Silver lining from last year's disappointing season

[Cardsmasochist]

Maybe this is wishful thinking but the players this year, to me, have a heightened sense of urgency. It seemed last year when All or Nothing was released and most of the pre-season talk was about being favored to not only make the Super Bowl but to win it, some players were already celebrating. Remember Patrick Peterson arriving to camp in a helicopter? He had a great year but Arians said there were too many stupid errors from team mates that cost us some games. I know there were a lot of reasons we had a bad year with key injuries and horrible special teams play hurting us but this year I expect the Cardinals to come out strong knowing the window is shutting.


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[JeffGollin]

I hope you're wrong.

Each preseason, our players should have a heightened "sense of urgency" because it's in the DNA of every player to shoot for the moon on every rep of every practice session and every game.

If they don't have that proverbial fire, they shouldn't be here.

 

[BigRedRage]

I hope you're wrong.

Each preseason, our players should have a heightened "sense of urgency" because it's in the DNA of every player to shoot for the moon on every rep of every practice session and every game.

If they don't have that proverbial fire, they shouldn't be here.

There is a different sense of urgency when you feel like you will walk right to the championship to when you feel you have to earn it. This year I expect we know we arent walking into anything.

 

[Reign Blood]

This is the last year of the window. A sense of urgency along with knowing of what we needed. It's feast or famine but I can tell you now that it takes a ticket to get to the show.

Obviously speaking but reminding you that what you thought was the core was only what teams prepared for now it switches gears into the unknown which is what the storm is.

 

[TRW]

Special Teams, Special Teams, Special Teams. If they don't get THAT right it will be a disaster again. Too many Special Team gaffs last year was the main reason they didn't make the playoffs IMO. Please don't put an abysmal blocker in front of the punter ever again!

I think they can be special this year if they don't mess up the kicking game again. 3 games (at least) were decided by inept Special Teams last season. Since the same coaching is there I have a bit of trepidation about the possible improvement there.

A decent second CB would help too

 

[Krangodnzr]

Early on the team just didnt seem to have the right attitude.

Multiple key players had down years (Floyd, John Brown, and Mathieu). And then a plethora of injuries set in. Meanwhile special teams played like hot garbage. Special teams have never beem great under Arians, but the Cardinals were wretched at EVERYTHING on special teams last season.

I'm excited about this year because I don't think BASK will have back-to-back losing seasons. I think the Cardinals offensive line and receiver play will be better. On defense, I think that the team will miss Calais but the additions of Reddick, Baker, and a healthier Mathieu will make the defense better than last year.

 

[TJ]

Team was 3-5-1 in one-score games. Three plays would've turned around the entire season: a proper snap on the FG attempt against New England, Catanzaro hitting the GW against Seattle, and John Brown not dogging it on a sure-fire TD catch against Minnesota that went for a Pick Six. There were some others, but those three I vividly remember being boneheaded moments.

This wasn't like the Cards of 10-20 years ago in which there were some 7 +/- win teams and they'd still look like they didn't belong in the NFL. This team legitimately had a slew of bad breaks, controllable and uncontrollable. Perhaps it was the cockiness from the 13 wins in 2015, "All or Nothing," or something else. I kind of like how this team is flying subtly under the radar. Recently, NFL.com had a ranking of Top-10 teams in terms of talent, and AZ wasn't even an honorable mention.

This is a double digit win team, and if the rumors are true about dissention in the Seattle locker room, we can win the division.

 

[Reign Blood]

This is the last year of the window. A sense of urgency along with knowing of what we needed. It's feast or famine but I can tell you now that it takes a ticket to get to the show.

Obviously speaking but reminding you that what you thought was the core was only what teams prepared for now it switches gears into the unknown which is what the storm is.

Quoting my own post to show you what happens when I drink vodka.

 

[WildBB]

The all or nothing crap didn't do them any favors they didn't need the extra exposure.

Arians also came out and told them they were only a few plays away from finishing 9-7 instead of 13-3, and showed them some a few key plays that if some of which had gone a different way, would have likely brought a few more loses.

Last year was a primary example of those few plays making a huge difference from getting off on the right foot. Something that definitely needs to be addressed ~ getting out of the gate cleanly. Maybe not 7/8-0 clean but we'll above .500.

The early pre season game might help the cause getting some early kinks out. It helped Dallas last year.

 

[GuernseyCard]

The silver lining was that a number of backups got playing time and are more likely to effectively contribute this season.

 

[Cardiac]

Team was 3-5-1 in one-score games. Three plays would've turned around the entire season: a proper snap on the FG attempt against New England, Catanzaro hitting the GW against Seattle, and John Brown not dogging it on a sure-fire TD catch against Minnesota that went for a Pick Six. There were some others, but those three I vividly remember being boneheaded moments.

The snap wasn't good but Catman should have still made that kick.

John Brown did not dog it on that TD interception, he wasn't himself last year because of the sickle cell trait and recently discovered cyst on his spine that was removed.

I do agree that their were several single plays that if they go differently we win move games.