don’t think we should keep Johnson, he’s not big and has hands of stone. He’s the reincarnation of Michael Carbajal Jr.
I used to be a Clancy supporter, but the thing that frustrates me about Clancy is that he doesn’t blitz enough, and when he does, it’s a simplified blitz that almost always gets picked up. It’s third and 4 and he rushes 3 when we need a sack in the worst way. He knows our secondary sucks and can’t cover anybody, so his main focus should be blitz packages on most downs. I would like to see a new defensive coordinator next year.
I’d like to see Whiz institute a new policy next year, penalties for getting penalties. How about running one gutbuster for every 5 yards in stupid penalties that you get? Those would be false starts, offsides, late hit out of bounds and any other preventable penalty. Sometimes a hold to protect the QB or defensive hold to prevent a WR from getting wide open for a score is necessary, so those wouldn’t count. Something needs to be done. I’m sure the Raiders are happy they weren’t the most penalized team for the first time in 30 years.
I just hope this is a very active off-season. I do want to see them win the last 2 to finish on a good note though. It’s an extreme long shot, but if everyone loses their last 2 games (3 for minnesota) and we win the last two, don’t we still have an outside shot at the playoffs? Pipe dreams, but an 8-8 record was what a lot of us had hoped we’d finish this year before it started. This year will now be known as the what could have been year, if not for the slew of injuries to key players.
Up grades at CB’s is the first order of business. Pass rush is #2. Berry and Okeafor are finished. Let Bryant Johnson leave. he’s average at best. Kurt Warner is horrible. He can’t hold onto the ball and makes the same stupid throws into double coverage every year, including his years with the Rams.
I hoped for 8-8 at the begining of the season but the last 2 games aren’t gimme’s. i like the coaching staff as is. I think the Cards still need to upgrade the talent in some critical positions. That is something you can’t coach. Next year will be a challenge with the AFC and NFC East on the schedule. But the players will have a years worth of bad plays and could haves to dwell on over the winter.
Concur on your upgrade priorities — every one of them.
I won’t even bother with Warner. He’s history.
Leinart seems to be buying into the program, but I have to see it to believe it and I too think he will be forever soft and injury-prone.
All I need to know about Edge was in the Republic last week: He loves victory Mondays off so he can rush back to Florida where he feels “comfortable.” At $4 million per year, we need to let him feel comfortable all year.
As far as the defense quitting, I say nonsense. And I’ll predict Pendergast will be extended.
Dead right on Dockett. He hasn’t had a sack in six games and I predicted Jeff Faine would eat him up.
Thanks for the write-ups all year.
Oh, and Rackers isn’t going anywhere unless they draft a guy in the final round. He still gives us the best chance at 50-plus kicks. I see the special teams coach retooling his pre-kick routine next year. Rackers can kick a 54 yarder with plenty of distance left, it’s his accuracy that’s killing. I do think if he had a holder to work with all year he might have been better. I do see Whiz bringing in somebody to camp to compete. I hope so at least.
I hope they sign an undrafted punter or use the final pick on him or sign a good FA.
Anyways, still hoping for a 8-8 season, which is big progress. Big wins over Pittsburgh, Seattle, Cincinnati on the road and competitive in every game but the Second Seattle game. How often did you say that about the Cardinals in the past? Most road games we were never in them, but this year we had a chance to win 7 of them. That’s progress.
I don’t think making 50 plus yards kicks is what the Cards really need from their kicker. It’s the ability to kick in the clutch and Rackers has shown himself unable to do that.
I don’t think a kicking competition would be a good indicator of Rackers being able to handle clutch situations any better than currently does as the kicking would be much less stressful. I don’t think the Cards can afford to take a chance on another season with a kicker who can’t kick in the clutch.