Arizona Cardinals Lose to Jets 56-35: Who is to Blame?
Obviously when you get your doors blown off, there's plenty of blame to go around and this game was no exception for the Arizona Cardinals. It's easy to sit here the day after an embarrassing loss and point fingers but there's no sense in patting anyone on the back either. Here are the biggest culprits from Sunday's debacle
against the Jets.
Kurt Warner: He had to be on the top of this list considering that he ended the game with six turnovers that led to 27 points for the Jets. Not only did Warner prevent his offense from getting into any kind of a rythm, he also put the defense in a no-win situaton time after time. During the second quarter, Warner and the offense had the ball for five drives totaling 34 yards and resulted in two interceptions, two fumbles and one punt. He did come out on fire in the second half leading the offense to touchdowns on five straight drives but there's a reason that teams don't come back from 34 point deficit's very often. Warner may have redeemed him self a bit by having a huge second half but he also proved that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. All of the emphasis on protecting the ball didn't do a bit of good when the heat was turned up.
Levi Brown: Brown is looking more and more like a guy who just doesn't get it and it's just painful to watch him continue to struggle against any pass rusher with a quick first step. He was responsible for several of the hits and fumbles on Warner and I don't understand why the coaching staff doesn't realize that he needs help. It hamstrings an offense when they have to commit a running back or tight end to help an offensive tackle, but that's the only way that Brown can handle speed rushers. I hate jumping on a guy who still only have 15 career starts but he wasn't drafted to be an average player (and that's being generous).
Entire Secondary: The secondary took it's first blow before the game even started when they found out that Adrian Wilson wouldn't be able to play and they never recovered. By the time it was over Favre had a career day throwing for six touchdowns and completing over 70% of his passes. He had four passes over 2
0 yards, ending the day with 8.5 yards per attempt and a QB rating of 123.7. The secondary wasn't helped out by a non-existent pass rush and they got even more short handed when Eric Green missed some time with a knee sprain, but I can't remember the last time that I saw so many receivers running around wide open.
Coaching Staff: I'm one of the biggest Whiz supporters around but I'm dumbfounded about how this team can continue to look completely pathetic on the road. My biggest beef though is with defensive coordinator, Clancy Pendergast. After seeing the defense play fast and loose in San Francisco, we've seen three games in a row of a conservative, "please don't beat us deep" approach. They generated very little pass rush and given how vulnerable the secondary looked, they could have benefitted from a rusher in Favre's face. Penalties continue to be a big problem as well and so many of them are just sloppy, lack of concentration plays.
I wish I could put some kind of spin on this game or some lipstick on this pig but I just can't do it, at least not today. Maybe tomorrow we can talk about the few things that went right but for now all I see is a bad loss. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? Who else deserves to be on this list?
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Brown
I always end up saying this, but Levi Brown is not a “left tackle”, he’s a right tackle by skill set. If we’re going to go with the geriatric QB and not the POTENTIAL long-term QB, then help needs to be given to Brown.
I almost wonder if it’s known that Warner has fumbling issues (wearing of gloves) and it’s a crappy, wet day, would it be crazy to start Leinart, but have a quick hook? Just a thought, I’m well aware of what planning would have to go into that, just a thought.
As for the secondary/Pendergast, I think it’s a given that the DB’s are not the Cards’ strong point, so when the best player is out, it has a profound effect, mentally and physically.
by KDean75 on Sep 29, 2008 1:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs
well Levi Brown is the RT
When Leinart is the QB though the RT is the more important tackle b/c Leinart’s a lefty.
Interesting thought about starting Leinart though and I wouldn’t put it past Whiz.
by cgolden on Sep 29, 2008 2:13 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
From what I understand
Warner had a jammed thumb or something like that after he fumbles the first time, which may have been the main factor to his fumbleitis. Nothing can be said about his pick 6 to Revis, but just the fumbles.
If that was the case, why not put in Leinart? Is he that deep in boiling water that they don’t trust him in a game they were never in?
Signature? SIGNATURE?! Don't talk about SIGNATURE! I just hope I can write a sentence!
by SSreporters on Sep 29, 2008 2:11 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs
where did you hear that?
I haven’t heard or read that anywhere, do you have a link?
If he was really hurt, I does make me wonder why they didn’t give Leinart a look.
by cgolden on Sep 29, 2008 2:14 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
It was on Sportsline's GLOG section.
Signature? SIGNATURE?! Don't talk about SIGNATURE! I just hope I can write a sentence!
by SSreporters on Sep 29, 2008 2:51 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
He jammed his finger on the first or second drive...
that I saw during the game but that is no excuse for the turnovers he caused. Given, he did get rocked all day and when your playing a 2 and 3 man rush that is still getting to the QB you should probably start thinking about whose heads are going to roll. No excuse either for Brown. I know from experience that it should not take 8 games into a season to adjust to playing an opposite side of the line. Tackle is Tackle, and if you have the athleticism to play it you should transition from LT to RT. I also noticed however that a few of the sack\fumbles that happened Warner did not even attempt to step up into the pocket to prevent that from happening. Part of being a tackle is having a QB with the vision to feel pressure from the outside and adjusting to it, inexcusable for a vet. I also know what tackified gloves feel like when they are wet, and it’s the exact opposite than when there dry. They become extra slick and Warner probably should have axed them for the game. I completely agree with the way our defensive game planning has been terrible ever since the 49ers game. Why go after all the dline and LB depth in free agency if you’re not going to use them effectively. Open up the blitz and force them to beat us instead of "playing not to lose". I could go on more but I’m going to save the extremely long wind post for now.
by boogatt66 on Sep 29, 2008 2:44 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs
good stuff
I never wore gloves during my playing days (limited to high school of course) so I wasn’t sure how they held up in the rain.
by cgolden on Sep 30, 2008 5:32 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs
Same 'ol Cards...mostly
Poor weather and the Cardinals have never mixed well, so when I heard that it was going to be wet this weekend in NY I was pretty worried. Yet I was able to minimize my fears by convincing myself they’ve practiced in that weather while holed up in Virginia/DC. Clearly, I’m delusional.
This was a “classic” steaming heap of feces the Cardinals splattered all over Giants’ Stadium at the Meadowlands. They seemed to be going well then shot themselves in a foot, repeatedly, until the were walking on a bloody stump by halftime. Where they depart somewhat from that classic Cards template is they actually put up a fight in the second half, making it “close” at 13 points down, before they returned to shooting the other foot off. ::sigh::
The whole frakking team deserves the blame. All of them. Even the practice squad guys. The people that cooked their meals. The families that raised them. BAD people, BAD, BAD, BAD! No biscuit! The whole team seemed to give up at times, as if every Favre “gimme” TD pass was a direct kick to the crotch. One player (Eric Green?) was quoted as wanting to be done with this game and back on the airplane. WTF? Finish the game with the same intensity you started the game! That’s the “culture” that Coach Whiz was supposed to change…as was Green, as was McGinnis, as was etc. etc. etc.
Explosive diarrhea happens and sometimes you shit yourself on the way to the toilet. You clean yourself up and get on with your life. The Cards shit themselves like I haven’t seen in a long time (48-0 spanking by Seattle at home in ‘02 maybe?). I have faith in the staff and (most of) the players to clean themselves up and move forward wiser for the experience. If not, well, what’s the over/under on the week we start talking about “next year” again?
We all leave footprints in the sands of time, just watch out for the discarded fish hooks!
by Hawkwind on Sep 29, 2008 3:45 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs
Green and Brown are my culprits
Brown couldn’t block anyone and Green couldn’t defend anyone. Did my granny just score on Green again. Yeah ’cause my 18 month old daughter just blew passed Brown for the sack and caused a fumble. Bret is still on fire after this one. Maybe we should just get away from the players with last names of colors. Anyways, go RED!! Oops, I mean Cards.
by hevchv on Sep 29, 2008 4:03 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs
You died on a Sunday morning...
and I had my Cardinals coaster placed here under my beer. I had that old house of Denny Green’s burned to the ground. Momma always said, dyin’ was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn’t.
by badmatty53 on Sep 30, 2008 9:52 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs

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