Why are the Cardinals so bad?

[snepp]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aggies7

The Lions are a great example of that. Ask Matt Millen about building around WR's and Joey Harrington

I think Millen's philosophy is working beautifully.

[andayaman]

On the offensive side of the ball, it's Whiz who handcuffs these guys. It's his failure to use what works. Leinart struggled with the Whiz's base offense, while Warner flourished with the no huddle since he was calling his own plays. Leinart went from a decent season last year, to looking completely lost this year. As soon as Leinart went down, Warner was forced to run the Whiz's base offense for some unknown reason. It really didn't make sense since Warner was so successful running the no huddle.

Today Warner continues to run the base offense. MOST base offense drives gain no more than fifty yards. You'll see Edge run it up the gut for 1-2 yards, sometimes less, on 1st and 2nd, and then Kurt has to try to convert 3rd and long. Since opposing teams play pass on 3rd and long, it usually doesn't happen. Rarely will you see a TD score during a base offense drive, and on top of that T.O.P. averages around 2-3 minutes.

On the other hand MOST no huddle drives usually go 70+ yard, run 6 minutes+ off T.O.P, and usually get points, most of them TD's. That has been the case all season long. In this last game against the Hawks, 2 of the 3 Cardinal TD's came in the no huddle. The base offense TD drive was on a short field of 26 yards. The problem is Whiz won't go no huddle until the team is down by 28 points. It's not rocket science. If you team excells at moving the ball in a certain way, why the hell would you even think of making them run it another way? Oh well, what can you do.

By the way the running game, receivers or O-line are never an issue when these guys are running the no huddle and Whiz is NOT calling the plays.

[SportsorDeath]

Call me crazy, but I actually think the Cards are headed in the right direction for the first time in a long time. Matt Leinart is going to be a big question mark going foward, but they are getting pieces in place.

[southside_hitmen]

Quote: Originally Posted by fugazi

Just today, over lunch, my friend said "everyone has talent at the skill positions. You have to have a good line." Simple, yet so true... We were talking about my opinion that the Run and Shoot has basically developed into a standard mode of offense from what was once usually considered a less-than-credible scheme. We argued as to whether or not the Spread was a version of the RnS.

Are you talking about the specific scheme? Or throwing the ball first in general?

No one in the NFL runs the shoot right now as a base scheme. A couple of teams use the concepts a little bit though. If anything, I would say the NFL more closely resembles the West Coast Offense/Air Raid and ball control passing as opposed to the RnS. Everyone runs basically the same thing on offense; Zone blocking run game and WCO passing schemes. The NFL is actually very boring for me to watch because of this. I watch the NFL for talent, but the college game for schemes.

Those teams that do throw a bunch (Patriots) basically take the Air Raid approach of using a ball-control passing game and screens as a substitute to their run game. Air Raid is basically the WCO on steroids where the QB makes the majority of the reads, while the RnS traditionally refers to a 4 wide double slot attack that uses motion, pre and post-snap reads by the QB's AND WR's, and very few basic concepts against defenses that must be identified and adjusted to. As far as offenses go, the Air Raid is easier to execute because only the QB is making reads, while in the RnS both the QB and WR make the reads.

Now, that is not to say that some NFL teams don't use a couple of RnS concepts such as a WR reading the deep 1/3 for a WR's route, but no one in the NFL has gone wholesale to the 'shoot since the Oilers/Falcons/Lions days of the early to mid 90's. Most of it is grounded in the WCO and Air Raid. In fact, if you look at some old 49er or BYU film and compare it to the NFL teams or Texas Tech/New Mexico State film of today, you will see many of the same route concepts, just out of different formations.

[southside_hitmen]

Quote: Originally Posted by SportsorDeath

Call me crazy, but I actually think the Cards are headed in the right direction for the first time in a long time. Matt Leinart is going to be a big question mark going foward, but they are getting pieces in place.

I totally agree. Their skill guys are on par with just about anyone. It is their complete missfires on O-linemen that have cost them. It seemed as if the only requisite to tplay O-Line for the Cards has been to be big (325+) in the past. Obviously, there is much more to playing line than this and the new coaches have their work cut out for them in fixing this problem.

[oakfan162]

Quote: Originally Posted by Leahmic223

Sorry sorry...it just never gets old...

lol. Good post, but I think you owe Dennis Greene $10 now.

[sammyc521]

Quote: Originally Posted by andayaman

In this last game against the Hawks, 2 of the 3 Cardinal TD's came in the no huddle. The base offense TD drive was on a short field of 26 yards.

The Cards were already down 0-24 before they scored in the last minute of the first half (the base offense).

One of the TDs was just great concentration on what would have normally been a dropped pass.

[BigDofBA]

Quote: Originally Posted by SportsorDeath

Call me crazy, but I actually think the Cards are headed in the right direction for the first time in a long time. Matt Leinart is going to be a big question mark going foward, but they are getting pieces in place.

Agreed. I think they wasted too much money on Edge though.

I think Leinart will be good in time.