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Cleveland Browns All-Decade Team: Vote on the Running Backs

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:06:09 -0000

After starting with the quarterback position a few days ago, it's time to move on to the running backs. While the Browns haven't had a great running back situation since returning to the league, there have been some brighter spots the past several years. With no single back staying in Cleveland for an extended period of time though, it's difficult to pick one player to be "the" guy for the all-decade team. The results of the poll should be interesting, and don't forget to back up your vote in the comments section!

The criteria I used for running backs in order to be included in the poll was that they needed at least 200 touches and need to be with the team for at least two seasons during the decade.

Previous All-Decade Polls: Quarterbacks

Running Backs

1. JAMEL WHITE (2000-2003)

Since returning to the league, the Browns have really only utilized one running back as a true "third down back," and that was Jamel White. While his numbers aren't dazzling, White was consistent during his four years in Cleveland, averaging 3.8 yards per carry at a time when our offensive line wasn't great. He was usually good for several receptions out of the backfield each week; from 2001 to 2003, he was averaging 51 catches per season.

The best game of his career came in 2001, when he ran for 131 yards on 21 carries and caught 9 passes for 85 yards in a 31-7 loss to the Green bay Packers. White also had a 54-yard run en route to a 100-yard game against the Steelers back in 2002, a game the Browns lost in overtime 16-13.

2. JAMES JACKSON (2001-2004)

For as much hype as there was surrounding James Jackson, a third-round pick from the 2001 draft, Jackson never really broke out. He started 10 games as a rookie in 2001, but only managed to average 2.8 yards per carry -- to contrast, Jamel White averaged 3.5 yards per carry that same season. Perhaps he got fans excited when he rushed for 124 yards on 31 carries in just his second career game, but after that he never topped 100 yards again.

Like White, Jackson also had one shining moment against the Steelers, but back in 2003. In a 13-6 loss, Jackson had 25 carries for 94 yards and caught 5 passes for 49 yards. His lack of consistent production never seemed to qualify him as a starting running back, and after a decent start to the season in 2004, the Browns just waived him.

3. WILLIAM GREEN (2002-2005)

RUN WILLIAM, RUN! Without question, everyone knows what the highlight of William Green's career is: a 64-yard breakaway touchdown run against the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. The run came in Week 17, and ended up being the difference maker in the Browns' 24-16 victory -- a win that allowed the team to make the postseason. Green started off slow in his rookie season, but once he was made the full-time starter again in Week 10, he showed a lot of promise, gaining nearly or over 100 yards in 5 of his last 7 games. After a somewhat slow start to the 2003 season, things picked up in Week 5 against the Steelers. The Browns beat the Steelers 33-13 in Pittsburgh, and Green ran for 133 yards; one of those plays included him carrying a Steeler on his back as he stiff-armed him down the field. A week later, Green pounded 145 more yards against the Raiders. Things were looking bright for the team's former first-round pick.

And then...the troubles started. Half-way through the 2003 season, Green was arrested for drunk driving and marijuana possession. While he was suspended four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy, Green's fiancee stabbed him in the back during a domestic dispute. He did not return for the 2003 season, and his image was pretty much tarnished after that. In 2004, Green's most memorable moment was getting ejected during pre-game warmups for fighting with linebacker Joey Porter. In 2005, Green had too many injuries and was placed on the injured reserve; he never saw any action in the NFL following that. A decent start to a career, followed by a quick decline, can summarize Green's career.

4. LEE SUGGS (2003-2005)

I was a advocate of Suggs, and odds are that I was sold on him due to the 26-carry, 186-yard, 2-touchdown performance he had against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 of his rookie season. Suggs didn't start in 2004 due to Green starting, but in Week 15 Suggs took over at running back and proceeded to have three consecutive 100-yard games. What happened to Suggs after that?

Two things -- Reuben Droughns, and the injury bug. The Browns acquired Droughns before the 2005 season, and it seemed as if Droughns was going to win the three-way training camp competition between himself, Suggs, and Green. Still, Suggs was expected to be a factor in the offensive gameplan. Suggs missed the first two games of the season with a sprained ankle, and shortly after he returned, he fractured his right thumb trying to make a tackle on special teams. When the Browns tried to trade him the following season, he failed his physical. Much to my dismay, the Browns just outright cut him, pretty much ending his NFL career as well.

5. REUBEN DROUGHNS (2005-2006)

Although he only spent two seasons with the Browns, he first one was a memorable one -- Droughns had 1,232 yards rushing, making him the first Browns running back in 20 years to gain over 1,000 yards in a single season. Droughns was never a speed demon; he was a converted fullback from his days with the Denver Broncos. Behind a good offensive line, he could find the holes and carry the load though.

After a less impressive 2006 campaign, the Browns traded Droughns to the New York Jets since Jamal Lewis was going to be the team's new starting running back. The trade was probably the lowlight of Droughns' career in Cleveland because it brought WR Tim Carter to the team. The carry I'll remember most involving Droughns was the 75-yarder he had to open up the game in 2005 against the Miami Dolphins, a game the team won 22-0. I never liked the fact that Droughns failed to shine in any of his three games against Pittsburgh though; his rushing yards against them were 56, 36, and 6, respectively.

6. JASON WRIGHT (2005-2008)

Wright just barely cracked the list of candidates with 211 touches. While Wright always seemed like a good guy in the locker room, I was often furious at him, mainly because of the coaching staff. I felt that Jerome Harrison was a much better backup or third-down running back than Wright, and yet Romeo Crennel continued playing Wright in that role instead.

Then, in 2008, Wright's final season with the team, there were several instances in which Wright's dropped passes, tipped passes, or lack of awareness when passes were bring thrown his way led to game-killing interceptions.

7. JEROME HARRISON (2006-2009)

If all we looked at was Jerome Harrison's unbelievable 286-yard performance this past Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, then you could say he's the running back of the decade. If you want to vote that way, go ahead -- it's up to you. As much as I personally have always been on the Harrison bandwagon though, he hasn't received enough action to warrant such a title. I blame that on Romeo Crennel for failing to play him in 2007 and 2008.

Mangini was stubborn about his carries and even went as far as making him inactive for several weeks, but by far Harrison has seen more work this year than in any other season. Harrison's speed puts him on a different level than some of the other running backs we've had, but he does need to work on catching the ball better on short dumpoffs.

8. JAMAL LEWIS (2007-2009)

Locker room leader, or that guy who is too slow to get through the hole and now only consumes a gameplan? The Browns acquired Lewis in 2007 and he went on to have a tremendous season -- 1,304 yards and 9 touchdowns (not including 2 receiving touchdowns). That's easily the best of any Browns running back since our return to the league. Lewis' production wore off a little in 2008, as he just barely past 1,000 yards and only had four touchdowns. The Browns' offense was struggling the entire 2008 campaign, but Lewis seemed to have less speed getting to the holes.

This year, things were even worse off. In 9 games, Lewis put up 500 yards and failed to record a single rushing touchdown. He also began complaining about new head coach Eric Mangini's practice sessions and announced that he would retire at the end of this season because he's had enough. A season-ending injury (concussion) prevented him from finishing the season, and ever since then, the Browns are running the ball to a much higher degree of effectiveness with younger backs.

COMPARABLE STATISTICS (RUSHING)

Running Back	Yrs	Att	Yards	YPC	TD
Jamal Lewis	3	720	2,806	3.9	13
William Green	4	568	2,109	3.7	9
Reuben Droughns	2	529	1,990	3.8	6
Jamel White	4	349	1,324	3.8	9
James Jackson	4	321	1,071	3.3	5
Lee Suggs	3	263	1,048	4.0	4
Jerome Harrison*	4	199	1,035	5.2	4
Jason Wright	4	156	578	3.7	2

COMPARABLE STATISTICS (RECEIVING)

Running Back	Yrs	Rec	Yards	YPR	TD
Jamal Lewis	3	61	514	8.4	2
William Green	4	45	277	6.2	0
Reuben Droughns	2	66	538	8.2	0
Jamel White	4	166	1,273	7.7	2
James Jackson	4	30	201	6.7	0
Lee Suggs	3	28	204	7.3	1
Jerome Harrison*	4	55	382	6.9	3
Jason Wright	4	55	486	8.8	1

*Has two games left this season for statistics to change.

OTHER RUNNING BACKS

These running backs played for the Browns during the decade but are not up for consideration in the poll due to their lack of tenure with the team. If you'd still like to comment on them, or if you believe one of them should be the all-decade quarterback instead, sound off in the comments section. (Note: I am not listing running backs with less than three games played).

Travis Prentice (2000, 16 games)
Errict Rhett (2000, 5 games)
Ben Gay (2001, 16 games)
Adimchinobe Echemandu (2004, 4 games)
Chris Jennings (2009, 7 games)

DECISION TIME

Now it's time to cast your vote in the poll below, and then go ahead and explain your choice in the comments section. The next position we'll do is fullback.

Please be aware that the considerations do not include the 1999 comeback season.

Poll

Who do you think is the Browns' All-Decade Running Back?

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.

Cats Gettin Paid

Rodger Sherman — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:04:02 -0000

More photos » by Patrick Semansky - AP

Five Saints, one Tyrell Sutton.

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So, the way this works is that this week, I'm just continuing my really random posting schedule, but next week is Auburn week. It'll be good.

As for today, t's time for a roundup of professional football playing ex-NU students, and how they're faring so far this fall. All 15 or less of them. And only 13 weeks into the regular season!

And no, I couldn't come up with a better title. Plus, a google search reveals the phrase "Cats gettin paid" was said by Akrobatik in this song featuring Little Brother, and if you don't know about Little Brother, well, hear about them. I'm not sure how combining two great lyricists with one of the best producers in the game doesn't create mainstream waves, but The Listening and The Minstrel Show are top ten albums of the decade in my opinion, just sayin'.

So yeah, Cats gettin paid.

Let's start out with the people in the NFL: 14 ex-Cats are being payed by NFL teams to play football. Of these, two are on their respective teams' active rosters but have not yet played, and two are on practice squads, leaving ten players who have played downs in the NFL this year.

I'ma make you hit the jump for it, though:

Luis Castillo is probably the most prominent NU grad in the NFL, having signed a $43 million dollar contract in the offseason. As you probably know, Luis is San Diego's starting right defensive end, but he's had a pretty off year - in the first 10 games of the year, he had 20 tackles and only two sacks, which seems kinda low, don't it? - and then a calf injury in week 11 has had him out since and he's doubtful right about now. Also, he still has the same name as a baseball player.
Barry Cofield as he has been for the past few years, is the Giants left defensive tackle, and one of NU's vastly important Super Bowl champs. The Giant's defense has fallen off a cliff this year and the team has lost five of seven, but it's not Barry's fault. (And if it is Barry's fault... well, wow, he's pretty bad. But it probably isn't.) In fact, reading briefly about what the Giants blog on this here SBN has said about him, he's been doing pretty decent.
Nick Roach has had a pretty decent sized role for the Bears this year, since Brian Urlacher had a season-ending injury way back in week one. Roach has been starting all over, including a few games at middle linebacker, which is a pretty hard position to randomly move into, and has since swapped out to strong-side linebacker, where he's been great from what I read. He's 3rd on the team with 61 tackles and in a 30-6 win against Cleveland, forced to fumbles. So that's aight.
Trai Essex, NU's other active Super Bowl Champ, has started every gosh-darned game of the season at right guard for the Steelers. Yeah. Oh yeah.
Kevin Bentley, everybody's favorite linebacker for the Houston Texans (depending on your feelings on DeMeco Ryans), is a linebacker for the Houston Texans. He don't start, but he ain't doing too bad. In other "me potentially making things up" news, I thought I remembered seeing him recover a fumble and being like "hey, he went to NU!" but a quick check of the actual stats shows that this never happened. Sippinonpurple.com: where my journalism professors' fears of blogs killing real journalism come true!
Ike Ndukwe got traded from the Miami Dolphins to Kansas City right before the season started. Although initially super excited to go from a potentially decent team in a crappy city like Miami to a terrible one in a gorgeous metropolis like Kansas City, Ike saw he might not get any playing time. Then KC's starting right tackle got injured, and Ike started the first three games of the year, earning the love and friendship of many Kansas City natives. He's back on the bench now, though. You might think this is all totally boring, but it somehow started a 44-comment thread over at the Chief's SBN site.
Zach Streif totally started a game at left tackle for the Saints. I remember this, because they were playing the Jets, and I was watching because I'm a Jets fan, and I got really happy when I saw his name and "Northwestern" on the starting lineups, and then got really sad when I saw him celebrating in the end zone against my team. I may or may not hold a grudge. Anyway, he's played in every game this year, but is still generally a backup behind ex-Towson Tiger Jermon Bushrod, whose apparent only goal in life is proving that the Tigers' 47-14 loss to Northwestern earlier this year was a fluke, considering which school produced the more prodigious New Orleans Saint left tackle.
Tyrell Sutton is a player I pay special attention to, because he's the only person to fall into the middle of the Venn diagram for "Players in the National Football League" and "People Rodger Sherman has had a class with." He was signed by the Packers out of training camp, but they cut him, which turned out to be a smart decision, because injuries and a terrible-to-begin-with running back corps has forced the Pack to give heavy reps to the exhumed corpse of Ahman Green, and if he gets hurt, I hear their GM has Samkon Gado on speed dial. (The Ahman Green part wasn't a joke. He's playing for them. It's 2009.) Anyways, Tyrell caught on with the Carolina Panthers, where he was a fourth-string running back for a long time, but when fullbacks Brad Hoover and Tony Fiametta both got simultaneously injured, that guy who was supposedly undersized to be a Big Ten running back had to see playing time as an NFL fullback, getting three rushes for 15 yards and a catch for 11. And this past weekend against Tampa Bay, with DeAngelo Williams out, we was second-string, earning 6 carries for 38 yards, including a 20 yarder. He's generally been a kick returner - a pretty good one at that - and an occasional third-string back. I saw him get some late-game tick against the Jets a few weekends ago. Him blocking people isn't pretty, because he's like, 5'8, but I think he can stick in the league. He's clearly got the skills to elude people like he did in college, be it returning kicks or running, someone's just gotta give him a chance. For those of you intrigued, here's what he looks like in an NFL uniform - weird that they let him use the LaDanian visor, he never got one of those in college.
Jason Wright has barely played as a third-string running back for the Cardinals behind Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower- two rushes for eight yards, six catches for 38 - but two of those receptions were for touchdowns. This leads me to believe they're probably bringing him in as another blocker or random backfield body on goal line sets and every once in a while he swings out and happens to get open in the end zone. We at NU call this "The Brendan Mitchell".
Marquice Cole has caught on with my Jets. I noticed this when he had a pick in the preseason, and the announcer was like "he went to Northwestern" and I was like "word?" and then the announcer didn't say anything because he couldn't hear me. Anyway, after being cut by three teams in the offseason in the two seasons since he left NU, Cole finally caught on with the Jets after a preseason perfomance that included that pick I mentioned, as you can see here. But as you can see here, he got cut like three days later. But as you can see here, he got signed again like a week later, and has recorded six tackles on special teams. (at least I think they're on special teams. Haven't seen him on the field in actual play yet, then again, I don't get to watch every Jets game out here in Illinois.)

Now, the practice squadders, because being a technicality on an NFL roster is better than being nothing at all:

Brett Basanez, Northwestern's practice squad hero and the one person you can point to if someone ever says there are no NU QB's in the NFL, is spending his third year primarily on the practice squad of an NFL team. His first two were with the Panthers, but you can't spend three years on the same team's practice squad apparently, so he had to move on, and he did, to Chi-town. It doesn't look like he'll break the iron grip Jay Cutler has on throwing passes to Chicago's opponents anytime soon, and second-string Caleb Hanie has only thrown two passes on the season, so Basanez is deep bench.
John Gill has been rocking the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad all season long, making me wonder whether practice squads get rings.

The NFL may have a virtual monopoly on the football world, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other football leagues out there. Northwestern basically runs the UFL, after all.

Prince Kwateng was basically a star for the California Redwoods (jesus these team names are awful). The Prince picked up 20 tackles on a team coached by ex-Northwestern coach Dennis Green. The Daily covered it and stuff.
Tim McGarigle, the guy who somehow holds the NCAA record for tackles, purportedly had a great season for the Florida Tuskers (again with the names!) who went on to the UFL Championship. (then again, there were only four teams, so he had a one in two shot.) There were articles written about him and stuff.
A lot of people heard CJ Bachér was in the UFL and talked about it because the concept of your recent starting quarterback being in the UFL is inherently disappointing. What they didn't know is that Bachér didn't hang on in the UFL - after what was apparently a pick-filled preseason, Bachér got cut by the New York Sentinels, who opted to go with NFL has-beens Quinn Gray and Ingle Martin at the quarterback slot. However, this Sentinels blog (a concept even more depressing than the UFL itself) reports that Bacher got resigned towards the end of the season. Although lord knows whether or not they put the accent aigu on his jersey.
After being cut by the Browns, Noah Herron decided to play for the Sentinels about halfway through the season, and although he suffered a pretty gross injury apparently, he's doing fine. No word on whether or not he stuck out the season. The biggest thing I found searching for news on Noah on google is that he really got screwed over by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in terms of salaries last season.

And now, for my final act, I'll discuss what was in my opinion my weirdest post of the summer: this one, originally written back on my blogspot account about how three ex-NU players - David Oredugba, Demetrius Eaton, and Deante Battle were playing professional football in Finland, of all places. No updates on Oredugba - for all I know, he's still balling in Finland - but I did receive a very cryptic message from Eaton a few weeks after that post.

No hit me up, I have all the answers you need. This is Demetrius. I've been back for the last month and Deante is actually still out there and wont return until the 14th. Some bs happened out there which sent me packing. Hit me for the exclusive!

I hit Demetrius up for the exclusive, but didn't get any further information. According to this post, Battle was back in Evanston tearing up IM football, but I wasn't there to witness it.

So that's that. If you made it through this whole thing, you're a champ. I stay grinding, so, keep coming back for more.

The Saturday Sim: Cardinals-Rams

Andrew602 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:23:04 -0000

Doh!

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We're at another Saturday Sim, in a simulation between the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams, and let me tell you, pay attention to this one. It was a very close game and the Cardinals had their way of disappointing here. I couldn't post last week guys because I didn't have time. It takes some time out of your Friday night to watch a fake football game ; ). Anyways, before I break down the simulation, for those of you who aren't familiar with this, I simulate a game between the Cardinals and their opponent for that given week on the popular game known as Madden. I set it for All Madden difficulty, 8 minute quarters, with a 15 second run off. Then I post the results here. Let's see how the game went.

First Quarter

-The Rams receive the ball and begin running. On the second run of the game, Adrian Wilson forces a fumble and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie scoops it up to return it 42 yards for the touchdown. Cardinals lead 7-0.

- The Rams run more but eventually punt to the Cardinals. The Cards offense struggles to start the quarter and face several three and outs. The Rams march down the field with Steven Jackson leading the way. The Cardinals can't stop the run. At the 1 yard line, Samkon Gado runs in the touchdown to tie the game at 7. Key holding penalties on Mike Gandy and Levi Brown end several drives for the Cardinals. Game tied 7-7.

Second Quarter

- The Rams start the second quarter by bringing a lot of pressure, and the Cardinals are forced to punt. On the Rams next drive, they keep the running game going, but are stopped and settle for a 56 yard field goal. Rams lead 10-7.

- The Cardinals are stopped on their next drive because of another holding call, which is hurting them at this point. The Rams get the ball back and are setting up the pass by running. The Cardinals sniff out several runs and the Rams settle for another field goal. 13-7 Rams lead.

- The Cardinals get the ball back with under 2 minutes remaining in the half. They run the hurry up, and Anquan Boldin catches a big sideline pass that takes them down to the 6 yard line. Early Doucet and Jason Wright drop two passes in the end zone and the Cardinals settle for a field goal. Rams lead 13-10 at end of half.

Third Quarter

-The Cardinals get the ball at the half and immediately start passing a lot. Steve Breaston is getting a lot of looks on the drive but Anquan catches a big 36 yard pass that takes the Cardinals into the red zone. Beanie Wells carries a defender 5 yards on his back, something I've never seen before in Madden!! Reggie Wells gets called for the hold which pushes them back and the Cardinals settle for a field goal. Game tied 13-13.

- The Cardinals stop the Rams next few drives by stacking the box to stopping Steven Jackson. Clark Haggans is having a good day, registering 7 tackles all on Jackson. The Cardinals stall on the final drive of the quarter and punt to the Rams.

Fourth Quarter

- The fourth quarter is the same, as the Cardinals continue to stop the run. When the Rams are forced to pass, Adrian Wilson picks off Marc Bulger. The Cardinals can't take advantage of the turnover, and Ben Graham booms a punt to the Rams 4 yard line. The Rams get away from their goal line, but Bulger throws another pick, this time to Karlos Dansby. In the red zone, Beanie Wells second effort pays off and he runs the ball in 5 yards. Cardinals lead 20-13.

- Here's where the game goes down hill with less then two minutes left. The Cardinals stop the Rams who punt back to the Cards. The Cardinals try to run the clock out, but go nowhere. Beanie Wells fumbles, but recovers the ball himself. Wright gets a carry, who doesn't get the first down, but a face mask on the Rams gives the Cardinals the first down. Game over right? No. Wells gets the ball again and fumbles again!! The Rams recover with 46 seconds left. Jackson catches a wide open pass and takes it to the Cards 10 yard line. The Cardinals force a 4th and inches, and the Rams pass the ball!! Samkon Gado is wide open and runs it in for the touchdown!! Game tied 20-20.

- The Cardinals get the ball back with 26 second left. Warner finds Breaston for 20 yards, then Anthony Becht wide open over the middle another 23 yards. The Cardinals call timeout at the rams 28 yard line. The Cardinals go for the win but Rackers hits off the upright!! Overtime. Game tied 20-20.

Overtime

- The Cardinals get the ball and march down into Rams territory. And just like before, Beanie Wells fumbles the ball away! Ken Whisenhunt is screaming on the sideline and why shouldn't he be? Put in Tim Hightower! The Rams get into Cards territory, but are stopped. The Rams go for the win which would be a 59 yard field goal. It has the distance, but hits the upright!! Cards ball.

- The Cardinals don't run this time, throwing to Larry Fitzgerald for 2 key first downs. In Rams territory, they are stopped and go for a long field goal. What a surprise, wide right!!! The Rams get the ball and get back into Cards territory. Going for the stop, in Cardinal-fashion, Mike Karney is wide open and streaks down the field for a 40 yard touchdown with Antrel Rolle chasing him. Rams win the game 26-20. Wow.

The Stats

	Cardinals	Rams
Total	308	290
Pass	265	207
Rush	53	83
Turnovers	2	3
Third Down	4-12(33%)	3-10(30%)
TOP	23:18	17:44

	comp/att	Yards	TD	INT	Rate
Warner	24/34(70%)	261	0	0	92.9
Bulger	14/22(63%)	207	2	2	86.7

	Att	Yards	Avg	TD/Fumble
Wells	18	50	2.7	1/3
Jackson	26	85	3.2	0/1

	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Fitzgerald	4	49	12.2	0
Boldin	4	65	16.2	0
Breaston	4	58	14.5	0
McMichael	5	43	8.6	0
Jackson	2	53	26.5	0
Karney	1	40	40.0	1

Final Thought -

It had to be the craziest game I've ever watched on Madden and if this happens in real life, I'll likely end up in the hospital. The Cardinals made the comeback in the second half and had the game locked up. Beanie Wells 3 fumbles killed the game, along with Neil Rackers inability to kick a game-winner. The Cardinals also finished with 8 penalties for 85 yards. I doubt this will happen on Sunday but it's interesting that Madden made it a very close game. What are your thoughts on the sim?

Arizona Cardinals Game Maker: Week 7 Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants

CardsFan08 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:47:48 -0000

In week 7 the Arizona Cardinals toppled the previously 5-1 New York Giants with a final score of 24-17. Looking to capitalize on the momentum coming from the road win against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6, the Cardinals seemed to beat all odds being the 18th ranked offense and besting the Giants defense which is still ranked number one in the league. To add to the drama the game was on the road, on the East Coast, and in a prime time match up.

All of the ingredients that would have made a Cardinals fan cringe if it weren't for the paradigm shift that many are witnessing as the Cardinals defense is becoming very consistent, the offense continues to work well in the passing game, but most importantly was the running game which made a rare appearance and worked better than it has all year. This new balance brought a new element to the Cardinals and brought a lot of smiles to fans faces.

Leading to this weeks Game Maker... RB Beanie Wells' (26) 13 yard 2nd quarter, two stiff arm TD run.

Week 7 Game Maker: @ 4:25 2nd Quarter - RB Beanie Wells runs 13 yards to score the first Cardinals points of the night and his first career regular season TD.

Full break down of the play after the jump!

Image 1 - The line up: 2 WR (Fitzgerald, Breaston), 1TE (Becht), 1 FB (Kreider), 1 RB (Wells). The Giants defense is playing 4 DL and 1 LB (Clark (55)) on the line, 3 CB, 2 LBs in the middle of the field and one safety.

Image 1a - TE Becht (84) is lined up to the left of LT Gandy, directly across from him is LB Clark (55). The Giants CB on the left side is Thomas (24). Giants DE Justin Tuck (91) is lined up to the right of RT Levi Brown (75).

Image 2 - After the snap the line gets good blocks, and a gap is opened between LT Gandy and TE Becht and Giants LB Antonio Pierce (58) looks to shoot through. FB Kreider (35) acts as a lead blocker and heads directly for Pierce to make the block.

Image 3 - RB Wells (26) takes the hand off from QB Warner (13) as Giants LB Tuck starts to turn the corner on RT Brown and close the gap with the ball carrier. CB Thomas sees the hand off and rushes towards Wells...

Image 3a - Notice Tuck closing the distance between he and the ball carrier and also a one on one match up between Wells and Thomas on the left side.

Image 4 - Wells comes up to speed bouncing out to the left side, sees Thomas closing on him and begins a cut...

Image 5 - Wells continues cutting out to the left side...

Image 6 - Thomas (24) closes to make the tackle, but Wells prepares his left hand for the stiff arm...

Image 7 - Wells shows his strength and pushes Thomas back with a powerful stiff arm while Tuck (91) continues to close the distance behind him...

Image 8 -Wells gets a full extension of his arm and sees that he's clear to the goal line from here. Giants LB Clark (55) is just getting away from TE Becht...

Image 9 - Powerful stiff arm throws Thomas to the ground...

Image 10 - The stiff arm slows Wells for just a moment, Giants defenders Tuck and Clark close the distance between them...

Image 11 - Wells then kicks into the next gear and continues running toward the goal line...

Image 12 - Giants CB Thomas falls backwards into LB Clark after the stiff arm...

Image 13 - Thomas recovers quickly and tries to match speed with Wells...

Image 14 - Wells starts coming into full stride...

Image 15 - Ten yards to the goal line...

Image 16 - Nine yards...

Image 17 - Wells sees that there is one last man to beat Giants Safety C.C. Brown (41) ...

Image 18 - Wells runs toward the goal line... (Brown just entering screen)

Image 19 - Brown closes quickly and catches Wells at the four yard line. Wells puts out his 2nd stiff arm and continues working toward the goal line...

Image 20 - Notice from this angle that Brown is trying to strip the ball.

Image 20a - From this angle it looks like Wells gloves on the ball, but it is actually Brown trying to strip it...

Image 21 - You can notice the ball slip down a little but Wells keeps it secured and steps over the goal line...

Image 22 - Wells continues pressing the stiff arm as he lands for the touch down...

Image 22a - Side view of the punishment.

Image 23 - Touchdown Cardinals!

Image 24 - Wells secures the ball all the way to the ground.

Image 25 - Congratulations Beanie Wells from all of us here at Revenge of the Birds!

Is there a different play that you would pick as the game maker moment? Antrel Rolle's INT to seal the game? Jason Wright's TD for game winning points? Wilson's INT or fumble recovery's?

Grading the Offense: Cardinals/Giants

Andrew602 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:31:47 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

Kurt Warner did enough to pull out the win in New York on Sunday, but he'll need to get back in sync with the wide receivers to get the offense to what it was a year ago.

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This week we start with the offense, in a segment I'd like to continue throughout the remainder of the season. The Cardinals offense had it's moments last night, but couldn't capitalize on good field position andGiant's turnovers. Kurt Warner was only sacked twice, but the pocket seemed to fold often around him, forcing early throws. The running game was where the unit shined. Beanie Wells was given more opportunities then ever before, and was able to gain 67 rushing yards with a touchdown on the ground.

Kurt Warner - Warner opened the game with a 23 yard pass to Steve Breaston, but struggled to get anything going until the second quarter. Warner often fought through the New York pressure and avoided the blitz, using a quick release. In the end, he led the Cardinals on scoring drives when they needed it, and put points on the board.

Cardinals Offensive Drives

Drives	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	11th	12th	13th	14th
Plays	4	3	5	3	3	3	7	5	7	3	3	3	5	3
Yards	38	2	23	25	6	-2	46	51	55	-19	20	2	25	6
Results	fumble	punt	punt	INT	punt	punt	TD	FG	TD	punt	TD	punt	punt	punt

Judging from the chart, it's obvious the Cardinals struggled to move the ball at the start of the game. Through the second quarter, they were able to get good field position, and took advantage by scoring 10 points before the half. After their eighth drive, they opened the second half and scored two touchdowns. The obvious stat you never want to see is two turnovers and 4 punts to start the game. The Cardinals are a team that benefits off scoring early, and that's something they'll need to improve on throughout the season.

Running Backs - Wells took advantage of an early fumble by Tim Hightower, and never looked back. He immediately stormed into the game, gaining positive yardage, and using a beautiful stiff arm to get into the end zone. It looked like the Cardinals would use him to drain the clock at the end of the game with his positive gains, but instead passed the ball. Hightower didn't have a big game after fumbling early. He was primarily used on passing downs and scored a touchdown. Jason Wright caught his third pass of the year which happens to be his 2nd touchdown too.

Wide Receivers - Fitzgerald had three drops and was quiet for the first half, but he opened up the second half with some big catches, and nearly had a long touchdown pass from Antrel Rolle had he not dropped it(and had there been a penalty). Surprising as it sounds, Fitzgerald is having a down year for his standards, but going off his numbers so far, he's on pace for 109 catches, 1181 yards, and13 touchdowns. Anquan Boldin suited up to play and made a big 44 yard catch that led to a touchdown. It was obvious he wasn't as explosive, and probably should've rested this game. Aside from them, everyone else had quiet games.

Offensive Line -The offensive line has had it's problems throughout the year, and most of us didn't think they could handle the Giants defensive line. They managed to keep Warner standing for the most part, only allowing 2 sacks. They also generated a decent rush offense, by giving Wells a running lane. Levi Brown continues to struggle, getting beat time in and time out by quicker edge rushers. Justin Tuck blew past Brown to tackle Hightower in the backfield and force the fumble on the opening drive.

My Offensive Grade: C

The Cardinals have a chance to go to 5-2 next week, but in no way shape or form should they take Carolina for granted. They have a young defensive unit and also feature Julius Peppers. It is a game however, that they can use to bring in a variety of plays and try and get their offense back in sync. What did you grade them and why?

Poll

How would you grade the Cardinals offense on Sunday?

A

12 votes

B

209 votes

C

137 votes

F

4 votes

362 votes | Poll has closed

The Saturday Sim: Cardinals - Texans

Andrew602 — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:29:00 -0000

In our most recent Saturday Sim(week 1) we saw a blowout by the Cardinals, which was obviously not the case. After failing to sim successfully the last two games, I had to get back to the drawing board. The Cardinals seemed to blowout every team they played on Madden. After tweaking the settings and increasing the game time to 8 minutes, I think I may have found a good way to sim the games. So today, the Cardinals took on the Texans in a simulated game to the death...ok not really but it was much closer/exciting this time. Let's take a look.

First Quarter:

The Cardinals win the toss and elect to receive. Breaston is returning kicks and brings the ball to the 29 yard line. On the very first play of the game, Warner is picked off by Eugene Wilson and is hit hard in the process. Not a great start but it could happen if the protection isn't there. Having good field position, the Texans march to the goal line where Matt Shaub throws a touchdown to Andre Johnson. 0 - 7 Texans.

On the Cardinals next drive, Warner and Co. bounce back and march up the field easily, completing pass after pass. Unfortunately, the Cardinals offense buckles in the red zone and are forced to settle for a field goal. 3 - 7 Texans.

On the Texans next drive, Shaub is picked off by Gerald Hayes and the first quarter is over. 3 - 7 Texans.

2nd Quarter:

The Cardinals begin the 2nd quarter choosing to pass more frequently then to run the ball. With good field position from the interception, the Cardinals capitalize by throwing a 1 yard touchdown to Steve Breaston, rather then run it in. 10 - 7 Cardinals.

The Texans immediately open their next drive running the ball successfully. Slaton has holes that you or I could run through, and he leads them down the field, only to receive a touchdown. 10 - 14 Texans.

The Cardinals answer right back on their next drive, completing several big passes to Jerheme Urban. Urban seems to be the only receiver open, and the Cardinals are taking advantage of that. He catches three, key 3rd and longs. In the red zone, Warner throws a touchdown to Jason Wright, similar to the one in Jacksonville. 17 - 14 Cardinals.

The Texans drive with little time left in the half, hoping to rack up a field goal. In good field position, Shaub is sacked by Calais Campbell, forcing a long field goal attempt that is missed. End of half. 17 - 14 Cardinals.

3rd Quarter

In the third quarter, both defenses finally show up, and the first punt is done by the Texans. The Cardinals rack up big yardage in the third quarter, and complete some key first downs. Unfortunately, they aren't able to keep their drives going, and are also forced to punt. After some misfortunes throughout the quarter, the Texans are able to put a successful drive together, and end the quarter in the red zone.

4th Quarter

The quarter begins with Matt Shaub throwing a beauty to Owen Daniels in the end zone, giving the Texans the lead. 17 - 21 Texans.

Breaston takes the on-suing kick off to the 39 yard line, giving the Cardinals good field position to start. The Cardinals hardly run, which puts them in a 3rd and long situation. Warner completes a huge pass to Anquan Boldin, keeping the drive alive. Two plays later and Kurt Warner throws a touchdown to a wide open Dan Kreider in the end zone. 24 - 21 Cardinals.

On the Texans next drive, they continue to successfully run the ball, even converting a 4th and 2. With a goaline situation, Matt Shaub looks to throw a touchdown, only to be picked off by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who then returns the ball 102 yards for a touchdown!! 31 - 21 Cardinals.

With less then two minutes remaining, the Texans show great hurry up, not using any timeouts. The Texans drive it successfully to the red zone, where Matt Shaub finds tight end James Casey for a touchdown. 31 - 28 Cardinals.

With less then 1 minute remaining, the Texans try the onside kick, which is no good. After a few penalties, the Cardinals run out the clock and win the game!! Cardinals win 31 - 28.

Stats:

Team Stats	Cardinals	Texans
Total Yards	300	392
Turnovers	1	2
Penalties	3(29)	3(35)
3rd Down	1-4	5-8
T.O.P	10:10	21:50

Passing	Comp	Yards	TD	INT
K. Warner	21/31	266	3	1
M. Shaub	25/33	300	3	2

Rushing	Carries	Yards	TD
T. Hightower	9	31	0
S. Slaton	17	94	1

Receiving	Catches	Yards	TD
L. Fitzgerald	3	75	0
A. Boldin	5	66	0
J. Urban	7	89	0
A. Johnson	2	24	1
O. Daniels	11	107	1
A. Davis	2	51	0

Final thought: While I'd like to see a better rushing game, I'd be happy with this result. The defense stepped up and generated turnovers and the offense could pass at ease. We may see a shootout on Sunday, and if we do, let's hope the Cardinals can come out on top. Thoughts?

Arizona Cardinals Rookie Report: Bye Week Edition

Hawkwind — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:01:36 -0000

More photos » by John Raoux - AP

3 months ago: Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells (26) is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars safety Reggie Nelson after a short gain in the first half of an NFL football game in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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The Arizona Cardinals 2009 rookie class has some tremendously large shoes to fill considering that the previous class produced two starters, one of which led the team in interceptions and the second which broke the franchise mark for touchdowns by a rookie, and several serviceable backups. Two things have slowed the progression of the '09 class: injuries and a roster that was already stocked with talent. An early bye week doesn't give us much to evaluate but here's what we've seen so far.

Disclaimer: These guys are obviously young and are only three games into their NFL careers so take this for what it is, a look at only the past couple of months. We're not arguing who should have been drafted or saying any of these guys are garbage. We'll update these guys later on in the season and see how they're progressing.

Beanie Wells: Some have already labeled Beanie as the "most disappointing rookie at any position" but quite frankly nothing could be further from the truth. It's fair to say that Beanie hasn't produced eye-popping numbers like some predicted but he hasn't been terrible or disappointing by any stretch of the imagination. To be fair through training camp and three games, Beanie has two negative marks and one positive marks. The first negative mark is obvious, the ankle injury that held him out of training camp and part of the preseason. Not only did that hold him back from working with the offense and mounting any kind of serious push for the starting tail back job but more importantly it prevented him from learning the playbook and working against NFL-level competition. The second negative is probably just as obvious as two fumbles in one game will have a tendency to raise some eye brows. We've covered the fumble-itis issue quite a bit so we won't beat a dead horse. With the negative-nancy talk over and done with lets move on to the silver lining: his production. While Beanie hasn't received many carries through three games, it's interesting to note that he currently is tied with LeSean McCoy for the best yards per carry average among rookie running backs (4.4 ypc). Fellow first round backs Knowshon Moreno (4.0 ypc) and Donald Brown (3.4 ypc) both have more yards and carries but neither have posted a better yards per carry average than Wells. While many so-called-experts pointed to Beanie's lack of carries last week, as Cardinals fans we're accustomed to seeing this offense abandon the running game once a game starts to get away from them and like it or not, that's the team's philosophy at this point. The best news for Beanie at this point is that based on pure running ability, he's out performed Tim Hightower. Hightower is a more rounded back but Wells has proven to be more decisive and explosive. Grade: C+

What's to Like: When Beanie has the ball in his hands (and holds onto it), he's the most productive RB on the roster.
What he needs to Improve: Obviously he needs to hold onto the ball and he'll need to improve his pass protection and pass catching ability before he really starts to cut into Hightower's playing time.

Cody Brown: Wrist injury ended his season before it every really got started. Grade: Incomplete

Rashad Johnson: Despite being a third round pick Johnson came in with quite a bit of hype and expectations and I think many of us (my self included) probably expected too much from him this early in the season. He was touted as being very 'NFL-ready' despite not having elite athleticism but so far he's just looked like a rookie who is still pretty raw. Through three weeks he hasn't made a very big impact on any game despite playing quite a bit on passing downs, especially considering that Matt Ware has missed the past two weeks. Given his position that could easily be seen as both a positive and negative statement so for now we'll just say that it's somewhere in between. Johnson hasn't been visibly beaten on any big plays but at the same time he's yet to break up a pass or make any plays that would validate the 'future starter' label that many of us slapped on him shortly after the draft. RJ should continue to play in most passing situations and as the season progresses he'll get better acclimated to the speed of the NFL game and more adept at reading opposing offenses. Grade: B-

What's to Like: Johnson is learning the game and hasn't been noticeably beaten and tackling has been solid in both pass and run support.
What he needs to Improve: Overall just about everything in his game can be improved and that should come with experience. His anticipation and reaction time are the biggest things that he needs to develop at this point.

Greg Toler: Sadly Toler's biggest contribution on the young season has been running into a punt that Antrel Rolle didn't catch. With the way the league records stats, it means that officially he's returned one punt for zero yards and fumbled the ball, but we all know what really happened. Outside of that he's been active for two games (inactive for season opener) most of his playing time has come on special teams and unless injuries strike the cornerback position that probably won't change. We knew that Toler was very raw and anything he contributes this season is probably just a bonus. Grade: C

What's to Like: Considering the jump in talent that Toler is making, it's at least encouraging to see him contribute in any aspect. His athleticism should keep him on field with the special teams.
What he needs to Improve: Basically every aspect of his game on the defensive side of the ball needs work but we probably won't see that improvement this season unless the secondary gets ravaged with injuries.

Herman Johnson: Through no fault of his own Johnson has been inactive for every game so far. We didn't think much of the Jeremy Bridges signing at the time but his ability to play both guard and tackle has pushed Johnson and Brandon Keith to the inactive list on game days. It'll probably take at least a couple of injuries for Johnson to receive any playing time this season. Grade: Incomplete

Will Davis: The primary beneficiary from Brown's injury was Davis and thus far he's been active every game and contributed two tackles, one on special teams and one with the regular defense. His most significant playing time came against the Jags and it's fairly reasonable to expect him to get some playing time in any game in which the Cards get a 'safe' lead. Davis has the athleticism to play the OLB position and he'll get better with time. Considering the Cardinals lack of depth at OLB it's realistic to think that he'll get some extended playing time sometime this season. Grade: B+

What's to Like: Considering what we saw during the preseason, I was pretty impressed with Davis when he played against the Jags. He didn't look near as lost as he did in the preseason. His athleticism is impressive and he'll get better as the year progresses.
What he needs to Improve: His weakness is still understanding the entire defense and covering the pass. It normally takes at least one season for young OLB's to grasp a 3-4 defense so that's nothing new.

LaRod Stephens-Howling: The Hyphen has contributed just as much, if not more, than any rookie on the roster. He's only carried the ball once (for two yards) but he's caught three balls for 22 yards and returned every kickoff so far. His 21.2 yard average on kick returns isn't great but it's fifth among rookies with at least five returns and seven of his nine returns have gone for at least 20 yards. LSH is proving that his promising preseason wasn't a fluke and as long as he continues to display good ball security, he should hold onto the primary kick returner job. The next hurdle for LSH will be challenging Jason Wright for the #3 RB job and I wouldn't be surprised to see that happening later in the season. Grade: B+

What's to Like: LSH is productive when he touches the ball, especially in space. He has some escape-ability and seems to quickly gaining the confidence of the coaching staff.
What he need to Improve: His biggest weakness as this point is pass protection, which also happens to be Wright's strength. If LSH can close that gap he should start pushing Wright for playing time.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reggie Walker is the only other rookie on the roster but he's yet to record a tackle and he's only been active for one game. I guess we could list him as incomplete. While it's probably safe to say that this year's rookie class won't get out of the shadow of the 2008 class anytime soon there are certainly some promising players in this group. We'll update these guys later in the season but for now, what's your opinion of the rooks through three games? Who's the most surprising and disappointing?

Arizona Cardinals Top Ten Irreplaceable Players

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

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

------------------------------------------------------------------

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

NFC West Breakdown: Arizona Cardinals

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

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poll

Who Wins the NFC West this Season?

San Francisco 49ers

21 votes

St. Louis Rams

6 votes

Seattle Seahawks

32 votes

Arizona Cardinals

280 votes

339 votes | Poll has closed