SB Nation - Tyler Palko

Ravens vs. Steelers: Prediction & Open Thread

Bruce Raffel — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:00:19 -0000

With Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger a no-go due to his recent concussion, the Baltimore Ravens should have an additional edge going into Sunday night's prime time AFC North matchup. The Steelers are already in the midst of a two game losing streak and another loss will put them in 3rd place in the division with the playoffs beginning to look dimmer and dimmer. The same goes for the Baltimore Ravens if they lose this game as well, as each team comes into the contest at a mediocre record, Pittsburgh at 6-4 and Baltimore at 5-5.

The Ravens may be in a more desperate mode of survival as another loss will surely eliminate any chances of a post season berth. The Steelers surely can't just give up this game and expect the season to be a success. Instead, they seem to have a lot of confidence in their third string QB, Dennis Dixon, such that they only signed Tyler Palko off their Practice Squad to back him up rather than bring a proven veteran, such as Jeff Garcia into the mix Roethlisberger will actually be considered the 3rd string QB for the game, and only in the event that both others are out of action could he see playing time.

This should absolutely play to the Ravens advantage Sunday night.

Dixon has taken most of the first team snaps and has been a part of the system for two years now so he should be familiar with the game plan and the opponent. However, seeing it from the sidelines with a clipboard in hand versus seeing the Ravens defense throwing all kinds of stunts and blitzes at him will be totally different. Expect the Ravens to throw the entire defensive playbook at Dixon, hoping he gets flustered and turns the ball over for the Ravens offense to have in good field position. This is almost a necessity for the team to put points up, especially in the first half.

The Steelers defense may be without the services of safety Troy Polamalu, but this is still basically the same Pittsburgh defense that shut down the Ravens offense three times last season and is currently still rated #1 overall in the NFL. The Ravens will have to get something going offensively if they want to win, regardless of who is the signal caller for Pittsburgh. Baltimore QB Joe Flacco had better improve his play in the Red Zone where he has thrown three interceptions that have either cost the team the game or certainly contributed to those losses.

The passing game needs to utilize more players like it did the first part of the season and those receivers need to get open in he middle of the field rather than just the sidelines. Flacco needs to not check down so fast to Ray Rice, although his game breaking abilities warrant a lot of touches. Red Zone opportunities need not to result in field goals but touchdowns instead in order to not keep Pittsburgh one big play from taking the lead or even, gasp, winning the game at the end.

Sixty minutes of football will be needed to prove to the national TV audience that the Baltimore Ravens are still a team to be feared and if they make the post season, one that other teams will not want to face, just like last year. A win and we're on our way to a streak that could carry the team late into January. A loss and our season ends after playing Oakland in the final regular season game. I'm betting on the former and even would have done so had Big Ben been a go for Sunday night. Now that he's out, I'm even more confident that the Ravens will turn around their season and break the Steelers hex that plagued us all last year.

Ravens: 24-10

(NOTE: Remember to keep it here all day long and throughout the game to post your comments in the 'Open Thread.' I will be at the game and put up a final story on the game later Sunday night.)

Steelers' Roethlisberger Reported To Be Out For Sunday Night

Bruce Raffel — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:01:55 -0000

According to the earlier FanPost plus seemingly confirmed by ESPN, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will sit out Sunday night's key AFC North matchup at the Baltimore Ravens. Due to continuing headaches from his recent concussion that has not gone away, the Steelers and Ben will play it safe by not subjecting him to further damage and what could already be a post-career lingering condition.

Lots of Ravens fans would prefer to play and beat the Steelers at full strength but I say a win is a win and whomever lines up under center will be our target all night long. Looks like Dennis Dixon, out of Oregon, will be the starter and be backed up by Tyler Palko, who was signed off of the Practice Squad. Roethlisberger will be dressed as the third string QB, but only play in the event both of the first two guys are taken out of the game, which is unlikely.

The issue of repeated concussions among NFL players has recently been upgraded to a critical discussion item, as evidenced by the interesting article in October's issue of GQ Magazine (I highly recommend finding and reading the fascinating article!), as well as the pressure by physicians on the league to take a stronger stance about how to deal with this responsibility. So many former players have had issues related to the concussions suffered during their playing days, only to find the NFL leadership balked at responsibility and try to downplay the effects as not only flawed evidence but going as far to deny many former players the disability payments they so richly deserve.

Hopefully, Roethlisberger's attention to his own health will be a wake up call for the rest of the players in the league, as well as those who run it, to take a closer look at the effects on the players in the past who have had so many side effects including dementia, psychotic behaviors and even early death.

(See ESPN story here.)

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

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

More photos » by Matt Slocum - AP

Arizona Cardinals safety Aaron Francisco (47)

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

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

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

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

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

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

by David Zalubowski - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

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

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The Arizona Cardinals finished the preseason 0 - 4.

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

The Good.

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

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

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

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

The Bad.

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

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

The Ugly.

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

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

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

Arizona Cardinals vs. Denver Broncos: Who Will Have the Biggest Impact

Hawkwind — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:03:53 -0000

by Paul Connors - AP

Arizona Cardinals runningback Jason Wright, center, lands in the endzone as Green Bay Packers' Jarrett Bush, left, and Brandon Underwood, right, cannot make the stop. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

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With the clock ticking down the Arizona Cardinals preseason finale against the Denver Broncos, it's time to look at who might have the biggest impact on tonight's game. Since the Cardinals' starters are not expected to play much more than a couple of series, it's likely that a standout performance will come from alittle further down the depth chart. With that in mind, here's a look at this week's candidates:

Tyler Palko: Palko stole the show the last time that he was on the field (8 for 15, 103 yards and touchdown), in the preseason opener against the Steelers and he's expected to play quite a bit in tonight's contest. He should get every single snap of the second half so he'll certainly have his chance to make a huge impact as well as his case for the 3rd QB on this roster.
Lance Long and Orea Jones: With Anquan Boldin and Early Doucet completely out for tonight's game and Steve Breaston most likely limited, Long and Jones should see quite a bit of action again. Long has shown some flashes over the past year and a half but he failed to come up big last week in extended playing time and this could very well be his last chance to impress the Cardinals coaching staff. Jones is most likely showcasing himself for other teams but so far he's the only wide receiver on the team with multiple touchdowns and he'll look to add to those number tonight.
Jason Wright: With Tim Hightower and Chris Wells not expected to receive a ton of playing time and the concussion situation with LaRod Stephens-Howling, Wright could be in store for a significant work load. It's likely that his carries could climb into the double digits during the second half and he'll look to build on a solid game against the Packers.

Will Davis: Davis is seemingly getting better and better each week and against the Packers he totaled four tackles and a sack. He'll receive the bulk of the snaps again tonight and repeat performance shouldn't be out of the question.
Reggie Walker: Walker is following in Ali Highsmith's foot steps from last season considering that he's an undrafted free agent who is turning heads and making a serious case for a roster spot. With the lack of depth at inside backer look for Walker to receive a ton of snaps as the coaching staff tries to find someone to fill the void.
Rashad Johnson: Call me crazy but I'm coming from the gut on this one. I've just got a feeling that RJ is going to impact this game in some form or fashion. He dropped a sure-pick against the Chargers but I get the feeling that he'll record his first interception tonight.

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Who would you add or subtract from the list? Who's going to make the biggest impact?

Poll

Which Arizona Cardinals' player will have the biggest impact on tonight's game?

Tyler Palko

49 votes

Orea Jones

4 votes

Lance Long

15 votes

Jason Wright

10 votes

Will Davis

17 votes

Reggie Walker

17 votes

Rashad Johnson

12 votes

124 votes | Poll has closed

ROTB Community Projections 2009: Kurt Warner

Hawkwind — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:34:47 -0000

by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Kurt Warner had a monster year for the Arizona Cardinals in 2008, but can he repeat that performance in 2009? (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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As the regular season nears (you realize that we're just ten days away right?) we've got to start up our annual community projections. Of course since this is only our second season in operation, it's only the second annual but hopefully this year the response will be quite a bit larger than last year. The rules of the game are pretty simple, post the stats that you think each player will accumulate over the course of the season. We'll hit a different player each day leading up to the season opener and then after the season ends we'll look back and see right or wrong we all were.

To get the ball rolling we'll start with everyone's favorite grey bearded quarterback, Kurt Warner. Warner had a great year in 2008 setting career highs in completions and attempts along with throwing for over 4,500 yards while completing 67.1% of his passes and throwing 30 touchdown passes. He set team records in attempts, completions, completion percentage, touchdowns and QB rating while also taking the Cardinals to their first ever Super Bowl appearance. The challenge for Warner this season will be not only to duplicate last year's success but also to stay healthy. He's never played two full season consecutively but he also hasn't missed a game due to injury since 2003.

Now it's your turn, post your projection in the comment section using this format (preferably in the comment title):

Attempts, Completions, (Comp %), Yards, Yds Per Attempt, TDs and Interceptions

If you're feeling frogging you can add anything extra that you want such as games played, fumbles, stats for Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre or even Tyler Palko.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Broncos: Boldin, St. Pierre and Doucet Will Not Play

Hawkwind — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:07:59 -0000

by Jason Babyak - AP

(AP Photo/Jason Babyak, File)

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The Arizona Cardinals held their final practice before their preseason finale against the Denver Broncos and as expected they ruled Anquan Boldin, Brian St. Pierre and Early Doucet out of action. Boldin is still hampered by a gimpy hamstring and St. Pierre's back is still giving him problems. Doucet's ribs will likely keep him out for at least a couple of weeks. LaRod Stephens-Howling is doubtful for Thursday's game and is still experiencing from symptoms from his concussion, althouh he has passed the neurological tests in order to return to action. Matt Leinart is still experiencing some shoulder soreness but he is expected to play through the pain, although Tyler Palko is expected to see quite a bit of action.

Ken Whisenhunt still hasn't decided exactly how much his starters will play but they will at least take the field. It's doubtful that Palko will be able to jump St. Pierre on the depth chart but it will be interesting to him in his first action since the preseason opener. With Boldin and Doucet out and Breaston most likely limited, it'll be another chance for Lance Long and Orea Jones to showcase themselves.

Arizona Cardinals vs San Diego Chargers: Who will have the biggest impact?

Andrew602 — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:09:19 -0000

Last week we voted on which rookie would have the biggest impact in the preseason opener, and LaRod-Stephens-Howling received the most votes. The actual winner would be Michael Ray Garvin, as he was very
impressive returning kicks for the Cardinals. Unfortunately, we won't see him in action for at least 2 weeks due to knee surgery. This week the Chargers come to town, and there's sure to be a few players that stand out to the fans. While they may not be Kurt Warner or Darnell Dockett, it's likely that guys who or vying for a job will put it all out on the line. Here's a look at the nominees...

Lance Long: Last week, Long quietly caught 5 passes, for 48 yards. It went unnoticed to most, but if Long is able to do this all preseason, it gives him a better chance to make the final cut(although it's never easy to make the cut at wide receiver on the Cardinals). Long is a quick, small receiver, that could eventually become a mold of Wes Welker.

Matt Leinart: Leinart will be playing with the 3rd string offense, and will likely get a little more playing time in this game. That means he'll also be going up against a 3rd string defense of the Chargers, which means he shouldbe up better numbers. Last week Leinart came out rusty, but was able to settle down a drive later, and march to the Steelers endzone before turning the ball over on downs.

More players after the jump...

Calais Campbell: For most of us, Campbell came out of the gate, looking very aggressive on defense against the Steelers. He broke through the backfield to make a couple tackles, and nearly recorded a safety in the end zone. Campbell may get a little more playing time, and it should be interesting to see more of Campbell against the Chargers offense.

Greg Toler: Toler made some plays on defense last week that showed his upside. He also showed his lack of finishing, as he gave up on the play a few times. We haven't seen his true potential yet, and he may not get much action during the regular season. In just his second game of his career, we may see what was so impressive about him in training camp.

Beanie Wells: If this was "Who are you looking forward to seeing the most?", Wells would be it, but this is for who will have the biggest impact on the game. Wells has been tagged with an aggravated ankle for most of training camp, and was forced out of last weeks preseason game. He's already said he expects to play on Saturday, and if he does, he could have a significant impact on the game.

Tim Hightower: The other running back, Hightower, came into 2009 in a storm. He started the year by cutting 20 pounds, then a fire was lit under him after the Cardinals drafted Wells. Hightower feels the starting job is his, and wants to prove it this year. Last week there was a noticeable difference in his running, as he did less dancing around, and more cutting up the middle. If Wells is not able to play, I'd imagine Hightower will get more playing time tomorrow.

Brandon Keith and Herman Johnson: Both young lineman should get a decent amount of playing time on Saturday, and both will be protecting Matt Leinart's blindside. In the Steelers game, they did get good reviews, and both looked solid. They will need to make an important impact to not only protect Matt, but to open holes for LaRod Stephens-Howling, and possibly Beanie Wells.

Tomorrow the Cardinals take the field, and even though it's only a preseason game, it's very important to the players trying to make an impact, let alone make the team. Seeing as it's the preseason, it's tough to predict who will have the biggest impact on the game, and they may not even be on this list(see Tyler Palko). But who do you think may have an impact on the game? Who are you looking forward to see play?

Poll

Who will have the biggest impact vs the Chargers?

Lance Long

15 votes

Matt Leinart

71 votes

Calais Campbell

51 votes

Greg Toler

6 votes

Beanie Wells

40 votes

Tim Hightower

54 votes

Brandon Keith and Herman Johnson

16 votes

253 votes | Poll has closed

Arizona Cardinals Training Camp: Stock Up, Stock Down (Version II)

Hawkwind — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:22:04 -0000

More photos » by Don Wright - AP

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Limas Sweed (14) attempts a catch as Arizona Cardinals' Bryant McFadden (25) and linebacker Karlos Dansby (58) defend during the first quarter of a pre-season game. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

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With training camp in the rear view mirror and the Arizona Cardinals focusing on preseason contest #2 against the Chargers, it's about time to update our 'stock up' and 'stock down' lists. Most of the movement will be based on the performances from the previous game against the Steelers, but the past week of practice will carry some weight as well.

Last week we focused only on the guys that we termed 'bubble' players but this week we'll open it up to the entire roster in order to get a better idea of how some players are impressing or disappointing.

LaRod Stephens-Howling: The little man from Pitt continues to impress and word out of camp is that he may have leapfrogged Jason Wright and moved into the third spot on the depth chart. LSH looked minuscule at times trying to pick up opposing blitzers but he's working to improve and he's certainly got some wiggle with the ball in his hands. He'll get an even bigger role on Saturday considering that he'll get a shot as a kick returner so we'll get to see how he operates in space. Another solid showing could move secure him a roster spot.

Michael Adams: It's crazy to think that two 5-7 players stole the show in the Cards preseason opener but that's exactly what LSH and Adams did on Thursday. Adams played quite bit once the backups came in and despite his obvious lack of size his heart and desire are on display every time he steps on the field. He got burned deep once on a jump ball against a receiver who had half a foot on him but Adams has the fearless type of attitude that coaches crave on special teams and as long as he continues to perform like that, he'll make this team.

Calais Campbell: Moving from the little people to the giants, Campbell was a beast against the Steelers starting left tackle. He was stout against the run and got into Ben's face on more than one occasion. One solid preseason performance won't replace Antonio Smith but his first game action went a long way to easing some people's concerns.

Herman Johnson: Speaking of another giant, Johnson performed about as well as you could expect from a rookie drafted in the fifth round. He struggled a couple of times with speed rushers and had some miscommunication on one play, but overall he flashed the potential that the Cardinals saw when they drafted him. Of course we have to mention that he also made a highly athletic play tackling a corner back in the open field.

Greg Toler: The amazing athletic but very raw corner from St. Paul's College, played pretty well for his first exposure to the NFL. It's pretty clear that he still relies more on his athleticism than a sound understanding of opposing offenses and instincts but he made some plays against the second and third string that offer some hope that he possesses the ability to become a future starter. Consistency is most important, and hardest, aspect for a young player to master so we'll see if he can continue his impressive play.

Tyler Palko: It's almost hard to believe that an 8 for 15 performance with a touchdown and an interception against the 3rd and 4th string defense could make a guy so popular but Palko was awful impressive against the Steelers. His escapability and unwillingness to give up on a play were admirable and his arm looked better than advertised. Palko is still a long shot, at best, to make the roster but he's showcasing himself for 31 other NFL teams and if he continues to play like he did against the Steelers, he'll end up on someone's roster.

Orea Jones and Lance Long: Both Jones and Long are buried on the depth chart on a team stacked with the league's best wide receivers but that didn't stop them from playing an impressive game. Both made some decent receptions and showed some ability to pick up yards after the catch. They will have to continue to impress throughout the preseason but if they can duplicate their performance against the Steelers, I wouldn't be surprised if one or both found their way onto someone's roster this season.

Leonard Pope: After impressing some people early in camp Pope did anything but that in the preseason opener and he's returned to his inconsistent ways this week of camp. Many thought that he short-armed a ball against the Steelers to avoid a hit and he's dropped a couple of easy passes this week in practice. With so much competition at tight end, Pope must improve or he could find himself on the outside looking in when the final cut comes down.

Cody Brown: Brown played at least two full quarters and part of a third but had very little impact on the game, even though he was facing the second string and third string of the Steelers offensive line. He was noticeable a couple of times in coverage but considering that his pass ability is his strength right now, there are was hope that he'd be able to pressure the QB. He'll certainly get plenty of playing time again Saturday and he's not in danger or being cut, but at least for one night he was outperformed by his fellow sixth round draftee, OLB Will Davis.

Brian St. Pierre: We all know that BSP looked terrible on Thursday but Whiz acknowledged that he didn't have much help. BSP will be the second QB to take the field and if he's put in the same situation as Leinart, that means he'll take some snaps with the first string. Of course that also means that he won't be able to hide behind any more excuses. If he wants a legit shot at the backup QB job, it's a "now or never" scenario.

Alan Branch: I hate to keep beating a dead horse so I'll be short. Branch continues to underwhelm and nothing that he showed against the Steelers makes you think that he's turned the corner and is on the verge of dropping the underachiever label. He probably won't be cut but the note that he'll get some snaps at defensive end isn't exactly encouraging news.

Levi Brown: Coming into his third season there was some hope that we'd see a much improved player on the verge of a breakout year but one preseason game into the 2009 season, Brown looked like the same guy. Granted there will be about 16 tackles that struggle with LaMarr Woodley with season but you'd hope that Brown could go two series without giving up a sack.

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Who else was impressive or disappointing and who has the best chance to make this list next week?