Ifs...Buts...Candies...Nuts: Week 15

It's time again for the weekly segment dedicated to thoughts, questions, and oddball ideas that come to mind while watching and reading about the Arizona Cardinals.  While ROTB does a fantastic job of covering the main focal points surrounding the Cardinals, I often find myself festering upon ideas that have somehow wormed their way into my brain but haven't been mentioned.  So, in hopes of receiving feedback on these ideas, let's dive right in!

IFs:  The game against Detroit brought to mind a few different "if topics."  So, rather than just stick to one, I'm going to cover a few of them.

If Bridges is able to continue improving at left tackle, will we be able to shift the focus of our draft away from offensive line and towards strengthening other positions?  Personally, I think Bridges is already effective enough to start for the Cardinals and, with steady improvement, I don't see the need to focus on drafting a tackle.  Rather, we are in a dangerous situation in the off-season in regards to contract negotiations.  We may end up losing several key players.  Now, while I know that is highly unlikely, it is likely that we'll lose at least one or two of them.  Dansby is on that list, and quite possibly at the top.  Also, please be aware that Chike Okeafor is a free agent at the end of the year.  We could potentially lose both Dansby and Okeafor.  I know Chike is aging and has back issues but he is still an effective linebacker and, with the lack of options in free agency, he's someone I'd love to keep for a year or two.  However, how nice would it be for the Cardinals to not have to worry about focusing on the offensive line and spend top draft picks on, say, a lineback or maybe go after a shutdown corner.  This is a big IF, but I think perhaps we have decent enough depth along the offensive line to possibly pick up maybe one more lineman in free agency and focus our draft towards other key positions.

If the Cardinals can't blow out an obviously inferior Detroit team, how do they plan on making a playoff run once they're facing quality teams?  Honestly, I included this question because it was asked to me by both a Detroit fan and a Dolphins fan over the weekend.  While sitting at Buffalo Wild Wings and teasing the Detroit fan about domination during the first half of the game (words I'd be eating during the third quarter), it was this man's young son that posed this question.  I've been waiting for the Cardinals to hit an end of season groove and head into the playoffs with a few strong performances.  However, we've had shaky ones to say the least.  Like many Cardinal fans, I plan on resting behind the fact that the Cardinals didn't exactly finish strong last year and still made a playoff run.  Also, the Cardinals typically play down to lesser opponents and rise to the occasion against solid competition.  Still, the scary thought is, besides maybe the Vikings, all of our potential playoff matchups are hitting a strong end of season groove (thinking Eagles, Cowboys, Giants, Packers).  With the NFC East teams facing each other to end the season and decide both the division winner and wild card spot, will the two winners from this division be an even scarier matchup come playoff time?

If the Bears pull off a Monday night upset over the Vikings, will the Cards actually be playing for a possible first round bye?  Look, I know it's a stretch.  I know the stars would have to allign for the Cards to actually enter the playoffs with a bye week the first round.  However, it is possible.  Minnesota is having an obvious communication problem in the coach-quarterback relationship.  Stopping AP doesn't seem to be as difficult as it once was and the defense hasn't been shutting down teams.  This team is beatable and I think Chicago can pull it off.  After Chicago, the Vikings take on a Giants team fighting for a playoff spot.  Both of those games could be losses for Minnesota.  Now, there is still the matter of the Philadelphia Eagles standing in our way.  However, they are only one game ahead of the Cardinals and they face two difficult opponents in the Denver Broncos and then the Dallas Cowboys.  We can joke all we want about both of those opponents, but they both have something to play for and they will come out strong.  So, just like last year when we needed the stars to align in order to host the NFC Championship, look for some twinkling to occur the next few weeks.  The Cardinals may just have some luck on their side.

Buts:  The biggest Cardinal 'but' for the week belongs to Bidwell (pun intended). 

But what if the Cardinals don't step up and spend some money in the off season?  That right there is the biggest 'but' staring us all in the face (intended once again).  I don't think that any of us believe that we will be keeping all of the big name players up for new contracts at the end of the year.  So, what if the Cardinals DON'T step up and toss some money out there? What will happen then?  Make no mistake about it, the free agency class is not saturated with big names or big talent.  The biggest names show up along the defensive line but don't look for the Cardinals to go after a Kyle Vanden Bosch when we have Dockett's contract to settle.  If we don't hand out some decent money, we could potentially lose Bolden, Dansby, and Rackers.  That's just to start.  We have a slew of other players, though less noteworthy, we could end up losing.  Unless the Cardinals have a hidden agenda and are planning on making some very big, very drastic personnel moves, money is the only thing that is going to keep this team together and in contention next year.  If we lose these players, I don't see how we are going to replace their production with the lack of talent available right now.  What do you think?

Candies:  My Candies Play of the Week belongs to Beanie Wells.  Honestly, I can't even pick just one play.  Wells ran OVER the Detroit Lions to gain 110 yards and one touchdown.  What impresses me about Beanie Wells is the multitude of ways he has to beat the defense.  Beanie ran through Detroit defenders laying them on their backs.  Beanie bounces to the outside and then stiff arms defenders to the ground.  He explodes through the hole and runs through arm tackles.  He spins around defenders and scores hard-fought touchdowns.  The man can do it all!  He has everything the Cardinals need in a feature back and I look for him to only get better.  Congratulations to Beanie Wells for having an entire game worthy of being my Candies Play of the Week.

Nuts:  Steve Breaston.  What else do I need to say?  I'm just not so sure that Breaston should be returning punts.  I can understand if people think that I'm overreacting based off of one fumble.  However, that's not the whole story.  Granted, Breaston had a great return in the Minnesota game.  Every dog has his day.  More often than not, I see him indecisive as to where he should run the ball and he ends up losing yardage.  He tries to run backwards to avoid incoming, would-be tacklers and ends up losing yardage.  I find myself holding my breath constantly as he fails to signal for the fair catch and ends up getting stuck by defenders.  He may not have fumbled the ball often, but he puts himself in easy-to-fail situations and is rarely succesful with returns.  Now, I've always been a Breaston fan in every other aspect than punt returns.  So, I hope he comes out and proves me wrong the rest of this season.  I also know that someone is going to say that this is all due to the lack of blocking by special teams.  That's entirely possible.  However, if you don't have the blocking, don't try to return the kick.  It really is that simple.  He takes far too many hard hits when he should have waived for the fair catch.  So, congrats Steve Breaston because you, sir, are nuts!

I'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback especially regarding the future of the Cards and maybe some free agency/trade/draft scenarios to keep the Cardinals competing.