SB Nation - Victor Hobson

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

sireric — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:00:23 -0000

Buffalo Bills (4-7) vs New York Jets (5-6)
Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:20 PM EST
Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Woot! A Thursday night game! As this is a Thursday night game this week, I probably should have had this up sooner, but I didn't even think of that until just now, so that is why this gets posted now.

These two teams have a long history against each other, dating all the way back to 1960 when they first met. Fast forward 50 years, and this will be meeting No. 99 between these two franchises. The Bills hold the edge 54-44 all time, including a stretch from 1987 to 1992 where the Bills won ten straight games. The last five meetings between these two teams in Buffalo are after the jump.

Sunday, November 7, 2004: Bills 22, Jets 17
In what seems to be a common theme in Bills/Jets games, the Bills ground out 157 yards on the ground, spearheaded by Willis McGahee's 132 yards on 37 attempts - one for a touchdown. When the Bills have big days running the football against the Jets, they normally win. Lee Evans added a touchdown catch and Rian Lindell kicked two field goals; Big Pat Williams even tackled Curtis Martin in the end-zone for a safety. For the Jets, Chad Pennington got knocked out of the game, and former Cowboy Quincy Carter had to finish up. Carter hit Santana Moss for a 51-yard touchdown to make it close late, but the Bills held on for the win.

Sunday, October 16, 2005: Bills 27, Jets 17
Another Bills win over the Jets, another 177 rushing yards from Buffalo. McGahee was once again the workhorse with 143 yards on 29 attempts and a touchdown. Kelly Holcomb added two touchdown passes, one each to Jonathan Smith and Eric Moulds to help pace the Bills' scoring. This time, the Bills had Vinny Testaverde to go against, and the speed rushers of the Bills took advantage. (Please note use of sarcasm.) Ryan Denney (2.0), Tim Anderson (1.0), Sam Adams (1.0), and Angelo Crowell (1.0) all recorded sacks for the Bills.

Sunday, September 24, 2006: Jets 28, Bills 20
The Bills controlled time of possession and moved up and down the field with ease, but turnovers and costly penalties killed them. The Bills ran for 169 yards, once again led by Willis McGahee (who finished with 150 yards), and J.P. Losman even passed for 328 yards. A Victor Hobson fumble return for a touchdown and a key Losman interception gave the Jets the win. Chris Kelsay picked up the lone Bills sack.

Sunday, September 30, 2007: Bills 17, Jets 14
This was the starting debut of Trent Edwards. With the Bills holding a slim 10-7 lead halfway through the fourth quarter, Dick Jauron shows lots of faith in his young QB by going for it on a fourth and one. Jauron's faith was rewarded when Edwards hit Michael Gaines in the end zone for some much-needed insurance points. Less then four minutes later, Leon Washington crossed the goal line for the Jets to pull the Jets to within three points, but the Bills' defense would hold on for the win.

Sunday, November 2, 2008: Jets 26, Bills 17
After Jay Feely hit a field goal for the Jets, the Bills came back with a Derek Fine touchdown pass from Edwards to make it 7-3. It was all downhill from there. Feely hit two more field goals and Abram Elam's 92-yard pick six put the game away for the Jets. The Bills rushed for only 30 yards, and Kris Jenkins singlehandedly shut down the Bills' running game. Jabari Greer added a 42-yard pick six to make it look a little more respectable.

Five Questions After the Arizona Cardinals Cut the Roster to 53

Hawkwind — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:21:04 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

Jerheme Urban is one of seven wide receivers who made the Arizona Cardinals final 53 man roster. (AP Photo/ Ed Andrieski )

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The Arizona Cardinals trimmed their roster to 53 players over the weekend and while there weren't any big-name players shown the door, there were some surprising moves. Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt has left open the possibility that a player or two from other team's cuts could be added but there shouldn't be any wholesale changes or significant players added any time soon. At most we might see a veteran presence brought in to shore up a weakness in depth but for the most part this is the team that will decide whether the 2009 Cardinals live up to their lofty expectations. In looking over the remaining 53 players, a handful of questions come to mind and the answers to these questions might just be the difference between another successful January or some early prep work for the NFL draft.

Why Seven Wide Receivers? - Seven wide receivers is a big number and there are two theories as to why they chose to keep that many. The first, and most likely, theory is that the coaching staff looked at their current wide outs and saw Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston and Early Doucet all nursing various ailments. While none of the three are considered serious injuries, Boldin and Doucet do have a rather significant history with injuries and it's possible that they see Lance Long as a cheap but promising insurance policy. The fact that he offers something on special teams, most notably as a returner, certainly didn't hurt his case either. The second, and less likely although more juicy, theory revolves around the possibility of a trade. To make things a bit more complicated this theory has two parts with the most likely theory centering around a trade of Long, whom most thought the Chiefs would claim if he was exposed to waivers. Todd Haley is a fan of Long and the possibility of them giving up a sixth or seventh round pick doesn't seem all that far fetched. The second theory in this subset is again far less likely but the continued Boldin trade rumors simply won't die. It seems far to late for the Cardinals to still consider this an option, especially with Boldin's softer stance, but just know that the rumors are still out there. Of course the most likely of all of these scenarios is simply that the Cardinals thought that they were a better team with Lance Long than without.
Is there enough depth at linebacker? - One of the more surprising cuts was the release of Victor Hobson, a veteran capable of lining up at inside and outside linebacker. Of course it was more surprising given the lack of depth at his position as opposed to his performance on the field but his absence leaves the Cardinals with some very inexperienced backups at the linebacker position. It is conceivable that the Red Birds could enter the season with four backups who have never taken a regular season snap in a 3-4 defense. Bertrand Berry is the veteran of the group but he missed all of OTA's so his experience in this defense is limited to training camp and most view him as strictly a situational pass rusher. Ali Highsmith, a second year undrafted player, is undersized but has the most experience of the inside backers. Rookies Will Davis (6th round) and Reggie Walker (undrafted) comprise the rest of the depth but I think it's fair to say that they are not ready to start on Sundays. If a player is added to the roster this week, it will most likely be a veteran linebacker and they'll certainly add at least one more linebacker on the practice squad.

What happens if Adrian Wilson were to get injured? - While almost everyone who has ever donned Cardinals-red was glad to see Aaron Francisco shown the door, his absence does open a hole in the secondary. While we all knew his limitations, Francisco did at least bring a level of experience to the field that the remaining backup safeties can not boast. He had started just nine games over the past three years but with the way that the Cardinals use their safeties, he was on the field quite a bit with the nickel and dime packages. His responsibilities and playing time now fall to, most likely, Matt Ware. Ware has primarily been a special teams player but his best asset has always been his versatility as both a safety and corner. The interesting thing for Ware though will be if he gets exposed with the increase in playing time, the way that Francisco did over the past couple of seasons. Ware's ability to grasp his responsibilities as a safety could go a long way to determining just how successful this secondary is in 2009.
What happens when Ben Patrick returns? - As we all know, Patrick will return to the team after week four and at that point, someone will have to be cut in order to make room on the roster. As you might expect the Cardinals will have plenty of options, such as cutting a tight or carrying four, cutting a wide receiver or even trimming an offensive lineman off of the current group of nine. The most likely scenario would be cutting a tight end which would mean that the trio of Stephen Spach, Anthony Becht and Dominique Byrd are playing for their jobs for the next four weeks.
Where is the depth at left tackle? - While Oliver Ross wasn't a terribly enticing option as Mike Gandy's backup, Ross was the only player on the 80 man roster who had taken snaps at left tackle during the preseason. His name on the cut list means that the Cardinals are left without an experienced backup should Gandy go down and that should send chills up the blindside of Kurt Warner. Coach Whisenhunt has already stated that Levi Brown would flip over to left tackle if something were to happen and either Brandon Keith or Herman Johnson would step in at right tackle. Given Brown's struggles with speed rushers and Keith and/or Johnson's inexperience, the Cardinals would weaken themselves at two positions and likely leave KW as a sitting duck. I'm sure that the Cardinals would love to add a quality backup at left tackle (ala Elliot Vallejo) but left tackles who can hold their own on an NFL field are not unemployed for very long.

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How do you see these questions playing out and what questions would you ask when looking at the final roster?

Arizona Cardinals Top Ten Irreplaceable Players

Hawkwind — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:03:04 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Kurt Warner and Tim Hightower are both among the top ten irreplaceable Arizona Cardinals but who else makes the cut? (AP Photo/ David Zalubowski )

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The Arizona Cardinals are on the door step of the most important season in franchise history. Just nine months removed from the their first ever Super Bowl berth the team must deal with unprecedented pressure from expectations and the pressure that comes with playing as the hunted instead of the hunter. The Cardinals will no longer fly under the radar or be an overlooked opponent. Every week the opposing team will know that the reigning NFC Champion will be on the opposite sideline and every week that opponent will bring their 'A' game because of that fact. Another major challenge for the Cardinals will be staying healthy. The Red Birds were one of the healthier teams in the league in 2008 and the "law of averages" will tell you that they'll have a hard time repeating that for a second consecutive season. With all of that in mind, we'll take a look at the most irreplaceable players on the Arizona Cardinals roster. Factoring in depth and the dropoff in performance from starter to backup will help us put them in order from ten to one.

#10 - Lyle Sendlein: Sendlein struggled mightily at times during his first year as a starter but the third year player has looked quite impressive during the preseason despite facing three dominating nose tackles in Casey Hampton, Jamal Williams and B.J. Raji. Sendlein's value not only lies in his improved play but also in the value of the depth at center. Ben Claxton is expected to be his backup but Claxton is a 29 year old player with a grand total of two games worth of experience.

#9 -Tim Hightower or Chris Wells: Hightower and Wells are 'one in the same' for this exercise because losing either one for a significant period of time would put too much pressure on the other to shoulder the load by himself. The Cardinals want to run the ball more this year and they'll need both backs healthy and productive in order for them to accomplish their goal. Jason Wright and LaRod Stephens-Howling may find their way onto the field in third down situations but either one of them getting a significant number of carries will not a be a good sign.

#8 -Gerald Hayes - Hayes doesn't get the attention or praise that he should but when he's on the field all he does it make play after play. He won't lead Sportcenter's Top 10 on Sunday nights or earn a trip to the Pro Bowl but he's one of the quiet, dedicated, reliable 'worker ants' that every winning team needs. Over the past three seasons he hasn't missed a game and has averaged 93 tackles per year. His veteran leadership combined with the fact that the Cardinals have very little depth at inside linebacker make his presence irreplaceable.

#7 -Steve Breaston - You might be wondering why a third wide receiver is irreplaceable but it's Breaston's total package that the Cards would miss. First, Breaston the only receiver who can simply run by a corner on any given play and beat a defense with the deep ball. Second and more importantly is Breaston's role on special teams. As the primary punt returner and most likely the primary kick returner, his value to the team can not be measured. If he were to go down you'd have to bump up Jerheme Urban, who's a talented receiver but not near the threat that Breaston is, to the slot receiver and you'd probably see Antrel Rolle get the first crack at punt returner.

#6 -Kurt Warner - It goes without saying that Warner is vitally important to what the Cardinals do offensively and they simply wouldn't be the same team if he were to go down. He'd be higher on this list though if Matt Leinart hadn't have had such an impressive preseason. Still though Leinart is a different type of quarterback and the offense would have to become more ground-oriented if he was the starting quarterback. Simply put, the way this team is currently constructed Kurt Warner is the guy that we need under center.

#5 -Darnell Dockett - Nine-0, as he prefers to be called now, is not only the team's best defensive lineman but he's the only one capable of shooting through the offensive line and wreaking havoc in an opponents backfield on any given play. If he were to go down, Kenny Iwebema would have to step in and they are completely different types of players. Dockett is essential to what the Cardinals hope to accomplish up front and the Cardinals need him to not only pressure the quarterback and penetrate the line of scrimmage but also to stay healthy.

#4 - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Bryant McFadden - The combo of DRC and McFadden are essential not so much because of their talents, although neither of them is too shabby, but instead because of the lack of quality depth behind them. If either of the Cards starting corners were to go down they'd be forced to push Ralph Brown into the starting lineup and talented but extremely raw rookie Greg Toler into the nickel slot. Brown has plenty of veteran savvy that's allowed him to survive in the NFL for nine seasons but he's not starting material at this point and Toler has proven that he's not ready for significant snaps yet either.

#3 - Mike Gandy - By now you've probably looked down this list and you're wondering (or maybe screaming) how Gandy can make the list but Larry Fitzgerald's name is no where to be found. Gandy's status as an irreplaceable player has more to do with the lack of depth behind him than the actual quality of his play. His primary backup, Elliot Vallejo, has already be injured and subsequently cut. As a result the Cards are left with shuffling their offensive line completely if Gandy goes down. Coach Whiz has said that Levi Brown would move to left tackle and either Brandon Keith or Herman Johnson would step in at RT. Either way that plays out you'd have one player taking his first ever NFL snap at LT and one guy taking his first ever starting NFL snap. Any way that you slice it, the loss of Gandy would constitute a significant drop (at two positions) off from an already not spectacular quality of play.

#2 -Adrian Wilson - This one is pretty self explanatory, no one on this roster can do what Adrian Wilson does when he's on the football field. Against the pass he's capable of covering tight ends, backs and most receivers and also know for making game changing picks. Against the run he's basically another linebacker and his speed and instincts allow him to diagnose plays in a instant. Oh and he's quite possibly the most devastating blitzer on the team as well. If A-dub went down there would be some scrambling to fill his shoes and there are several possibilities. The Cards could move Matt Ware into the starting lineup or they could move Antrel Rolle over to strong safety and insert rookie Rashad Johnson in at free safety. Neither of those scenarios is particularly favorable.

#1 - Karlos Dansby - With the lack of depth at linebacker, Dansby had to headline this list. He's the leading tackler, the defensive signal caller and he's capable of punishing an offense in every way imaginable. He's strong enough to stuff a run up the middle, quick enough to shut down an outside sweep, fluid enough to drop into coverage and explosive enough to blow by opposing offensive lineman and pressure the quarterback. If Dansby were to go down the Cards would probably move Hayes into his spot and try to fill Hayes' spot with either Ali Highsmith or undrafted rookie Reggie Walker. Needless to say the Red Birds need Dansby to be healthy and productive in 2009.

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Ok, now it's your turn. Am I crazy for not listing Fitz or Anquan Boldin? Who else did I leave off?

NFC West Breakdown: Arizona Cardinals

Pyromnc — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 23:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

3 months ago: Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells (26) breaks a tackle against Green Bay Packers safety Nick Collins on his way to a touchdown in the second quarter of an NFL preseason game Friday, Aug. 28, 2009 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Key Additions: TE Dominique Byrd (Rams), LB Reggie Walker (Undrafted FA), TE Anthony Becht (Rams), RB Jason Wright (Browns), DB Bryant McFadden (Steelers).

Key Losses: RB Edgerrin James (Seahawks), DE Antonio Smith (Texans), RB J.J. Arrington (Broncos, now FA), FB Terrelle Smith (Lions), LB Monty Beisel (Chiefs), TE Leonard Pope (Cut), S Aaron Francisco (Cut), LB Victor Hobson (Cut), FB Tim Castille (Cut).

Draft: RB Chris Wells (1st), DE/LB Cody Brown (2nd), S Rashad Johnson (3rd), CB Greg Toler (4th), OT Herman Johnson (5th), DE/LB Will Davis (6th), RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (7th), OG Trevor Canfield (7th).

In 2008 the Arizona Cardinals shocked the world by winning their division, dominating in the playoffs, and coming within 2 minutes of winning the Super Bowl. Despite doubters who thought that the Cardinals were not a legitimate playoff team, the Red Birds put together three playoff victories and were within two minutes of winning Super Bowl 43. The same doubters are now describing last season, and especially last January, as a "fluke" or claiming that the Cardinals will be another team to fall victim to the dreaded "Super Bowl curse." These are the type of comments that the team thrived on in the playoffs and they hope they can use it to their advantage this season.

After the Super Bowl loss there were some key areas that the Cards hoped to address this off season that plagued them throughout the year last year. Anquan Boldin, Darnell Dockett (or Nine-0), Karlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson, and Kurt Warner all wanted or needed new contracts. They took care of three of those five mentioned, Warner got a two year deal, Dansby was franchised, and Wilson got a five year deal. Q and Nine-0 were told they won't talk contract until they are in the final year of their deals. Other areas of need were upgrading were the rushing attack, the secondary, and special teams. They added to each group by drafting RB Beanie Wells, signing Jason Wright (a beast on special teams), and signing DB Bryant McFadden. They hope that these new additions will upgrade their respective units.

The 2008 offense that dominated so much returns with just a few changes this season and more experience. The team lost their most productive RB in a long time by cutting Edge and replacing him with Wells. Wells was a monster tail back for Ohio State and he hopes to have the same success in the NFL. So far though he has been injured but from the two games he has played in he has shown enough that Cardinals fans are already asking for him to start the opener against the Niners. That starting job will go to Tim Hightower who has lost body fat and put on more muscle to prove that he can be a reliable back in this league. This unit also replaced RB J.J. Arrington, our 3rd down back and kick returner, with Hyphen (Howling) whom they hope can be just as elusive and fast as JJ was on kick returns.

The rest of the offense is virtually the same with the exception of Anthony Becht, who was added to the tight ends mix, and receiver Lance Long. The starting 5 on the OL return and should be better having another year under Russ Grimm and backups like Brandon Keith and Elton Brown. Keith looking especially promising and could be a future starter. All in all this offense still has all the potential to look just as good as last year and if they all stay healthy they should be among the best again.

The defensive unit is loaded with talent, just like the offense, but their problem is actually doing their job every week on a consistent basis. One week the can get constant pressure on a QB, no matter how good the OL is, and they win the turnover battle. The next week they won't do either of those and allow several touchdowns. The problem is that they are already showing these problems again in preseason play, playing very well in the first two games and than doing the opposite in the last two. There is no doubt that if this team wants to continue the success they had last year the defense will have to perform as they did in January. They can't make stupid mistakes and they need to play hard every down, which some players have a hard time doing unless on a national stage game that puts them in the spotlight (Darnell Dockett).

The strength of this team on defense has to be the secondary with Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle manning the safety positions and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and newly acquired Byrant McFadden manning the corners. Although they have struggled in preseason this unit is considered by many to be one of the top secondaries in the league, something they were far from last season.

The weakest part of the defense has to be the front seven (LB and DL). They lack a whole lot of depth at these positions, which we need since Clark Haggans, Bertrand Berry, and Chike Okeafor are all over 30. Calais Campbell is trying to replace Antonio Smith, who was very important to this team in the playoffs. They have Gerald Hayes and Karlos Dansby at ILB but if one of them goes down we don't have a whole lot behind them to step in with udrafted rookie Reggie Walker and 2nd year player Ali Highsmith. The DT position doesn't have much depth either with Gabe Watson coming off of knee surgery, Bryan Robinson being over 30, and Alan Branch still not doing what the first pick in the 2nd round is supposed to be doing. Definitely tons of questions on the defense but still lots of promise if they can stay healthy and play hard.

This is definitely going to be an interesting year for the Cards coming off a season in which they had so much success. They will have an up hill battle again this season though as everyone thinks they are a one year wonder and will fall back into oblivion again this year. If the Cards want to prove those naysayers wrong they are going to have to be consistent on offense, consistent defense, and stay healthy. It's certainly shaping up to be an interesting year as the Cards look to "Shock the World" again.

Record for 2009: 10-6
Record Vs the NFC West: 5-1

Poll

Who Wins the NFC West this Season?

San Francisco 49ers

21 votes

St. Louis Rams

6 votes

Seattle Seahawks

32 votes

Arizona Cardinals

280 votes

339 votes | Poll has closed

Arizona Cardinals Make Cuts; Release Pope, Francisco, and Hobson

Andrew602 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:39:10 -0000

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Arizona Cardinals safety Aaron Francisco (47)

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After one of the more lackluster performances of the preseason, the Cardinals have made their final cuts of the off season before the home opener against the 49ers. Within the last 24 hours, the Cardinals were able to make their decisions and release the remaining 20 players on the bubble. Among them were some notables, including Aaron Francisco, Leonard Pope, and Victor Hobson. Aside from the cuts, those that were left untouched were undrafted rookie linebacker Reggie Walker and second year linebacker Ali Highsmith.

The cuts also show just how much trust the coaches have in the young players on defense. Now backing up Wilson and Rolle will be Matt Ware and Rashad Johnson. Highsmith, Walker and Will Davis will also fill in behind the starters at linebacker. On offense, the Cardinals cut quarterback Tyler Palko, along with fullback Tim Castille. Aside from Pope, the offense remains virtually the same.

Players that were able to survive the cut may come as the real surprise. Fan favorite Lance Long, just barely made the team. With Pope being the odd man out, that means the Cardinals will carry Dominique Byrd, Anthony Becht, and Stephen Spach. Since Ben Patrick doesn't count against the roster until week four, we can only assume that one of these tight ends will be released at that point. Other notables that survived the cut were Michael Adams, Greg Toler, and more importantly, LaRod Stephens-Howling. The most obvious reason for LSH's spot on the roster has to be return duties, which he should be ready for on September 13th. What's everyone's take on the roster cuts? Would you have handled the cuts any different?

For a complete list of the roster cuts, click here.

53 Man Roster Predictions After the Arizona Cardinals Shutout Loss to the Broncos

Hawkwind — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:49:49 -0000

by David Zalubowski - AP

Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt will have harder time cutting 22 players today than he did finding an offensive play that would work this preseason. (AP Photo/ David Zalubowski)

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Truth be told we won't dwell on another lackluster effort in the preseason. The Arizona Cardinals finished the preseason without a win but that doesn't even begin to tell the story of how ugly the past three and a half weeks have been. To give you a quick taste of how the past four games have gone, the Cardinals have been outscored 71-16 in the first half, Cardinals' quarterbacks have combined to throw twice as many interceptions as touchdowns (9 to 4) and the Cardinals' defenders have forced just one turnover. In conclusion this Cardinals team has looked like the one that played in December of 2008 instead of the team that took the field in January of 2009. Just for the record, historically teams that finish the preseason winless, also struggle in the regular season. Going back to 1989, 35 teams have finished the preseason without a win and 31 of those teams failed to make the playoff. To make matters worse, 21 of them finished with a losing record.

But we said we weren't going to dwell so we're moving on to the news that should come down today. Tomorrow is the deadline to cut down the rosters to 53 players, but most expect Ken Whisenhunt to break the news in an afternoon press conference. With that in mind, here's ROTB's last shot at nailing down the 53 man roster.

QB (3): Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre - Tyler Palko played his way out of any shot of making the roster with a poor performance last night. BSP hasn't shown much this preseason but Whiz is familiar enough with his abilities for him to stick.
RB (4): Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, Jason Wright, LaRod Stephens-Howling - No one did much to either help or hurt their case for a roster spot last night.
FB (1): Dan Kreider - After the recent discussion about Kreider vs. Tim Castille, I kept a close eye on both players last night. To be honest neither did much to impress me and at this point I think Whiz would chose a veteran that he's familiar with over a younger player.
WR (6): Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban, Early Doucet and Sean Morey - I, like most Cardinals fans I suspect, have been pulling for Lance Long but he's played a great deal in the past two preseason games and he hasn't done much with his opportunity (2 catches for 21 yards). I think it's fair to say that he's not ready and I'd be wiling to risk cutting him. The Chiefs may or may not claim him before we can stash him on the practice squad but he can't help this team right now.

TE (3): Stephen Spach, Anthony Becht and Dominique Byrd - Truth to be told, I still don't know what we have at this position but I'm confident that Leonard Pope will be cut. He was the last tight end to take the field last night and that says enough about his future. I went back and forth on Byrd but his versatility in the H-back role won me over. The interesting thing about this spot is who gets released after week four when Ben Patrick comes back.

OL (9): Mike Gandy, Reggie Wells, Lyle Sendlein, Deuce Lutui, Levi Brown, Herman Johnson, Brandon Keith and Elton Brown and Melvin Fowler - It's overkill keeping so many offensive lineman and I went back and forth on Elton Brown but his ability to play LT made the difference. Oliver Ross is a possibility but he just didn't impress me during the preseason. Elton Brown wasn't all that impressive either but at least this coaching staff has seen him step in at LT and play decently.

DL (6): Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Bryan Robinson, Kenny Iwebema, Gabe Watson and Alan Branch - No real surprises here. Branch hasn't done much to warrant a spot but neither has anyone behind him. At least he can line up at DE now as well as DT, although his effectiveness remains about the same. Keilen Dykes doesn't make the cut but hopefully they can keep him on the practice squad thanks to another leg injury that cost him nearly the entire preseason.
LB (8): Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Clark Haggans, Chike Okeafor, Will Davis, Victor Hobson, Reggie Walker and Ali Highsmith - Bertrand Berry is the surprise cut on the roster after pulling a disappearing act during the preseason that would make David Copperfield jealous. Considering that the backups consist of two rookies, one sophomore UDFA and a guy that was signed off the streets before the regular season finale last year, I fully expect the Cardinals to scour the waiver wire for a veteran linebacker (inside or out).
CB (5): Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Bryant McFadden, Ralph Brown, Greg Toler and Michael Adams - I don't know what to make of this unit but these are the top five guys. DRC has struggled mightily the past two games, McFadden can't even get on the field and Brown is looking awful old and slow. Toler and Adams are two guys that we should all hope spend much more time on special teams than the regular defense.
S (5): Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle, Rashad Johnson, Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware - Basically this is the same unit as last year, plus a third round pick. Francisco is still Francisco although Ware has caught my eye several times this preseason.
Specialists (3): Neil Rackers, Ben Graham and Mike Leach - No surprises.

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To be honest, when I first wrote all this down I ended up with 54 players and after scouring the two deep I ended up cutting a veteran, Bertrand Berry. I'm not sure why but I keep getting the feeling that some of the veterans who've been around this team throughout all of the bad times cause some apathy in the locker room sometimes that lead to performances like we've seen the past couple of weeks. Berry's absence over the course of OTA's and his indifferent excuse once training camp started is just a microcosm of how this team has played over the course of the preseason. Maybe it's a knee jerk reaction on my part for thinking that someone's head has to roll but so be it. Thoughts? Who makes your 53?

Arizona Cardinals Lay a Goose Egg, Lose to the Broncos 19-0

Andrew602 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:33:38 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

3 months ago: Arizona Cardinals tackle Mike Gandy looks on as time runs out in the fourth quarter of the Denver Broncos' 19-0 victory over the Cardinals in a preseason NFL football game in Denver on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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The Arizona Cardinals finished the preseason 0 - 4.

Should there be a cause for concern? Sure. Does the preseason really reflect upon the regular season? No. Tonight the Cardinals dropped their fourth straight loss of the preseason and I'm glad it has "pre" at the beginning of it. We expected nothing more then a drive or two from the first team offense and defense, and that's virtually was how long they played. The defense was first off the field after stopping the Broncosearly. The offense stayed longer, with Whisenhunt possibly wanting them to muster any sort of offense before the season opener. After half of the first quarter, the remainder of the game and the possibility of salvaging any kind of respect was left in the hands of the reserves. As you can tell by the score, that didn't happen. And that's where we pick up, with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good.

Michael Adams - Here's the most impressive part of the game; Adam'sstat line tonight - 6 tackles, 4 passes defended, 1 interception. Not bad for the possible fourth string cornerback. Adams looked solid tonight, making key tackles and shadowing the receivers he lined up across from. He was in perfect position for the pick, staying out of the quarterback's sight, then closing in the ball. Adams has a significant shot at competing with Ralph Brown after tonight's game and Brown's poor preseason.

Greg Toler - Opposite of Adams, Toler also looked solid overall tonight, leading the team with 7 tackles. Toler seemed to be roaming around the field tonight, and nearly picked off the ball twice. Toler has shown sings of his upside through most of the preseason, and has also slightly improved over the last 4 weeks like we had hoped.

Victor Hobson - After tonight, Hobson may have secured his job as a back up linebacker on this team, recording the only two sacks for the Cardinal's defense. After rookie Cody Brown was lost for the season, many of us weren't particular in who would serve has his replacement, and for the last two weeks, Hobson has gradually moved his way up the depth chart.

That's it. Seriously. This was an incredibly slow preseason game, and nothing special or amazing seemed to form for the entire four quarters. If you could name any honorable mentions, you can toss how how good the offensive line looked or the special teams play.

The Bad.

Tyler Palko - Can we stop and jump off the Tyler Palko bandwagon now? He proved that his game against the Steelers in preseason week one was a fluke. Palko showed no reason that he should start ahead of Brian St. Pierre. He played for the majority of the game, completing 13 of 30 passes, throwing for 141 yards and 1 interception, for a whopping 43.9 quarterback rating. He seemed to be more concerned with running the ball, rather then throwing it away. I think it's safe to say the Palko won't be on the roster after Saturday.

Kurt Warner - There's got to be some cause for concern after number 13's preseason. Warner has yet to make us remember what was the magical season of last year. He came out today over throwing, or not even coming close to his receivers. He only completing three passes tonight, one being a 36 reception by Fitzgerald, who did all the work. Another was actually a completion to the Broncos. I rewound that play and couldn't understand what made Warner throw that pass, except for the possibility that he didn't see the defender.

The Ugly.

Penalties - Ken Whisenhunt cannot be happy with the lack of discipline by this team so far. Over the years, avoiding penalties has never been a strong suit for the Cardinals, and up until halfway last year, it was a problem. Something Whisenhunt did last year seemed to really get the team's attention and vastly lowered the penalties. So far in the preseason though, the Cardinals have averaged 9.5 penalties a game for a total of 281 yards. Today they committed 11 penalties for 79 yards alone. The Cardinals need to focus and get their heads on straight if they want to remain competitive in the NFC West this year.

The offense - Forget the first team offense...the offense as a whole failed to put together any sort of respectable drive, resulting in 244 total yards and zero points. The first team offense looked stale and out of chemistry for the time they were on the field, and for the time Palko was in..well you can forget about that. All I know is something's got to give. The Cardinals were one of the best offensive teams in the league last year and they'll eventually find their groove again.

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I don't want to take too much in from the preseason, as it is meaningless for the most part, but I am somewhat worried for the lack of offense. The loss of Todd Haley may be affecting the offense worst then we thought it would, and most importantly Kurt Warner. Maybe he and Ken Whisenhunt should starting hanging out and texting each other until Brenda accuses Warner of cheating on her with coach Whisenhunt. One thing's for sure, and that's that the Cardinals need to get on track before the 49ers come here on September 13th.

Arizona Cardinals at Denver Broncos: 5 Things to Watch for

Andrew602 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

3 months ago: FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2009, file photo, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart looks to throw against the Green Bay Packers during the third quarter of a preseason NFL football game. Leinart seems to be passing the challenge to his role as No. 2 quarterback. Passing would be the operative word. He threw for 360 yards in the second half against the Packers. (AP Photo/Paul Connors, File)

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Today officially marks the near end of the 2009 preseason. After four long weeks, the Arizona Cardinals wrap up their preseason tonight against the Denver Broncos. I think I speak for everybody when I say thank god the preseason is just about over. But tonight the Cardinals, or should I say the second string team has to take on the Broncos reserves in which should be ~~an exciting battle till the end,~~ ok maybe it won't be but there's sure to be some things to watch for, and that's what we'll break down today. Remember that last weeks game didn't get exciting until the ~~agonising first half slaughter was over~~ reserves came out in the second half. Here's five things to watch for tonight:

Will Matt Leinart come out on fire tonight?After last weeks incredible showing by Leinart, we could see the same performance tonight against the Broncos. It also wouldn't be a surprise to see a similar stat line, especially considering that Kurt Warnerwill likely not play, if at all. With that in mind, expect to see a large chunk of playing time for Leinart during this game.
Beanie Well's second NFL game. Last week many of us were anticipating the debut of Chris Wells and we were not disappointed. Wells came into the game and couldn't have looked anymore impressive. This week he should get a decent amount of playing time since Tim Hightower won't. Watch to see how he does against Denver's suspect defense. They were terrible last year and haven't started the preseason that great, giving up an average of 107 rushing yards a game, with 27 attempts, a 3.9 yard average and 2 touchdowns allowed.

The amount of playing time for the first team defense. Last week we saw a defense that didn't come out with any passion or chemistry. Granted it was a preseason game, but it frustrated many Cardinal fans, and the coaching staff, who made the starters stay in the game well into the third quarter. You have to wonder if they'll make them play a meaningful amount of time tonight to get the chemistry possibly flowing.

Will a tight end ever step up?So far this preseason we haven't seen much of the Cardinals tight ends, and you can rule a competitive battle for the starting position out the window. So far Stephen Spach has went from a playoff favorite to a preseason dud, by dropping balls and committing penalties. Leonard Pope has been invisible on the receiving end, and that's his strong suit! I don't even know what to say about ~~what's his name~~ Anthony Becht (considering I had to look up the Cardinals roster because I forgot his name). As we all know Ben Patrick is out for the first four games, but did he ever dominantly declare himself the starter? The only tight end that's stuck out in my mind is Dominique Byrd, who's made the blocks when he's needed to, and has been able to catch the ball when it was thrown his way.

The fight for 53. The most important part of the game to watch for is the fight for 53. The Cardinals make their final cut this Saturday, when they drop their roster to 53 players. This means a good amount of solid players that we've already grown accustomed to, will likely be released. This last game is the most important to these bubble players, as it could determine who makes the team. Players like Lance Long, Matt Ware, Victor Hobson, Alan Branch, or one of the tight ends I named above, may not be a Cardinal after this Saturday.

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That's it for this game. Hopefully we can see a competitive game out of the reserves, otherwise I might have to record the second half to skip through later. Although it's only the preseason, it would be nice for the Cardinals to get a win before the 49ers come to town. Is there anything else important that comes to mind? What else should we watch for?

Arizona Cardinals Fight For 53: Examining the Bubble Players by Position

Hawkwind — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:52:26 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

3 months ago: Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson, right, picks up an eight-yard gain as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Ralph Brown pulls him down during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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It's simply the nature of the NFL that 22 players who currently call themselves Arizona Cardinals, will be unemployed by the end of this coming weekend. The bad news will be given to hundreds of players across the NFL within the next week and many will be left hoping for a place on some team's practice squad or maybe the newly formed UFL. Before anyone has to worry about their new football home though, the bubble players will have one last shot to impress the coaching staff this Thursday when the Cardinals travel to Denver to take on the Broncos. Here's a quick list at the battles at various positions.

Kreider vs. Castille: With four running backs expected to make the final roster, thanks to LaRod Stephens-Howling's impressive play over the past month, the Cardinals are expected to carry just one fullback. That leaves three guys, Dan Kreider, Tim Castille and Reagan Maui'a, fighting for one spot, although truth be told it's really just a battle between Krieder and Castille. No one has really established themselves and each guy brings something different to the table. Krieder is hands down the better blocker and he's a "Whiz-guy" but Castille's versatility out of the backfield and prowess on special teams gives him a shot.

Long versus the Unknown: The only real question for the Cardinals to answer at wide receiver is how many they want to carry. Assuming that Early Doucet's recent rib injury won't effect his roster status, the teams top six wide outs are virtually set in stone (Fitz, Q, Breaston, Urban, Doucet and Morey). That leaves fan favorite Lance Long fighting for a spot that simply might not be there, but the team has carried seven wide receivers before. The injury risk of a couple of those guys and Long's ability to contribute on special teams leaves the door open. At this point Orea Jones, who's been impressive during the preseason, is simply showcasing himself to other teams or hoping for a practice squad job.

Brown vs. Ross: The offensive line is sort of the in the same predicament as the wide receiver spot considering that they've got quite a few semi-capable bodies but not enough roster spots for everyone. What we know is that Gandy, Wells, Sendlein, Lutui, Levi Brown, Keith and Johnson are all locks make the final 53. If you're counting that's seven bodies and most squads carry eight or nine (although the Cards have kept ten before). That leaves two or maybe three spots up for grabs. One of the spots will undoubtedly be filled by a center and that battle seems to have boiled down to Ben Claxton versus Melvin Fowler. Fowler has a huge edge in experience and would seem to be the front runner but don't count out Claxton's familiarity with the offense. Assuming that the backup center spot is filled by one of these two (but not both), that leaves eight guys with Elton Brown, Trevor Canfield, Carlton Medder and Oliver Ross on the outside looking with one or two spots to fill. Of these remaining four, I'd have to say the top two are Brown and Ross and they'd be battling for the final spot or could be the final two in, if the team decides to keep 10 offensive lineman.

Unknown at Tight End: As we stated yesterday the only thing we really know about the tight end spot is that we really don't know anything. The best bet right now is that Ben Patrick is essentially assured of the roster spot to start the season but that's only because he won't count against the 53 until his four game suspension is over. With that in mind, we'll set him aside and just look at the remainder. The Cardinals in the past have carried as few as two tight ends and as many as four so it's possible that Stephen Spach, Leonard Pope, Anthony Becht and Dominique Byrd could all make the opening day roster, but that's probably a stretch considering how little the tight end is used in the passing game. Our best bet is that three with make the opening day 53 (not counting Patrick remember) with either Pope or Byrd getting cut.

Branch vs. Dykes: This much we know on the defensive line, Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Bryan Robinson, Kenny Iwebema and Gabe Watson are all locks, even though Watson looked terrible against the Packers. It's tough to look at the Caridnals historically to see how many defensive lineman they kept because the 3-4 defense requires less lineman and more linebackers, but we can be sure that Keilen Dykes, Alan Branch, Alex Field, Rodney Leisle are all at the very least on the bubble. I don't think there would be any debate to say that Dykes and Branch are the best of those four but it could come down to whether the Cardinals want to keep six or seven defensive lineman. If they chose to go with six DL, I think Branch would be the choice considering that Dykes has had serious problems stay healthy over the past two training camps. His inability to stay on the field probably means that the Cards could stash him on the practice squad for an eventful call up when someone gets hurt.

Linebackers Help: Outside of the starters at linebacker, Dansby, Hayes, Haggans and Okeafor, I'm not sure that anyone is assured of a roster spot. Bertrand Berry would seem like a lock but he's done a complete disappearing act so far during the preseason. Victor Hobson, Will Davis and perhaps even Reggie Walker would seem like the next closest thing to locks. Hobson has experience in a 3-4 and can play inside and out while Davis and Walker have been impressive over the past couple of games. There's also Ali Highsmith who's failed to produce the same kind of buzz that he did last year. Chase Bullock and David Holloway round out the rest of the roster but neither of them have done much to warrant a roster spot. If the Cards had to decide today, I'm thinking that they'd keep the starters plus Berry, Hobson, Davis and Walker although this could be one position that gets an upgrade once other teams make their cuts.

Ware vs. Adams: There will be some tough decisions made in the secondary where it would seem that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Bryant McFadden, Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle, Rashad Johnson and Ralph Brown are all locks to make the squad. Brown has struggled in the preseason but so has the depth behind him so it's highly doubtful that his spot is in jeopardy. With six locks that leaves Aaron Francisco, Greg Toler, Matt Ware, Michael Adams, Jameel Dowling and Wilrey Fontenot fighting for what will probably end up being eight or nine spots. Francisco and Toler are certainly the front-runners of the bubble group so the real battle comes down to Ware versus Adams. It's possible that the team could keep all ten members of the secondary, they've done it before, but nine is a more manageable number. Ware has much more experience with the regular defense and is probably the more talented player but Adams' standout performances on special teams give him a shot.

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Thoughts? Who wins these battles and who makes your final 53?

Arizona Cardinals: Jeckyl and Hyde in 44-37 loss to Green Bay

Hawkwind — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:41:15 -0000

More photos » by Jason Babyak - AP

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner looks to throw as Green Bay Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga, left, rushes during the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. The Packers forced Warner into numerous mistakes and induced a shower of old-folks' walkers (aka boos) to be thrown onto the Cardinals' sideline by frustrated fans. (AP Photo/Jason Babyak)

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What a game, albeit a preseason game.

First off, I had to wait on the re-air on NFL Network and then I had to wait for the wife to get bored with the Patriots' recording on TiVo before I could watch the Cardinals game. Something in my mind told me I wouldn't be missing much. I was right and wrong.

First Half — Hyde Please

Whether the Cardinals looked as bad as they did, especially on defense, or the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers are that good will have to wait for the regular season to prove (Week 17 to be exact). Kurt Warner was repeatedly harried by the Packers' swarming defense and never was quite in sync with the offense (10 of 16 for 139 yards, one interception and a couple of fumbles). For the first time in a couple of years I was wishing the Cards would just run the ball as Tim Hightower (six carries for 38 yards with a stellar long of 23 yards) and Chris "Beanie" Wells (seven carries for 46 yards with an "oh-face" touchdown run of 20-yards and another for two yards) were the only highlights of the first half. The Cardinals' defense was active but Aaron Rodgers was victimizing the secondary repeatedly. It didn't help that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was looking like a rookie again getting burned for a couple of touchdowns.

By the time the first half had ended it was 38-10 and I was in such a foul mood I turned off the game and slept on the couch. ::grumble, grumble:: Perhaps I was having a "hard hat" moment and had no faith in Matt Leinart but my "lack of faith" was reduced upon my continued viewing of the game this morning.

Second Half — Is There a Doctor (Jeckyl) in the House?

With a 38-10 score I was expecting some boring garbage time playing and was watching only to see how the "bubble" players were doing, especially on the defensive side of the ball (Hawkwind <3 Reggie Walker). Matt Leinart came out with effectively the first team offense and showed some flashes of what most Cardinals fan hope he will be (kinda like that Rodgers guy on the other team). His throws had zip on them and were quite catchable (alas, not frequently enough *cough*Doucet*cough*). With the Cardinals' defense holding the Brian Brohm-led Packers in check, Leinart (24 of 38 for 360 yards, three touchdowns and an interception) was able to lead the Cardinals to within a touchdown when Neil Rackers' self-possessed on-side kick gave the Cardinals an opportunity to win the game. Jason Wright showed some ability to navigate on two interior receptions, the second for a touchdown, making a case for the Cardinals to keep four running backs on the 53-man roster (pending LaRod Stephens-Howling's recovering from getting his bell rung). With the Cardinals going for the victory, Leinart tossed a perfect floater to Early Doucet who got two hands on the ball but couldn't secure the catch and the two-point conversion. Former Amsterdam Admiral Ruvell Martin recovers the following on-side kick easily and scores uncontested to effectively squelch any further "WTF" Cardinals come-back magic.

Upon Reflection

Matt Leinart: Seeing that Brian St. Pierre wasn't even dressed, Matt Leinart's job as the Cardinals' back-up QB is secure (was it really ever in doubt? Really? Really!). Granted, Leinart wasn't going against the Packers' first-team defense but Dom Capers wasn't playing a vanilla defense either. Matt and the second-team offense did well and in the back of my mind I am hearing a voice saying "start Leinart against Denver next week".

First-team Secondary: Is there a need to be worried still? Like most, I've figured the Cardinals' secondary was no longer a weak link but after yesterday's game I'm biting my lip and doubting them. Certainly the front seven could have helped by getting some better pressure but DRC looked, well, like crap. If it weren't for his long neck, his facial expressions were reminding me of David Macklin after getting beaten repeatedly. ::cringe:: He should have had an interception on the first Packers' drive but then he shouldn't be letting receivers past him for uncontested receptions either. At this point I have to write this off as preseason football and assume that with some game planning the secondary and overall defense will play much better against the 49ers in a couple of weeks.

Reggie Walker: Okay, I'm going to admit to being a total homer on this but damn, he looked good. He's been catching my eye since the Steelers' game and I'm breathing a sigh of relief knowing that he's on the roster. Who the back-up for Gerald Hayes and Karlos Dansby has been a nagging question (Pago? Ali?) and this UFA Rookie out of Kansas State is making a serious case to be that back-up.

Will Davis (?!): With Cody Brown likely out for the season after dislocating his wrist, Davis saw a lot of playing time and looked good, even great at times (sweet sack!). Davis was a shoo-in for the practice squad in most RotBer's minds but with the depth at outside linebacker looking weak, Davis' play is encouraging (#59 was doing well on kick-off coverages too).

Doucet vs. Morey vs. Long vs. Jones: Who is playing in Kansas City in Week One? Morey is too much of a beast on special teams and Long's fumbled punt return didn't help his case for replacing Sean. Onrea Jones has looked good but is just another big target on a team full of big targets. Early Doucet has the third round draft pick albatross around his neck which may explain his dropped balls. With Jerhame Urban solidifying his #4 WR spot, who deserves that #5? Is #6 still Morey's? Will Long or Jones clear waivers if that's their fate?

For the third preseason game, the first half results are discouraging and fill me with thoughts of "same ol' Cardinals" once more. Yet the depth of talent on this roster brushes those thoughts away with positive thoughts of "Defending NFC Champions". What are your thoughts, the RotB Faithful, and who do you think solidified their roster spot(s) on the Cardinals?