SB Nation - Deuce Lutui

Arizona Cardinals' Road To Elite Status

Undrafteds — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 05:22:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

13 days ago: Arizona Cardinals' Anquan Boldin (81) dives for a touchdown as Minnesota Vikings' E.J. Henderson runs in late to defend in the second quarter during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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As we prepare for the Cardinals-49ers Monday Night Football matchup, with a chance for Arizona to claim its second NFC West crown in a row with a win, lets take a look back at the season to date to see what we have learned. In the name of reader enjoyment, I'll start with my synopsis, with a skimming of the surface breakdown to follow.

What have we learned? I don't have to tell any of you that we can all watch every snap and come away with very different versions of what we saw. So maybe it is more appropriate to say, what have I learned?

I have learned that the 2009 Cardinals are a new improved version of the 2008 Cardinals. Sounds simple enough doesn't it?

More precisely, the 2008 model was good enough to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in team history, but inconsistent and unreliable, especially at the most inopportune times such as the excruciating Steelers' game winning drive.

Last year, the teams primary weaknesses, arguably of course, were giving up the big play way too often, not winning on the road, and general inability to run the ball.

This year the Cardinals are not giving up nearly as many big plays on defense, are 5-1 on the road, and have increased their team yards per carry average from 3.5 last year to 4.1.

But it goes further than the numbers.

This team has demonstrated that they are more mature and resilient. Arizona is more focused and physical.

Additionally, key players have simply gotten better with each passing week. An alarming number of players are playing at a Pro Bowl-caliber level. Defensively, Antrel Rolle, Adrian Wilson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Karlos Dansby and Darnell Dockett should at least get consideration. Not to mention special teams warrior LaRod Stephens-Howling, punter Ben Graham and kicker Neil Rackers. Offensively, the usual suspects Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald could all be locks for the Pro Bowl.

Forget about the Pro Bowl for a minute though. Calais Campbell, Lyle Sendlein, Deuce Lutui, Reggie Wells and Tim Hightower have all improved.

Don't bother doing the math, I've already done it: that is 13 out of the starting 22 that are either playing at a Pro Bowl level or have in the least improved their game. On special teams, Graham and Rackers have played nearly flawlessly, and LSH has been an upgrade on kick returns and return coverage.

This team has more character, even when they lose. In my not so humble opinion, the Titans game was a huge character win despite the loss. MattLeinart had some things to prove that day, and he did. There were more players making plays in that game than most I've seen. True, the Cardinals again let a QB execute another two-minute drill to perfection—their Achilles heel—and lost the game, but they can't win them all can they?

Finally, I have to talk about head coach Ken Whisenhunt for a moment. He has a methodical, patient approach, and his teams' progress is a reflection of that. In his first season he took an under-achieving talent-laden squad to their first 8-8 record in many moons. Last year they improved to 9-7, but caught fire and made it to their first-ever Super Bowl. This year their weaknesses have been shored up even moreso—defensively they are more consistent and the rushing attack is better—and the Cardinals have cleared yet another hurdle. Now, my fellow Arizona fans, the Cardinals are becoming one of the elite teams in the NFL right before our very eyes.

As I recall the 12 games played to date briefly below, by my count the 8-4 record can be broken down as follows:

Of the four losses, two were respectably played games that ended in a loss (Week 1 vs. 49ers and Week 12 vs. Titans), and two were games that the Cardinals simply laid an egg (Week 3 vs. the Colts and Week 8 vs. the Panthers).

Of the eight wins, all of them had at least two quarters of completely dominating play by Arizona.

The word dominate is used repeatedly on purpose to drive home my point.

1. San Francisco L 16-20 (0-1): Hard fought game, division rival.

It can be said that with the departure of Todd Haley, the flow of the Cardinals' offense wasn't quite in sync with Ken Whisenhunt's first time out calling plays in awhile.

Held Frank Gore to 30 yards on 22 carries.

2. @ Jacksonville W 31-17 (1-1): The Cardinals' nemesis last regular season was winning on the road. In their first attempt, they completely dominated Jacksonville for three quarters.

Jacksonville's 17 points were a little deceiving as it came up against prevent defense.

Held Maurice Jones-Drew to 66 yards on 13 carries, but 36 came on one run.

3. Indianapolis L 10-31 (1-2): After a promising start to the game, this was a poor all-around effort by the Cardinals.

They were flat and out of sorts in all phases for most of the game.

Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Pierre Garçon embarrassed Arizona, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in particular.

4. BYE WEEK

5. Houston W 28-21 (2-2): Arizona again completely dominated for three quarters.

When they went to prevent defense, Matt Schaub and company mounted a comeback.

A goal-line stand by Arizona prevented the Texans from tying to force overtime.

6. @ Seattle W 27-3 (3-2): Arizona completely dominated this game from start to finish.

One of their most complete wins in team history.

Held Matt Hasselbeck to 112 yards passing and Seattle to 14 yards rushing on 11 carries.

7. @ NY Giants W 24-17 (4-2): In a signature win, the Cardinals stymied the Giants who were 5-1 before this game, by forcing four turnovers and holding last year's best rushing team to 107 total yards on the ground.

The Giants could only muster three second-half points.

8. Carolina L 21-34 (4-3): Another poor all-around effort by the Cardinals, who were dominated by the previously stagnant Panthers, in a revenge game.

The Cardinals had embarrassed the Panthers last postseason on their home turf, and the Panthers returned the favor.

Arizona came into the game with the top ranked run defense, but were exploited for 270 ground yards.

9. @ Chicago W 41-21 (5-3): Cardinals rebound nicely by dominating the Bears. It was 31-7 at halftime.

In prevent defense, the Bears got back into the game. Matt Leinart helped them out by throwing an INT on his only attempt, and was immediately replaced with Warner.

10. Seattle W 31-20 (6-3): Seattle gave it everything they had, playing maybe their best game of the season, only to lose by 11 points to a superior team.

11. @ St. Louis W 21-13 (7-3): With Kurt Warner at the helm, the Cardinals were cruising with a 21-3 halftime lead.

He suffered a concussion at the end of the second quarter however, and the still rusty Leinart was unable to lead the team to points.

The defense held strong and mopped up, securing the win.

12. @ Tennessee L 17-20 (7-4): Playing the hot Titans, who had won four straight, without Warner.

Leinart improved, and the Cardinals held a 17-13 advantage with two minutes remaining before Vince Young's now instant classic, 18-play 99-yard drive, won the game on the last play of the game for Tennessee.

An all around well-played game by both sides.

13. Minnesota W 30-17 (8-4): Many pundits weighed in and very few gave the Cardinals a chance leading up to kickoff. The Vikings had been anointed the best all-around team by some, with only one loss in 11 attempts coming in. BrettFavre had only thrown three picks, but threw two in this one. Jared Allen was held without a stat, and Adrian Peterson was held to 19 yards on 13 carries. After giving up a 7-0 lead early sparked by Tim Hightower's fumble on the second play of the game, it was all Arizona.

What are your thoughts on the Cardinals season so far? Do you think they have achieved elite status, or is there still more work to be done?

49ers-Bears: Tommie Harris and the Bears defense

Fooch — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:39 -0000

There has been a lot of discussion about Tommie Harris and his ejection Sunday against the Cardinals. He popped Deuce Lutui in the face, leading to a fairly early ejection from the game (video after the jump). There has been some jabbering about whether Lutui had it coming, but either way, it was certainly a poor decision on the part of Harris. According to the Chicago Tribune, folks are not expecting Harris to be suspended. Apparently, since the ejection was so early in the game, it's more or less a game suspension, and so the league will simply levy a large fine.

Whether we agree with that or not, having Harris on the field tonight certainly helps a somewhat beleaguered Bears defense. The Bears roll out a front seven that includes Harris, former 49er Anthony Adams, Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Lance Briggs, Hunter Hillenmeyer, and Nick Roach. Certainly talented, but not quite a murderer's row.

As we are discussing week after week after week, the question is whether the 49ers offensive line and general blocking scheme will be able to provide time for Alex Smith and holes for Frank Gore. The Bears currently sit 25th against the pass and 18th against the run. Many teams would be able to take full advantage of that, but many of those teams don't have the truly awesome offensive line the 49ers have.

The 49ers will be without Glen Coffee tonight, but that probably isn't all that big a deal given how he hasn't provided much of a contribution when Gore has played. So we'll get plenty of Gore, but it's a question of how the team utilizes. I'd imagine of all the skill positions, the contribution of Gore will have the broadest impact, as usual. In the rare instances when the team has gone to screen passes, they've been fairly successful. When they mix in the outside pitches, they've been fairly successful. My favorite running play has been the fake handoff to the fullback, followed by a quick pitch to Gore going outside. It's obviously not something you run every single play, but on 2nd and 1 or 2, and 3rd and 1 or 2, the 49ers have been able to catch defenses sleeping with that play.

As always it comes down to a mix of playcalling and execution. As I said earlier this week, I do think Jimmy Raye has attempted to mix things up. However, as somebody pointed out at some point on Monday I believe, it's almost like they swung too far the other way. It's turned into a matter of finding that perfect (or even somewhat close to perfect) balance. Over at ESPN.com, Mike Sando made a good point after reviewing the 49ers-Titans game tape:

How does Raye's vision for the offense mesh with personnel changes since his hiring? The team added Crabtree unexpectedly. Smith is now the quarterback. Davis is becoming a Pro Bowl-caliber target. The offensive line isn't very good in protection. All things to weigh. It's Week 10, but adding Crabtree and Smith to the mix so late means the offense is in a formative state. What will the identity become?

As always, even with a struggling Bears defense and potentially solid play-calling, it comes down to execution. Alex Smith and Michael Crabtree have been working out when special teams practice is going on, so maybe this will bring us closer to better execution (we'll conveniently ignore the offensive line issues in that last sentence).

Breaking News: Harris Not Suspended Per League Source

Dane Noble — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:32:57 -0000

Tommie Harris is clear to play Thursday, according to this article. He was ejected on the 4th play of the game this past Sunday after punching Deuce Lutui.

The NFL might fine Harris, but there will be no suspension for punching Cardinals guard Deuce Lutui in the helmet, according to a league source.

We'll see how the team responds.

NightLink: What Happens to Tommie?

Dane Noble — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:00:38 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

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After seeing our oft-troubled defensive lineman tally another strike against his name yesterday, today we are left with wondering what happens next. Tommie Harris spoke today about his actions against Deuce Lutui.

I was embarrassed, especially for my actions. I apologized to him yesterday, called Larry [Fitzgerald] and had a chance to apologize to him,'' Harris said at his locker this afternoon. "I just wanted to apologize to my fans first off, and the little kids out there that saw that action. I shouldn't have behaved in that manner, and I apologized to my teammates, and I'll make up for it.

Coach Lovie Smith said that he will wait and hear from the league, and that the team would support whatever the league's decision will be.

Typically in situations similar to this, the league will hand out fines. But, the more aggressive acts, like Albert Haynesworth stomping on Andre Gurode, can lead to suspension.

Where do you all stand on this? How should the league and the team deal with Tommie, and what do you think this does as far as Tommie's future with the Bears?

Tommie's contract:

2009: $620,000 (+ $6.67 million roster bonus due 2/27),

2010: $1.235 million (+ $2.5 million roster bonus due in June),

2011: $2.3125 million,

2012: $2.5 million,

2013: Free Agent.

Cardinals Dominate in 27-3 Win over the Seahawks

Pyromnc — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:35 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

2 months ago: Seattle Seahawks* quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, left, reacts to his fumble while Arizona Cardinals' Adrian Wilson (24) celebrates the turnover recovery by Arizona during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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In week five the Arizona Cardinals had to sweat out a win that required a goal line stand in the final minutes against the Houston Texans. In week six they would not sweat so much, as they lead the whole game and played very well on all three sides of the ball (special teams, offense, and defense). They were able to do things in this game that has troubled them all season including, protecting Warner, giving up big play, and turning over the ball in the red zone. Everything for the most part went the Cardinals way in a big win in Seattle.

The Good:

The passing game played almost near perfect football in this game. Kurt Warner completed 32 of 41 passes (78 completion percentage) for 276 yards and 2 touchdowns. Warner spread all those completions between seven receivers but the two players that had the biggest impact of the receiver were Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston. Fitz caught nearly every pass thrown to him racking up 13 of them and also did what he does best and that is catch a touchdown in the end zone to give the Cardinals the first touchdown of the day. Breaston pulled of his best Fitz impersonation with some amazing catches and he would finish with seven catches and a touchdown. The pass protection also held up very nicely, allowing two sacks but not much pressure on Warner. Overall this is what we want to see out of the passing game.

The defense played extremely well today allowing just 14 total yards rushing on 11 carries (1.27 yards per carry) and held Matt Hasselbeck to just 10 completions on 29 throws. The rushing defense is nothing new as they were ranked seventh in the league coming into this game but the passing defense was a different story. They came in 32nd against the pass allowing more than 300 yards passing a game and nine total passing touchdowns. Much of this is because the defense has not been able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. That all changed today, as it seemed Hasselbeck was getting hit on every play and went down for a total of five sacks. We all knew the Cardinals defense is loaded with talent and it decided to show in today's game.

Special Teams played pretty well in this game. They had a nice fumble recover in the 1st quarter on a short kickoff by Neil Rackers. They also had nice coverage holding Justin Forsett to just an average of seven yards per punt return and holding the kick returners to an average of 20 yards on three returns. The punter, Ben Graham, also played pretty well punting 6 times for an average of 37.8 yards but four of those punts went inside the 20. The only bad play by special teams was they allowed Seattle's punter to complete a 42 yard pass to the John Carlson that would lead to their only points in the game, a field goal.

The Bad:

The Running game finally got a considerable amount of work but they did not prove much as they ran 26 times for just 62 yards (2.4 ypc). They did start the game off pretty good as they ran 8 times for 31 yards (3.9 ypc) and 1 touchdown. After that there was not much to rave about as they would run 18 more times for 31 yards (1.7 ypc). With that many carries you would like to see much more production but at least they did not fumble the ball in the red zone, something that has seemed to plague the running game this season.

Turnovers continue to be a problem for this team as they give up two more in this game. The first one was a fumble by Warner, something he has a history of as we all know. This one was not completely on Warner as the protection broke down and Levi Brown allowed Patrick Kerney to get by him and strip Warner but Warner has got to hold onto the ball. The second one was an interception by Warner as he just heaved the ball to the end zone hoping to get a touchdown to end the half but ended up going into safety Jordan Babineaux's hands. Overall the Cardinals did a better job of holding onto the ball but they still need to stop turning it over.

The Ugly:

The Cardinals continue to have too many penalties in games. This week they had a total of 7 turnovers going for 76 yards. Most of these came from the offensive line as they had five of them, three false starts and two offensive holding calls. The have got to stop as they are coming on important drives. The first holding call, by Deuce Lutui, came on a rushing play by Beanie Wells that went for six yards and a first down that got brought back to 2nd and 11. The next one came on 2nd and 13 and Tim Hightower had a rushing play for 11 yards and that got brought back because of a holding call by Lyle Sendlein making it 2nd and 23. The false starts can be understandable in Seattle but they came on relatively quiet plays. They have to get better at not committing these penalties. The other two penalties were defensive pass interference on linebacker Gerald Hayes and Delay of game on Ben Graham.

Overall the Cardinals played well, and looked a lot more like that team that went to the Super Bowl last season. This team will have a tough game next week as they go to New York to face a pissed off Giants team.They will need to play like they did today if they want to win this game, something they have not been able to consistently do on a weekly basis. How do you think we played this week? Can we go into Giants stadium next week and beat the Giants?

Arizona Cardinals vs Indianapolis Colts: Offense Break's'down

Andrew602 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:00:37 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

2 months ago: Arizona Cardinals running back Tim Hightower (34) fumbles as Indianapolis Colts cornerback Melvin Bullitt makes the hit during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Colts recovered the ball. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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When the team took the field on Sunday night, one of the last things you'd expect from the Cardinals was for their offense to struggle, and that's exactly what they did. With 14:20 left in the 2nd quarter, running back Tim Hightower put the football on the ground. Plain and simple. Whenever that happens you can never expect the team to win the game. After that, the score was never close. If the Cardinals want to make any attempt at the playoffs at all this season, they'll need to buckle up and take the drivers seat. Right now they're riding shotgun and don't have control of where they're going. So many things went right for this team last week, and yet it seemed as though so many things went wrong on Sunday. I won't spend this segment looking for the positives, because there were none. Let's do our best to tackle the biggest areas of concern for this offense.

The running game. Or lack thereof should I say. The running game was never a factor in this game from the opening kick off, to the end. After learning the recipe for success in the playoffs last year, you'd think the team would understand...run the football. If you can't run in the NFL, you will never go anywhere, literally. Last week they ran for over 100 yards and dominated their opponent. This week, they ran for a measly 24 yards and not one of those runs earned a first down for the team. Call it what you want, but they had success early running on the ground through two games. They also faced a team that had just given up 200+ yards the week before. Either the team was that discouraged running against the Colts, or they just never game planned for it.

Zero rushing first downs
24 total rushing yards
12 attempts, 2.0 average
2 Fumbles

Offensive line. This unit, quite possibly had one of their worst games as far as I can remember. Both tackles appeared slow and were beat to the punch time and time again. After a great 2008, Reggie Wells has slowly fell out of the mix after Sunday. The other two interior lineman, Deuce Lutui and Lyle Sendlein, don't appear to be playing at the level of the opposing defensive lines. This unit already couldn't run-block, but the lack of protection for Kurt Warner against the Colts has to be alarming. The expectations for this unit were high heading into the season. They've started next to each other going on three seasons, and we hoped they had built more camaraderie after playing in the super bowl. There's not a lot to evaluate, after they were out matched and out played on Sunday. Russ Grimm won't be a happy camper this week, and will likely look to drive this unit to improve dramatically, or we may see some changes along the line.

2 holding penalties
4 sacks allowed
24 rushing yards produced

Turnovers. The two turnovers in the end zone were perhaps the biggest factors of the game. The first came when the Cardinals were very close to taking a respectable 10-0 lead after Antrel Rolle's pick from Peyton Manning. Instead, Hightower fumbles the ball after a solid hit from an opponents helmet. That alone sucked all the momentum out of the Cardinals as a whole. The next came after a solid looking hurry up offense led by Warner all the way down to the 1 yard line. Instead of trying of the run, which would've been successful, they called a pass, in which Warner was picked off after a bobbled incompletion. Had they scored, the Cardinals would've went into half time with the deficit cut in half, 21-10. The final turnover came after a pass from Warner to Stephen Spach. At that point, the game had long been over. The Cardinals need to become more disciplined with the ball, because this team is not built to win if they lose the turnover battle. Some teams can handle it, the Cardinals cannot.

3 turnovers, 2 in red zone
2 fumbles, 1 lost

The bye week couldn't have came at a better time(if you ask me). It not only gives the Cardinals time to heal, both physically and mentally, But it also gives them a longer time to prepare and gameplan for the Houston Texans, a win that has become a must-need. What other concerns do you have with the offense thus far? Is there any roster changes or play calling that you'd fix?

Warner Nearly Perfect as the Arizona Cardinals Beat Jacksonville 31-17

Pyromnc — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:00:43 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

3 months ago: Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, left, dives for a third quarter touchdown as Jacksonville Jaguars safety Sean Considine tries to make the stop during an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, in Jacksonville, Fla. Arizona won 31-17. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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One week after losing an important home division game to the San Francisco 49ers the Cardinals dominate the Jacksonville Jaguars for most of the game. The offense was in sync for the first time this year and looked even better than the 2008 offense. As for the defense, they again looked good and were able to hold the Jags to two touchdowns and one field goal. Overall the team looked very good and definitely alleviated some of the worries most of the Cardinals fans had after the week one loss.

The Good:

Kurt Warner: In week 1 Warner was starting to look like the 38 year old quarterback that most 38 year old quarterbacks look like. Not very good. In week two Warner did a complete and flip flop and decided to break the NFL record for completion percentage in a game (minimum 20 attempts). Warner completed 24 of 26 passes (92.3 %) beating out the old record held by Vinny Testaverde who had completed 21 of 23 passes (91.3) in 1993. To add to that, Warner tied the team record for most consecutive completions with 15, a record originally held by Jake Plummer who made that record in 1998. Warner's final numbers were 243 passing yards and 2 touchdown passes.
Tim Hightower: Hightower followed up his 12 receptions for 121 yards in week 1 with another good game carrying the ball 15 times for 72 yards (4.8 ypc) and 1 touchdown. This week the Cardinals offensive line opened up some holes allowing HIghtower to rumble for several long runs with his longest being 17, meaning that he was pretty consistent on each carry. Hightower also had 3 catches for 12 yards.
The Offensive Line: Compared to last week this line looked much improved. They gave Warner time and opened up holes for the run game, but they still had some penalties, though not as much. Levi Brown added to his resume another false start and Deuce Lutui had another holding. Those were the only two penalties that were really the offensive line's fault. Overall this unit was much more productive and if they continue to play that well the offense shouldn't have any trouble putting points on the board this year.
The defense (through the first 3 quarters): The defense again looked solid holding Jacksonville to just 17 points,10 through the first 3 quarters. They were able to get pressure on the David Garrard and if Garrard weren't so mobile and strong they probably would have come away with eight to ten sacks. They ended up only getting four sacks but that is not bad at all and is proving to be a lot better than people gave them credit for. They were also able to force four fumbles, recovering two. This unit is continuing where it left off last week and is not looking like they are going to slow down any time soon.
Special Teams: In week one the special teams was probably the most solid unit, pinning the opponent down to bad field positions, making all their field goals, and giving the Cardinals good field position. For the most part that was true for week two also. They didn't allow anything on kick returns and punt returns while LaRod Stephens-Howling made smart decisions on his kick returns and averages 25 yards per return. They also blocked a field goal that was returned by Antrel Rolle for a touchdown, giving the Cards a 17-3 lead. All that good made up for the sloppiness that happened for this unit. Antrel Rolle again is not looking good as the punt returner, not knowing when to run up and catch the ball or to just let it go by him. This indecision caused two fumbles and could have drastically changed the game if either of those had ended up mattering. Neil Rackers also missed a field goal but that happens sometime.

The Bad:

Chris Wells: Beanie actually had a pretty good game, carrying the ball 7 times for 44 yards (6.3 ypc). His problem was that he could not hold onto the ball and fumbled the ball twice. Now the first time they got lucky and the tight end, Anthony Becht, was there to recover the ball on the one yard line. The second fumble though, he was not so lucky as it was recovered by Rashean Mathis. Luckily for Beanie, the Cards defense didn't allow the Jags to do anything with that turnover.
Penalties: The penalties were not nearly as bad as they were in week one but they still were a problem. The Cards racked up another 8 penalties for 50 yards. They are definitely down from the 12 from last week but that is still too much and is something they will have to continue to work on.

The Ugly:

Fourth Quarter Defense: First, in the effort of full disclosure Whiz was subbing in some of the second string defense towards the end of the third quarter and into the fourth but their performance still has to be graded at the same level. The defense only allowed seven points to the Jags in the fourth but they were lucky that it wasn't more. There was several dropped passes by the Jags that would have gone for long yardage and one of them would have gone for a touchdown bringing the game within seven points. They also missed tackles, one of them by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie allowing the receiver to go in for the touchdown. The defense has played well in the first three quarters in the first two weeks of the season but has also played bad, or not as good, in the fourth quarter in that same time frame. This has got to get better as the better teams will take advantage of this.
Turnovers, or possible turnovers: This was already covered earlier but it is very important that it stops. There was a total of five fumbles on offense. That is way too many and the Cardinals got lucky that only 2 of them were recovered by the Jags. This has got to stop if they want to be an elite or top 10 team.

Overall, the Cardinals played very well this Sunday and they made it tough to really find anything negative to say about their play. The one negative that was pointed out though that needs to be fixed is Beanie Wells. The kid looks very good and fluid in his cuts when running but he needs to get the ball secured better. This is something a lot of rookie backs need to learn, so it is not a big concern but it is something that needs to be pointed out and fixed. The other position that needs to be addressed is the punt return situation. Rolle has either got to learn how to field those punts or find someone else more reliable, this may be a tough task but it has got to happen. Next week this team will travel back home to play the Indianapolis Colts for the Sunday night game and after this game they should have the motivation and confidence to play well in that game.

Are the Cardinals Dealing with the Penalty Bug Already?

Andrew602 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

3 months ago: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner walks off the field after losing to the San Francisco 49ers 20-16 Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009 in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

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After their first week, the Arizona Cardinals now find out that they've been hit with the penalty bug. It's a contagious little thing that goes around from player to player, causing them to act out during games, in ways that they're normally not accustomed to. The only way to cure the bug is hard discipline, and the fear of losing your job. In all seriousness, after one week, the Cardinals are already the worst team in the league with 12 penalties. Ken Whisenhunt wants a disciplined team, and will strive to make them that way. When talking to a local radio station on Monday, Whisenhunt blatantly said players need to focus, or he'll find somebody else to do their job. If that's not a wake up call, then I don't know what is. Penalties can be the downfall for any team, and the Cardinals were lucky enough last year to not let it ruin their season. Let's take a look at some statistics of the Cardinals recent struggles:

Last year the Cardinals were 28th in the league with 108 penaties(6.75/game) for 781 yards(48.8/Game), which was 21st in the league.
Do penalties really have an affect on the outcome of a game? Last year, in the Cardinals wins, they averaged 7.1 penalties a game, for 55.2 yards. In their losses, they averaged 5.1 a game, for 40.5 yards.
Through week 11 of last year, the Cardinals averaged 8 penalties a game, for 50 yards. From week 12 - 17, they averaged 4.5 a game for 40.1 yards. Clearly, Ken Whisenhunt was able to make something happen at that point in the season.
Have penalties always been a problem for the Cardinals? Think again. Starting in 2001 the Cardinals have slowly become one of the worst penalized teams, going from 5th('01), 2nd('02), 10th('03), 28th('04), 31st('05), 31st('06), 32nd(07), and 28th last year.

Looking at the third point, I can't help but wonder if Whisenhunt will use whatever tactics he used last year to improve the penalty problems that have already begun. One player that I'd like to point out is Deuce Lutui. He was often at the end of some harsh criticism(including from myself) for often committing penalties last year. He was facing heat from back up Elton Brown, and it seemed that we would eventually see the end of Lutui. If and whatever Whisenhunt did, must of worked, because after that week 11 win, Lutui was composed for the remainder of the season. Perhaps job security is the only way for Whisenhunt to get the message through to players. With that being said, let's take a look a some key drives from yesterday that were affected by penalties.

Example #1

1st and 10 at ARZ 29 - (10:25) T.Hightower up the middle to ARZ 30 for 1 yard (M.Lawson).
2nd and 9 at ARZ 30 - (9:43) (Shotgun) K.Warner pass short left to L.Fitzgerald to SF 49 for 21 yards (D.Goldson).
> PENALTY on ARZ-L.Fitzgerald, Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards, enforced at ARZ 30 - No Play.
2nd and 19 at ARZ 20 - (9:13) PENALTY on ARZ-M.Gandy, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at ARZ 20 - No Play.
2nd and 24 at ARZ 15 - (8:54) T.Hightower up the middle to ARZ 21 for 6 yards (R.McDonald).
3rd and 18 at ARZ 21 - (8:14) (Shotgun) K.Warner pass deep right intended for J.Urban INTERCEPTED by P.Willis at ARZ 40. P.Willis to ARZ 36 for 4 yards (T.Hightower).

The drive looks to be promising, as we see a vintage Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald play. Unfortunately, a pass interference call on Fitz, results in 2nd and long. On the very next play, Mike Gandy is blown for a false start, putting them in worse field position. After a short Hightower run, Warner is picked off by Patrick Willis. It's Warner's fault for throwing the pick, but he wouldn't have needed to make that throw had it not been for the penalties.

Example #2

1st Quarter
1st and 10 at SF 44 - (3:44) S.Hill pass short left to D.Walker to ARZ 39 for 17 yards (B.McFadden).
1st and 10 at ARZ 39 - (2:55) S.Hill pass incomplete deep left to V.Davis (A.Wilson).
> PENALTY on ARZ-A.Wilson, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at ARZ 39 - No Play.
1st and 10 at ARZ 24 - (2:49) F.Gore up the middle to ARZ 24 for no gain (C.Campbell, C.Haggans).
2nd and 10 at ARZ 24 - (2:02) S.Hill pass incomplete short left to J.Morgan [C.Campbell].
3rd and 10 at ARZ 24 - (1:57) (Shotgun) S.Hill sacked at ARZ 32 for -8 yards (C.Okeafor).
4th and 18 at ARZ 32 - (1:28) J.Nedney 50 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-B.Jennings, Holder-A.Lee.

This time the penalty on defense was the difference. As you can see, the 49ers were driving, before Adrian Wilson decided to lead with his helmet and proceed to lay out Vernon Davis. Now, I did get some satisfaction out of the hit and the fact that it was Davis at the receiving end, but Wilson should know by now not to lead with his helmet. The 15 yard penalty gives the Niners better position and are able to hit a 50 yard field goal, which would've been out of range without the penalty.

Example #3

4th Quarter
1st and 10 at SF 38 - (3:11) PENALTY on ARZ-S.Spach, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at SF 38 - No Play.
1st and 15 at SF 43 - (3:11) (Shotgun) K.Warner pass incomplete short left to J.Urban.
> PENALTY on ARZ-M.Gandy, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at SF 43 - No Play.
1st and 25 at ARZ 47 - (3:06) (Shotgun) K.Warner pass short right to T.Hightower to SF 46 for 7 yards (S.Spencer).
2nd and 18 at SF 46 - (2:34) (Shotgun) K.Warner pass short middle to J.Urban to SF 33 for 13 yards (S.Spencer).
3rd and 5 at SF 33 - (2:01) K.Warner pass incomplete deep right to J.Urban.
Two-Minute Warning
4th and 5 at SF 33 - (1:55) (Shotgun) K.Warner pass incomplete short left to T.Hightower [J.Smith].

The last example, and clearly the killer of the game, was in the fourth quarter. After a hard fought punt return by Antrel Rolle, everything was starting to fall into place for the Cardinals. A game winning touchdown was close, until the penalties happened. After a false start by Stephen Spach, and a hold on Gandy, the Cardinals finally began their drive with 1st and 25. After two passes to Hightower and one to Jerheme Urban, the Cardinals turn the ball over on downs. It's clear that without the penalties, the game may have been won.

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It's obvious that penalties effected these drives, so how can Whisenhunt change something as simple as a penalty. We already know that job security is a key factor, but positional drills and practice are what's going to have the main affect. Staying consistent to fix these problems is a must, and the teams need to individually work out the kinks. The Cardinals need to emphasize the importance of not committing penalties, then put them to the test. Whether it be running certain drills over and over again, or extensively watching game footage.

It's important for the Cardinals to establish an identity of a smart, disciplined football team, and committing 12 penalties a game is not a great start. Penalties are drive-killers, and the way the offense is playing, they need all the help they can get. I don't imagine that Whisenhunt will make any drastic depth chart moves, but you can't underestimate how far he's willing to go.

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 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?