Opportunities Inside the Clusterbomb

by Winter on Nov 28, 2010 9:40 PM MST

I'm writing this after seeing the scores of Sunday's games in week 12. The Seahawks have lost and the Rams have won. No matter what the result of Monday Night's game against the 49ers will be, a team with a losing record will be in the lead of the NFC West, which is possibly the worst division in all of football right now.

However, this situation presents a unique opportunity for the Arizona Cardinals in that they have a chance to go 4-7 and be exactly one game back of the Rams and Seahawks for the division title. This, of course, is dependent on the fact that the Cardinals actually win the game. But considering how abysmal this team has been during the course of its losing streak, it's amazing to me that we could see them "In the Hunt" before long when most people (including myself) had written their entire season off.

I'm going to make a bold prediction for Monday night's game: if Arizona wants to win, they need to leave Derek Anderson on the bench. If he starts, they're going to lose.

What do you all think?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Revenge of the Birds' (ROTB) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of ROTB's editors.

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if Arizona wants to win, they need to leave Derek Anderson on the bench. If he starts, they’re going to lose.

What makes you think this?
Is Hall the answer? Hall who is 38-75, 360 yds, 1 td and 5INT??
Or is Skelton the answer? A rookie who has never played a snap in the NFL?

Look god knows NO ONE on this site likes Anderson or want Anderson at the helm. Currently though he is the best we have. He is the only QB that has gotten any good offensive drives, and scored some touchdowns. Hall CAN be good but, as his Seattle game showed, he is CLEARLY not ready.

by Will Smith on Nov 28, 2010 10:50 PM MST reply actions

I think Hall could be the answer.

While Anderson’s stats look good, Hall looks better in the clutch (at least to me). I’m not scared off by the interceptions Hall has made because you’d expect that out of any rookie. What he has, and what Derek Anderson doesn’t have, is the ability to convert on third down.

If you’re going to look at individual games as reasons why a guy isn’t ready, then I give you…every game Anderson has played this year. We’ve lost 4 straight starts with him at QB and each of those games has seen the team score fewer and fewer points.

If you really enjoy a 19 to 6 game in favor of the 49ers, more power to you. I would personally prefer a 28 to 10 Cardinals win.

by Winter on Nov 28, 2010 11:57 PM MST up reply actions

You obviously hasn't been watching the Cardinals games

The offence over the last few games has been improving. Granted I’m talking marginal improvement, but improvement none the less. When Hall started the offence reverted. It didn’t improve and took a big step backwards. The ONLY reason Hall has a win as a starter, is because our D stepped up and shut down New Orleans.
The reason we are on a 4 game loosing streak is because of the defense.

For example: Since Anderson took over for Halls TERRIBLE performance starting in Seattle, Anderson’s stats are such(over 4 game stretch):
79-141 (56%), 1030 yds(257.5 yds per game), 4TD, 3 INT.
That not bad.
I’m not saying lets extend Anderson because he is the new face of franchise. We need BIG improvement in the QB play. As a team, if you want wins, you have to go with the most reliable thing. RIGHT NOW Anderson is showing more improvement and more ability to control this offence. If the defense were to step up and play some games, we wouldn’t be in a 4 game loosing streak.
Don’t get me wrong, I like Hall and I like Skelton. I think one of them(or new draft pick) will be the QB of the future…. but just that, of the future.

PLUS what in god’s name makes you think Hall can, out of nowhere, orchestrate this offence to a 28 point game? what are you basing the decision on? PURE instinct and luck?

by Will Smith on Nov 29, 2010 12:27 PM MST up reply actions

At this point in the season

I see where people are going with the whole “Start Max Hall or John Skelton” thing. We need to start analyzing our needs for the Off-season, and who knows, maybe Max Hall has learned enough on the sidelines to correct some of his mistakes.

This is the NFL. Anything can happen (Or at least most anything).

by Skii on Nov 29, 2010 5:39 PM MST up reply actions

Okay...

It seems like you and I disagree on a lot of things. That’s fine.

I didn’t say the offense would get all 28 points, I just think the defense plays better when the offense converts on third downs and sustains drives. This is something that Derek Anderson hasn’t been able to do. Anderson looks stastically good, but a lot of that is inflated by garbage time. I still haven’t forgiven him for putting up zero yards in the third quarter against Seattle.

by Winter on Nov 29, 2010 6:01 PM MST up reply actions

what is the point?

just to make the playoffs? … imho this team just needs to work to get better, whether they win another game this year or not. I doubt DA or Hall will be here next year, and if they are it’ll be in a clear backup role. They need to perform if they want jobs somewhere next year AT ALL. As do half the players on the Cards roster.

I have yet to see the offense or the defense play together as a unit this year … you can play well and lose (see Bills this year) … but we have played poorly this year, Whiz has next year to turn it around or he’ll be another dead and gone, buried in the Arizona desert

by quid pro quo on Nov 29, 2010 5:38 AM MST reply actions 1 recs

I'm fairly certain if the team makes the playoffs, they'll start playing better.

by Winter on Nov 29, 2010 12:19 PM MST up reply actions

You can insult the NFC West all you want

But the NFC West has sent one of its teams to the Superbowl 2 out of the last 5 years. Also, in the last 5 years, the NFC West team has at least made the divisional round.

I’m not saying the teams in the NFC West are great, but I’m saying that they’ve done some amazing things in the last decade of football. So insult them all you want, but each year, they’ll do amazing things.

by Skii on Nov 29, 2010 5:37 PM MST reply actions

NFC west teams are always hot during the playoffs, no matter what they're season record was

by CanadianCard on Nov 29, 2010 5:46 PM MST up reply actions

The NFC West doesn't have a team worthy of making the playoffs this season.

Unless the Seahawks or Rams go on a big win streak to close the season the pathetic morass that the NFC West currently represents will only add fuel to the arguement of changing the playoff structure to take the top 6 teams period. The NFC South could have three teams with better than ten wins this season and one will almost certainly miss the post season.

by hadrarius on Nov 29, 2010 8:40 PM MST up reply actions

Playing Max Hall is not any kind of solution.

Yes he’s smart, passionate, home town kid, etc., but to be plain and simple, he doesn’t have the physical skill set to play professionally. One of the more over looked problems he has is that he can barely grip an NFL ball, leading to fumbles, interceptions, and bad throws. And I thinkl the game is just too fast for him still.