Lets Dig in on Nick Rallis

[schutd]

All,

Im not super football savvy. My knowledge is enough to be considered dangerous. But, I have been reading a ton of laments about Rallis' defense this season, and how his play calling is timid and scared. A quick AI search on his play calling;

"The Arizona Cardinals' blitz rate under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis during the 2024 season was 31.8%, which ranked seventh in the NFL. He particularly favored blitzing on third downs, with a rate of 41.2% that ranked fourth in the league."
Heres this season:
"Under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis during the 2025 season (as of Week 7), the Arizona Cardinals have a blitz rate of 19.3%, which ranks 24th in the NFL. This is a significant decrease from the previous season, when the team ranked seventh with a blitz rate of 31.8%. "

I want this thread to be a cause and effect analysis of why, after significant money spent to upgrade the D, we have been watching them fall apart at the end of games, costing us much needed wins, regardless of the performance of the offense. I truly believe Rallis altered his play calling this year with a couple things in mind, A projected influx of talent on the DL allowed him to formulate a scheme that allowed for less blitzing, him feeling that an improved 4 man pressure rate would let him keep more players in the zones and in the backfield to help keep pressure off a deep, but young with plenty of upside DB group. CUE: Ojulari continues to be a no show, Nolan goes down, Robinson fails to meet expectations, going so far as to be the worst DL in the league and then gets hurt again. So, while our 4 man rush is still improved even under this scenario, it obviously doesn't allow for the deep rotation we would hope for, thereby causing our guys to tire into the 4th qtr. So, change the scheme a bit, you say? blitz more, and let our young but talented DBs take more of the burden?

CUE: Starling Thomas V out for season. SMB out for season. G Williams still on IR. Johnson missing some time injured and now becoming a penalty magnet.

I don't think Rallis is the problem. I think he got dealt a bum AF hand this season thus far. Injuries shouldn't be an excuse, yadda yadda yadda. That's an intense amount of loss from your starting 11 and their immediate rotational backups to absorb.

Like I said, Im not a super smart football guy. I'd love to hear some deep dive takes on what exactly is going on with our D, and whether or not my perceptions have much merit. I don't think Rallis just started to be a turtler this year. I think he's screwed. Just holding on for dear life.

Have at it. Lets hear your thoughts

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I agree. He's very concerned with exposing the secondary and is hoping that someday the 4 man rush can start getting home.

The biggest issue for me, is that the limited blitzing and aggressiveness goes completely away in the 4th qtr.

I'd love to know how much the actual blitz rate drops off in the 4th qtr and/or when the Cards are playing with a lead vs being behind.

 

[moosehead]

I was going to start a similar thread. Rallis was supposed to be great and JG was some kind of defensive savant. They stacked the defense. Even with the injuries, wth is going on?

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

you see it all the time - newfound young talent - promising career - everything's going right - then they start smoking crack

if he can do it for 3 quarters but not in the 4th it's not a personnel issue it's a rallis' issue

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

you see it all the time - newfound young talent - promising career - everything's going right - then they start smoking crack

if he can do it for 3 quarters but not in the 4th it's not a personnel issue it's a rallis' issue

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

 

[HairZach]

you see it all the time - newfound young talent - promising career - everything's going right - then they start smoking crack

if he can do it for 3 quarters but not in the 4th it's not a personnel issue it's a rallis' issue

I'm not here for the Rallis slander.

People are upset at Rallis for giving up 14 points in the 4th. Thats it. If you think that constitutes a collapse I just think you haven't watched a lot of football. Most scoring happens in the 4th, defenses usually wear down near the end of a game. You're not going to shut a competent team down for an entire game. You're watching a team with battered depth slowly lose steam in the 4th, and coming to the conclusion that the coaches are just stupid?

Seahawks - 6 4th quarter points: They had to go what, 20 yards for their field goal? With new starting field position rules whoever gets the ball last is going to get a shot at a field goal. Thats the new NFL.

Panthers - 13 4th quarter points: It got a little scary because of the rare onside kick conversion, without that they had no chance to win. It was a little embarrassing because of how the Panthers looked week 1, they've been a fine team since then.

Titans - 16 4th quarter points: 6 of these points came from what should have been an INT. Clown crap. Yes we should have blitzed Ward more at the end. Idk how Ridley got 1 on 1 from Kei'trel Clark at the end. Terrible.

Colts - 14 4th quarter points: This Colts offense is literally on pace to be the most efficient offense of the century. They are scoring more points per drive than the 2007 Patriots and the 2013 Broncos. If they keep this up they will be the best offensive team of any of our lifetimes.

Packers - 14 4th quarter points: Again, 2 TD drives in a quarter isn't shocking. What's shocking is how well we held them the rest of the game. We lost a 4th and 1 gamble and then got out physicaled by Josh Jacobs.

 

[Stout]

I'm not here for the Rallis slander.

People are upset at Rallis for giving up 14 points in the 4th. Thats it. If you think that constitutes a collapse I just think you haven't watched a lot of football. Most scoring happens in the 4th, defenses usually wear down near the end of a game. You're not going to shut a competent team down for an entire game. You're watching a team with battered depth slowly lose steam in the 4th, and coming to the conclusion that the coaches are just stupid?

Seahawks - 6 4th quarter points: They had to go what, 20 yards for their field goal? With new starting field position rules whoever gets the ball last is going to get a shot at a field goal. Thats the new NFL.

Panthers - 13 4th quarter points: It got a little scary because of the rare onside kick conversion, without that they had no chance to win. It was a little embarrassing because of how the Panthers looked week 1, they've been a fine team since then.

Titans - 16 4th quarter points: 6 of these points came from what should have been an INT. Clown crap. Yes we should have blitzed Ward more at the end. Idk how Ridley got 1 on 1 from Kei'trel Clark at the end. Terrible.

Colts - 14 4th quarter points: This Colts offense is literally on pace to be the most efficient offense of the century. They are scoring more points per drive than the 2007 Patriots and the 2013 Broncos. If they keep this up they a historic offense.

Packers - 14 4th quarter points: Again, 2 TD drives in a quarter isn't shocking. What's shocking is how well we held them the rest of the game. We lost a 4th and 1 gamble and then got out physicaled by Josh Jacobs.

You're basically arguing against Rallis and the D with this post. There is no positive way to spin it. He freaking turtles in the 4th quarter and coaches scared.

 

[Stout]

you see it all the time - newfound young talent - promising career - everything's going right - then they start smoking crack

if he can do it for 3 quarters but not in the 4th it's not a personnel issue it's a rallis' issue

Exactly. If he was trying different things, I would lessen the criticism. He's not. It's four man rush over and over and over again, even in the face of it failing over and over and over again, in the fourth quarter. IDGAF what personnel issues you're dealing with. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. It's like an offense running the ball into a stacked box with a bad OL over and over again and expecting to...oh yeah, we do that too lol

 

[BullheadCardFan]

He freaking turtles in the 4th quarter and coaches scared.

This

No excuse to give QBs all that time to make throws

Zero pressure when the D is tired is a bad formula

 

[schutd]

This

No excuse to give QBs all that time to make throws

Zero pressure when the D is tired is a bad formula

But I guess that's my point. If you no longer have the rotational depth on the DL due to injury, and you don't trust your young DBs, and lack depth there due to...injury, what are you supposed to do???Honest question. I don't know.

 

[Harry]

All,

Im not super football savvy. My knowledge is enough to be considered dangerous. But, I have been reading a ton of laments about Rallis' defense this season, and how his play calling is timid and scared. A quick AI search on his play calling;

"The Arizona Cardinals' blitz rate under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis during the 2024 season was 31.8%, which ranked seventh in the NFL. He particularly favored blitzing on third downs, with a rate of 41.2% that ranked fourth in the league."
Heres this season:
"Under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis during the 2025 season (as of Week 7), the Arizona Cardinals have a blitz rate of 19.3%, which ranks 24th in the NFL. This is a significant decrease from the previous season, when the team ranked seventh with a blitz rate of 31.8%. "

I want this thread to be a cause and effect analysis of why, after significant money spent to upgrade the D, we have been watching them fall apart at the end of games, costing us much needed wins, regardless of the performance of the offense. I truly believe Rallis altered his play calling this year with a couple things in mind, A projected influx of talent on the DL allowed him to formulate a scheme that allowed for less blitzing, him feeling that an improved 4 man pressure rate would let him keep more players in the zones and in the backfield to help keep pressure off a deep, but young with plenty of upside DB group. CUE: Ojulari continues to be a no show, Nolan goes down, Robinson fails to meet expectations, going so far as to be the worst DL in the league and then gets hurt again. So, while our 4 man rush is still improved even under this scenario, it obviously doesn't allow for the deep rotation we would hope for, thereby causing our guys to tire into the 4th qtr. So, change the scheme a bit, you say? blitz more, and let our young but talented DBs take more of the burden?

CUE: Starling Thomas V out for season. SMB out for season. G Williams still on IR. Johnson missing some time injured and now becoming a penalty magnet.

I don't think Rallis is the problem. I think he got dealt a bum AF hand this season thus far. Injuries shouldn't be an excuse, yadda yadda yadda. That's an intense amount of loss from your starting 11 and their immediate rotational backups to absorb.

Like I said, Im not a super smart football guy. I'd love to hear some deep dive takes on what exactly is going on with our D, and whether or not my perceptions have much merit. I don't think Rallis just started to be a turtler this year. I think he's screwed. Just holding on for dear life.

Have at it. Lets hear your thoughts

None of us are geniuses. We just all offer our thoughts. For me your first 2 paragraphs do indeed tell the story. Usually when a team has a weakened secondary they try to increase pressure on the passer, not decrease it. I go back to my mantra, “Fortune favors the bold.” Also if this team has a strength it’s the potential pass rush. The fact that some opponents were given a short field for the win, in my mind means more blitzing hoping to sack them out of kicking range or making it a longer kick, which also increases the odds of a block. Plus sacks can produce turnovers. Finally long passes take more time. So a blitz can hopefully prevent long passes take that more time and defeated Clark. Some QBs (one especially comes to mind) get jumpy if they think a blitz may come. I just feel there are more, not fewer reasons to blitz.

 

[Adrian]

My knowledge is limited on this but the games I have watched, the opposing QB is just too comfortable, especially in the 4th quarter. How do you fix it? I don't know? Maybe throw the kitchen sink at the opposing qb.

Vic Fangio is notoriously known for getting pressure with 4 people, but he has the players to do it. We dont.

 

[Stout]

But I guess that's my point. If you no longer have the rotational depth on the DL due to injury, and you don't trust your young DBs, and lack depth there due to...injury, what are you supposed to do???Honest question. I don't know.

This is the time in the game to throw the kitchen sink at the opposing QB. If a four-man rush was working, sure, you stick with that. When it is proven not to work, the only wrong answer is to stick with what isn't working. What's the worst that could happen? The team loses. Well, that's happening anyway. How about getting creative with some blitz packages to stem the freaking bleeding. A child could determine that what he is doing now isn't working and that he needs to change.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

you see it all the time - newfound young talent - promising career - everything's going right - then they start smoking crack

if he can do it for 3 quarters but not in the 4th it's not a personnel issue it's a rallis' issue

Yeah. The players don't suddenly become bad at football after the end of the 3rd quarter.

I guess it might possibly be a depth/fatigue issue (CC is 50 or whatever) but we rotate guys pretty good so I kind of doubt that's it.

In most of our games we've been protecting leads in Q4 so that might slant the stats some. Other team's offenses playing desperately in Q4 vs. trying to run out the clock.

 

[PACardsFan]

Has anyone heard anything in regards to Ojulari? Do people actually see him at HQ? Is the dude even alive?? Either his injury was far more severe than anyone reported, the surgery was botched which required a 2nd one, or he somehow reinjured it?? Would be nice if our reporters had the balls to try to find out!!!

 

[kerouac9]

Has anyone heard anything in regards to Ojulari? Do people actually see him at HQ? Is the dude even alive?? Either his injury was far more severe than anyone reported, the surgery was botched which required a 2nd one, or he somehow reinjured it?? Would be nice if our reporters had the balls to try to find out!!!

They asked JG about whether we can expect to see Beej this season a few weeks ago.

His response was he wasn’t discussing any hypotheticals. Doesn’t sound great. They’re not going to talk about the why though.

 

[PACardsFan]

Yeah. The players don't suddenly become bad at football after the end of the 3rd quarter.

I guess it might possibly be a depth/fatigue issue (CC is 50 or whatever) but we rotate guys pretty good so I kind of doubt that's it.

In most of our games we've been protecting leads in Q4 so that might slant the stats some. Other team's offenses playing desperately in Q4 vs. trying to run out the clock.

I know we joke about the Cardinals being a jinxed franchise, but I have watched so many replays this year & I’ve never seen a more cursed team over 7 games than this one. It’s as though every mistake made is magnified by 30. Teams usually survive some mistakes, because even the great teams make them. This team hasn’t survived any of theirs. What could go wrong, has gone wrong, and at the worst possible time. I think the single greatest concern is the OL. The dropoff from last year is eye opening. Boy do we miss the OL coach from last year!!! Even before the injuries to Conner & Benson, they were pretty bad. Now they’re horrible. PJ & Hernandez are the only ones worth keeping going into next season. If we were forced to play Brissett an entire season, he would either be hurt soon or he’d get sacked 100 times. And if Murray’s injury keeps him from making the first guy miss, it’s just a matter of time before he reinjures it.

 

[football karma]

the Rallis defense has reverted this year to one that JG called when he was D Coordinator in Philly

I get the philosophy when protecting a 2 score lead: rush 4, drop 7 and eventually the QB will make a mistake, a ball will get tipped, the rush will cause a strip sack, a turn over on downs.

But this year, when it has worked -- its BARELY worked. It allowed NO and Carolina to get back in the game and make far closer than it needed to be. And vs everyone else, its given up a game losing score.

I do think the staff as a whole has gotten far too risk averse now that there are expectations.

 

[Harry]

As the people in Pittsburgh say, “This ain’t Philly!”

 

[PACardsFan]

the Rallis defense has reverted this year to one that JG called when he was D Coordinator in Philly

I get the philosophy when protecting a 2 score lead: rush 4, drop 7 and eventually the QB will make a mistake, a ball will get tipped, the rush will cause a strip sack, a turn over on downs.

But this year, when it has worked -- its BARELY worked. It allowed NO and Carolina to get back in the game and make far closer than it needed to be. And vs everyone else, its given up a game losing score.

I do think the staff as a whole has gotten far too risk averse now that there are expectations.

You cannot compare our D with what JG ran in Philadelphia because our D is NOT going to create 70 sacks. Maybe that was what JG envisioned over time, but with ALL THE INJURIES to both the DL and the secondary, its impossible to expect that.

 

[phillycard]

Has anyone heard anything in regards to Ojulari? Do people actually see him at HQ? Is the dude even alive?? Either his injury was far more severe than anyone reported, the surgery was botched which required a 2nd one, or he somehow reinjured it?? Would be nice if our reporters had the balls to try to find out!!!

I've long forgotten about this man.

 

[602 Native]

Balless coaches are balless

 

[schutd]

They asked JG about whether we can expect to see Beej this season a few weeks ago.

His response was he wasn’t discussing any hypotheticals. Doesn’t sound great. They’re not going to talk about the why though.

I just don't understand this tact.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

As the people in Pittsburgh say, “This ain’t Philly!”

Except it kind of is. See the game before we hired Gannon

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Has anyone heard anything in regards to Ojulari? Do people actually see him at HQ? Is the dude even alive?? Either his injury was far more severe than anyone reported, the surgery was botched which required a 2nd one, or he somehow reinjured it?? Would be nice if our reporters had the balls to try to find out!!!

Good lord o keep forgetting he even exists. This is literally crazy land material that he still hasn’t seen the field.