Thoughts on Max Hall Starting

I must say I’m absolutely thrilled we made the change at quarterback.  I’m ready for the Max Hall era to begin in Arizona.  Maybe it will fizzle out.  I remember being excited for the Matt Leinart era to begin as well as the Josh McCown era too, so I may not be a good judge.  Whiz has proven to be a good judge though, and it got very hard to watch a game with DA.  Whiz said DA was pressing and trying to be perfect and that makes sense to me.  DA did make some big plays for us to get us to 2-2, but we really needed to make the change.  He just couldn't get a rhythm going, so we might as well see what we have with the kid. 

Why am I so excited about Max Hall?  He’s smart, he’s tough, he shows passion, he’s accurate, and he believes in himself.  He has everything you look for in a quarterback but the height.  Drew Brees is short too, and he just won a Super Bowl.  He is going to have his struggles for sure as a rookie, but I think he brings an instant upgrade.  The biggest problem is he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. His biggest advantage is that he's learning from Whiz. He comes from an NFL pedigree.  His Grandpa Wilford White played running back for the Bears, and his uncle was Danny White, the famous Cowboy quarterback.   

It’s too bad his first start is against Gregg Williams of New Orleans who is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league.  He is going to have to face some of the craziest blitzes and schemes that he’ll have to face all year.  We also don't know if Early Doucet or Stevie B will be back.  We can’t judge him on this game if he does poorly, but if he does well against Williams then that is a great sign.  If he can pull out a win against the Saints then I'm thinking Super Bowl as a rookie.  If he struggles I will still think anything is possible. 

It really doesn’t matter how he does if the defense doesn’t finally stand up and stop the other team from running the football.  It would be a waste for Kurt to come back with a defense that gives up 40 points against good teams.  They really have to get it together, so hopefully we can do that this week against the Saints.  They are the defending Super Bowl Champs, but I expect the Birdgang to have a shot against every team we play. 

Ideas to Fix the Defense

Moving On

I don't even want to talk about that last game.  This team is not in trouble yet, and we have too much talent to worry just yet.  We can still win the division and get it together by the playoffs.  We are still tied for first place right now, even after that debacle.  We have a lot of injuries right now and we need to make some scheme changes.  If you have read this blog before you will know that I have a lot of faith in Whiz.  I don’t have a lot of faith in Billy Davis though, and he has given me no reason to have any faith in him yet.  We have given up 40+ points in 4 of our last 6 games including last year’s 2 playoff games, because of that I have some tips for him from what I've seen.  Hopefully, this gets into the right hands, because I really think its what we need to do on defense to help the team.     

Defensive Suggestions

The problem with our defense isn’t the players, it’s the scheme.  We have a lot of talented players that aren’t being used in the right places.  Our talent isn’t suited to run a 3-4 base defense, especially without Gerald Hayes.  We need to install a 4-3 base scheme.  That’s where we are loaded on talent.  We are really deep on our d-line and not so deep at linebacker.  If Billy Davis doesn’t adjust his scheme to fit the talent he has he should be fired.  A good coach has to adjust the scheme to the talent he has, and not try to force the talent he has to play his scheme. We play the Saints next and then we have a bye, so we have a lot of time to work on the new base scheme and get it going for the rest of the season. It's not too late to make a change in the first week of October when you are 2-2.

Why we can’t run a 3-4

I hate to be negative, but we are missing the linebackers to stop the run in a 3-4.  We are missing our former captain Gerald Hayes and Dansby who were our 2 inside backers last year.  Hayes is out from injury and he is our strong side inside backer and our run stuffer.  Since we are missing Hayes, Paris Lenon has to play that spot, but he was really brought in to be the weak side inside backer to replace Dansby.  He is doing an admirable job, but he’s a fish out of water over there and it’s not capitalizing on the talent we have.  Daryl Washington was forced into the lineup early to fill that weak side spot, and while he can run as fast as the wind, he is having trouble shedding blocks like the scouting report said.  Joey Porter is more of a pass rush specialist on the outside then an every down outsider backer, and he is having trouble stopping the run.  That’s too many holes in our front 7 to stop the run.  If you can’t stop the run then the offense is going to have a lot of 3rd and shorts, and that’s the last place the defense wants to be. 

Why we should run a 4-3

We are loaded on our d-line, and we need to take advantage of it.  We are stacked and we should be getting more of them on the field than we are.  We all know about Dockett and Campbell, but our two backup defensive ends, Kenny Iwebema and Alan Branch, could be starting on any other team in the league.  The problem is they have Dockett and Campbell in front of them for playing time.  If we move to a 4-3 we can get one of them on the field at left end, and we can move Dockett to under tackle which he is more suited to play.  At that spot he is right next to Big Gabe Watson or the rookie Dan Williams, and they eat up blockers for him.  Dockett would probably be the best under tackle in the NFL right now if they played him there.  The role of that job is to penetrate and that’s what he does best.  It’s why Albert Haynesworth was so angry about moving to tackle in a 3-4 from under tackle in a 4-3, the tackle in a 3-4’s job is to eat up blocks which is a waste of Albert Haynesworth’s talent and not what he wanted to do. 

Teams would have a hell of a time running on us with a front four of Calais, Big Gabe, Dock, and Branch or Iwebema; and that's without even bringing the linebackers into it.  Those 5 can eat up 6-7 blockers on every down.  Then Daryl Washington isn’t going to have to be shedding blocks from pulling guards and his speed can be utilized as the weak side backer.  He can cover a lot of ground and help in coverage, and that would be the best way to utilize his talent.  Paris can play middle and Haggans can man the other outside.  This needs to be our base scheme to best utilize our talent.  Then we can put Joey in on nickel and dime packages to get to the quarterback and that is capitalizing on his talent.    

That is the best way to utilize all of the talent this team has.  If Billy Davis can’t figure that out then Whiz needs to get rid of him and bring in someone who can.  Maybe Billy has another idea, but if we continue to give up 40 points a game he shouldn't last as the defensive coordinator.  It's tough to give up 40 points a game a win, especially without Warner.  A good coach utilizes the talent that he has, and he builds the scheme around that.  He doesn’t force his scheme on to the players.  That is what Whiz did on offense when he came to Arizona.  Everyone knew he preferred a power running scheme, but he adjusted his scheme around Warner and all of the receivers that we had.  That is what a good coach does, so that is what we better do on defense soon.  Otherwise it’s going to be a long season watching teams run all over us. 

No Need To Panic     

There is no need to panic yet as fans.  We are 2-2 and tied for first place, and we have a lot of talent on this team.  We just need to utilize it right.  We have the Saints and then we have the bye, and after the bye we should get Early and Stevie B back from injury.  We may even get Hayes back as well.  The next 12 games are yet to be played, and the football season is a marathon and not a sprint. The Pats went 16-0 and the Colts could have if they didn't bench the starters, and neither team won the Super Bowl. 

A Win is a Win

Cardinals Vs Raiders Game Thoughts
It doesn't really matter how that game ended, because the Arizona Cardinals are now 2-1 and tied for 1st place in the division.  I somewhat buy into the conspiracy theory that Sebastian Janikowski was on the take from the mob and had to miss that field goal because of a bet.  This is the kicker that got caught with ecstasy, got a dui, and got into a fight.  If any kickers are taking money to lose games the smart money would be on him.  He is also the guy who can boot it in from 60+ yards.  I can make a 32 yard field goal 2 out of 5 times and I'm not a kicker or in shape, and he is going to shank it that bad?  Regardless of how we won we still won.  We outplayed the Raiders overall for most of the game and deserved to win.  If it wasn't for 2 punt muffs it wouldn't have even been close.  I'm thrilled we came out with the W because there is a big difference between 2-1 and 1-2. 

Standard DA Encouragement/Criticism
We really need to see some improvement in DA, and I hope Whiz has him on a short leash this week.  He just has to get more accurate and stop leaving huge plays on the field.  I saw Josh McCown's stat line last night of 22-25, and you have got to wonder if he is really that much worse than DA.  McCown wasn't very good, but right now I have him rated above DA and that's kind of sad.  DA has to step up this week against San Diego for us to win, and I hope he does. 

Stevie B
It was very sad to hear the news Stevie B is out for the next few weeks.  We just have to manage through the bye until everyone is healthy.  It is a good thing we are 2-1.  We have the Chargers and Saints the next two weeks until we can rest up, so I imagine it's going to be tough to win those games without our #2 and #3 receiver.  Breaston is a huge loss and we are already down Doucet.  We are now running with Fitz and 3 rookies at receiver the next two weeks, so hopefully one of the rookies steps up big time. 

Bird Gang vs Raider Nation

What I want to see on Sunday

Raider Nation is coming to town this weekend.  I want to see them leave bruised up and wishing they never came.  Our D better unload on them and show everyone who they really are.  I also want to see "the Red Sea rise up", as Wolfley says, for the home opener.  I'll be there, and the rest of the Cards fans better represent for the first game.  I'm hoping too many Cardinals fans didn't sell their tickets for the cash.  Raider fan is one of the worst kinds of fans to host in your stadium.  After we kick their ass they will probably be picking fights. 

What I want to see on Defense

Per Kent Somers the defense held a players only meeting on Wednesday.  A-Dub wouldn't talk about it because he was so angry.  That's actually good news to me.  It sounds like the Bird Gang is fired up.  Adrian Wilson is the last person you want to piss off.  I feel bad for the Raiders. 

I want to see some of the new guys step up this weekend.  The first one I want to see step up is Joey Porter.  I love the leadership he brings off the field, but he's got to start bringing it on the field too.  I'm seeing Calais, Dock, and Haggans all bring the pressure in the first two games, but I haven't seen Joey bring it so far this year.  Getting to the quarterback is the whole reason we brought him in here. 

Speaking of nosetackle, I'm really hoping they put big Gabe Watson in this week.  I'm glad we drafted Dan Williams in the first round and kept B-Rob, but big Gabe was the best damn nosetackle I saw in the preseason.  He was bringing the heat on every rep he got, and Billy Davis hasn't activated him at all in the first two games.  I would think Billy would want that third nosetackle for the rotation, especially with the offense having trouble converting third downs.

If Joey can't step up and bring heat from the outside, then we should consider switching to a 4-3 because I think that will give us the best front seven.  We have 3 solid nosetackles, and we only have one outside linebacker playing well right now.  Paris is versatile enough to man the other outside spot in a 4-3, or we could move Daryl Washington out there as well.  Dansby played well outside in a 4-3.  Whiz always tries to put the 11 best guys on the field, so I would think that should apply to defense as well.

What I want to see on offense
This one is pretty obvious.  I want to see them convert a third down.  We need to sustain drives and keep the defense off the field.  That all starts at the quarterback position.  I want to see some improvement in DA.  He doesn't have to become Kurt Warner this weekend, but he does have to get better then he has been in the last two games.  He needs to stop throwing the ball in the dirt and give these receivers a chance. 

I also want to see them run all over this team.  Beanie is finally back and ready to go.  I can't believe he got his knee scoped and nobody knew about it.  He completes the three headed monster with Timmy and LSH. If we run the ball effectively then DA can't throw it into the ground.  Our O-Line is built to run block too.  Faneca may be out this weekend, but Rex Hadnot will fill in just fine.  He's a mauler and I kind of want to see him in game action. 

Fitz may have trouble because Nmandi is arguably as good or better then the famous Revis island. He doesn't get as much national credit because he's not in New York.  Our other receivers should step up, or we should send Fitz all over the field.  It should be a great battle, and I'm looking forward to watching it.

Prediction

I think it is going to be 27-13 Cardinals over the Raiders.  The D is going to be fired up for the home opener and feed off the crowd.  I just hope DA doesn't go out there and completely blow it.  I may start some "we want Hall" chants in the 2nd half.  He may be young and not know everything but at least he has shown some accuracy.  Throwing the ball where you intend to throw it is a pretty important skill for a quarterback, so hopefully DA can start to do that. 

Birdgang vs Dirty Birds Rundown

A Game To Forget

I'm trying to forget that game but the team better not.  I needed a few days to digest that loss before I could write about it.  I didn’t want to come out and put the whole team on blast for a lackluster effort.  It was an ugly game for the offense and the defense.  I have to think some of it had to do with west coast teams travelling to the east coast for an early game.  Historically, that never works out well for the travelling team, but we can't make excuses for that pitiful effort.

The Defense

The defense was the most disappointing part of the game for me.  I was kind of expecting the offense to struggle.  The Falcons offense came out of the gate and wanted it more.  The non-stop penalties by the defense just killed them.  They couldn’t stop a drive and get off the field because everyone was getting flags thrown on them.  I'm glad Whiz said he was embarrassed, and I hope everyone on that defense felt the same way.  They are going to need to come out next week with a lot more fire and intensity.  It's a good thing we have the home crowd to cheer them on. 

While I have an undying trust in Whisenhunt, my trust in Billy Davis isn't quite there yet.  Maybe that has to do with giving up 40+ points in the last 3 games against good teams.  We are going to need to have Gabe Watson active and on the field on game days if they are going to continue to struggle against the run.  He is a beast in the middle, and I’m surprised he is the odd man out between B-Rob and the rookie.  By all accounts I’ve read he was training as hard as anyone and had a great camp.  Dockett even tweeted that Gabe was training with him and he was feeding him hot sauce and gunpowder.  If Joey Porter continues to struggle we may be better off in moving back to a 4-3 to fit the personnel we have. 

The Offense

What can you say about an offense that cannot convert a third down?  I can say that it was pathetic to watch.  I really hope Whiz, Mike Miller, and Chris Miller can do something with DA’s consistency.  I don’t understand how some throws can be so pretty and some so awful.  A lot of people are saying they couldn’t protect him, but they were blitzing a lot.  He has got to get the ball out quicker.  Kurt lived for the blitz like that, because he knew he would have an open man and could make them pay.  DA just has to get better.  When he has thrown the ball the first two games, it looks like someone shooting a gun with a curved barrel like the carnies have at the state fair.  You aren’t quite sure how to aim it, because you know its not going to go where you aim it.  You’re always close but never on target, and more times than not it looks ugly.  Sometimes you get a lucky shot in there and it will be right on target, but most of the time you miss badly.  If he can’t play better than he has so far, then winning a playoff game with him is going to be like winning a giant ass panda at Adventureland. 

What Are The Options

So what are the options?  It’s kind of like going to a cheap Vegas buffet, they don’t look good. 

The first option is just to continue working with DA.  He has a rifle for an arm.  He just needs to get more consistent.  Sometimes he makes some amazing throws.  He could use a little help from his receivers and offensive line as well.  He definitely deserves one more start against the Raiders, but if he doesn’t show improvement then it may be time to consider benching him. 

The second option is to go with the rookie and give Max Hall the start.  This becomes the only option if DA continues to throw the ball in the dirt.  Hall looked great in the preseason, but that was the preseason.  He needs a lot more time to learn the offense and the defensive fronts he will be seeing, but if DA can’t complete a pass on third down we have no choice.  Whiz may have to go with the rookie a lot earlier than he ever intended. 

The last option is to send Fitz, Dockett, and A-Dub to LA to bring Kurt home.  I watched him last night and he seems to enjoy the new challenge, but to me he looks like a fish out of water.  He looks much better when he is behind center where he belongs.  I would put this at a million to one, but as Lloyd Christmas would say, “You’re telling me there’s a chance.”  Yes I am, but it’s not a good one.  We as Cardinals fans may have to rally together to get Kurt voted off.  We may need to start a campaign of voting for anybody but Kurt, but I really hope it doesn’t come to that.  He may get voted off next week, but still not have any desire to make a comeback and play football.  It’s not like he is out sitting on a ranch mowing his yard like Favre.  He has a lot of things going on now.

Tough Spot

We are in a tough spot as Cards fans.  I know the fear that comes over us in remembering the dark times before Whiz got here, but because of him I’m not worried.  We can still win this division this year.  We have the talent to do so.  They just need to continue to get better every day.  Once we get Hayes and Doucet back from injury we will be much better, so we just need to make it to the bye week with a decent record.  We are lucky to have Whiz in charge, so I’m confident he will make the right call at the right time.  We may end up having one down year, but I know we will never go back to the losing ways we came from. 

In Whisenhunt We Trust,

Ozzy 

Catching Up

First Things First

My apologies for the lack of updates if there is anybody out there actually reading these posts and was waiting for the latest one.  I finally got the new Madden so all of my free time lately has been spent winning multiple Super Bowls with the Cardinals.  Whiz has gone and made it tough on us Cards fans in Madden this year.  Now we have to cut Leinart from the team, and DA only has a 67 ranking.  It's not easy, or that much fun getting to a Super Bowl in Madden with a QB that has a ranking of 67. 

There is a lot to cover since my last post. Here are a few things that I wanted to hit when they happened, but winning my 3 peating in Madden got in the way.   

Captains

A-Dub and Dock are the defensive captains and that just seems right.  It's nice to see Fitz grow into the leadership role on offense.  When he first came into the league he didn't do that.  He was more of a quiet guy in the background, but he has really grown into a leader in his time here.  I was surprised a little with the pick of Lyle to be the other captain.  That shows he must be really coming into his own.  Russ Grimm has seemed to love him since he got here, and if you're good in Russ' book you're good in mine.  Ben Graham and Jason Wright are great choices for special teams captains.  Graham is the best coffin corner punter in the league, and Wright is a workhorse all around. He even played a little fullback last year when we needed him too.  He may need to see some action carrying the ball if Timmy and Beanie continue to have fumbling problems. 

Rams Game Thoughts

We really should have beat the Rams by a lot more then we did.  We owned the trenches, and had a lot of opportunities on offense.  Our defense just kept making stop after stop.  We completely shut down Steven Jackson who is one of the better backs in the league.  That game gives me a lot of hope for the season, but it also terrifies me.  Our offense couldn't do anything, and that wasn't because of the Rams defense.  Everybody on this team is too good to let the quarterback cost us the division.  Our offensive line was opening huge holes.  LSH looked like a bad mother out there.  I want to see more of him.  We should have just kept giving him the ball and running behind Levi and Faneca.  That left side is pretty nasty on the run blocking. 

Quarterback Struggles

I have a lot of hope that DA can "get his mind right", but there is the chance he may not.  It was pretty frustrating watching an open Fitz have to dive all over the field to try to get to the ball.  I really hope it's just a lack of time together that caused it.  DA did make some pretty amazing throws in the game as well.  He has to get more consistent.  If he can't, something has to change.  Whiz is going to be left with 2 options.  The first option is he can go to the ABC studio and bring Kurt back to where he belongs.  I can picture Whiz walking on to the set like the ending of "An Officer and A Gentleman."  If you haven't seen it, its one hell of a movie and you should put it in your Netflix queue.  The other more realistic option is to go with the rookie.  I really hope DA gets it together and it doesn't come to that, but we can't watch the rest of this team dominate on Sundays and lose the game because the quarterback keeps throwing the ball in the dirt.  Whiz may have no choice but to go with the rookie, and I know he won't hesitate if he thinks it’s the right move. He’s the smart one though, not me, so I know he’ll make the right call at the right time.

 Game Balls From Sunday

• A-Dub gets the first game ball.  He was an absolute beast out there, and he deservedly won Defensive Player of the Week for it.  He dominated the game.  He blocked a field goal, got two picks, and a sack.  That is sick.  If he keeps dominating the way he did he should earn serious MVP consideration.  Mike Sando put him at 10 on his MVP watch, which is a pretty cool honor for a safety. 
• Stevie B gets the second game ball and it's a shame he can't get the first.  His fumble strip probably won us the game.  It was that big.  He just hustles, and as Money Mike said, "That's something backpack boys do.  They make big plays in big moments."  He also caught 7 balls for 132 yards.  If you forget Money Mike is the one who sacked Aaron Rodgers and caused the game winning fumble in the playoffs and a fellow backpack boy as Darren Urban wrote about here.
• Kerry Rhodes gets a game ball for that huge pick at the end of the game.  He ran out of steam in the return, but he took it back pretty far and made sure to hang on to the ball.  He looks like he is going to be one hell of an addition to the Bird Gang.  I think he is going to be an upgrade from Antrel in coverage. 
• Sendlein the new captain gets the next game ball for his hustle on that play.  He probably knew he couldn't catch him and make the tackle, but he still gave it his all and ended up being right there to grab the new fumble.
• LSH gets one for his little breakout game carrying the ball.  I hope to see more of him this year.  He's fast and elusive.  Barry Sanders was a little back too.  Now I'm not saying he's as good as Barry Sanders who was the greatest of my lifetime, but I am saying we don't have to limit his carries that much because he's small.  Barry was out there every down and he was great for a long time. 
• Calais gets the last game ball for his sack.  That got my fantasy team 2 points. 

That's all for now.

-Oz

Happy Trails

Time To Say Goodbye
After tonight the Matt Leinart era in Arizona is most likely coming to close.  It was a filled with a lot of hope, and a lot of disappointment.  If I was a gambling man I'd say that he is going to be a New York Football Giant in 24 hours.  I'm pretty sure he'll settle for that backup role now.  Just hopefully we can get something for him, and we don't have to just cut him.  We need old Al Davis to get involved and get in a bidding war.  Unless he really wants to start, then he can go play with Maurice Clarett in Omaha in the UFL.

How about Max Hall tonight?  That pretty much seals the deal.  He looks fantastic. He has fire and intensity and a damn good arm to boot.  Thank you Bronco Mendenhall for running a pro offense and getting this kid ready for us.  I'm sure Whiz feels pretty comfortable with Hall as his backup now, so that pretty much seals Matt's fate.

Anderson looked solid as well.  When he came here there was a lot of talk of fixing his mechanics and helping him with touch passes.  They didn't say he was poorly coached by the old Mangenius last year, but it seemed to be implied.  That would be something if Whiz cleans up his inconsistencies with proper mechanics, because he has a cannon and when he is on he is on. 

Apology To Whiz
Sorry for defending Leinart and saying I thought he should be the starting quarterback of this team.  You know much more then I do, and I should get some credit for never doubting you.  I'm stupid. You're smart. I was wrong. You were right. You're the best. I'm the worst. You're very good-looking. I'm not attractive. 

Now that I've said that, let's get this season started. 

In Whisenhunt We Trust,
Ozzy