Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
ACHIEVERS: Good, Effort Players Who Have Generally Impacted The Games in a Positive Way. Mid-Year Grades in Parentheses.
27-Adams (B-)
78-Branch (B-)
15-Breaston (B)
81-Dray (B-)
66-Faneca (B-)
4-Feely (B+)
11-Fitzgerald (B)
5-Graham (B-)
91-Iwebema (B)
49-Johnson (B-)
82-Leach (A)
51-Lenon (B+)
76-Lutui (B+)
45-Maui'a (B-)
12-Roberts (B-)
25-Rhodes (B)
50-Schofield (B)
63-Sendlein (B-)
36-Stephens-Howling (A)
28-Toler (B)
58-Washington (B-)
31-Wright (B-)
Highest Grades at the Mid-Year:
Offense: Lutui
Defense: Lenon
Special Teams: Stephens-Howling
First Half MVP: Stephens-Howling
UNDERACHIEVERS:
3-Anderson (D)
75-Brown (D+)
93-Campbell (C-)
59-Davis (D)
90-Dockett (C+)
80-Doucet (F)
53-Haggans (C-)
6-Hall (D-)
54-Hayes (D)
34-Hightower (C)
72-Keith (D)
18-Komar (D)
23-McBride (D)
89-Patrick (D-)
55-Porter (C)
97-Robinson (D-)
29-Rodgers-Cromartie (C)
83-Spach (F)
56-Walker (F)
22-Ware (F)
98-Watson (F)
26-Wells (D)
92-Williams (C-)
24-Wilson (D)
Coaches:
ACHIEVERS:
ST-Spencer (B+)
SC-Lott (B+)
UNDERACIEVERS:
OC-Whisenhunt (D-)
OLC-Grimm (D-)
PGC-Miller (F)
QBC-C.Miller (F)
RBC-Robinson (F)
WRC-McNulty (D-)
TEC-Kitchens (F)
OQC: C. Grimm (D-)
DC: Davis (F)
DLC: Aiken (F)
LBC: Raich (C)
DBC: Henderson (D)
DQC: Slowick (F)
HC: Whisenhunt (D-)
The Pre-Season Outlook 2010:
The biggest question marks were:
(1) Could the Cardinals continue their winning ways in the NFC West without QB Kurt Warner?
(2) Could the Cardinal defense rebound from its abysmal finish to the 2009 season?
Thus far, the answers are a resounding no on both counts.
For a team that was facing the speculation that Warner had as much to do with team winning as anything or anyone else, the results have been mind-boggling, for the following reasons:
(1) The handling of the Matt Leinart situation. The Matt Leinart decision was one that had to me made right from the get-go. For it to happen at the very end of training camp and for the Cardinals to not have more attractive options in place put the team's chances for success in total jeopardy.
(2) The speculation was that Warner was so dynamic because he developed a strong chemistry and timing with his receivers and because he had the autonomy to make on-the-field calls, audibles and adjustments.
What the first of half of this season has done is it has exposed the consistent flaws of Ken Whisenhunt's coaching and offensive schemes, because the consistencies of it:
* No QB in Arizona other than Warner has been able to perform with even a modicum of success in Whisenhunt's offense.
* Lack of a sustained running game. Even without Warner no added emphasis has been placed on the running game.
* Lack of adequate pass protection, especially when it matters most. Whisenhunt's refusal to "chip" opposing DEs, especially when the matchups heavily favor the DEs, has cost this offense time and time again. (Note: This week TE Brent Celek of the Eagles said that the key to their win over the Colts was the way they chipped DE Dwight Freeney. Celek said that after a while Freeney stopped even trying, that it took the heart out of him. This is why a team with Mike Vick at QB can beat a team wirh Peyton Manning. Its in the planning.)
* Poor time/clock management late in halfs and games.
Examples in the Bucs' loss:
1. Rushing a 4th down and goal from the 2 at the end of the first half, with a timeout still available.
2. Passing on 1st and 10 from the Bucs' 20 yard line, with a little over 2 minutes left, and the Bucs down to their last timeout.
3. Even after the interception, there was still a chance if the defense can stop the Bucs from running out the clock, and yet on the very first play, the Bucs gain 25 yards versus what should have been a prevent the run defense, because the defense with Alan Branch on the edge (why?) loses contain.
* Playing the best players at times when there is absolutely no need to---in fact at times where it's totally stupid to. Examples:
Anquan Boldin getting hurt in the Packer blowout due to a high Leinart pass. (You would think that after the Boldin disaster in NY, he would have been the first to take out in another meaningless game)
Beanie Wells getting 15 carries in the second halfs of pre-season games when he is nursing a knee injury.
* Trick Plays. These make the Cardinal offense creative...like the flea flicker versus the Panthers in the 2008 playoffs that Warner and Haley drew up on the plane...or the end around WR pass from Stevie Breaston this past week that helped lead to the Cardinals' only 3 offensive points of the second half.
While the trick plays are great...you can't build an offense around them.
* Late arriving plays and even on timely called plays, bringing virtually every snap down to the 1 second mark of the playclock. No quick snaps...and thus giving the defense a predictable edge.
* Poor passing to the RBs...poor execution on screen and flare passes...and almost no passing to the TEs.
* Sloppily designed and executed 2 minute drills that feature three yard passes and a colossal wasting of time between plays.
2010 Offensive Rankings (after 8 games):
Yards: 31st; Rushing: 28th; Passing 31st; Sacks: 31st; 1st Downs: 29th; Red Zone %: 13th; Points Per Game: 20th (which, if you took away the return TDs would be 31st).
The greatest strength of Whisenhunt's offense is his ability to make the right calls and get the right execution in the Red Zone. Even without Warner, this year's team ranks #13 (after being #1 last year). The problem is, the offense isn't getting into the red zone nearly often enough, as it was last year.
(2) As for the defense...the excuse during the playoffs---in which they gave up an NFL record 90 points in consecutive games---was that the unit was injured. This year the unit has been healthy...and the results are pretty much the same. The consistent patterns here under Bill Davis (with many carry-overs from Clancy Pendergast) have been:
* Inability to stop the run...showing particularly no interest in stopping power backs...even allowing third stringers like Jason Snelling (ATL), Mike Tolbert (SD) and LaGarrette Blount to have career 100 yard plus days.
* Inability to pressure the edge...both on the pass rush and in defending the run.
* Poor contain on the edge.
* Shabby, inconsistent tackling. This year the best, surest tacklers are Paris Lenon, Greg Toler and Michael Adams.
* Poor fundamentals in tackling...poor pursuit angles...not breaking down, like the way Adrian Wilson lunged and whiffed on Percy Harvin.
* Very few hard, statement-making tackles.
* Porous coverage, especially late in halfs.
* Poor game planning. When an All-Pro like TE Antonio Gates is wide open all afternoon, what does that tell you?
* Weak defense on the perimeter...inability to cover WR hitch screen, RB screens, reverses, waggles, bootlegs.
* Poor deep help. It is still impossible to believe that Brett Favre was given a clear passing lane right up the middle from 30 yards out and under 30 seconds left without a safety being right there at the goal-line.
* Lack of in-game adjustments. How can the Vikings keep passing to a wide-open slant? How can they hit the TE seam pass two times in a row?
* Poorly conceived matchups. Michael Adams on Donald Driver (no better option?). Adrian Wilson on Visanthe Shiancoe (no better option there?). Paris Lenon on Bernard Berrian? Please.
* Playing and starting veterans who are unproductive.
* Slow development of draft picks---Whiz is much better at getting the young players involved early. With Davis, it's been awfully slow.
* Players totally gassed at the end of games to the point of standing around.
* Players quitting on plays, especially in coverage.
* Blown coverages, especially in key sitations and on third downs. The consistent refrain of players like Wilson claiming the players are "not on the same page."
* A misunderstanding of how to use Adrian Wilson. There are several other personnel issiues, but the one with Wilson is most disconcerting.
2010 Defensive Rankings (after 8 games):
Yards: 30th; Rushing: 28th; Passing: 27th; Sacks: 17th; 1st Downs: 30th; 3rd Down %: 21st; Red Zone %: 5th; Points Per Game: 28th.
Davis' strengths show up in these stats as well. Thanks to some timely blitzes (which he likely should call more of) the Cardinals get to the QB and force turnovers...and the defense stiffens in the red zone...but, it gives up far too many yards and coversions, far too many long sustained drives (The Bucs' game---4 drives covered over 320 yards)---and at times too many quick hitting drives (The Vikings' last 3 drives in the 4th Q & OT: 4 plays 40 yards; 4 plays 62 yards; 4 plays 46 yards).
Like the offense the good news is the Red Zone % stat...only the offense doesn't get there hardly at all, and the defense find itself there far too often.
Kudos to ST Coach Kevin Spencer who has found a way to keep the team in games. This guy is sharp and has kept improving the Cardinals' STs year after year.
Team Leadership:
The Cardinals' best game this year was their beating of New Orleans at home 30-20. There were many uncanny things that happened in that game...but one thing was clear, unlike in many other games...the players were jacked and fought hard for 60 minutes...the term MAX EFFORT was spawned there, and it applied to the entire team.
This game manifested what this team is capable of...even with an undrafted rookie at QB...
Yet...the most telling STAT of all???
Come to find out the players prior to the Saints' game had added incentive of earning a whole week (besides one perfunctory walk-through practice) off for the bye week with a win.
The reality is...this team is severely lacking in veteran leadership...and in players who are thoroughly committed to winning.
The players collectively have succumbed to a level of complacency that
That is...the most important stat.
The coaches are to blame...they always are when a team plays as poorly as the Cardinals have. Coaches DO create culture.
But, the players have to make the difference...they are the ones who have to embrace the culture...and they are not.
Sure they should be fired up for Seattle...
This team gets fired up for the games THEY WANT to get fired up for.
This is why, we the fans are getting cheated.
This team is a total c-teaser.
27-Adams (B-)
78-Branch (B-)
15-Breaston (B)
81-Dray (B-)
66-Faneca (B-)
4-Feely (B+)
11-Fitzgerald (B)
5-Graham (B-)
91-Iwebema (B)
49-Johnson (B-)
82-Leach (A)
51-Lenon (B+)
76-Lutui (B+)
45-Maui'a (B-)
12-Roberts (B-)
25-Rhodes (B)
50-Schofield (B)
63-Sendlein (B-)
36-Stephens-Howling (A)
28-Toler (B)
58-Washington (B-)
31-Wright (B-)
Highest Grades at the Mid-Year:
Offense: Lutui
Defense: Lenon
Special Teams: Stephens-Howling
First Half MVP: Stephens-Howling
UNDERACHIEVERS:
3-Anderson (D)
75-Brown (D+)
93-Campbell (C-)
59-Davis (D)
90-Dockett (C+)
80-Doucet (F)
53-Haggans (C-)
6-Hall (D-)
54-Hayes (D)
34-Hightower (C)
72-Keith (D)
18-Komar (D)
23-McBride (D)
89-Patrick (D-)
55-Porter (C)
97-Robinson (D-)
29-Rodgers-Cromartie (C)
83-Spach (F)
56-Walker (F)
22-Ware (F)
98-Watson (F)
26-Wells (D)
92-Williams (C-)
24-Wilson (D)
Coaches:
ACHIEVERS:
ST-Spencer (B+)
SC-Lott (B+)
UNDERACIEVERS:
OC-Whisenhunt (D-)
OLC-Grimm (D-)
PGC-Miller (F)
QBC-C.Miller (F)
RBC-Robinson (F)
WRC-McNulty (D-)
TEC-Kitchens (F)
OQC: C. Grimm (D-)
DC: Davis (F)
DLC: Aiken (F)
LBC: Raich (C)
DBC: Henderson (D)
DQC: Slowick (F)
HC: Whisenhunt (D-)
The Pre-Season Outlook 2010:
The biggest question marks were:
(1) Could the Cardinals continue their winning ways in the NFC West without QB Kurt Warner?
(2) Could the Cardinal defense rebound from its abysmal finish to the 2009 season?
Thus far, the answers are a resounding no on both counts.
For a team that was facing the speculation that Warner had as much to do with team winning as anything or anyone else, the results have been mind-boggling, for the following reasons:
(1) The handling of the Matt Leinart situation. The Matt Leinart decision was one that had to me made right from the get-go. For it to happen at the very end of training camp and for the Cardinals to not have more attractive options in place put the team's chances for success in total jeopardy.
(2) The speculation was that Warner was so dynamic because he developed a strong chemistry and timing with his receivers and because he had the autonomy to make on-the-field calls, audibles and adjustments.
What the first of half of this season has done is it has exposed the consistent flaws of Ken Whisenhunt's coaching and offensive schemes, because the consistencies of it:
* No QB in Arizona other than Warner has been able to perform with even a modicum of success in Whisenhunt's offense.
* Lack of a sustained running game. Even without Warner no added emphasis has been placed on the running game.
* Lack of adequate pass protection, especially when it matters most. Whisenhunt's refusal to "chip" opposing DEs, especially when the matchups heavily favor the DEs, has cost this offense time and time again. (Note: This week TE Brent Celek of the Eagles said that the key to their win over the Colts was the way they chipped DE Dwight Freeney. Celek said that after a while Freeney stopped even trying, that it took the heart out of him. This is why a team with Mike Vick at QB can beat a team wirh Peyton Manning. Its in the planning.)
* Poor time/clock management late in halfs and games.
Examples in the Bucs' loss:
1. Rushing a 4th down and goal from the 2 at the end of the first half, with a timeout still available.
2. Passing on 1st and 10 from the Bucs' 20 yard line, with a little over 2 minutes left, and the Bucs down to their last timeout.
3. Even after the interception, there was still a chance if the defense can stop the Bucs from running out the clock, and yet on the very first play, the Bucs gain 25 yards versus what should have been a prevent the run defense, because the defense with Alan Branch on the edge (why?) loses contain.
* Playing the best players at times when there is absolutely no need to---in fact at times where it's totally stupid to. Examples:
Anquan Boldin getting hurt in the Packer blowout due to a high Leinart pass. (You would think that after the Boldin disaster in NY, he would have been the first to take out in another meaningless game)
Beanie Wells getting 15 carries in the second halfs of pre-season games when he is nursing a knee injury.
* Trick Plays. These make the Cardinal offense creative...like the flea flicker versus the Panthers in the 2008 playoffs that Warner and Haley drew up on the plane...or the end around WR pass from Stevie Breaston this past week that helped lead to the Cardinals' only 3 offensive points of the second half.
While the trick plays are great...you can't build an offense around them.
* Late arriving plays and even on timely called plays, bringing virtually every snap down to the 1 second mark of the playclock. No quick snaps...and thus giving the defense a predictable edge.
* Poor passing to the RBs...poor execution on screen and flare passes...and almost no passing to the TEs.
* Sloppily designed and executed 2 minute drills that feature three yard passes and a colossal wasting of time between plays.
2010 Offensive Rankings (after 8 games):
Yards: 31st; Rushing: 28th; Passing 31st; Sacks: 31st; 1st Downs: 29th; Red Zone %: 13th; Points Per Game: 20th (which, if you took away the return TDs would be 31st).
The greatest strength of Whisenhunt's offense is his ability to make the right calls and get the right execution in the Red Zone. Even without Warner, this year's team ranks #13 (after being #1 last year). The problem is, the offense isn't getting into the red zone nearly often enough, as it was last year.
(2) As for the defense...the excuse during the playoffs---in which they gave up an NFL record 90 points in consecutive games---was that the unit was injured. This year the unit has been healthy...and the results are pretty much the same. The consistent patterns here under Bill Davis (with many carry-overs from Clancy Pendergast) have been:
* Inability to stop the run...showing particularly no interest in stopping power backs...even allowing third stringers like Jason Snelling (ATL), Mike Tolbert (SD) and LaGarrette Blount to have career 100 yard plus days.
* Inability to pressure the edge...both on the pass rush and in defending the run.
* Poor contain on the edge.
* Shabby, inconsistent tackling. This year the best, surest tacklers are Paris Lenon, Greg Toler and Michael Adams.
* Poor fundamentals in tackling...poor pursuit angles...not breaking down, like the way Adrian Wilson lunged and whiffed on Percy Harvin.
* Very few hard, statement-making tackles.
* Porous coverage, especially late in halfs.
* Poor game planning. When an All-Pro like TE Antonio Gates is wide open all afternoon, what does that tell you?
* Weak defense on the perimeter...inability to cover WR hitch screen, RB screens, reverses, waggles, bootlegs.
* Poor deep help. It is still impossible to believe that Brett Favre was given a clear passing lane right up the middle from 30 yards out and under 30 seconds left without a safety being right there at the goal-line.
* Lack of in-game adjustments. How can the Vikings keep passing to a wide-open slant? How can they hit the TE seam pass two times in a row?
* Poorly conceived matchups. Michael Adams on Donald Driver (no better option?). Adrian Wilson on Visanthe Shiancoe (no better option there?). Paris Lenon on Bernard Berrian? Please.
* Playing and starting veterans who are unproductive.
* Slow development of draft picks---Whiz is much better at getting the young players involved early. With Davis, it's been awfully slow.
* Players totally gassed at the end of games to the point of standing around.
* Players quitting on plays, especially in coverage.
* Blown coverages, especially in key sitations and on third downs. The consistent refrain of players like Wilson claiming the players are "not on the same page."
* A misunderstanding of how to use Adrian Wilson. There are several other personnel issiues, but the one with Wilson is most disconcerting.
2010 Defensive Rankings (after 8 games):
Yards: 30th; Rushing: 28th; Passing: 27th; Sacks: 17th; 1st Downs: 30th; 3rd Down %: 21st; Red Zone %: 5th; Points Per Game: 28th.
Davis' strengths show up in these stats as well. Thanks to some timely blitzes (which he likely should call more of) the Cardinals get to the QB and force turnovers...and the defense stiffens in the red zone...but, it gives up far too many yards and coversions, far too many long sustained drives (The Bucs' game---4 drives covered over 320 yards)---and at times too many quick hitting drives (The Vikings' last 3 drives in the 4th Q & OT: 4 plays 40 yards; 4 plays 62 yards; 4 plays 46 yards).
Like the offense the good news is the Red Zone % stat...only the offense doesn't get there hardly at all, and the defense find itself there far too often.
Kudos to ST Coach Kevin Spencer who has found a way to keep the team in games. This guy is sharp and has kept improving the Cardinals' STs year after year.
Team Leadership:
The Cardinals' best game this year was their beating of New Orleans at home 30-20. There were many uncanny things that happened in that game...but one thing was clear, unlike in many other games...the players were jacked and fought hard for 60 minutes...the term MAX EFFORT was spawned there, and it applied to the entire team.
This game manifested what this team is capable of...even with an undrafted rookie at QB...
Yet...the most telling STAT of all???
Come to find out the players prior to the Saints' game had added incentive of earning a whole week (besides one perfunctory walk-through practice) off for the bye week with a win.
The reality is...this team is severely lacking in veteran leadership...and in players who are thoroughly committed to winning.
The players collectively have succumbed to a level of complacency that
That is...the most important stat.
The coaches are to blame...they always are when a team plays as poorly as the Cardinals have. Coaches DO create culture.
But, the players have to make the difference...they are the ones who have to embrace the culture...and they are not.
Sure they should be fired up for Seattle...
This team gets fired up for the games THEY WANT to get fired up for.
This is why, we the fans are getting cheated.
This team is a total c-teaser.
Yes, Binkar, the grades are on the first-half performance.
