Excellent Article about O-Line Play in Atlanta Game

[ASUCHRIS]

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/word-muth/2010/word-muth-cardinal-problems

None of this will be too surprising for those who watch closely, but it's a wonderful breakdown of x's and o's and technique. As usual, Deuce and Lyle stand out, and Levi/Keith look awful. Faneca is ok, but a shell of his former self.

Hilarious that some people wanted to cut Deuce and extend Levi, clearly Deuce is the one who deserves an extension, and Levi is a bust. At least Keith has the excuse of inexperience and the fact he's a 7th rounder.

Bottom line, the offense will clearly see tons of blitzing until Anderson and the line prove they can punish it. So far, Anderson is the only one getting punished.

 

[D-Dogg]

That is one of the best breakdowns I've read. I will be following that column for sure.

 

[D-Dogg]

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/word-muth/2010/introduction-word-muth

About him (and why the Cards are one of the 3 teams he'll focus on this year).

-more at link-

Arizona Cardinals
Why we chose them: The main reason is Russ Grimm. With Howard Mudd and Alex Gibbs in different forms of retirement or semi-retirement, Grimm may be the most respected offensive line coach in the NFL. Also, the Cardinals major in the Power play. The other teams might dabble in it, but the Cardinals will likely use it as their No. 1 running play. So they will offer a different style of running game than the other teams. And finally, I grew up a Cardinals fan and it's my column. I figure if I'm going to watch every snap anyway, I might as well write about what happens.

 

[Pariah]

The whole was less than the sum of its parts.

This could be the team slogan based on our performance this year.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Good stuff.

 

[SeattleCard]

Amazing article... wow. That guy knows is football.

 

[SeattleCard]

By the way.... I hope Grimm can 'fix it' or we are in for a long season.

 

[seesred]

I'm a Cardinals fan and don't usually catch the line even if I'm trying. My eye goes right to the ball. This guy had it down. Sometimes when I watch the game over in slow motion and pause I can clearly see what he is talking about. I'm surprised we made so many changes mostly due to bringing in Faneca. Lyle, Duece and then???????? I would like to see Hadnot start. He looked good in camp and pre season. But I don't coach otherwise take away to titles.

GBR
40

 

[MadCardDisease]

Muth is from Stanford which explains why it's such a well thought out article. He really knows his stuff. I'm glad he picked the Cardinals as one of the focus teams.

 

[WarnerHOF]

By the way.... I hope Grimm can 'fix it' or we are in for a long season.

Grimm and Davis should be fired first thing this offseason.

 

[mrbyte]

whats so annoying is that Keith was raved about for having 'good feet' and thats exactly what seems to be letting him down.

We really need to get our running game going big time, and take the pressure off our tackles

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

whats so annoying is that Keith was raved about for having 'good feet' and thats exactly what seems to be letting him down.

We really need to get our running game going big time, and take the pressure off our tackles

To me, Keith shows some nice potential. He's going to have some growing pains but i think he'll improve as the year goes on. The problem is the left side of the OL. Brown has never really improved and Faneca is done. They'll have some nice games and nice plays but they are,overall, a liability. Brown may get better at LT but seeing as how he hasn't improve that much from his rookie year, he may just be what he is, an average to below average tackle. Lutui is the best OL, figures he's the one that looks like it will be a battle to keep. Does it really matter if your 390lbs in the of season if you're ready to go come week 1?

 

[BigRedMO]

Do the Cards not have a scouting dept? That is the only explanation that I can come up with for Whiz's affection for former over the hill Steelers. Enough Mcfadden's and Faneca's. Faneca in his day was awesome. His day is gone. Enough with the welfare programs for former Steelers. Does Whiz not have the ability to assess current skill level? It appears he doesnt have that abilty to assess QBs. Maybe Bradshaw will suit up for us?

I already considered Warner at god level and I never thought it possible but his stock is even rising higher in my eyes. I am beginning to believe that Whiz is incredibly average and Warner put this awful franchise on his shoulders and carried it against its will screaming and fighting like a spoiled kid to the Super Bowl.

 

[Duckjake]

Do the Cards not have a scouting dept? That is the only explanation that I can come up with for Whiz's affection for former over the hill Steelers. Enough Mcfadden's and Faneca's. Faneca in his day was awesome. His day is gone. Enough with the welfare programs for former Steelers. Does Whiz not have the ability to assess current skill level? It appears he doesnt have that abilty to assess QBs. Maybe Bradshaw will suit up for us?

I already considered Warner at god level and I never thought it possible but his stock is even rising higher in my eyes. I am beginning to believe that Whiz is incredibly average and Warner put this awful franchise on his shoulders and carried it against its will screaming and fighting like a spoiled kid to the Super Bowl.

That is not what happened. The 2008 and 2009 Cardinals were loaded with veterans with real NFL talent who had actually been playing together for more than 1 season. That is what took the Cards to the SB and back to back NFC West titles. CKW was the perfect manager for that group.

You've been around long enough to remember the Cards perennially being the youngest team in the NFL and what veterans they did have not really being NFL talent.

What happened with the offense is that you had Warner working with two very talented WRs in Q and Fitz for 3 years prior to 2008 and CKW is, if nothing else, a great play caller in key situations. That was a perfect recipe for an outstanding air attack.

 

[Snakester]

I am impressed. I like that guy. I think many of us thought it would take Levi Brown some time to get used to the left side. I think he will be decent by mid-season and should be pretty solid by the end of the year. Keith however is a different story. From day one he has not shown the feet or flexability to be a good tackle. I still can't understand why both he and Herman Johnson have been put at tackle when both are clearly better off at being guards. It's a shame because I think Johnson could become a dominating guard. He played left guard in college at LSU and looked very good.

 

[kerouac9]

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/word-muth/2010/word-muth-cardinal-problems

None of this will be too surprising for those who watch closely, but it's a wonderful breakdown of x's and o's and technique. As usual, Deuce and Lyle stand out, and Levi/Keith look awful. Faneca is ok, but a shell of his former self.

Hilarious that some people wanted to cut Deuce and extend Levi, clearly Deuce is the one who deserves an extension, and Levi is a bust. At least Keith has the excuse of inexperience and the fact he's a 7th rounder.

Bottom line, the offense will clearly see tons of blitzing until Anderson and the line prove they can punish it. So far, Anderson is the only one getting punished.

I hope you're not talking about me on that second point. I want to extend Levi if he shows that he can be an above-average left tackle. I expect that he'll show that by the second half of the season--since that's what he's shown essentially every season that he's been in this league.

I've always been on Lutui's side and hope he gets a new deal.