SBNation.com User Blog: Pyromnc

Do Cards Have Interest In Roethlisberger?

Pyromnc — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:57:35 -0000

Do Cards Have Interest In Roethlisberger?

Update: Darren Urban spoke to Ken Whisenhunt on the matter. Whiz had this to say:

"It seems like you’d be hard-pressed to find a team that hasn’t been linked to (Roethlisberger interest)," Whisenhunt said. "At this time of year there’s no shortage of information and misinformation flying around; who teams are interested in drafting, who they’re not, who’s gonna be traded, etc. From our standpoint, it doesn’t seem to make sense to publicly comment on which rumors are fact and which are fiction but I can tell you there’s a fair amount of each."

In his weekly interview with Doug and Wolf on Sports 620 KTAR, John Clayton reported that the Cards did in fact call the Steelers about Big Ben. He did mention that he didn't know if the Cards even offered anything for Ben or if it even got that far, but just the fact that they are wondering has to make you think the Cards have some doubts that quarterback Matt Leinart can give them what they want out of the position. I personally don't think they will trade for him but you never know, crazier things have happened before.

49ers Set to Acquire Ted Ginn Jr.

Pyromnc — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:03:59 -0000

49ers Set to Acquire Ted Ginn Jr.

According to Chris Mortensen, of ESPN, the Niners will part with their 5th round draft pick in this years draft for Ginn.

Guess this ends those rumors of the Cards trading for him. He would have been of some use for us as a 4th receiver and as our punt returner.

John Clayton reports the Cardinals hosted two notable visitors Thursday: former Bears S Mike Brown...

Pyromnc — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:43:27 -0000

John Clayton reports the Cardinals hosted two notable visitors Thursday: former Bears S Mike Brown and former Steelers G Kendall Simmons.

Adam Schefter's Twitter

Report: Jay Feely Replaces Rackers As Arizona Cardinals Kicker

Pyromnc — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:12:28 -0000

According to our fellow SB Nation blog site, Gang Green Nation and The Newark Star-Ledger, free agent kicker Jay Feely reportedly has agreed to terms on a two-year contract to become the new kicker of the Arizona Cardinals. From the Star-Ledger:

Unrestricted free agent kicker Jay Feely has agreed to terms on a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on behalf of either side.

Feely had a fairly good season in '09, hitting 30 of his 36 field goals, while missing just three from 40 yards or longer. He has been consistent over his career as well, matching or increasing his 80% success rate over the past six seasons (total of 179 field goal attempts).

Update: Jay Feely confirmed the signing on his twitter account:

I am officially an Arizona Cardinal!! Very excited to head to the desert with former teammates @kerryrhodes and Joey Porter.

Ken Whisenhunt responded to the change at kicker

“When you get to free agency and we have no kickers on the roster, that’s an unsettling feeling for the organization,” Whisenhunt said. “We attempted to sign Neil. We were forced to move on to the next guy when we couldn’t get anything done. Not that we didn’t think Neil could do it, but we had been working in negotiations and hadn’t made a lot of progress.”

Feely will be replacing Neil Rackers, who was famous for his pooch and onside kicks - often catching opposing teams off guard. He was also a fairly accurate kicker when not injured(somewhat often), making 161 of his 195 field goals (82.5 success rate). However, when the game was on the line, Rackers struggled - becoming the primary reason the team is parting ways. What are your thoughts on the new signing?

Poll

Was this a good move by the Cardinals?

Yes

239 votes

No

11 votes

Should have kept Rackers

185 votes

435 votes | Poll has closed

Porter to not be Charged

Pyromnc — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:29:21 -0000

Porter to not be Charged

As we all have heard, Joey Porter was arrested over the weekend for resisting arrest, assault on an officer, and DUI. After this happened there were no official charges against Porter and the California DA's office has decided to not charge him at all for these offenses.

Good news for Porter and the Cardinals.

Revenge Of The Birds Community Mock Draft: 5th Pick, Kansas City Chiefs

Pyromnc — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:54:08 -0000

With the 5th pick of the Revenge of the Birds community mock draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select...

Eric Berry | Safety | Tennessee

GM: Pyromnc

Strengths: Berry has the rare skill sets that most team's coaching staffs would be drooling over to have on their roster. He has the agility, hands, recognition, and coverage skills to make a big play happen in the passing game, similar to an Ed Reed of the Baltimore Ravens. Than he has the ability to drop down in the box and either put pressure on the quarterback, or provide very good run support, similar to an Adrian Wilson. Berry also has the speed and coverage skills to play corner, giving defensive coordinators more flexibility in their play-calling. His leadership skills are also worth mentioning as he would do just about anything Tennessee DC would ask of him (in his junior season he not only started at safety but he also contributed on special teams). Berry, in my opinion, is the safest pick in the draft behind Nebraska's NT, Suh.

Negatives: He's is a bit small for the position, listed at 5-11 and 203 pounds. Although the size has not been a problem for him, it is still a red flag. He also tends to lead with his shoulders looking for a big hit instead of wrapping up the ball carrier and bringing him down. With the type of high-caliber player that Berry is though, these problems won't be a big deal.

Why the Chiefs will take him: The Chiefs have many needs on their team and they could possibly go defensive tackle here with Gerald McCoy on the board, but Berry is too good to pass on. Not only will he upgrade that awful secondary immediately, but he will also help out in the run defense that was ranked 31st in the NFL last season. This too me, is just a no brainer on KC's part.

Thanks to Pyromnc for making this pick and that move now puts lorenzothedog on the clock with the Seattle Seahawks first pick. Please email me sometime today at revengeofthebirds@gmail.com. Also, az78true needs to submit the Browns pick on Saturday while CardsDefense needs to submit the Radiers pick on Sunday. The picks and who selected who are after the jump...

St. Louis - Sam Bradford, QB
Detroit - Russell Okung, OT
Tampa Bay - Ndamukong Suh, DT
Washington - Bryan Bulaga, OT
Kansas City - Eric Berry, S
Seattle - lorenzothedog
Cleveland - az78true
Oakland - CardsDefense
Buffalo - pcock45
Jacksonville - Spigadang
Denver - AJBirdWatcher
Miami - AlaskanCard
San Francisco - lorenzothedog
Seattle - 7ftCard
New York Giants - najmsh
Tennessee - kj197728
San Francisco - lorenzothedog
Pittsburgh - Cardscrazy247
Atlanta - durst
Houston - DaCards
Cincinnati - LAcardsfan
New England - Hadrarius
Green Bay - notliketheboardgame
Philadelphia - robloosli
Baltimore - Skii
Arizona - ROTB community
Dallas - manderson367
San Diego - WhiffSD
New York Jets - Drullin'OverDaCards
Minnesota - tooman234
Indianapolis - TheAngelsColts
New Orleans - Reo Hayes

Poll

Does this pick make sense for the Chiefs?

Yes

82 votes

No

32 votes

114 votes | Poll has closed

Sports 620 KTAR's Paul Calvisi reports the Arizona Cardinals will announce the signing of QB Derek...

Pyromnc — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:30:19 -0000

Sports 620 KTAR's Paul Calvisi reports the Arizona Cardinals will announce the signing of QB Derek Anderson on Wednesday.

http://twitter.com/sports620ktar

Arizona Cardinals Extend Coach Whisenhunt Through The 2013 Season

Pyromnc — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:01:02 -0000

Hat tip to JoeCB1991 for catching this first

Before the 2010 free agency gets kicked off on March 5th, Michael Bidwell and the rest of the Arizona Cardinals brass wanted to get a few contracts taken care of, with one of them belonging to head Coach Ken Whisenhunt.

Since moving to Arizona in 1988 the Cardinals have had 8 head coaches (including Whisenhunt) and none of them had served a second contract with the team, until Thursday. On Thursday afternoon, it was announced that Cardinal's head coach Ken Whisenhunt had agreed to a new four year deal (with the fourth being a team option). According to Kent Somers at azcentral.com, it is believed that the contract will pay an average of 5.5 to 6 million a year. If true, that would make him one of the highest paid coaches in the NFL, after surprisingly being one of the lowest paid head coaches the last couple seasons.

Whisenhunt has had a very successful career in his three years with the Cardinals, sporting a 31-23 record over that time period. In two of the three seasons Whiz, as Arizonan's like to call him, lead the team to two division titles and to their first ever Super Bowl appearence - not bad for a first time head coach.

The Whisenhunt signing wasn't the only deal the Cardinals completed on Thursday. They also extended GM Rod Graves through the 2013 season, but terms are unknown right now.

That makes three key signings this offseason for the Cardinals as they also re-signed strength and conditioning coach John Lott just a few weeks ago.

With these signings, the team is looking to be in better condition once free agency starts on March 5th. It shows that the team is committed to doing what is necessary to building a winning team and should make free agents believe the Cardinals have definitely changed the culture here in Arizona. What have you thought of the Cardinals offseason so far? Are you surprised that they were able to get these contracts done?

List of Players Set to be an Unrestricted Free Agent on March 5th

Pyromnc — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:38:52 -0000

List of Players Set to be an Unrestricted Free Agent on March 5th

NFL.com posted an unofficial list of unrestricted free agents in the upcoming uncapped season. This is unofficial because some of these players will more than likely be resigned or have the franchise tag slapped them. As of now the list is at 235 free agents, 14 of these belong to the Cardinals.

It also details how many games they started last season, how many seasons in the NFL, and who their agent is.

Swami Says: 2010 Cardinals Key Offseason Predictions

Pyromnc — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 20:18:25 -0000

Now that the 2009 season is officially over, with the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl win, it is time to take a look at some possible moves for the Arizona Cardinals 2010 offseason.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Karlos Dansby

As much as the Cardinals and every Cardinal's fan out there would like Dansby to stay, consider him as good as gone. The deal that Dansby is worth, is around the same ballpark that Bart Scott got (48 million with 20 million being guaranteed). Dansby wants more than that, and another team will unwisely give into his request. That being said, at this point the Cardinals don't have an adequate backup to step up and fill Dansby's shoes. This means they will need to find his replacement either via the draft or free agency.

Through free agency there are a few names that could be available, such as DeMeco Ryans from the Houston Texans and Barrett Ruud from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but assuming there is no new CBA (collective bargaining agreement) in place by the time free agency starts, those players will be RFAs (restricted free agents). After you take away the RFAs from the list there is a significant drop off in talent. The best available would be Larry Foote, who would be nice signing for now but not really a long term answer. That is why the Cards will more than likely look to fill the position through the draft.

There are a few players in this year's draft that could step in and produce immediately, such as Alabama's Rolondo McClain and Florida's Brandon Spikes. The better choice would be McClain, as he would not only fill our biggest need, but the Cardinals would also be drafting for value as McClain will likely be gone by the 26th pick in the draft. Another great replacement is Brandon Spikes. Before the season started Spikes was a potential top 15 pick, and he still could be. At this point however, it's highly unlikely as some on field issues have caused his stock to drop. Spikes will more than likely be available when the Cardinals are picking and I think we take him here. (McClain and Spikes will be looked at more when we take a look at potential Cardinals draftees)

2010 Inside-Linebacker Predictions: Dansby Leaves and Cardinals Draft Brandon Spikes

Anquan Boldin

Boldin, as we all know, wants a new contract. He has been complaining about it since the beginning of the 2008 season. Although he has said he won't request the Cardinals to cut or trade him this season, he will likely be gone. With Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and Early Doucet lining up as the top three receivers, the Cards are looking good at the wide out position. Look for the Cards to trade Boldin to another team for a third and fifth round pick in exchange. My money would be on the Miami Dolphins.

2010 Anquan Boldin Prediction: Traded to Miami for a 3rd and 5th Round Pick

Antrel Rolle

The Cardinals don't want to get rid of Rolle, as he is a key role player on the defense at free safety. Not only does he bring playmaking skills to the defense, but there isn't anyone behind him on the depth chart who could step in and start right now. The problem is that his contract for 2010 balloons to 12.1 million dollars. That's a ridiculous amount of money for a player that isn't even the best in the league or let alone the best player on the defense. He has already said he won't take a pay cut from this season but something's got to give as the Cards can't afford to lose their fourth big name player of the offseason (according to my predictions). I think they get something worked out in terms of a long term deal. The deal would probably be close to what Wilson got(5 year 36 million with 15.5 being guaranteed).

2010 Antrel Rolle Prediction: Signs a Long Term Contract to Stay in Red.

Backup Quarterback Solutions

With Kurt Warner retiring and Brian St. Pierre becoming a free agent, the Cardinals only have one quarterback on the roster - Matt Leinart. With the Cardinals being already set to give Leinart a shot at starting they will need to find two backups. To me, Leinart is the type of player that doesn't want to look over his shoulder at someone possibly stealing his job. That is why the number two quarterback must be someone that is content with being the backup. They can't be someone that will try and turn heads and stir up a quarterback controversy. The perfect quarterback that would fit this mold is Charlie Batch. Not only does he know Whizenhunt's system and was the backup quarterback while Whiz was the offensive coordinator for Pittsburgh, he also knows his place as a backup. He would be the perfect solution for the number two spot.

For the third spot on the depth chart the Cardinals will more than likely look to the draft. Now, going with the original theory that they won't grab a guy to make Leinart look over his shoulder, the Cards will not draft one in the first couple of rounds. Expect them to start looking for one in the fourth round andmaybe the third round. My prediction is they will grab BYU's Max Hall. Hall is a project as he does need to refine his game a bit, but if Leinart lives up to his potential than Hall would have all the time in the world to do that.

2010 Quarterback Predictions: St. Pierre Walks, Charlie Batch is Signed, and Max Hall is Drafted

Outside Linebacker and Julius Peppers

With Clark Haggans, Chike Okeafor, and Bertrand Berry, this unit was very old last season. They did draft two young players last season in Will Davis and Cody Brown to install some youth in the position, but they both faced injuries. With the loss of Berry to retirement, and the potential loss of Okeafor as a free agent, the team needs to add a more at this position. One possible move is going after Julius Peppers.

At first thought it sounds good to think about Peppers wearing Cardinal red but then reality and logic kicks in. There is a list of reasons why Peppers would not make sense for the Cardinals. First of all, he just turned 30, meaning his best seasons are behind him. Second, he has never played in the 3-4 defense that we run, making it tough to know if he would play well in our system. Lastly, because of those first two reasons it does not make sense to pay him the amount of money he is going to be looking for. The Cards might call and find out if he would come cheaper but ultimately I think he goes elsewhere.

That means the draft is the likely scenario again for this position. This is not a bad thing as Whiz and Co. have been good at finding talent and this year's draft, like last year, is loaded at the OLB spot. Since we took Brandon Spikes in the first round(based on my prediction) that means they will have to wait till the second round till fill the outside linebacker void. It's a little bit tougher to predict who would be at our spot for the 52nd overall pick but I think South Carolina's Eric Norwood could available there and he would fit fine in the 3-4.

The Cards could also look to adding another seasoned 3-4 veteran, such as a Mike Vrabel or a Joey Porter, to help Clark Haggans mentor these young players that are now being leaned upon heavily to carry this unit. Porter would be the best choice as he knows a lot of the Cards coaching staff from his time over with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He'll most likely be available in free agency too as Miami is expected to release him when the 2010 offseason officially gets under way on March 5th.

2010 OLB Position Prediction: Peppers is a no go, Eric Norwood gets Drafted, Cards Sign a Seasoned Veteran

While these are just predictions, it is not that far out there to think that some of these could actually happen. A lot of them make sense for team in the direction they are trying to go, at least in my opinion. What do you think of these predictions? Do you agree with them? Or do you think something else will happen?

Cardinals Add Pass Rush Help

Pyromnc — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:22:13 -0000

Cardinals Add Pass Rush Help

The Cardinals added 28 year old defensive end Stevie Baggs Thursday. Baggs played for the CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders this past season, where he tied the league lead with 12 sacks.

He is a bit undersized to be playing defensive end but at 6-1, 245 pounds he could fit nicely as an OLB, which going into this offseason is a big need for the Cards.

Fox Sports Arizona to have Kurt Warner Special

Pyromnc — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:19:07 -0000

Fox Sports Arizona to have Kurt Warner Special

First showing will be tonight (Thursday) at 5:30 P.M. If you miss that, than you can catch it again tomorrow night (Friday) at 9 P.M. It should be getting posted on azcardinals.com sometime next week as well.

The Cardinals aren’t going to try and trade for Donovan McNabb. They aren’t going to give up draft p...

Pyromnc — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:39:16 -0000

The Cardinals aren’t going to try and trade for Donovan McNabb. They aren’t going to give up draft picks for an older QB who is going to be looking for a new contract (McNabb is scheduled to be a free agent after 2010). Maybe McNabb, who has a house in Chandler, becomes more attractive if he hits the free-agent market after next season, but that’s assuming the Eagles let him leave. But there will be no trade, even if the Eagles decide to deal him.

Darren Urban clearing up the trade speculation of Donovan McNabb. He also mentions that the Cards will not be interested in Michael Vick either.

ESPN Recreates One of the Most Painful Plays in Cardinals History

Pyromnc — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:47:25 -0000

ESPN Recreates One of the Most Painful Plays in Cardinals History

I guess since the Super Bowl is just a week and a half away that everyone is talking about greatest Super Bowl plays ever.

The good news is that it is coming from the Arizona / Pittsburgh game, which coincidentally is the bad news too.
The play they are calling the best play ever in the Super Bowl is James Harrison's interception return for a touchdown.

Kicker Mike Nugent Release, Neil Rackers to Start on Sunday

Pyromnc — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 23:58:22 -0000

With the return of Neil Rackers from a groin injury, the Cardinals had no need to keep two kickers on the roster with Mike Nugent. Nugent had 2 decent fill in games, making both his field goals and all eight of his extra points.

To fill Nugent's spot the Cardinals signed defensive end Jason Banks off the practice squad. Banks, who had been placed on the injured reserve back in August, had been on the teams practice squad for six weeks. He most likely will be inactive for this Sunday's game.

As for Rackers, the Cardinals get back a kicker that most teams have to game plan around when looking at special teams (although most teams don't take a huge look at special teams). He not only has been good with giving his team a chance at recovering pooch kicks this season, he has also been good at giving his team a good chance at recovering onside kicks. He was also 17/18 on field goals this season and missed one extra point (first missed attempt in 80 tries) in his final game before being out from injury.

Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals: Know Thy Enemy

Pyromnc — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:24:21 -0000

In Green Bay, they have an immensely talented group of football players that spans through out each unit. If you wanted to talk about the offense, players such as quarterback Aaron Rodger's, wide receiver Greg Jenning's, and tight end Jermichael Finley's names come to mind. If you want to talk about the defensive players, then we're talking about linebacker Clay Matthews, linebacker Aaron Kampman, and defensive back Al Harris. There's one name missing from this group though, and that would be Charles Woodson. Woodson has not only been Green Bay's best player this season, but he's been one of the best, if not the best, defensive player in the NFL. This will be the player to watch out for on Sunday.

Woodson has made a name for himself around the NFL, that he will be physical and will do everything necessary to shut you down. For receivers and quarterbacks this can be tricky, because if they make a mistake it will likely be picked off (which could be dangerous considering the fact that Woodson has a knack for returning them for touchdowns). This is especially true in his last 31 games. In that time span Woodson has recorded 15 interceptions (four returned for touchdowns), five sacks, five forced fumbles, and 137 tackles (117 solo). Those are very good numbers for a defensive back. When facing the Cardinals however, it has been a different story.

Woodson hasn't exactly put up amazing numbers when it has come to facing the Cardinals. In four games he has recorded just 10 tackles, two interceptions (1 returned for a td) and 3 passes deflected. For a corner, those are numbers are okay, but they aren't what he has normally been putting up this season. He will also have the tall task of trying to shut down one of the best receivers in football, Larry Fitzgerald. It may not be this week, but if the Cardinals face the Packers in the first round of the playoffs he will line up across Fitzgerald. Larry has never faced the Packers, with the exception of the preseason, so it will be interesting to see how well he matches up with Woodson. If both teams are trying to win this game on Sunday, whomever Woodson matches up against should be interesting and fun one to watch. Thoughts?

Next Day Notes: Arizona Cardinals Dominate St. Louis in 31-10 Win

Pyromnc — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:55:09 -0000

The Arizona Cardinals came up with a huge win against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, as they reached a double digit win total for the first since 1976. The Cardinals made it look easy as they held the Rams to just 10 points. The offense wasn't too shabby either as they had more than 400 yards of offense, and they did it with both the running game and passing game being in sync. This is exactly how they should look heading into the playoffs.

The Good

Kurt Warner had been having a tough stretch the past few weeks, turning the ball over five times (three of them interceptions), and only throwing two touchdowns. This week he came out and took care of his former team by throwing 313 yards (52nd time of his career) and two touchdowns (100th with the Cardinals). This is the Warner we all like to see, and hope this will be the Warner that shows up in two weeks when the playoffs begin. Warner had another fumble lost this week but that can be forgiven when he plays as well as he did in this game.

The running game did well as they rushed for113 yards on 29 carries (3.89 yards per carry). Beanie Wells had 68 of those yards and stuck the fork in the Rams with the final touchdown of the game. Tim Hightower added his 32 yards on 10 carries (3.2 yards per carry) as well. Hightower didn't have his best game but he did what he does best by scoring his 18th career touchdown in the third quarter. Overall, the running game played well and kept the opposing defense honest.

The Cardinals special teams have been by far the best of the special teams unit in the league. They not only cover returns well, but they force turnovers also. They had another turnover this week as punter Ben Graham put his body in harm's way to force a fumble that would be crucial with the Rams gaining momentum. Graham also had 2 more punts inside the 20 yard line, making his total 39 (league high), and averaged 41.2 yards per punt. Kicker Mike Nugent continues to play well for the injured Neil Rackers as he made all four of his extra points and his lone field goal. Special teams have been a huge strength for the Cards this year and have made opposing team's jobs much harder when it comes to making a game plan.

The defense had been struggling the past few weeks allowing a combined 48 points to the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers. Most of this was because of the turnovers that happened in those games(10 total turnovers), but they still should've helped the offense out when they were struggling. This week they played the way they should be playing, when they allowed just ten points, had four sacks, and force four turnovers. That's what Ken Whisenhunt and the rest of the Cards want to see week in and week out.

The Bad

There wasn't much bad in this game other than the fact that the new starting offensive left tackle Jeremy Bridges did not have his best game. This was mostly because he had no help on his side but he could have done better against a poor defensive line. He may have performed better with a tight end and running back on his side, much like the help he was given against Jared Allen and the Minnesota Vikings. Look for this to improve in future games this season, as teams will be gunning for his side of the line.

Honorary Mention

Adrian Wilson became just the 10th player in NFL history to record 20 sack and 20 interceptions in ones career. This has been a goal of Wilson's for some time and it could not have happened to a better player. Wilson has been one of the most loyal and hard working players for the Cardinals, and they should be happy to have him on their team.

The Cardinals are now 10-5 and still have a shot at the number two spot that starts with a Vikings loss on Monday Night Football. Right now the Cardinals are fourth in the playoff slotting and would play the Packers in the wild card round of the playoffs which would be two weeks in a row they would face them. If the Vikings lose on MNF, should they try to beat the Packers and shoot for the number two seed? Or should they rest their starters and game plan for the playoffs?

St. Louis Rams at Arizona Cardinals: Know Thy Enemy

Pyromnc — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:06:03 -0000

The St. Louis Rams don't have much talent on their team. Their record of 1-13 really supports that claim. However, the talented players they do have should give them hope for the future. The obvious player to talk about would be Steven Jackson, but he was covered in the last game between the two teams. All the same holds true in this game as it did then; Jackson must be stopped. The other player the Cards will want to look out for is inside linebacker James Laurinaitis.

Laurinaitis was drafted with the 35th overall pick in this year's draft by new head coach Steve Spagnuolo, the former defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. Spagnuolo came over trying to fix a team that had a bad offense and a bad defense. He would take care of the offense, or at least start the process, by picking up such players a center Jason Brown in free agency and tackle Jason Brown in the first round of the draft. He would then start the process of fixing the defense by picking up safety James Butler and linebacker James Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis was projected to be a first round pick but slipped to the second and had to have made Spagnuolo very happy that he was there with their pick.

Laurinaitis has not been with this team long but has made his presence felt from day one. Ha has started every game for the Rams and has made the tackles in each one of them. Through the first 14 games he has racked up 109 total tackles (96 solo), two interceptions, and one forced fumble. Not bad stats for a rookie. If he can keep this up he should have a very solid career. He will also have to continue to play well against the Cardinals if he wants to help his team get back to the playoffs.

In his first career game against the Cards, he had 16 solo tackles. He was really the main tackler in this game as the only other player to have more than four solo tackles was safety James Butler. While Laurinaitis will need help from the rest of the Rams defense, he is a player the Cards will need to be on the lookout for on the field. The terrible St. Louis offense would be great full if the defense could give them more chances. Thoughts?

Next Day Notes: Cardinals Beat Lions 31-24 After Sloppy Second Half

Pyromnc — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:59:37 -0000

After a tough loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Arizona Cardinals were looking to rebound against the Detroit Lions. Everything indicated that happened when the Cardinals took an early 17-0 lead going into the half. Coming out of the half was a different story. Detroit came out and scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Cardinals pulled it together in the fourth quarter however, by putting up 14 points. The Cardinals were supposed to use this game to make a statement. They did - the Cardinals play down to the competition they face.

The Good

Beanie Wells had quite possibly, his best game since becoming a pro. He recorded his first 100 yard rushing game by putting up 110 yards on 17 carries (a 6.5 yard per carry average). He also tacked on a pivotal 18 yard touchdown in the 4th quarter that would get the Cardinals back into the game. Beanie is clearly the best back on the team, and it's evident coach Whisenhunt is aware as Wells had 17 carries compared to Tim Hightower's 6. Wells also recorded a 13 yard catch in the game.

Anquan Boldin got his usual catches in the game - plowing over defenders and making vintage Boldin runs. Q's last catch was a touchdown that only he could've pulled off, forcing his way into the end zone. This catch would be the deciding touchdown in the game, giving the Cards the win. Boldin continues to play hard this season and has definitely been a big reason the Cardinals have won nine games this year.

The Cardinals Special Teams is one of the best units in the league right now. That didn't change in Sunday's game. Punter Ben Graham pinned the opposition three more times inside the 20 yard line, adding to his league-leading total of 37. He also averaged 45.4 yards per punt on his seven punts. LaRod Stephens-Howling also had another impressive game, averaging 23 yards per kick return and playing very well on coverage. He helped recover a fumble on a Lions muffed punt in the first half. Newly signed kicker Mike Nugent also chimed in with a 48 yard field goal and hit each of the extra points. The Cardinals defense and offense should take some notes from special teams, as they have been the only unit to play consistently well week in and week out.

The Eh

The Defense played well enough to win despite allowing over 100 yards rushing to a back up running back. They began the first half shutting out the Lions but sadly, they couldn't keep up the effort in the second half, as they allowed 24 points. Part of the problem can be attributed to the offenses sloppy play with turnovers, as the defense has less time to rest and less field position to defend. Despite allowing 24 points they were able to make the Lions make mistakes, with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie intercepting two passes. Adrian Wilson also got one step closer to his 20/20 goal by splitting a sack with Clark Haggans. Overall the defense played well enough to win the game, but a consistently good effort for an entire four quarters is something that is needed as the playoffs draw closer.

The Bad

Kurt Warner had a decent game but not the type of game we have been accustomed to seeing from him. The good from him was his two touchdowns and 233 passing yards, but he had problems turning the ball over for the second game in a row, throwing an interception and losing a fumble. He now has 5 turnovers in his last 2 games, and the Cardinals should be lucky they played a bad team like the Lions, who weren't able to take advantage.

The Ugly

Turnovers have been awful for the Cardinals at times this year. They had a six turnover game against the Panthers earlier this year, then 10 in their last two games. Last week Stephens-Howling, Hightower, Wells, Boldin, and Warner couldn't hang onto the ball, and this week it was Warner and Steve Breaston. The Cardinals had issues turning the ball over late last season, but were able to clean up their act in the playoffs. If they want to make a serious run this year, they'll need to do the same.

Despite some erratic play they did manage to win and also got an early Christmas present from the Eagles as they beat the 49ers, allowing the Cardinals to clinch the division. Now should the Cardinals try and win their next two games to hope for better playoff seeding? Or should they rest some of the starters like Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald so they are fresh for the playoffs?

Arizona Cardinal at Detroit Lions: Know Thy Enemy

Pyromnc — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:12:41 -0000

For the past decade, the Detroit Lions have been one of the worst organizations in the NFL. They failed to draft much talent and have had a handful of 1st round busts. They also failed to sign key players in free agency, and in front of their eyes they were actually running the organization into the ground. Those tendencies have started to change the past couple of seasons with very good draft picks in linebacker Ernie Sims, quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back Kevin Smith, and the immense talent at wide receiver in Calvin Johnson (aka Megatron). The Cardinals defensive backs better be aware of where Johnson is at all times, otherwise they may be in for a long game.

Johnson was widely considered the best receiving prospect to come out of college in NFL history. This was most certainly due to the fact that he held multiple skill sets that most receivers will never begin to have. At the NFL Combine he ran a 4.35 40 yard dash, an amazing number despite weighing in at 238 (heavy for a receiver). He also had an amazing vertical jump posting 42 and a half inches (Larry Fitzgerald is a 38). He has the physicality of a Fitzgerald / Andre Johnson type, making him quite possibly the most dangerous wide receiver, if only he had a consistent QB (which they hope Stafford will be).

Johnson has only faced the Arizona Cardinals once in his career and that came in his rookie season. He didn't put up spectacular numbers, catching just 3 passes for 37 yards and no touchdowns. Part of the reason could have been that it was his rookie season or the fact that he was playing with back problems that entire year - but it was most likely a combination of both. Things will definitely be different this week with Johnson adding some veteran experience to his resume, although the knee problems he's had this season may pose a problem.

The match up to watch in this game will be 2nd year corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie against Johnson. Cromartie does not have the physicality that would be needed to tackle Johnson if he were to get the ball in open space. However, he is the only defensive back that has the type of speed to keep up with Johnson. DRC won't be able to contain Johnson by himself, as it will need a solid team effort to slow the Lions best offensive player. Thoughts?

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers: Know Thy Enemy

Pyromnc — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:36:03 -0000

When playing the San Francisco 49ers the past few years, you used to only worry about one player. That player was running back Frank Gore. While he is still a threat on offense, he hasn't been quite as good as he has been the last few games. This can be attributed to the new offense that has been made to make new starting quarterback Alex Smith comfortable. Since then, the dominate player has been tight end Vernon Davis.

Vernon Davis had been a tight end that wasn't producing the kind of numbers you'd expect for a player that had a lot of hype surrounding him coming out of the NFL Draft. Through his first three years he had compiled just nine touchdowns and 1132 receiving yards. This year was going to be a different year however. After he was publicly embarrassed by head coach Mike Singletary last season, he vowed to come out and play as hard as he possibly could in 2009. This would turn out to be a good thing for the Niners because not only would he become a team captain, but he would also become their best receiver.

For the 2009 season Davis had a decent start catching 22 passes for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns over 5 games, which wasn't bad for a tight end but he could've done better. This would become evident when the Niners would change their starting quarterback from Shaun Hill to Alex Smith. Once that happened Davis caught 41 passes for 519 yards and 7 touchdowns over 6 games. Those were the type of numbers the Niners were expecting after drafting him with the sixth overall pick. This is something the Arizona Cardinals will have to worry about as they have not particularly been stellar against opposing team's tight ends.

Over the course of this season the Cardinals have given up over eight touchdowns to tight ends. This has been a problem for them the past few seasons and will be one the Niners will be sure to test against them on Monday night. In the seven games the Cardinals have matched up with Davis they have contained him pretty well holding him to just over 250 yards and 3 touchdowns. They haven't faced him since they changed to a spread offense however, so this will surely be a test for the Cardinals safeties as they will need to shut him down if they want to lock up the division. Thoughts?

Minnesota Vikings at Arizona Cardinals: Know Thy Enemy Edition.

Pyromnc — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:39:33 -0000

The past few seasons the Minnesota Vikings had been one of the better teams in the NFL. They had drafted, traded for, and signed such star players as defensive end Jared Allen, runningback Adrian Peterson, and guard Steve Hutchinson. These players are among the best at their positions in the league and helped the Vikings become a playoff team, but they still lacked the one player that could put them over the top. That player would end up being quarterback Brett Favre.

Everyone knew that the Vikings were just a quarterback away from becoming a very scary team, and that is exactly what they have become since signing Brett Favre. He has leaded this team to a record of 10-1 and has done it in a way that most people did not figure he would do. Most people thought he would have a decent season but not a season in which could be considered his best season ever. The gunslinger has made a reputation of winning games with his amazing touchdowns but he has also made a reputation of turning the ball over (He holds the league record for most interceptions ever). This season he has just three interceptions, after a season in which he had 22. He has never had a season in which he had less than 13 interception, this year he is on pace to have just four. To go along with those three interceptions he has 24 touchdowns (8:1 touchdown to interception ratio), he had 22 all of last year. He is also on pace to have 35 touchdowns, he has not thrown that many touchdowns in 12 seasons. Based on how Favre as played this season and then add in Peterson, the Arizona Cardinals will have their hands full.

Last time the Cardinals faced a Brett Favre team, he owned them. He completed 24 of 34 passes (70.6 completion percentage) for 289 yards and 6 touchdowns. This has got to be a huge motivation for the Cardinals to try and stop Favre in this game on Sunday night. In order for them to get their revenge for what he did to them last season they will have to get pressure on him. Darnell Dockett has had a nice string of games of where he has compiled six total sack, and he will have to continue that in this game. If they can get pressure on him, it will make it easier for the secondary to cover his receivers and thus giving the offense a chance to keep this game close. Can the Cardinals contain the Vikings offense? Why or why not?

Arizona Defense Faulters on Final Drive as Tennessee Wins 20-17

Pyromnc — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:06:26 -0000

The title says it at all as the Tennessee Titans would need every second to win this game. The Arizona Cardinals offense was not as good but that was because Kurt Warner sat out this game despite practicing all week. This would mean Matt Leinart would be getting his first start since 2007 when he got hurt against the St. Louis Rams. With Leinart getting the start, with virtually no practice time, the defense and run game would need to step up and help win this game. The run game was almost nonexistent and the defense did not play well when they needed to the most.

The Good

Matt Leinart was much better than most will give him credit for. He did start this game off pretty slow and some of his passes lacked some zip, but he would start to show some life in the second quarter. Through the first quarter and a half Leinart would complete just three of his nine passes (33.3 completion percentage) for 27 yards. For the rest of the game he would complete 18 of 22 passes (81.8 completion percentage) for 193 yards. Clearly he was rusty in the beginning of the game but after a few passes he helped this team move down the field. He would only help lead the team to one touchdown and one field goal but key drives would be held up because of penalties or dropped passes. Overall, Leinart had a pretty good performance despite having just ten percent of the practice reps during the week.

Tim Hightower also had a pretty decent game even though he did not get many touches. Hightower had 55 rushing yards on 11 carries (5 yards per carry) and the team's lone touchdown on offense. This can be added to one of his good performances he has had over the last four weeks compiling 279 rushing yards on 50 carries (5.6 yards per carry). He has also had 11 catches that went for 60 yards. Hightower has been overlooked this season because of rookie running back Beanie Wells but if you look at him run he is a very good back.

Special teams had another very good week as they continue to do everything right. The biggest spotlight has be put on LaRod Stephens-Howling. He not only returned his first regular season kick return for a touchdown he also helped in pinning the opposition deep in the own territory on punts by Ben Graham. LSH has had a solid season on special team and in my opinion should go to the pro bowl as a special teamer. Graham also continued his great season as the Cards punter by having five of his six punt pin the Titans inside their own 20. He also averaged 48 yards per punt, his longest being a 64 yarder.

Darnell Docket would have seemed to start the season off very slowly, as he had just one sack in his first seven games. This would be misleading as he was getting constant pressure on opposing quarterbacks but was coming up short of the sack. This has changed however as he has had six sacks over his last four games. Three of those six sacks came against the Titans. He was consistently making big plays against them. The Cards will need him to continue to do so the next few weeks with big games against the 49ers and Vikings.

The Bad

The defense played well enough to win most games they play but this game was different. The offense was missing the key player that has made them among the best in football, Kurt Warner. That meant the defense was going to have to step up and play well. For the most part they did play well, except for when it mattered the most. The defense would allow the Titans with, just around two and a half minutes to go, to drive 99 yards down the field and score the winning touchdown. The biggest problem surrounding the comeback was the fact that they allowed them to convert 3-3 fourth downs. Can't really get mad at them if they allow just one of those to be converted but to allow three conversions on one drive? That is just sloppy and cannot happen, especially when you're trying to get the division locked up.

Beanie Wells had been rolling along the past few weeks looking unstoppable; he looked anything but unstoppable in this game. Beanie had just 20 yards on eight carries (2.5 yards per carry) and to top it off had another fumble on a botched pitch. These games will be expected, especially in a rookie season and is ultimately why he was not in the ugly section.

Overall, the Cards pretty well even though they lost. The only thing they really did wrong in this game was the fact that they could not stop the Titans on any of their fourth down conversions. Hopefully they can rebound against the 10-1 Minnesota Vikings next week. Thoughts?

Multiple sources report Kurt Warner not feeling well, Leinart to start.

Pyromnc — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:58:19 -0000

Multiple sources report Kurt Warner not feeling well, Leinart to start.

KTAR Texts

Arizona Cardinals at Tennessee Titans: Know Thy Enemy Edition

Pyromnc — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:01:23 -0000

After a season in which the Tennessee Titans started 10-0, they weren't able to duplicate that start for the 2009 season. They started this season off by going 0-6 and have not played well in any of those contests. Since that awful start, they made a change at quarterback by starting Vince Young instead of Kerry Collins. Ever since that move they have won four straight to make their record 4-6. Even though Young has played pretty decent since becoming the starter, he has not been the player that has carried this team, as that player would be running back Chris Johnson.

Johnson was a first round draft pick last season and was brought in to compete with LenDale White for the starting job. These two backs would not only compete with each other but become quite possibly the best running back duo in the NFL last season. Both runningbacks would combine for a total of 2277 yards and 25 touchdowns. Those are big numbers for a pair of runningbacks but this season has been different. Johnson has had an amazing season leading the league in rushing yards with 1242 over 10 games (124.2 yards per game) and 262 receiving yards. He has also has eight rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. White has seen his playing time dwindle to almost nothing compared to last season getting just 63 touches that have gone for 220 total yards and two touchdowns. Johnson is clearly the back to worry about in this game.

For Johnson, he has never faced the Arizona Cardinals but that does not mean he will not play well against them. All he has to do is look at a similar running back in DeAngello Williams, who has had some solid games against the Cardinals. In Williams career he has played four games against the Cardinals. In those four games he has had 445 rushing yards on 62 carries (7.2 yards per carry average) and two touchdowns. Johnson will want to study some of those games to see how Williams ran all over the Cards and try to duplicate or better those numbers.

As for the Cardinals, their defense will have to play some of the best run defense they have had to play. They will be counting on safety Adrian Wilson, inside-linebacker Gerald Hayes, and inside-linebacker Karlos Dansby to stop Johnson. They will not have to necessarily stop him from getting over 100 yards rushing but they will need to make sure he does not break a long run, which he has done a lot of this season, or get any touchdowns. If they can do that than the Cards should have a good chance at winning this game. Can the Cardinals stop Chris Johnson from running all over them?

Rookie Linebacker Will Davis to Miss the Next 4-6 Weeks

Pyromnc — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:57:18 -0000

Rookie Linebacker Will Davis to Miss the Next 4-6 Weeks

He has had knee problems this season but for the most part has played through it. Now that knee problem has turned into a torn meniscus. He's already had surgery on the knee and is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks.

Leinart's MMA Workout with Jay Glazer in the Offseason

Pyromnc — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:13:45 -0000

Leinart's MMA Workout with Jay Glazer in the Offseason

This article goes into more depth of what Matt Leinart had to do during his MMA training over the offseason.. We saw a little bit of this toughness show in the St. Louis game when he shook off a defender and threw a bullet to Early Doucet.

Jay Glazer's thoughts on Leinart: "The Matt Leinart I knew was some prissy pretty boy who I would love to have fought in two seconds," he says. "But he's not the same Matt Leinart."

The 49er's Patrick Willis also did these workouts to toughen him self up, like he needed to get any tougher.

Very interesting article.

Vote for Beanie

Pyromnc — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:49:17 -0000

Vote for Beanie

Beanie is once again up for the Rookie of the Week award. He has some stiff competition with Matthew Stafford throwing for five touchdowns and Mohamed Massaquoi having a big receiving day going over a hundred yards receiving and one touchdown.

Arizona Cardinals Emerge on Top 21-13 Despite Rough Second Half Against the St. Louis Rams

Pyromnc — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:10:18 -0000

The Arizona Cardinals discovered a little bit more about Matt Leinart in Sunday's win against the St. Louis Rams. It wasn't because Arizona was blowing out the Rams, but because Kurt Warnercame out after getting a big blow to the head in the first half. Warner would be alright and would end up on the sidelines the remainder of the game, but coach Whisenhunt didn't want to take any chances. Luckily for the Cardinals, all of this happened after Warner led them to three touchdown drives.

The Good

The passing game was good despite not having Kurt Warner in the second half. Warner completed 15/19 passes (78.9 completion percentage) for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He would end up leaving because St. Louis's safety Oshiomogho Atogwe slammed Warner's head to the turf. This meant Matt Leinart would get a chance to prove he is the future of this team. Leinart looked rusty in the beginning but started to show signs that he could be a decent quarterback towards the end of the game. Despite the rustiness he would complete 10/14 passes (71.4 completion percentage) for 74 yards and no touchdowns. Overall, Leinart wasn't that bad considering he hasn't had much playing time this season.

Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells continue to run very well against the opposition as they racked up 184 yards in Sunday's game. Hightower had the better game of the two rushing for 110 yards on 14 carries (7.9 yards per carry). This would be the first 100 yard rusher Arizona has had all season. Beanie also got 14 carries which went for 74 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and 1 touchdown. Both running backs were explosive and dragged defenders as they ran for extra yardage. The one blip was a lost fumble by Beanie on the opening drive, although it was credited to Warner. If they can continue this week in and week out, the Cards will be among the best teams in the league.

The defense also had a nice game even though they had a rough second half. They would allow just a field goal in the first half and contained Steven Jackson pretty well as he had not passed the 50 yard mark yet. In the second half though, the Rams offense would make adjustments to the Cardinals defense. Jackson came out and broke off a 44 yard run and also broke the 100 yard rushing mark.. This is something he has never done against a Arizona defense in his career. They would also convert three fourth downs on one drive that would end in them scoring their lone touchdown. Despite all of this, the defense stepped up and made the plays needed to win the game. The key play was Darnell Docket's sack on the final drive that really shook up Marc Bulger. After that sack he missed wide open receivers on multiple downs, allowing Arizona to force the turnover on downs. Even though the defense can be very inconsistent, they play well enough for Arizona to win every week.

Special teams continues to do their part. This week they had good coverage on returns allowing a nine yard average on punt returns and 30 yards on kick returns. They also helped punter Ben Graham pin the Rams inside their own 20. Speaking of Ben Graham, he continues to make a bid to become a pro bowl punter. He had two more punts inside the 20 on Sunday, which he leads the NFC in. LaRod Stephens-Howling also had a decent day on kick returns as he averaged 22 yards per return. This unit continues to be a strength of the team.

The Bad

Holding penalties continue to hurt this team. Every week they have one of those penalties that brings back a big play. This week's play would have been a 16 yard rush by Beanie Wells. Instead it was a 10 yard holding penalty on fullback Dan Kreider. These are starting to get ridiculous and must stop.

Michael Adams had a tough day trying to defend St Louis receivers. Adams came in to replace Bryant McFadden, who suffered a knee injury early in the game. Adams at times would play back allowing St. Louis to complete quick passes. The one obvious one went to Randy McMichael, who would turn it into a first down. Adams did not allow a touchdown but he did allow too many completions and it showed why he is the fourth string defensive back.

There really was not much bad about this game with the exception Kurt Warner having to come out early. You could point out that we did not score at all in the second half but this is almost certainly because Warner came out. Next week will be a big game on the road against the Tennessee Titans, who have won three straight and play the Houston Texans tonight. What did you think of this game?

Okeafor out for St Louis Game.

Pyromnc — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:12:08 -0000

Okeafor out for St Louis Game.

Outside linebacker Chike Okeafor has been battling a back injury the past few weeks had not practiced at all this week. Most of the players that were on the injury list at least got some practice in and are expected to play.