SB Nation - Alan Branch

The Steve Keim Scorecard

John Morgan — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:50:25 -0000

More photos » by John Froschauer - AP

Seattle Seahawks fans are unused to repeat failure. Perhaps a Cardinals suit can make them more familiar with the feeling.

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Adam Schefter reports that Steve Keim is among Seattle's ten general manager candidates. This is a quick and dirty attempt to review his performance in Arizona.

Organization: Arizona Cardinals

Position(s): Player Personnel Director (May 2008), College Scouting Director (June 2006), Regional Scout (1999)

Curious that perhaps the most defamed team in the NFC, bad from when the Lions and Rams were good, is now auditioning personnel for promotion to other teams. Thus is the fickle world of the NFL. I don't like it, and I don't like Keim's boss Rod Graves. Graves has served with Arizona since 1997, and few franchises in any sport can claim a longer period of losing, instability and apathy from their fans. But, by all means, let's break off a piece of that talent factory.

Keim scouted the east for Arizona, and, undoubtedly, the southeast specifically. Let us first look at the players we can be most confident Keim had a hand in scouting. I singled out picks made from Keim's particular scouting area, and listed the round, overall pick, name and college.

2000

1) 7 Thomas Jones RB Virginia

2) 41 Raynoch Thompson OLB Tennessee

3) 71 Darwin Walker DT Tennessee

Jones is still around but was a huge bust for Arizona. He split time with Michael Pittman, never averaged more than 3.7 yards per carry and was traded before the end of his rookie contract.

Raynoch Thompson sort of speaks for himself: Who is Raynoch Thompson? He was an undersized Vol linebacker that was out of the league by 2004. He is still only 32, meaning he was cut in his prime.

Darwin Walker played for that same undefeated Tennessee team as Thompson. He didn't play for the Cardinals, who cut him before a single start and after only one regular season game. Walker was claimed by the Eagles off waivers and became a productive five-year starter for some stout Eagles defenses.

2001

2) 54 Michael Stone DB Memphis

3) 64 Adrian Wilson DB North Carolina State

4) 98 Bill Gramatica K South Florida

4) 123 Marcus Bell DT Memphis

Stone never broke through with the Cardinals and is now out of the league.

Adrian Wilson is an unconditional success. Wilson and Keim share an alma mater. He is now considered among the best safeties in the NFL. This is exploiting a hometown connection to pick an absolute steal in the third. Too bad, I guess, that NC State is hardly a talent factory.

Kicker in the fourth. Kicker in the fourth. Kicker in the fourth.

Marcus Bell is out of the league after three seasons with Arizona and three seasons with Detroit.

2002

2) 49 Levar Fisher LB North Carolina State

Fisher is the only member of the 2002 class we can be pretty sure Keim had a significant say in drafting. Fisher was a standout at NC State, but lost his career to knee injuries. Fisher has knee problems in college, so this failure falls on Keim.

2003

1) 17 Bryant Johnson WR Penn State

1) 18 Calvin Pace DE Wake Forest

2) 54 Anquan Boldin WR Florida State

Johnson has been a disappointment since entering the league. He was surpassed by Boldin in their respective rookie seasons and is now a minor player for the Detroit Lions.

Arizona selected Pace with its next pick and he was a bust before Ken Whisenhunt switched him to outside linebacker in 2007. No credit is given Keim.

Boldin was a win for all involved, if, perhaps, a crapshoot win. Boldin was a quarterback and wide receiver at Florida State that suffered serious knee injuries in college and then ran a 4.71 forty. I respect Keim for seeing the potential in Boldin, but I do not think anyone expected Boldin to be so good. His health has never improved and he still regularly misses time because of injury.

2004

2) 33 Karlos Dansby OLB Auburn

3) 64 Darnell Dockett DT Florida State

Maybe this is Keim picking up speed and proving his potential. Dansby has been solid since being signed and still starts for Arizona. Of course, that's to be expected from a linebacker selected with the first pick of the second round.

Dockett has been a starter since his rookie season and a lynchpin on the Cardinals ever-in-flux defensive line. Over the past three seasons, he's been one of the best defensive linemen in football. He was considered a first-round talent, but also an underachiever and a major risk because of his battles with coaches, troubles with the law, and, specifically, his conviction for misdemeanor theft.

2005

1) 8 Antrel Rolle DB Miami (Florida)

3) 75 Eric Green DB Virginia Tech

3) 95 Darryl Blackstock LB Virginia

4) 111 Elton Brown G Virginia

Rolle is a corner bust since shifted to safety. He has played decent at safety, but credit for that goes to the person who made the move: Whisenhunt.

Green was an intermittent starter, mostly between injuries, that is now out of the league.

Blackstock is now out of the league. He played sparingly for Arizona before being signed by the Bengals -- another well run organization.

Brown was a seldom starter for the often very bad Cardinals offensive line that is now playing in the USFL.

2006

3) 72 Leonard Pope TE Georgia

6) 177 Jonathan Lewis DT Virginia Tech

Pope is a situational tight end and among the worst players at his position in the NFL.

Lewis participated in four games in 2006 and never again played in the NFL.

At this point, Keim was promoted to Director of College Scouting and can be debited or credited for the Cardinals entire draft class.

2007

1 5 Levi Brown OT Penn State

2 33 Alan Branch DT Michigan

3 69 Buster Davis LB Florida State

5 142 Steve Breaston WR Michigan

7 215 Ben Patrick TE Delaware

Brown is a middling power right tackle that isn't significantly better than Ray Willis. Bust.

Branch is a pretty typical Keim pick: Highly touted prospect, thought of as a top ten pick before a nasty run of belligerence and bad effort knocked him off most draft boards. Branch is three years into his professional career, still every bit the monster he was in college, and still a rotational player buried on the Cardinals depth chart.

Buster Davis was a terrible pick when made. Davis was an undersized, see: 5'9", linebacker completely unfit for Whisenhunt's preferred 3-4 alignment. He was cut before his rookie season, has since bounced around and is now out of the league.

Breaston was a return monster at Michigan State that has developed into a very good slot receiver. Keim must be credited for, first, securing a good returner in the sixth, and moreover, seeing that Breaston was turning the corner as a receiver. A big win for Keim, on a pick I was very skeptical about.

Patrick is the Cardinals starting tight end, but largely an afterthought in the team's offense. Patrick was a toolsy sleeper that's produced some, but is mostly a starter by default, and still more H-back than tight end.

2008

1) 16 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State

2) 50 Calais Campbell DE Miami (Fla.)

3) 81 Early Doucet WR Louisiana State

4) 116 Kenny Iwebema DE Iowa

5) 149 Tim Hightower RB Richmond

6) 185 Chris Harrington LB Texas A&M

7) 225 Brandon Keith T Northern Iowa

This is the draft that made Keim a general manager candidate and his fingerprints are all over it. DRC was a tools messiah that shot up boards during the pre-draft process. He never faced top competition in college, and many, including myself, questioned his ability to cover NFL talent. Well, that question is yet unanswered. Cromartie certainly looks amazing-sometimes, but he is also regularly criticized for being out of position, burned and, well, not being able to cover NFL talent. The Cardinals, noteworthy in this case, are the second worst team in the NFL at defending #1 receivers and were 27^th in 2008. DRC is the unchallenged #1 corner in Arizona. He is only 23, and cover skills are slow to grow. Best to give this pick an "Incomplete". It's possible DRC puts it together and taps into his tremendous talent, and it's possible his flashy play hides a bad player.

Campbell was a slamdunk and is proving so in his second season. He is toolsy, growing into those tools, scheme correct and straight beastly.

I liked the Doucet pick at the time and still think he has a bright future. It's tough to measure his performance because he is buried on the Cardinals depth chart. Doucet suffered a lot of injuries in college and that might have sapped his speed.

Iwebama has proven to be a solid member of a good defensive line rotation. He was, and this will shock everyone that's read this far, a toolsy player that was knocked down boards because injury and off-field problems. His performance declined his senior season, something that hurt Campbell and Doucet's stock, too.

Hightower has proven himself a valuable receiver, but, then, who defends Tim Hightower when Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston are on the field. He has since been de-emphasized in favor of Chris Wells. Hightower is a modest success.

Harrington is now a Jaguar.

Keith is still on Arizona's roster and has played in one game this season.

It's a little too early to make much of the 2009 draft, but it further supports the basic Keim profile. In brief: His preferred scouting area is the American South East. He likes toolsy players and does not bat a lash at character concerns. Keim swings for the fences and has a high whiff rate. The 2008 draft has produced solid players, but let's be clear: The Cardinals are finishing their third decade of terrible football. They made the Super Bowl last season, but were only 9-7 in the regular season. The team changed when it signed Ken Whisenhunt, and its recent success has been built off smart leadership, a weak division, years and years of early round picks, and Kurt Warner. Warner has recovered from a mid-career funk to make a case for the Hall of Fame. That's mighty lucky. Warner joined the Cardinals in 2005 and I do not see how Keim could be credited with his signing.

Maybe he interviews well. Maybe his most recent drafts, his most successful drafts, speak more clearly of his own abilities and potential, but I don't like his method, I am not impressed with his results and I don't want to sign a person that's been an integral part of one of the worst run franchises in sports history. For every one diamond in the rough, there's acres and acres more rough. And, right or wrong, executives must be judged both by the decisions they make and the company they keep.

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers: Injury Report

Hawkwind — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:25:54 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

Arizona Cardinals running back Jason Wright (31) missed practice on Wednesday with an undisclosed illness. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

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The Arizona Cardinals released their first injury report of the week yesterday and it's still remarkable how healthy this team is this late in the season. Will Davis, who's already been ruled out, and Jason Wright (illness) are the only players who missed practice entirely. Alan Branch (ankle), Ben Graham (groin), Tim Hightower (thumb), Kenny Iwebema (thumb), Dan Kreider (thigh), Neil Rackers (groin), and Stephen Spach (knee) were all limited but no one's injuries are considered serious. Mike Gandy, who missed last week's win over the Vikings, is still listed on the report but he fully participated in practice and will be active for the game on Monday, although Ken Whisenhunt has not made a decision about who will start at left tackle yet. It's also noteable that neither Kurt Warner or Karlos Dansby, who been nursing injuries to both shoulders, are listed on the injury report.

Joe Staley, who has missed the previous five games, has returned to practice and is on track to retun to action this Monday but cornerback Nate Clements has already been ruled out. Considering how well Clements normally plays Larry Fitzgerald, that might be a huge injury for the 49ers. Issaac Bruce and Takeo Spikes also missed practice.

Who Would You Take From The San Francisco 49ers?

Andrew602 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:01:25 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Adding Patrick Willis to the Cardinals would bring more leadership and vastly improve the Cardinals run-defense.

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With the Monday night match up not far ahead, we can start preparing to face the San Francisco 49ers. It may sound difficult to want any players from a division rival on the Arizona Cardinals, but in all honesty, the 49ers are filled with talent. Their 5-7 record may not show it, but the 49ers have one of the best defenses in the league and are starting to gel on offense. Remember that who you pick can be a young or older player, a starter or a back up, etc. You can also take their current contract status into consideration, as if we were actually signing the player. Also look at who may be leaving our team after this season. Here are some of my picks.

Before you look over the list, head over to Niners Nation to check out who they have interest in taking from our very own Cardinals and make sure to voice your opinion if you feel they're overlooking some certain players.

Patrick Willis, LB: This had to be the easiest/most obvious pick from the 49ers. He's a tackling machine(123 tackles leads the league) and has really developed to be one of the best linebackers in the league. Willis is a smart defender that can play the run(as their 5th ranked 95.4 rushing yards per game shows), and he's improving in coverage(6 PD, 2 INT). The former rookie of the year is only 24 years old, and with the uncertainty of Karlos Dansby returning next season, adding Willis would fill a tremendous need.

Vernon Davis, TE: As much as it pains me to say, I would like to have Vernon Davis as a Cardinal. He seems to have turned a new leaf this season and it's showed on the field. Already being a dominant run-blocker, Davis has turned it up a notch at the receiving end and is currently tied with Larry Fitzgerald with a league-leading 10 receiving touchdowns on the year. Adding Davis would surely fix our tight end situation and give us a young receiving/blocking tight end for years. Doesn't it seem like most teams have better tight ends then the Cardinals?

Aubrayo Franklin, DT: Franklin has gradually developed into one of the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in the league. He's also one of the more underrated defenders on the 49ers. The 49ers have had much success stopping the run and much of that stems from Franklin's ability to fill the defensive gaps. He seems to be ever-improving all facets of his game, as he's recorded 2 sacks on the year and also has 1 interception. With Bryan Robinson's age becoming a liability, and the uncertainty of Alan Branch and Gabe Watson, adding Franklin would leave no Cardinals fans worried about the defensive tackle position.

Joe Staley, OT: Staley returns to action this upcoming Monday and the former 1st round pick has been missed by the 49ers. Although Barry Sims has filled in with solid play at tackle, he's not as well rounded as Staley has been the last two seasons. He's still developing but his pass-protection would be greatly welcomed in Arizona. In the seven games this year, Staley has only allowed 2 sacks and hasn't committed any penalties. With how Levi Brown and Mike Gandyhave fared this season, adding Staley would fill a large void.

Honorable mentions: Nate Clements, Justin Smith, Manny Lawson

Ok so that's my list for this week. Don't forget to see what the Niners fans are saying and who they'd pick over at Niners Nation. Who would you take from the 49ers and why?

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals: A Prospector's Guide

Fooch — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:32 -0000

vs.

While this game lost a lot of its luster with the Sunday's 49ers loss and Cardinals win, it still should provide an entertaining football experience. As folks were trying to develop a legit 49ers-Seahawks rivalry, the 49ers quietly developed a rivalry with the Arizona Cardinals. Even though there have been numerous sweeps of the series, the games usually are highly competitive, if not going down close to the wire. Even if the 49ers are all but eliminated from playoff contention, this game provides a chance for the team to take a step forward in execution and build towards 2010.

The 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals in what will be the 37th meeting between the two teams, with San Francisco holding a 20-16 advantage in the series. In the season opener earlier this year, the 49ers defeated the Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium, 20-16.

San Francisco enters the upcoming game following a 20-17 defeat in Seattle. In that game, QB Alex Smith connected on 27 of 45 passes for a career-high 310 yards, which included a 33-yard touchdown pass to TE Vernon Davis for his 10th receiving touchdown on the year (tied for 1st in NFL and a new single-season record among 49ers TE’s all-time) and a 22-yard touchdown reception by WR Josh Morgan to mark his third score of the season. It marked the second week in a row that the 49ers defense had posted at least 5 sacks in a game, having had 6 sacks against the Jaguars before notching 5 sacks against the Seahawks.

The 49ers have won 7 of their past 9 home games and have a 38-24 overall record on Monday Night Football.

49ers-Cardinals Connections
Coaching Connections
• 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky was a teammate of Cardinals assistant head coach/OL coach Russ Grimm with the Washington Redskins from 1988-91. Manusky played linebacker, while Grimm played offensive guard.
• 49ers TE coach Pete Hoener has had coaching stints with the Cardinals in both St. Louis (1985-86) and Arizona (2001-03).
• 49ers WR coach Jerry Sullivan spent 3 seasons as the Cardinals offensive coordinator from 2001-03.
• 49ers special teams coordinator Al Everest coached in the same capacity for the Cardinals from 1996-99.
• Cardinals LB coach Billy Davis was the 49ers defensive coordinator from 2005-06.

FORMER CARDINALS - 49ers K Joe Nedney spent three seasons with the Cardinals from 1997-99 ... 49ers G Tony Wragge was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cardinals in 2002. Wragge spent 2 seasons (2002-03) with Arizona.

PANTHER PRIDE - 49ers CB Shawntae Spencer and Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald were teammates at the Univ. of Pittsburgh from 2000-03.

FORMER 49ERS - Cardinals DE Chike Okeafor spent the first 4 years of his career with the 49ers after being drafted in the 3rd round (89th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft.

HAIL THE VICTORS - 49ers G David Baas played at Michigan alongside Cardinals DT Gabe Watson, DT Alan Branch and WR Steve Breaston.

CARDINALS NOR-CAL CONNECTIONS - Cardinals RB J.J. Arrington played 2 seasons at Cal.

Series Highlights
Matchups: 36
Series Record: 49ers lead series 20-16
49ers Home Record vs. Cardinals: 49ers Lead Series 11-8
First Meeting: 11/15/51, Cardinals win, 27-21, at San Francisco
Last Meeting: 9/13/09, 49ers win, 20-16, at Arizona
Current Streak: Won 1
Longest 49ers Win Streak: 5 (9/14/80-10/18/87 | 10/24/93-12/21/02)
Longest Cards Win Streak: 4 (10/6/74-12/2/79 | 10/2/05-12/24/06)
Most 49ers Points: 50 (12/7/03): 50-14, at San Francisco
Most Cardinals Points: 34 (Two Times): Last (10/6/74), 34-9 at SF
49ers Shutouts: None
Cardinals Shutouts: None

SAN FRANCISCO 20, ARIZONA 16
At Glendale, AZ, September 13, 2009

Head coach Mike Singletary delivered a very simple message to his team in advance of their season opening matchup against the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals … "Believe." His players did just that as they battled through a tremendously physical game highlighted by impressive defensive efforts from both squads. After being stymied on offense for more than 3 quarters, the 49ers embarked on a 15-play, 80-yd. drive that consumed 7:26 of clock time en route to a 3-yd., go-ahead TD pass from QB Shaun Hill to RB Frank Gore. On the drive, offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye scrapped the run game that he had dialed up all afternoon and left the contest to Hill’s right arm. The QB responded going 9 of 13 for 72 yds. and the TD to Gore. On the series, Hill utilized his playmakers, including TE Vernon Davis who hauled in 4 passes for 35 yds.

The 49ers opened the scoring in the 1st quarter after All-Pro LB Patrick Willis intercepted a QB Kurt Warner pass to set his team up at the ARZ 36. Six plays later K Joe Nedney connected on a 37-yd. FG. Nedney later connected on a 50-yd. FG to give the Niners a 6-0 lead entering the 2nd stanza. The Cardinals finally got some offense going in the 2nd quarter as K Neil Rackers drilled a 44-yd. FG on their first possession. As the 49ers run game continued to struggle, Hill aired the ball out to All-Pro WR Isaac Bruce on a 50-yd. bomb, setting the offense up at the 6-yd. line. With a tired Arizona defense, the 49ers called on Gore the very next play. He hit pay dirt plunging through a massive hole into the endzone.

With the momentum in their favor, CB Nate Clements capitalized on another Warner mistake, as he hauled in his first interception of the year. Clements’ effort, and those of his defensive backfield mates, limited one of the game’s best WR tandems in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, to a combined 8 recepts. for 90 yds. and 1 TD. The 49ers were unable to capitalize on Clements’ pick, as Hill was sacked and forced to fumble on the next series. The Cardinals jumped on the opportunity, posting another Rackers’ FG this time from 29 yds. San Francisco left the field at the half with a 13-6 lead.

The Cardinals carried momentum into the 3rd quarter, and on their 2nd possession, Warner led his team on 69-yd scoring drive that resulted in a 5-yd. TD pass to Fitzgerald, knotting the score at 13. After a 49ers 3-n-out, Arizona again moved the ball to post points, a 43-yd. FG by Rackers just seconds into the 4th quarter, for the Cardinals final points of the game. The Niners would then embark on their game-winning drive and back it up with a defensive performance that paralyzed the Cardinals.

2009 Statistics

49ERS (rank)		CARDINALS (rank)
5-7 (t-2nd NFCW)	Record	8-4 (1st NFCW)
20.4 (19th)	Points per game	24.8 (9th)
285.4 (28th)	Total Offense	360.9 (10th)
91.3 (28th)	Rushing Offense	94.1 (26th)
194.2 (22nd)	Passing Offense	266.8 (5th)
28:55 (20th)	Possession Avg	30:41 (12th)
19.4 (t-10th)	Points allowed/gm	19.5 (12th)
346.4 (20th)	Total Defense	362.6 (24th)
95.8 (5th)	Rushing Defense	104.8 (12th)
250.6 (27th)	Passing Defense	257.8 (30th)
30 (t-7th)	Sacks	35 (3rd)
48.3 (2nd)	Punting Avg (Gross)	47.4 (3rd)
+1 (t-11th)	Turnover Differential	-3 (t-21st)

Who Would You Take from the Seattle Seahawks?

Andrew602 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:26:44 -0000

by Elaine Thompson - AP

Aaron Curry on the Cardinals defense would provide linebacker stability for a long time.

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The Seattle Seahawks record(3-5) doesn't speak volumes from their team, as they do have talent if you look in the right places. This week, you can pick who you would want to be a member of the Arizona Cardinals. It can be a young or new player, a starter or back up, etc. You can also take their current contract status into consideration, as if we were actually signing the player. Also look at who may be leaving our team after this season. This one may be difficult considering they're a division rival but when it all comes down to it, it's for the betterment of the team. So with that being said, here's some picks I would make from the Seahawks.

Aaron Curry - This has to be one of the easiest picks, as Curry's only in his rookie season and has played very well so far. He will develop into a leader on the defense, and has a wide enough skill set to blitz, stop the run, or drop in coverage. Should one of our aging linebackers(Okeafor, Berry, Haggens) leave or retire, Curry would be a great replacement.

John Carlson - Carlson would be one of the best additions to the Cardinals offense. We currently are without a clear cut starting tight end, and Carlson would solve that problem. He would add another target to the already dangerous offense, and provide solid blocking along the offensive line.

Lofa Tatupu - Although Lofa hasn't had a productive year since he was sent to the pro bowl in 2007, he's still one of the best inside linebackers in the league. He's a passionate defender and improves the players around him. If Karlos Dansby does leave for a bigger contract next year, the defense would be fine with Tatupu in the middle.

Brandon Mebane - Membane has slowly become a force at defensive tackle since he arived in the league in 2007. He's underrated but can play the run and get enough pressure on the opposing quarterback, evidence being his 5.5 sacks last year. Bryan Robinson is near the end of his career and we don't know enough about Gabe Watson or Alan Branch just yet.

That's it for my list, and as you can see, defense is where I was leaning. The Hawks have good receivers in T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson, but they wouldn't be an improvement over the Cardinals receivers now. Matt Hasselbeck and Julius Jones also wouldn't be a step forward from where we're currently at. Their offensive line is rarely healthy and needs to be revamped. Who would you take from the Seattle Seahawks and why?

Building a Playbook to Beat the Cardinals: Pounding the Ball Behind the Powerlifters

John Morgan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:41:18 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Let's show our support and give back Mamma Blue.

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Sometimes, I, as a fan, ask myself what can I give back to the Seahawks organization? The men and women of the Seahawks give their lives to create Seahawks football, and I spend my life following it. If I could donate a fraction of my time to, not criticizing or commenting about, but helping the Seahawks, shouldn't I? So here goes...

Seattle must win in Arizona to keep the second half of the season exciting. When the Cardinals tore into Qwest and put a boot on the Seahawks offense, it ended the realistic chance Seattle would compete for a playoff spot. But screw realism. I didn't become a fan for rational thought. This Sunday begins the unrealistic, storybook, climatic run towards contention. And I am going to help them start.

The goal over the next two days is simple: construct an offense from and influenced by real Seahawks plays that can beat the Cardinals defense.

The Cardinals have constructed a powerful 3-4 defensive line. Rod Graves drafted Alan Branch and Calais Campbell in the second round. Branch and Campbell team with Darnell Dockett to put about 900 pounds and 19 feet of muscle up front. Branch is a rotational nose, and might play primarily at end because Kenny Iwebema is questionable with a knee injury. However they construct their front, it is the core of their defense and what allows their marginally talented linebackers to dominate the run game.

In their first matchup, Seattle was down 14 before its offense could take the field. We'll assume Seattle overcomes its Dehavenry this game. The Cardinals defended with their base, eight-in-the-box look.

Arizona ran a safety blitz with Adrian Wilson. Seattle ran an aborted play-action and then Matt Hasselbeck found Nate Burleson on a ten-yard hook. It worked, barely.

Instead of running play-action, let's attempt an actual run. The Cardinals ability to force runs out wide allows them to overmatch teams. Arizona has five standing defenders in the box. Seattle needs to establish a running presence between the tackles. The design is to run behind left guard.

First Seattle motions John Carlson into the right slot. Arizona may then motion Adrian Wilson or Clark Hagans to cover him. It also might not budge. We'll assume that Carlson, sophomore slump and all, is still receiving threat enough to draw Wilson. If he doesn't move or no one moves, the Cardinals might be blitzing off right end. It could be time to audible.

Wilson shadows Carlson. The next thing to do is demonstrate the blocking assignments. The goal is to push the defensive line left and then surge behind it and away from backside pursuit. Rob Sims matches against Campbell or Dockett, depending on the rotation. That is the single most difficult and critical block of this play.

The action has started. Seattle is attacking on multiple fronts, but the Cardinals have counterattacks. Hagans is unblocked and threatening to chase down Julius Jones. Carlson has a bad angle on Wilson and must attempt to cut block. Left inside linebacker Gerald Hayes and right inside linebacker Karlos Dansby are flowing towards Jones. For Seattle to execute properly, Locklear and Max Unger must be able pull into the second level and stop their respective assignments.

Let us now look at this play a fraction of a second later. Carlson has flopped, slowing but not stopping Wilson. Hagans is in hot pursuit. Dockett has been able to beat Willis on the outside. Not everything is working, but enough has to punch a hole. Spencer has turned nose tackle Bryan Robinson. Sims has down likewise against Campbell. Locklear is blocking down Dansby and Unger has cut Hayes. The path to the second level is paved and Jones must hit the hole hard.

There's nothing especially creative about this play, but it does play Seattle's personnel to their strengths. The hole is built off the Seahawks two most powerful blockers: Sims and Spencer. Locklear has the best balance and footwork and he pulls out and attempts to railroad the linebacker. Unger starts the play by assisting Spencer to get a mean push on Robinson. That double team moves the nose and creates space for Unger to run forward and cut Hayes. Unger is nimble and assignment correct, but not a powerful blocker. Carlson draws Wilson out of the tackle box and can either run off Wilson (against man cover) or cut his path (in zone). The goal is to stop Wilson from chasing the play from behind. Blocking tight end John Owens must only slow Chike Okeafor or Bertrand Berry enough that they are not able to run into the backfield and reroute Jones.

The weakest link is Willis against Dockett. That is why Willis uses his length to tie up and slow Dockett. You can not count on winning every matchup. Seattle needs to win two for this play to work: nose and right defensive end. If it can get that push, Jones will have a hole. It's not sophisticated, but it builds off Seattle's strengths and helps make play action a little less ludicrous.

Grading the Defense: Arizona Cardinals vs. New York Giants

Hawkwind — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:00:32 -0000

More photos » by Tim Larsen - AP

about 1 month ago: Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Alan Branch (78) celebrates with teammate Chike Okeafor (56) after sacking New York Giants' Eli Manning (10) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Cardinals won the game 24-17. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen)

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To say that the Arizona Cardinals defense was impressive Sunday night against the New York Giants is quite an understatement. While the box score might not blow you away (327 yards allowed and 17 points), the play on the field told a different story. The Cardinals defense played a game of cat and mouse that had Eli Manning and the Giants off balance for most of the game.

Eli doing his best Peyton Impersonation: From the beginning of the game it was clear that the Cardinals' defensive game plan was to make Eli think before the snap. Bill Davis had Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle moving all over the defensive front and Eli spent most of his pre-snap audibles trying to make sure that he accounted for their presence. The problem though is that Eli isn't quite Peyton when it comes to pre-snap audibles and he took two delay of game penalties because of it. To make matters worse, both penalties came on third downs.

Pressure leads to Success: Despite the Giants' previous success protecting Eli the Cardinals were able to harass and rattle him. The constant pressure led to three sacks and three interceptions, both numbers doubled his season totals coming into the game. The Cardinals supplied most of the pressure with blitzes although two of the three sacks were simply a result of a player beating their man. By the end of the game Eli was left with his worst statistical since last year's playoff loss to the Eagles (47.5 QB rating and 51.4 completion percentage).

Banged Up Secondary Still Does the Job: The biggest beneficiary of the pressure supplied by the front seven was the Cardinals secondary and they needed all of the help that they could get. With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie spraining his ankle and A-dub dealing with cramps, the secondary was forced to lean on some young guys including Michael Adams and Greg Toler. While neither finished with gaudy stat lines, it's a testiment to the depth of this team that the Giants weren't able to capatilize on the absense of DRC and A-dub.

Short Scoring Drives: Despite giving up over 300 yards and 17 points the Cardinals defense did a tremendous job on the Giants offense. Exactly half of their drives (7 of 14) were 'three-and-outs' and their two "legitimate" scoring drives both started in Cardinals territory. I'm using the word "legitimate" because the 62 yard touchdown pass to Hakeem Nicks was about as fluky as they come. Had DRC's batted ball fallen harmlessly to the ground, as most do, that 75 yard TD drive would have been a four play drive that resulted in a punt. If you throw out the drive that included the fluke TD, the Giants didn't have a single drive that was longer than 30 until the fourth quarter.

Honor Roll

Calais Campbell: Campell continued his outstanding play with two tackles, a sack and a tipped pass that resulted in Eli's second pick. To make a long story short, he's playing a like a mad man.
Alan Branch: Wait this can't be right, we're praising Alan Branch? Many of us, myself included, were hoping that Branch would be shown the door this off season but for the second straight game he's been a true force. Not only did he notch the first sack of his career but he also picked up the second sack. His move to defensive end is looking like a genuis idea.
Karlos Dansby: Dansby's been under some fire lately for his lack of big plays (and his one tackle game against the Seahawks) but his first double digit tackle game of the season should ease some tension.
Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle: I'm listing them together because they were equally impressive Sunday night. They both danced all over the formation causing Eli to jump from audible to audible, but they also produced some decent stat lines to boot. Together they accounted for 13 tackles and two picks.
DRC: His intereception was nothing short of spectacular and his day would have been even better had it not been for that batted ball and his gimpy ankle.

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All in all despite the yardage and points that the Giants put up, this was the best defensive performance of the season in my mind. Who else stood out and who deserves a game ball?

Arizona Cardinal of the Week: Week 7

Andrew602 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:46:55 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Beanie Wells had his best game of the season so far and helped the Cardinals get another win on the road. Will he be the Cardinal of the week?

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It was a close one, but in the end, the Arizona Cardinals were the victor. Beating the New York Giants on the road was a big win for this team, and as the season progresses, they'll need to feed off of it. The Cardinals now stand at 4-2, and are surprisingly 3-0 on the road this season. Last night many Cardinals stepped up big time and helped the team get the win. Before we find out who the nominees are, congratulations to Kurt Warner for winning the award last week. Warner was nearly perfect and helped the Cardinals win impressively on the road. This week, the nominees are:

Adrian Wilson: I had to nominate A Dubb first for his duties on the field last night. Wilson was seen flying all over the field and was on Eli Manning's radar more then one time. He finally received more of a national spotlight and I believe that more NFL fans will catch on to him after last night if they haven't already. He had a big game, recording 5 tackles, 1 interception, and 1fumble recovered. Wilson also disrupted several plays and was the main reason the Giants offense struggled so much.

Beanie Wells: This is the game that we've been waiting for from Wells. He didn't break 100 yards and did fumble once out of bounds, but was solid in gaining positive yardage. After a Tim Hightower fumble, Beanie got the nod and provided a burst right away. His touchdown of the night was a thing of beauty as he bounced the ball to the outside, stiff-arming two defenders into the end zone.

Alan Branch: Branch didn't get a lot of snaps but when he was on the field, he made the most of it. Branch racked up two of the three sacks and pressured Eli Manning at other times. So far this year, Branch has developed into what most of us thought he would've been when he was drafted.

Antrel Rolle: Rolle has quietly put together a good season for the Cardinals and continued that trend last night. He was second on the team with 8 tackles, and is presence around the line of scrimmage confused Eli Manning. The biggest play by Rolle came in the final minutes of the game when he picked off Manning and gave the Cardinals the win.

Calais Campbell: The fourth defensive player to make the list is defensive end Calais Campbell. His numbers weren't outstanding but he did a good job of getting in the backfield. He had a sack, but more importantly had a tipped ball that led to an Adrian Wilson interception.

I thought about naming others but these five were key contributors in the game. This should be a very close poll as all five played their best game, and the winner could go any way. As always, if you feel anybody should be added to the list just name who and why. Who did you vote for and why?

Poll

Who is the Cardinal of the week?

Adrian Wilson - 5 tkls, 2 PD, 1 INT, 1 FR

271 votes

Beanie Wells - 14 carries, 67 yards, 4.8 Avg, 1 TD

86 votes

Alan Branch - 2 tkls, 2 sacks, 1 QB hit

18 votes

Antrel Rolle - 8 tkls, 1 INT, 1 PD

67 votes

Calais Campbell - 2 tkls, 1 sack, 2 PD, 1 QB Hit

27 votes

469 votes | Poll has closed

Post Game Reaction: Battered and Bruised, the Arizona Cardinals Beat the Giants 24-17

Andrew602 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:12:42 -0000

More photos » by Tim Larsen - AP

about 1 month ago: New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs is tackled by Arizona Cardinals' Clark Haggans (53) and teammate Bryan Robinson (97) during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Tim Larsen)

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The Cardinals went to New York and played their hearts out, taking down a tough Giants football team. With their backs against the wall, the Arizona Cardinals defense did what it had to do and forced a stop. The offense sputtered at times, but that was expected given the protection that Kurt Warner had, if any. The defense was the difference, as they forced 4 turnovers and sacked Eli Manning 3 times. The Cardinals have now won three straight games out right, and three on the road. They are also now in 1st place in the NFC West after the 49ers lost to the Houston Texans earlier today. Let's look at the positives and negatives from the game.

Positives:

Defense: The Cardinals defense brought many looks throughout the game, often confusing Eli Manning, and forcing turnovers. It seemed they blitzed on just about every play, and the results were successful. Late in the game, safety Antrel Rolle picked off Manning, and ended any hopes of a New York comeback. Alan Branch also showed up in the game, stuffing the run at times, and registering two sacks. The only negative on the defense was the fluke touchdown catch that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie tipped to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks. Other then that, the only touchdown drive came on good field position for the Giants, after a Kurt Warner interception.

Beanie Wells: Other then a fumble that bounced out of bounds, Beanie was on top of his game against a good New York defense. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry, and even show-cased his famous stiff arm. Beanie was the difference on offense, as the Cardinals passing attacked was silenced for the most part. The Cardinals will need to rely on Wells throughout the season to bring the rushing attack they have lacked.

Offensive Line: As I sit here, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing listing them as a positive, but compared to what we're used to, they did their job today. Throughout the first three and a half quarters they only allowed 1 sack, with the second coming in the final minutes of the game. Although he was hurried at times, Warner was kept virtually safe as he wasn't hit or knocked down through much of the game. They also opened up big holes throughout the game for Wells, and didn't commit any mental mistakes.

Negative:

Health: This is one area that's out of the control for the Cardinals, only because they can't know when they are in jeopardy of an injury. It did however, hurt the defense as a unit in the second half, when Eli and the offense exploited their absence on the field. At one time, DRC, Adrian Wilson, and Antrel Rolle were out because of injuries. The Cardinals will need to heal quickly, as they'll be needed throughout the long haul of the season.

Passing Game: It was troubling to see the Cardinals inability to pass after the New Orleans Saints torched this defense just a week ago. Key drops by even Larry Fitzgerald, made it hard for this offense to move down the field. Granted, they were faced a good defense and Anquan Boldin wasn't 100%, they still should have moved a little easier. They should be able to regroup with a struggling Carolina Panthers club next week.

Overall I'd have to say I prefer this win over the win last week. The Cardinals showed that they could win on a nationally televised game in a hostile environment. They had their mistakes at times, and it also looked as if the Giants would give them a run for their money towards the end. They emerged victorious however, and now head into next week on a win streak. What did you notice from this game? What were you most impressed about/concerned about?

Matchups: Chris Spencer, Max Unger and Steve Vallos/Mansfield Wrotto V. Bryan Robinson, Alan Branch, Darnell Dockett and Gabe Watson

John Morgan — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 01:35:13 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona had trouble rushing against Arizona. Alan Branch (78) is on the back just as he receives the hand off.

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With the stages of execution described, we can now explore the matchups that will determine if that execution is successful. The many individual matchups that must be won explain why teams do not break long runs on every attempt. In a way, the stages help determine the -1 to 2 yards, 0 to 5 yards, and 5 to n yards of the run.

Chris Spencer, Max Unger and Steve Vallos/Mansfield Wrotto versus Bryan Robinson, Darnell Dockett, Alan Branch and Gabe Watson: Dockett is the most talented of the group, but as a one-gap player, I do not think he is likely to play nose against a two tight end front. If Dockett is in, the play will turn less on if Seattle can move Dockett, Unger and Spencer should be able to, but more if Dockett can tie up Spencer or, more likely, break Unger's single block and get back into the play. When Dockett is in, Julius Jones should be cutting back inside to help neutralize his speed and perhaps take advantage of over-pursuit.

Robinson is the starter and he rotates with Branch. This is the matchup that will do much to determine if Seattle can run. A giant among giants, Branch was once dubbed a top ten overall selection, but very real concerns about his effort dropped him into the second round. He hasn't done much for Arizona since being drafted, but he's only 24. Branch has begun to establish himself this season.

Whoever the nose, and Arizona sometimes plays a double nose and a 2-4 in nickel situations, the Cardinals have a young, powerful and huge defensive line that is difficult to move. Indianapolis had some success running delays to the outside. Whatever the play call, outside is the destination.

Seattle's interior may wish only to battle to a stalemate. Branch and Robinson move well off the line and both are athletic within their space. The two make it difficult to disengage and move into the second level. Branch's power off threatens an interior collapse on every snap and rushers can have trouble receiving the hand off without defenders in their face.

That is why you draft Chris Spencer. Once a upon a time, he could move out and wall off nose tackles with ease. There wasn't a nose tackle in football short of Vince Wilfork I would bet against Spencer. But it's been a long time since we've seen that power, even as his technique has begun to catch up with his athleticism. Seattle's mishmash of guards matter, but a fraction as much as Spencer. If Spencer can stagger the nose off the snap, Unger or Vallos can exploit the momentum enough for Spencer to release. If he can't, Jones will miss essential second level blocking. If Spencer cannot even control Branch or Robinson off the snap, Jones will be facing a pile upon receiving the hand off.