Cardinals badly misplayed preseason

[moklerman]

Just rewatched the Redskins game since I missed big chunks of it live. IMO, the Cardinals made a huge error in approaching the preseason to avoid injuries. This team is not in sync at all. They need a ton of work together and playing more in the preseason would have helped in that regard.

Hardly anyone looked ready to go and the offense and defense did not look like they were working as units. Game tape be damned, Wilkes should have had his starters learning the scheme and acclimating to one another all preseason.

If that meant running your offense against the other teams scrubs running vanilla schemes, then they should have done it. If regular season defenses figure you out then you adjust but the way it is now, it's going to take another game or two at least just to get this team functioning at a base level.

So far, I'm very unimpressed with Wilkes. His defense looked terrible against a very average looking Redskins offense. He picked a terrible OC overall and one that has had little to no success cultivating and grooming a young QB.

There is very little to find as a positive from that first game other than there weren't any major injuries.

 

[AZ Shocker]

Kinda agree...but that damn preseason is soooooo susciptable to injuries. We lost a linebacker. And chances are we could've lost a couple few more guys due to injuries. Tough predicament no doubt.

Regular season starts and yeah it might take a few 3-5 games to dial in...but like I said I kinda agree playing the starters more in preseason...but maybe he was simply picking his poison. Risk injury...or risk losing 3 outta 4 games to start the season and hope to get better the second half. I don't know......

 

[LoyalRam]

I know the Rams needed at least a half of football on both sides of the ball in preseason week 3. If I remember correctly, there used to be 6 preseason games and teams were doing two a days in Camp, in pads. The strong survived. I don't think I want teams to go back, necessarily, but I also think what teams do now is too careful.

 

[Phrazbit]

They should do away with preseason entirely. College teams don't need it. Sure, early in the year offense will lag behind defense, but we see that anyway.

Preseason is a moneymaking gimmick, what little benefit it gains teams competitively is probably dwarfed by the injury rate.

 

[kerouac9]

They played 10 times as many snaps in camp as they do in games. That’s where this stuff should’ve been settled.

 

[LoyalRam]

They should do away with preseason entirely. College teams don't need it. Sure, early in the year offense will lag behind defense, but we see that anyway.

Preseason is a moneymaking gimmick, what little benefit it gains teams competitively is probably dwarfed by the injury rate.

How will you test college players? There is no developmental league, and guys like Kurt Warner would never have a chance at the NFL. The same is true for former UDFA Rams/Redskins MLB London Fletcher, who never missed a game in like 14 years and is a candidate for the Hall of Fame.

 

[PJ1]

My issue is Wilkes promised his teams number one will be physical. Have you ever seen a softer team than the Cardinals in week one?

 

[JeffGollin]

How will you test college players? There is no developmental league, and guys like Kurt Warner would never have a chance at the NFL. The same is true for former UDFA Rams/Redskins MLB London Fletcher, who never missed a game in like 14 years and is a candidate for the Hall of Fame.

Seems to me Patty Kirwin on SIRIUS interviewed someone from a new development league that will kick off early in 2019.

 

[Brak]

I totally agree. Sitting your regulars through much of the preseason may work out fine - IF you have a regime and system in place that's been there for a few years. But when you bring in an entirely new staff, with entirely new systems on both sides of the ball, doesn't that warrant a more "standard" approach to the preseason? At least do the common thing where the #1's play into the second half of Game 3. Cards didn't even do that. Getting a bunch of reps in practice is fine, but clearly they are suffering from not getting enough reps in game situations.

Looking at the schedule, I don't see a team they can beat in the front half of the season - an 0-8 start seems to be a very real possibility. I hope they prove me wrong.

 

[LoyalRam]

Seems to me Patty Kirwin on SIRIUS interviewed someone from a new development league that will kick off early in 2019.

This is so great. Bet potential NFL players have been lost since NFL Europe failed.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ague-alliance-american-football-aaf-big-plans

 

[SoCal Cardfan]

Bradford may be physically healed at the moment, but mentally....he's done.
He can't get rid of the ball fast enough, he's being paid millions to play hot potato.

Let's move on to Rosen now, and maybe Sam can earn his $$ as a mentor/backup.

He's done.

That being said... The defense, remaining mostly intact since last year... Is complete garbage in a 4-3 configuration, Maybe Wilkes should have kept the 3-4 until he had time to draft compatible pieces, or teach the current players what the hell they are supposed to do.

 

[Arz101]

Whoever in the Cardinals brass decided that they need not practice against another team this training camp needs to be fired tomorrow. That would have given them a chance to see where they were.


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[Broseph]

My issue is Wilkes promised his teams number one will be physical. Have you ever seen a softer team than the Cardinals in week one?

THIS 100%...Wilks promised the fans this team would come out and play better and they looked WORSE. Two games in and MB's brain has to be scrambling on potentially firing Keim and this coaching regime .

 

[Buckybird]

THIS 100%...Wilks promised the fans this team would come out and play better and they looked WORSE. Two games in and MB's brain has to be scrambling on potentially firing Keim and this coaching regime .

I agree but Michael will clearly let this play out.

The upcoming games face some seriously good offensive teams with great QBs in GB, Atl, SD, KC & the Lambs again. McCoy most likely won’t survive the season unless there’s a offensive turn around.

But if we see 4-5 more of these total butt kickings, the owner has to pull the trigger on Keim & the whole staff to save face imo. It sure looks like it’s only going to get worse unless Rosen saves the day.

 

[Jasper]

How did Wilks get past the interview stage?

If there isn’t a turnaround by game 4, someone should be fired.

 

[Buckybird]

If there isn’t a turnaround by game 4, someone should be fired.

If it’s 4 games like this or worse, absofreakinglutely!!! McCoy, I think most definitely would at that point.