Christmas came early for Cardinals fans. The NFC West has officially been clinched (ed note: no Denny Green "crown em" jokes will ever be made on this blog. If you honestly still enjoy that, I don't like you). News reached the team somewhere over Iowa. After the Cards snuck out of Detroit with a fairly pathetic win, a 49ers loss was all that stood in the way. Alex Smith did his best Alex Smith impression and soon enough champagne bottles were being popped all over the team charter. Ok, that's not entirely accurate, but hats were distributed throughout and coaches and players rejoiced. This of course is the good news. I mean shit, this is great news. So why doesn't it feel that way? I'm sure part of the tempered excitement has to do with the expectations now associated with this team. From the start of the season wining the NFC West was not a goal, it was assumed. That's not the whole story though. My apathy towards this playoff bound team is for one reason and one reason alone, they have looked awful the past two weeks. I'm bypassing any and all discussions and breakdowns of the MNF debacle because honestly, fuck that. Seven turnovers deserves no other analysis. So with that in mind lets take a look at yesterdays game.
Billy Davis, I can't figure you out. Seriously, I don't understand what the hell you are doing half the time. The defensive play-calling in the first half was maddening. Yes, I understand the Lions were scoreless in the first half but that seemed more a product of their ineptness than our influence. Where was the pressure? Why won't you blitz A-dub? What happened to the creativity displayed in the Minnesota game? Why won't you blitz A-dub!?!?! This may seem completely convoluted given when the scoring took place but I thought the play-calling in the second half was much improved. When Davis took over as DC he talked about simplifying the playbook to ensure players knew where they were supposed to be and what they were supposed to be doing. In principle that is great, but it seems he has taken that too far. I've already talked about Adrian Wilson's role in this defense ad nauseum. Karlos Dansby, while not the best, is arguably the most versatile LB in the entire NFL. I mean shit, against the vikings he played several snaps at safety, twice resulting in interceptions (his own and Michael Adams). Bring back a bit of the creativity. Bring back a bit more than 3 or 4 man fronts and please, get A-dub that half-sack he needs to make it 20. He may not be trippin, but I am.
The offense is out of sync. There is no other way to look at it. After a stunning performance against the Vikings, the Oline has regressed. The run blocking has improved no doubt-and part of that is Beanie being much quicker to and through the hole than timmy- but the pass blocking has been poor at best. If this team is going to go anywhere in the playoffs they are going to have to clean that up right quick. Kurt is not getting the time he needs to get through his progressions and make the right throws. Kurt has also just plain struggled of late. Several poor reads (one of which resulted in an INT and several more could/should have) and many other instances where he had time and just delivered a poorly thrown ball. I do feel though that the offense is a few very quick fixes and thus offer my solutions.
1) Get the ball to Q early and often. I have harped on this before and I am going to do it again. When Quan gets going, the team goes with him. The game winning TD was vintage Q. Why we don't run that play more often in general but especially at the goal line is baffling. I truly feel that our initial offensive series should always open up with Q. The sooner he is established as a major weapon the sooner Fitz gets single coverage opportunities. I can't stress this enough. Everyone says 81 is the heart and soul of the team but many offensive series he seems like an afterthought. Q is best in the short/intermediate passing game and those quick strike plays are the best way to gain some offensive rhythm. Feed the beast.
2) Fuck Tim Hightower- er I mean use Beanie more. There is no doubt that Beanie is the primary back now. I don't care who starts the game, all i care about is who gets the majority of the carries. Beanie for the past two weeks has. It is time however to start integrating him in passing plays. There has been no indication that he struggles catching the ball, a knock on him coming out of college. Run some screen plays and swing plays with him. The sooner he becomes a multi-threat back, the better off this offense is. I have to admit, I was not thrilled when we drafted Beanie. I knew he was talented but I have never been a fan of Ohio State players and Beanie was no exception. Oh how that has changed. I get giddy now when he touches the ball. That home run is coming soon and I for one can't wait.
At the end a wins a win and this one clinched a second straight division title. In the coming days we'll preview the Cards-Rams game. I'm guessing they will be playing the starters and go for that 10th win on the home tuff.
A few quick links:
Todd McShay's first Mock Draft. I am a draft nut. Draft day is by far my favorite sports day of the entire year. Thats what 20 years of following a terrible team does to you.
Seriously, Fuck you Ben Rothlisberger. There isn't a Jack Daniels bottle big enough to erase the flashbacks. Will it stop me from drinking one hoping for that? No, of course not. A handle of Jack and the fetal position is how I will be spending this victory monday.
i'll give you a reason to protect kurt warner:
ReplyDeleteas a kid, i was told how you can actually kill a rabbit by making it feel overly threatened. apparently, rabbits have some form of poison that is released from a gland when they reach a high enough level of stress that actually sedates them into death. it's useful when you have hawk talons or coyote teeth wrapped painfully around you.
kurt warner has a similar physiological response to pressure. anytime he feels the presence of a speedy defensive end or the brush of a linebacker's glove against his arm, warner's brain sends a message to the "fumble gland" located in his right elbow (the close proximity of the gland to his throwing arm causes an almost immediate effect). once the "fumblutin" enters his blood stream he spontaneously drops the ball.
respect nature fools.