SB Nation - Jerheme Urban

Anquan Boldin Becomes Franchise Reception Leader, Questionable for Next Week

Andrew602 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:59:49 -0000

about 1 month ago: In this photo released by Chris Puffe, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Anquan Boldin is helped off the field after being injured against the Carolina Panthers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 34-21. (AP Photo/Chris Puffe)

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If there was ever a positive note in yesterday's collapse against the Panthers, it would be the new record that wide receiver Anquan Boldin now holds. With his 3 catches for 23 yards, Boldin became the Arizona Cardinals franchise leader in receptions. The three catches gives Boldin his 537th reception, passing Larry Centers(535) for the most all time in the Cardinals record books. Its a feat that not my players can say they've done. Anquan has started to build a legacy here in Arizona whether you like him or not. He's got 6900 yards, and can likely move into 3rd all time if he can gain 106 more yards this year, passing Pat Tilley(7,005). The record however, may already be in jeopardy as there's another receiver working his way up the charts. Larry Fitzgerald is currently 6th all time with 473 receptions, 5th in yards(6484), and 3rd in touchdowns(51).

Franchise Stats	G	Rec	Yards	TD
Anquan Boldin	87	537	6900	41
Larry Centers	120	535	4539	19
Roy Green	153	522	8496	66
Frank Sanders	123	493	6579	24
Jackie Smith	198	480	7918	40
Larry Fitzgerald	83	473	6484	51

This brings us to the next point which is what Boldin should do next week in Chicago. He's already played the last two games despite straining his ankle, and re-injured the same ankle yesterday. There's no denying that Anquan is a warrior and that he'll want to play, but is it the best move for the team? Last year, Steve Breaston filled in for Boldin and had noticably better games then when he was playing at the 3rd string spot. The insertion of Breaston also made another difference - the Cardinals were undefeated. Starting against the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys, Breaston led the team in receiving both times, catching a combined 15 catches for 179 yards and 1 TD. With Boldin playing these last 2 weeks on an injured ankle, there has clearly been a drop off in his numbers. He only has 6 catches and has not scored since week 3 against the Colts, which is his only touchdown of the year. Should Boldin not play, Breaston would easily jump into his spot. The problem that exists is beyond Breaston. Jerheme Urban can't catch a pass if his life depended on it and Early Doucet has been non-existent through this point in the season. What do you think the Cardinals should do? Start or sit Boldin?

Carolina Panthers Trample the Arizona Cardinals: 34-21

Pyromnc — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:16:21 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

about 1 month ago: Arizona Cardinals' Kurt Warner (13) gets chased down by Carolina Panthers' Julius Peppers, who caused Warner to fumble on the play, in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, in Glendale, Ariz. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 34-21. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Last week the Arizona Cardinals came out and played a great game against the New York Giants and they didn't get any national recognition. They came out complaining over the fact that they made the Giants look like they lost the game rather than the Cardinals won it. If they wanted that national recognition, this was the week to start getting some. They were playing a team in the Carolina Panthers that has struggled all season on offense not getting anything done, yet the Cardinals could not put down the Panthers team. They came out and did what they always do when everyone has their hopes up on this team - lose ugly. They will never get the national recognition they want if they keep playing like this.

The Good

The Running Game was one of the few bright spots of this game despite only getting 16 rushing attempts, Warner's rush not included. Those 16 attempts though went for 86 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and 1 touchdown. Both Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells received eight carries and had similar yardage 39 and 47 respectively, and Timmy had one touchdown. There is no doubt in my mind that if the Cardinals had been much closer or even winning, these two backs could have put up some monster numbers today with the way they were running.

The Bad

The Defense as a whole today played terrible. They allowed 270 total rushing yards despite being the number one rush defense. That would be more than half of what we had allowed all season with 405 yards in the other 6 games and the Cardinals dropped to ninth in rush defense after this performance. They also allowed two rushing touchdowns after having allowed just three touchdowns in the previous six games. The passing defense was not bad despite the Panthers only throwing 15 times. Jake Delhomme completed 7 of his 15 attempts for only 90 yards and that low yardage total allowed the passing defense to move to 20th overall. Even though our passing defense played somewhat better than normal, when given the chances to defend the pass, this team has one of the better rushing defenses in the league and they must play like they have played in the past 12 games in which they did not allow a 100 yard rushing in a game if they want to win.

The Ugly

Sloppiness played a huge roll in this game. If it was not players dropping passes, not to mention any names (Jerheme Urban), it was missed tackles on defense, and if it was not those two things than it was a penalty. The penalties were not as bad as usual but some of them were penalties that should not happen, like defensive offsides. Adrian Wilson added to his collection of offsides penalties this season with one more and Calais Campbell also had one. They also has one of those penalties that should never happen at home, that would be a false start. That false start came from Levi Brown, who I am now convinced is related to Leonard Davis in some way, shape or form. The Cardinals defense had tackled pretty decent this season but not on Sunday. Despite stacking the box with eight guys the Panthers running backs were able to run wild and missed tackles were a big reason why. This was something we had problems with last season and was supposed to be fixed by bringing in a more conservative defensive coordinator in Bill Davis. The drops were also bad. From what I saw Fitz dropped a couple that could have gone for first downs and then Urban dropped a major passed that turned into an interception. There has been a lot of drops by this teams receivers this year, something that did not happen often last season. All these things need to be cleaned up in time for the Chicago Bears next weekend.

Kurt Warner might have actually been worse than ugly on Sunday as he threw five interceptions and had one fumble lost. We all know Warner has games like these every year. Last year against the Jets he had six total turnovers, three fumbles lost and three interceptions. In 2007 Warner had five interceptions against the Seattle Seahawks. As you can see, this is nothing new for Warner but still comes at somewhat of a surprise because of how accurate he has been in the past. Warner has got to stop turning the ball over and make better decisions if he wants us to get the national recognition he so passionately asked for last week when they beat the Giants.

As you can see there was not much good that came out of this game. We did learn a lot from this game however, as a lot of us thought they had turned the corner with how they played in the last three games but apparently not. This team still can not win when they are the favorites. This team seems to only thrive when they are dissed or feel like they are not getting credit they deserve. Frankly, yesterday showed exactly how much recognitions and credit they deserve. Until they start beating teams they are favored to win and stop getting blown out this team Will never get what they are asking for. Thoughts?

The Saturday Sim: Cardinals-Giants

Andrew602 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 22:30:44 -0000

This week in the Saturday Sim, we feature a battle on Sunday night between the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Giants. Let me tell you this - it was an interesting game to say the least. For those of you that aren't familiar with this segment, I'll watch a simulation, or a game on Madden 10, between the Cardinals, and whoever they face for that given week. The quarters are 8 minutes, the penalties are turned up, the difficulty is All-Madden, and the rosters, time and weather are all up to date. It's probably the best and easiest way to simulate a game, although simulations can be very inaccurate at times. The game was a close one, and at times I even got into it. Here's how it went down.

First Quarter:

- The Giants receive the ball. After two runs, Eli Manning throws a pick to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie who then returns it for a touchdown, similar to the one against the Texans. On the Giants following drive, they encounter a three and out and punt the ball. On the Cardinals first offensive drive, Larry Fitzgerald can't hold onto a would-be first down, and the Cardinals also punt. On the Giants next drive, Eli Manning starts with a play-action pass, which results in a 30 yard gain by Kevin Boss. The Giants march down the field with great protection for Eli, who throws a 33 yard sideline pass to Hakeem Nicks. Brandon Jacobs runs in the 1 yard touchdown. Game tied 7-7.

- On the Cardinals next drive, Kurt Warner throws a pick to Corey Webster. However, the Giants move the ball very little, before Manning throws yet another interception to Rodgers-Cromartie. The Cardinals can't protect Warner, and are forced to settle for a field goal. 10-7 Cardinals.

- The Giants continue to air it out, throwing deep balls to Nicks. A crucial sack in the end zone forces them to also settle for a field goal. Game tied 10-10

Second Quarter:

- The Second quarter features a lot of the same from the Cardinals. They can't run the ball at all, and are passing down field a lot. At the midfield point, Kurt Warner throws an outside pass to Tim Hightower, who breaks a tackle to run 55 yards for the touchdown. Cardinals lead 17-10

- The Giants are also forced to pass more, as Brandon Jacobs has had trouble running so far. Eli Manning continues to throw the ball to Kevin Boss, his go to man. After an offensive hold, Manning throws his third pick of the game to Karlos Dansby. Unfortunately, the Cardinals can't capitalizeon the turnover. Poor protection results in a tipped pass that is intercepted by Fred Robbins. With good field position, Eli Manning throws a sideline pass to Boss, who high steps too early, but makes the dive for the touchdown. 17-17.

- With little time left before halftime, Warner marches down the field, throwing a 39 yard pass to Jerheme Urban. Warner makes a huge mistake, throwing his third interception of the game in the end zone to Michael Johnson. End of first half.

Third Quarter

- In the third quarter, the Cardinals come out swinging, throwing big passes to Steve Breaston. Breaston breaks one for 25 yards down the sideline to give the Cardinals the score and put them in the lead. 24-17 Cardinals.

- The next few drives feature three and outs by both teams, using much of the time in the quarter. The Giants finally start to put things together, playing balanced. Jacobs is running better, plowing over several defenders. This sets up the play action pass, which gives Manning more time in the pocket and open receivers. The Giants can't convert a crucial third down however, and settle for a field goal. 24-20 Cardinals.

Fourth Quarter

- In the 4th quarter, the Cardinals are more conservative, hoping to establish the run, and drain whatever time is left on the clock. They settle for a long field goal, but miss, keeping the score the same. The Giants however, are moving much more quickly and easily at that. They continue to give the ball to Jacobs to set up the play action. Manning has plenty of time to throw as well. In the red zone, Jacobs breaks several tackles for 15 yards and takes the ball to the 1 yard line before he is stopped. Ahmad Bradshaw runs in the touchdown, giving the Giants the lead 27-24.

- Time is now becoming of the essence, as there is 3:30 left on the clock. Kurt Warner continues to get rattled, forcing a 3rd and long. Fitzgerald makes a great catch to keep the drive alive. The Cardinals run into another 3rd and long, but Warner is hit as he throws. With less then 2 minutes to go, the Cardinals decide to punt the ball away and let their defense win(I should say I didn't agree with this, but as you will see, I was wrong). A huge holding call puts the Giants at 1st and long. The Cardinals stuff three running attempts in a row, and burn all three time outs, giving them a little over a minute left. They get the ball back with a 15 yard punt return by Steve Breaston. Facing 3rd and 8 and near field goal range, Hightower makes a first down catch and the Cardinals spike the ball. With 3 second left, Neil Rackers ties the game 27-27.

Overtime

- The Cardinals win the toss, and elect to receive. On the very first play of overtime, the Cardinals decide to run with the outside toss to Tim Hightower. He gets several big blocks and breaks the run 50 yards before he is tackled at the 12. Neil Rackers lines up the makes the field goal!! Cardinals win 30-27.

The Stats

Team Stats	Cardinals	Giants
Total Yards	409	429
Rush	54	91
Pass	355	338
First Downs	13	19
TOs	3	3
3rd Down	5-10(50%)	7-13(53%)
Penalties	6-48	9-82
TOP	13:46	19:52

Passing	Comp/Att	Yards	TD	INT	Rating
Warner	24/38 63%	355	2	3	78.3
Manning	23/39 58%	344	1	3	64.5

Rushing	Att	Yards	Avg	TD
Hightower	7	57	8.1	0
Jacobs	18	80	4.4	1

Receiving	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Fitzgerald	7	69	9.8	0
Boldin	4	47	11.7	0
Breaston	4	87	21.7	1
Hightower	4	80	20.0	1
Boss	7	99	14.1	1
Nicks	4	102	25.5	0
Manningham	4	67	16.7	0
Smith	2	23	11.5	0

Thoughts

I do believe that this will be a battle till the end of the game, as long as the Cardinals don't fold under the national pressure. This game could also go either way, but the Madden gods were nice enough to give us a win today. What are your thoughts on the simulation? Are the stats way off or accurate?

Saturday Sim: Cardinals - Seahawks

Andrew602 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:06:08 -0000

Last week, the Saturday Sim featured a close battle between the Cardinals and Texans, with the Cardinals barely edging out the Texans in the last minutes of the game. That did happen. In fact, the Cardinals and Texans game couldn't have been any closer. This week, the Cardinals simulation has them traveling to Seattle to take on the Seahawks. The game wasn't as close but you'll see why in a moment. It should also be mentioned that the conditions were rainy during the game.

If you aren't familiar with this segment, it should be pretty self explanatory by now. We simulate a game between the Cardinals and their opponent on the Madden video game. The quarters are 8 minutes each and the difficulty is all pro. The penalties are also turned up higher for a realistic feel. Madden's ratings and rosters are accurate, but we in no means believe this will be the actual outcome. It's just for fun.

First Quarter:

- The Cardinals receive the ball, in which Breaston returns it to the 30 yard line. On Warner's second pass, he's pick off by Josh Wilson, giving the Seahawks good field position. However, the Seahawks struggle running the ball early and are forced to settle for a field goal. Seahawks lead 3-0.
- The Cardinals begin their second drive passing the ball. Larry Fitzgerad and Anquan Boldin are at the end of a couple big first downs. Halfway down the field, Warner throws the ball to Dan Kreider, who fumbles trying to gain extra yardage. End of first quarter. Hawks lead 3-0.

Second Quarter:

- The second quarter begins with Matt Hasselbeck throwing a pick to Karlos Dansby. This drive, the Cardinals continue to throw the ball, with their running game being stifled by the Seahawks defense. Already having good field position, Warner completes a big pass to Tim Higtower, who takes the ball to the 16. After a face mask on the Seahawks, Dan Kreider redeems himself and punches the ball into the end zone. Cardinals lead 7-3.

- Feeling the momentum starting to switch, the Seahawks start their next drive airing it out. Hasselbeck completes several big passes to T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but is picked off yet again, by Gerald Hayes. Only trying to take time off the clock, the Cardinals hand off the ball to Hightower, who breaks several tackles to the outside, and takes the ball 75 yards for a Cardinals touchdown! Cardinals lead 14-3.

- On the Seahawks next drive, they are forced to play the hurry up again, with 2 minutes left in the game. While under pressure, Hasselbeck throws a pick again, this time to Karlos Dansby, his second of the half. The Cardinals run the ball but get a three and out, and punt the ball back to the Seahawks. Hasselbeck drives the Seahawks into field goal range with less then a minute left. Olindo Mare kicks a 48 yard field goal as time expires. Cardinals lead 14-6.

Third Quarter:

The third quarter turns into a defensive battle. The Seahawks look good running the ball, but can't convert for a first down. The Cardinals are able to put together a few first downs, but must settle for a field goal attempt that is missed by Neil Rackers. On the next three drives for both teams, they can't convert third downs. Both teams get 3, three and outs each. End of third quarter. Cardinals lead 14-6.

Fourth Quarter:

- The fourth quarter begins with the Seahawks having possesion of the ball. Hasselbeck looks better then he did in the first three quarters. He and Houshmandzadeh are on the same page this drive, completing several big first down passes. They drive to the 5 yard line, where Owen Schmittcatches a five yard touchdown. The Seahawks look to tie the game with a two point conversion. Deion Branch catches it over the middle, tying the game 14-14.

- The Cardinals look focused on their next drive, with Warner looking very accurate. He's using all of this targets, completing passes to Fitzgerald, Boldin, Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban, and Hightower. At their own 45 yard line, Warner throws an outside pass to Boldin, who breaks a tackle and runs for a 55 yard touchdown. Cardinals lead 21-14.

- The Seahawks start their next drive with a balanced attack, both running and passing effectively. Hasselbeck steps back to throw, when he is hit as he passes by Calais Campbell, putting the ball in the air. Chike Okeaforgets the interception. After a few bigs gains by Hightower, Kurt Warner throws a pass to Fitzgerald, who dives into the end zone for a 10 yard score. Cardinals lead 28-14.

- With four minutes remaining, the Seahawks are still attempting to run despite being down by 14. They encounter a 4th and 4, where they decide to punt the ball away. The Cardinals get a three and out, and punt the ball back to the Seahawks. With poor protection on their last drive, the Seahawks run into a fourth down again. This time they go for it, but Hasselbeck is hit while he throws an incomplete pass. With less then two minutes remaining, the Cardinals run out the clock, while the Seahawks don't bother to use any timeouts. End of game. Cardinals win 28-14.

Final Stats

	Cardinals	Seahawks
Total Yards	363	293
Rush	124	47
Pass	239	246
First Downs	13	16
TO	2	4
3rd Down	3-8	3-9
Pen-Yards	3-35	3-21
TOP	18:32	13:28

Quarterback	Comp/Att(%)	Yards	TD	INT
Warner	18/25(72%)	239	2	1
Hasselbeck	24/38(63%)	246	1	4

Running Back	Att	Yards	Avg	TD
Hightower	16	115	7.1	1
Wells	2	10	5.0	0
Jones	17	43	2.5	0
James	1	4	4.0	0

Wide Receivers	Catches	Yards	TD	Avg
Fitzgerald	3	26	1	8.6
Boldin	4	94	1	23.5
Breaston	4	44	0	11.0
Houshmandzadeh	7	68	0	9.7
Burleson	4	40	0	10.0
Branch	4	51	0	12.7

Final Thought -While the overall outcome of this game would be nice, it's not likely. The Seahawks are more accustomed to playing in the rain and it may be the Cardinals that struggle to not turn the ball over. I also don't think that Matt Hasselbeck will throw four picks in this game. It's going to be a competitive game, and the Cardinals will need a successful running game to win. What are your thoughts on the simulation?

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 Week 3 Stats, Rankings and Randomness

Hawkwind — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:03:36 -0000

More photos » by Phil Coale - AP

2 months ago: Arizona Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle (21) outruns Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Maurice Williams (74) after grabbing a blocked punt for an 83-yard touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game in Jacksonville, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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We should see some Arizona Cardinals practice reports in a couple of hours and we'll have injury updates on guys like Chike Okeafor, Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston and many others. For now though we'll just dive into some random stats, rankings and whatever else we can find that's half-way interesting.

According to Football Outsiders (DVOA, Rank):

Arizona Offense: 2.5% (18th) - How bad was the Cards offense in week one? They were ranked 28th after week one but a rebound performance against the Jaguars jumped up the squad a whole ten spots. The pass offense ranks 10th (39.5%) while the rushing attack still leaves something to be desired at 30th (-31.1%)

Arizona Defense: -24.6% (4th) - Not bad for a defense that really struggled at times last year and they held the exact same ranking after week one. The pass defense is barely in the top ten at 9th (-6.7%) but the run defense is 2nd (-52.5%), only to the Titans.

Kurt Warner: 34.6% (6th) - What do you get when you have a terrible week one and record breaking week two? Well you get ranked sixth in just about every category that FO has to offer, including DVOA, DYAR and YAR. Not bad for a guy that they predicted to crumble into little pieces during the off season.

Larry Fitzgerald: 13.8% (24th) - Fitz is right around the 20's mark in their three categories (19th in DYAR, 19 in YAR and 24th in DVOA). You can expect all of those rankings to rise as the season goes on, although these stats tend to favor the deep threats over possession receivers so he won't really jump up the ranking until the Cards start stretching the field.

Anquan Boldin: -24.9 (62nd) - Remember what I said about possession receivers vs. deep threats, but don't get too bent out of shape because Boldin always ends up in the top 10 or 15.

Steve Breaston: Breaston is one catch shy of qualifying for the rankings but according to the stats he'd be ranked just ahead of Fitz in terms of DYAR and YAR but his DVOA ranking (86.1%) would in the top three. See I wasn't lying about deep threats. If anyone is wondering, Jerheme Urban is in the lower 30's in all three rankings.

Tim Hightower: -17.5% (34) - Hightower is ranked 34th across the board and that's pretty close to what he was ranked last year (slightly below replacement level). His lack of touchdowns so far and low 'success rate' have kept him down thus far. Beanie Wells would be about five or six spots under Hightower if he had enough carries to qualify and his biggest problem is the two fumbles (they grade a recovered fumble and lost fumble equally).

Drive Stats: This is one of my favorite stats from FO, even though they don't use any of their fancy metrics. They're just straight stats but they're presented in a way that we don't normally see. The offense is ranked in the upper teens in just about every category, including points per drive, TDs per drive, turnovers per drive, interceptions per drive and drive success rate. The offense is slightly lower in yards per drive (22nd) but slightly better in punts per drive (13th) and starting field position (14th). The defense is pretty much all over the board with rankings as high as 2nd in fumbles per drive and 26th, interceptions per drive. The most promising numbers though is stellar success rate (4th) and 7th ranking in yards allowed per drive.

Playoff Odds: For anything who's already thinking playoffs, the FO still aren't too high on the Cards. They still rank us third in the West with a 15% chance of making the post season with just a 10.5% chance of winning the division. If you're looking for a silver lining though, their percentage actually jumped 12% from last week.

Standard Stats and Ranks (ie according to NFL.com):

Arizona Offense: In yards per game the Arizona offense is 15th with 341 yards per game and 9th with 23.5 points per game. Since this is always a hot topic, they currently rank 2nd in penalties and third in penalty yardage. One concerning stat so far has been the Cardinals 3rd down conversion rate (26%) which currently ranks 31st . The passing game is 7th in the league with 262 yards per game while the rushing game is 25th with 79 yards per game.

Arizona Defense: The defense is 6th in the league with 287.5 yards per game and the 18.5 points allowed per game ranks 13th. The defense is also allowing opposing offenses to convert third downs at a rate of 38% which is 14th in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals Weekly Flock: Sean Morey's Brain Donation Edition

Hawkwind — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:30:14 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Three active NFL players are joining former players in agreeing to donate their brains after death to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries.The donations by Mark Birk of the Baltimore Ravens, Lofa Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks and Morey of the Cardinals were announced Monday, Sept. 14, 2009. Morey says his donation will help improve the safety of retired and future athletes. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

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Obviously no one is quite over the Arizona Cardinals season opening loss but here on this 'hump day' we begin to look forward to a new game. Today will be the biggest day of practice as soon as we get an injury report, we'll pass it along. The biggest news of this mid-week time frame has centered around Sean Morey's brain......

Brain Donation Shows Morey’s Passion - The Cardinals’ wide receiver and Pro Bowl special teamer became one of three active NFL players – along with Baltimore center Matt Birk and Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu – to announce this week they would allow their brains to be studied when they die. The purpose is to learn about head injuries for NFL players and how concussions can lead to problems later in life.
Cards' Morey promises brain for research - Cardinals receiver and special teams player Sean Morey is one of three NFL players who on Monday agreed to donate their brains after death to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries.
Offensive adjustments from Whiz - Ken Whisenhunt didn't get into specifics for obvious reasons, but he said Monday that design alterations on offense should help the team in Jacksonville this Sunday. Whisenhunt said the offense was thrown off by last-minute changes at receiver. Steve Breaston had practiced all week to replace Anquan Boldin at the "Z" spot, but Breaston's knee was too painful on Sunday for him to play. Boldin played and Jerheme Urban also took snaps at the "Z" position. "We had a number of guys playing out of their normal position," Whisenhunt said. "That will lend to us not being as sharp. Now, I'm not going to make an excuse because we have been able to overcome those things in the past. As far as how we are going to design things offensively, we will make sure that we are better suited for the game."
No suspension for Wilson's big hit - Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson won't be suspended for his hit Sunday on 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, according to an NFL source, although league officials are reviewing the play and a fine is still possible.
NFL makes right call on Cardinals' Wilson - The Cardinals do not have to worry about losing their most feared defensive player, Adrian Wilson, to an NFL suspension following the safety's huge hit on 49ers tight end Vernon Davis in Week 1.
Cardinals' Wilson to restructure contract - Cardinals' Wilson to restructure contract, Adrian Wilson has agreed to restructure his contract, giving the team more cap space. Here's a look at what the new structure means for the Wilson, the Cards and even Boldin.

Cards Have Long Way To Go - With only one game over and 15 yet to play, the Cardinals were coping with their season-opening loss Monday. The sky isn’t falling, after all. There’s no reason to overreact. Right? "I’m not an even-keeled kind of person," safety Adrian Wilson said, chuckling. "You’re going to hear some pretty bad things in here for the next 48 hours. Hopefully, Wednesday will come fast." Wednesday will be the tell-tale day, because that’s usually the first big day of the new week. It’s the first day of practice, the focus fully shifts – to Jacksonville, in this case – and the Cardinals can shove the disappointment of the 49ers’ game into the closet.
Cardinals hope to regroup quickly - The decade has not been kind to Super Bowl losers, and if the Arizona Cardinals had any doubts about whether it’s a jinx, a trend or something in between, they’ve now at least got an idea. Get this: According to the team’s Web site, safety Adrian Wilson has already proposed that some of the team’s leaders have a meeting to map out a strategy to regroup. If that’s not a signal from within that things aren’t right in the desert, I don’t know what is. They lost their opener on Sunday 20-16 to the San Francisco 49ers at University of Phoenix Stadium. The high-flying offense that guided the Cardinals to the Super Bowl last season was grounded. Who didn’t see this coming?

Are the Cardinals Dealing with the Penalty Bug Already?

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

More photos » by Paul Connors - AP

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

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

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

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

Example #1

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

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

Example #2

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

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

Example #3

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

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

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

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

Arizona Cardinals Top Ten Irreplaceable Players

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

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?