R I S E ___ U P ___ D A R K ___ S I D E (2026)

[Brian in Mesa]

Time for a new Dark Side thread.

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[JosiahLee]

Right now it feels like we're staring down a 5-12 season.

 

[azgreg]

Right now it feels like we're staring down a 5-12 season.

20-0 baby!!!!

 

[some dumb guy]

Right now it feels like we're staring down a 5-12 season.

Hey, already a chance for 2 more wins and we don't even have a QB1 or DC....nowhere to go but up LOL

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Rallis and Frye

 

[Chopper0080]

Right now it feels like we're staring down a 5-12 season.

I feel like that is optimistic thinking.

The coaching staff that couldn't develop the young defensive players with was given is being brought back. The GM who acquired those players is also being brought back. But, somehow it is going to be different this time.

The offensive line coach who oversaw a line that regressed in the first year he had the role is being brought back to do what exactly? Hopefully I am missing something here because I don't really get any of this.

I do worry that we may see some Keim-like desperation from Monti which will handicap the roster after he is fired at the end of 2026.

 

[Chopper0080]

The lack of self awareness this franchise has is amazing. I really hope I am wrong, but this thing looks to be over before it even starts...again.

 

[TheCardFan]

I feel like Anakin Skywalker getting pulled in by the darkside for the first time in my lifetime as Cardinal fan.

The force is strong...

 

[JosiahLee]

I feel like that is optimistic thinking.

The coaching staff that couldn't develop the young defensive players with was given is being brought back. The GM who acquired those players is also being brought back. But, somehow it is going to be different this time.

The offensive line coach who oversaw a line that regressed in the first year he had the role is being brought back to do what exactly? Hopefully I am missing something here because I don't really get any of this.

I do worry that we may see some Keim-like desperation from Monti which will handicap the roster after he is fired at the end of 2026.

Yeah I wanted to make sure I wasn't being too dark-sided and projected a generous 5 wins (even though I agree, this thing could get really ugly in 2026. I think there's a strong likelihood JB runs it back next season even though he was 1-11 as a starter).

Regarding Monti, heck I hope he does sign some big-name or sought after free agents since he hasn't really done that in 3 years and what he's been doing hasn't been working so...

 

[JosiahLee]

The lack of self awareness this franchise has is amazing. I really hope I am wrong, but this thing looks to be over before it even starts...again.

Honestly it feels a little unprecedented for a team to wave the white flag before the season even begins...Except when you remember Monti did this last time in year 1 of inserting his new HC.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Here! (as always). This team almost always proves me right.

 

[Cardiac]

I was starting to feel better, then Rallis was retained as the DC.
Either it's because MB is cheap or MLF is a moron.
Wait, I know it's both of those things.

 

[slanidrac16]

Kyler
Free agency
Draft
Schedule
A lot to mull over in the next month. We will know a lot 2 weeks into free agency about the so called “Turn it around in one year”.

History says we come up short.

5-12 at best.

 

[BritCard]

Only this fan base could have a new offensive HC from the Rams and have a new Dark side thread before FA, the draft and camp.

All because he thought his best option for DC was the 32 years old with 3 years play calling experience who is considered one of the best young defensive minds in the league, and retained the OL coach that several NFL teams were interested in because he wasn't great in his first year ever in the NFL with a hobbled line (Hernandez missed 10 games, Jonah Williams missed 8, Evan Brown missed 6, Paris Johnson missed 5) and we had no running backs worth anything after the first 4 games . There were only 4 games all season where we had the full starting O line together, and in one of them Williams only played 71%.

But y'all would be happier had they brought in Gus Bradley and some no name former assistant O line coach from the Dolphins or something I guess.

Enjoy your self imposed misery I guess

 

[schutd]

Only this fan base could have a new offensive HC from the Rams and have a new Dark side thread before FA, the draft and camp.

All because he thought his best option for DC was the 32 years old with 3 years play calling experience who is considered one of the best young defensive minds in the league, and retained the OL coach that several NFL teams were interested in because he wasn't great in his first year ever in the NFL with a hobbled line (Hernandez missed 10 games, Jonah Williams missed 8, Evan Brown missed 6, Paris Johnson missed 5) and we had no running backs worth anything after the first 4 games . There were only 4 games all season where we had the full starting O line together, and in one of them Williams only played 71%.

But y'all would be happier had they brought in Gus Bradley and some no name former assistant O line coach from the Dolphins or something I guess.

Enjoy your self imposed misery I guess

Man, I hope your optimism will be proven true. Please, remember, that most of us have over 35 years, some more than 50 (how many years has PA been a fan? I forget) of watching this pathetic franchise. This org needs to prove some things before we will EVER give them the benefit of the doubt. Running back the same GM and DC (only this time with less QB!) is the epitome of a Cardinals move. Sure, we can hope that this time it'll be different. History says otherwise.

I hate that Im like this, but they did it to me.

 

[slanidrac16]

Only this fan base could have a new offensive HC from the Rams and have a new Dark side thread before FA, the draft and camp.

All because he thought his best option for DC was the 32 years old with 3 years play calling experience who is considered one of the best young defensive minds in the league, and retained the OL coach that several NFL teams were interested in because he wasn't great in his first year ever in the NFL with a hobbled line (Hernandez missed 10 games, Jonah Williams missed 8, Evan Brown missed 6, Paris Johnson missed 5) and we had no running backs worth anything after the first 4 games . There were only 4 games all season where we had the full starting O line together, and in one of them Williams only played 71%.

But y'all would be happier had they brought in Gus Bradley and some no name former assistant O line coach from the Dolphins or something I guess.

Enjoy your self imposed misery I guess

Thank you for the well wishes. Geez, what were we all thinking? How can we not be smart enough to jump on this unstoppable bandwagon?
All these injuries, even though many of these IR’s came when we were 3-10 crippled us. We could have won those last 4 games and ended up with a sparkling 7-10 record. Much better than 3-14.
I am so looking forward to you reasoning and support next year when we are sitting at 2-7.
Sorry. Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us 25 out of the last 27 years, well we are more than shamed…we are stupid.
I’ll give accolades when they are deserved rather than bluster with blind faith.
Looking forward to seeing you shout out to the mountains when we sign 3-4 second or third tier free agents. Of course you’ll probably proclaim there’s nothing to worry about and point to the June and training camp cuts.

Most of us has seen this movie before. Please forgive us if we are, uhhh, skeptical.

P.S. You are in the Dark Side thread. You should probably stick to happy threads.

 

[pemory09]

Well, after reading that Rallis was retained I find myself thinking that this organization will, under Bidwill ownership, never abandon their “rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic” mentality. Sigh.

 

[Cardiac]

Only this fan base could have a new offensive HC from the Rams and have a new Dark side thread before FA, the draft and camp.

All because he thought his best option for DC was the 32 years old with 3 years play calling experience who is considered one of the best young defensive minds in the league, and retained the OL coach that several NFL teams were interested in because he wasn't great in his first year ever in the NFL with a hobbled line (Hernandez missed 10 games, Jonah Williams missed 8, Evan Brown missed 6, Paris Johnson missed 5) and we had no running backs worth anything after the first 4 games . There were only 4 games all season where we had the full starting O line together, and in one of them Williams only played 71%.

But y'all would be happier had they brought in Gus Bradley and some no name former assistant O line coach from the Dolphins or something I guess.

Enjoy your self imposed misery I guess

Who considers Rallis one of the best young defensive minds in the league? Evidence based on results say otherwise.
I'd offer you a drink but I'm all out of koolaid and it appears you have gathered all the available hopium.
I use to get tired of all the negativity and doom and gloom. Now I simply accept it as the truth. 52 years of Bidwill BS tells me that odds are this team will suck again and again and again.

 

[TheCardFan]

who is considered one of the best young defensive minds in the league

retained the OL coach that several NFL teams were interested in

Links?

 

[Cheesebeef]

Only this fan base could have a new offensive HC from the Rams and have a new Dark side thread before FA, the draft and camp.

All because he thought his best option for DC was a guy who's defenses were bad to completely awful for his entire tenure, and retained the OL coach that took a good O-line the previous two years and turned them into TRASH immediately before any injuries set in.

Fixed that to acknowledge the actual facts for ya.

But y'all would be happier had they brought in Gus Bradley and some no name former assistant O line coach from the Dolphins or something I guess.

Enjoy your self imposed misery I guess

Lol - pretty sure the 3-14 record and complete and utter ineptitude from the defense and O-line were signiificant factors that imposed the misery on the fans, and the architects of both of those sources of misery are coming back, but hey... "Rallis is considered one of the best young minds" according to some unnamed sources, all evidence to the contrary... oh, and apparently someone else wanted our terrible O-line coach.

And before you site some article with unnamed sources lauding Rallis' best young mind", try not to forget that you blew off another report from unnamed sources that said two other DC's, besides Gus Bradley, turned down our offers. Strange... I wonder why the contradiction, there?. As for the excrement who was our in demand O-line coach, I can’t wait to see the proof of that

 

[BullheadCardFan]

.Most of us has seen this movie before. Please forgive us if we are, uhhh, skeptical.

Yep and it doesn't have a happy ending

 

[gimpy]

Yep and it doesn't have a happy ending

Well, I only like movies with happy endings.

 

[some dumb guy]

Well, I only like movies with happy endings.

Well, then we're all in the wrong theater...

 

[cardpa]

Man it feels good to be back home on the dark side again.

 

[kerouac9]

Well, I only like massages with happy endings.

Ftfy