The Arizona Cardinals defense looked like a completely different unit than the group that took the field the past two weeks. The Red Birds brought the pressure from the outset and caused problems for the Bills offense all game long. By the end of the day, the defense had caused four turnovers and registered five sacks.

Defensive Line: The defensive line was in full force for the first time this season with Gabe Watson returning to the lineup and it's hard not to be encouraged by the results. Watson had a good game anchoring the middle of the defense and finished with a late sack and forced fumble. Antonio Smith made his first big play of the season when he shot the gap on on the Bills first offensive series to blow up a hand off between JP Losman and Marshawn Lynch. The result was a fumble that he recovered and the Cardinals' first touchdown, just over two minutes later. Darnell Dockett didn't have any highlight reel plays but he was effective making plays and he recovered a fumble that he returned 13 yards. Calais Campbell continues to impress as a backup and his days as a starter could come sooner rather than later. The D-line did a decent job of shutting down the Bills running game, holding Marshawn Lynch to 55 yards on 13 carries (4.2). The overall running game stats for the Bills don't look too terrible considering that they finished with 84 yards on 17 carries (4.9 avg), but 22 of those yards came on one play which raised the yards per carry a full yard. Grade: A

Linebackers: The linebacking corps had a great game combining for 23 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. Travis LaBoy had his second multiple sack game of the season and he tied for the team lead in tackles with seven. He continues to look like a great free agent signing who is capable of getting to the quarterback on any
given play. When he fully wraps his head around the OLB position and improves in pass coverage, he just might be a truly special player. Karlos Dansby finished with half a sack and seven tackles, including two tackles for loss. Gerald Hayes checked in with five tackles including one big hit on Robert Royal that led to a fumble. Clark Haggans performed very well in the reserve role with three tackles and 1.5 sacks. Chike Okeafor had a underwhelming game though with just a single tackle. Overall the linebacking unit had a great game and this is what they're capable of on a weekly basis if Clancy Pendergast commits letting them play aggressive, fast and loose. Grade: A

Secondary: The secondary took it's lumps on Sunday by giving up another big play but overall, the performance wasn't too bad. The big concern for the secondary will be the status of Roderick Hood after he left the game with an injury, but we should know something about that by the end of the day. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie stepped into his spot and DRC, as well as Antrel Rolle, got burned on Lee Evans 87 yard touchdown. Outside of that one play though, DRC performed pretty well in his first significant playing time, finishing with a tackle and a pass breakup. Eric Green had a good game finishing with two tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. As well as Roderick Hood has played this season, if Eric Green can string together a couple of games like this one, the secondary would be greatly improved. Antrel Rolle finished the game with five tackles but the one play that sticks out is the bomb to Evans. He's got to get better about staying deep and not biting on play action. The hero of the secondary was undoubtably Adrian Wilson. He's the heart and soul of the defense and everyone else feeds off of his energy. Somehow he didn't manage to register a single measurable stat but he still made the play of the game, knocking Trent Edwards out of the game on the Bills third offensive play. The secondary, overall, made plays but they also allowed the Bills to make some big plays and until they get better about limiting the deep pass, they'll remain the glaring weakness of this defense. Grade: B-

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Overall the defense did it's part in disrupting the Bills offensive flow and made it tough for them to move the ball or establish any kind of rythm all day long. This defense may not be elite or even respected by those around the league, but they've got the play makers to cause problems for any offense. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree with the grades? What can be done shut down the big plays in the secondary?

This Sunday's game between the Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills is quickly approaching and it'll be a critical game for the Red Birds. Coming off back to back road losses, the Cardinals return home desperately needing a win to grab some momentum and get back above .500. Myself and Brian Galliford of Buffalo Rumblings got together and took a look at some key match-ups for this Sunday.

Bills WR Lee Evans vs Cardinals CB Roderick Hood
cgolden - Lee Evans is a tough match-up for any cornerback because of his big play ability and Roderick Hood will certainly have his hands full on Sunday. Evans is having a great year, averaging over 23 yards per catch, so Hood will have to bring his A-game to keep Evans from getting deep. Evans is not only a legitimate down
the field threat, he's also shifty enough to turn every short pass into a huge play. Roderick Hood is a good tackler but the Cardinals don't play much press coverage, which could leave Evans open for some quick, short passes. Hood is the Cardinals' best corner by far but he's not anything spectacular so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Cardinals keep a safety over the top. Much of the Cardinals defensive game plan will depend on Adrian Wilson's availability on Sunday, but either way, Hood will need to some help to contain Evans.  Advantage: Bills

Brian Galliford - Evans is off to a fast start.  He'll never be a guy who catches a large volume of passes, but he definitely makes his catches count (see his 23.7 YPC average through four games).  When Evans is at his best, he's making a play or two early in the game, letting other receivers keep the offense efficient in the middle quarters, and putting the final dagger in a win late in the fourth quarter.  He lulls defenses to sleep in this manner.  There isn't a corner in the league who can cover Evans for an entire game (when he's got competent quarterback play), so I fully expect Evans to make a big play or two in this one.  Advantage: Bills

Brian Galliford - Stroud's importance to this defense can't be measured just by his stats alone.  You have to take into account what Stroud has done for Kyle Williams as well; Buffalo's starting defensive tackles have combined for 28 tackles and 3 sacks in the team's first four games.  Stroud's a force against the run, and he's proven over and over this season that he can routinely beat the double team.  He's been impossible to block.  I don't expect Arizona to establish much of a run game on Sunday, but it would be nice to see Stroud collapse the pocket a handful of times around Kurt Warner, who is a fabulous rhythm passer.  Advantage: Bills

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Now that we're a full 48 hours removed from the debacle that was the Arizona Cardinals vs. the New York Jets, I feel like I can put on my rose colored glasses and look at the few things that went right on Sunday. Some of these might be nit picking but hey when you lose by 21 points you have to look hard to find the positives.

Run Defense: Lost in the confusion of allowing nearly half a hundred points by the defense (remember the offense gave up a pick six), was another impressive showing by the run defense. While some would argue that the Jets simply didn't need to run because the passing game was unstoppable, they did make an honest to establish a running game with 26 attempts. The Cardinals front seven held their own though and allowed just 3.4 yards per carry for a total of 89 yards and those numbers are inflated by a reverse that went for 17 yards. The defense did especially well against Thomas Jones considering that they held him to 46 yards on 18 carries (2.56 ypc).

Fitz and Q: We've come to expect big games from them, especially when Warner throws for as many yards as he did but it's still worth mentioning that they combined for 18 receptions and 241 yards. When these guys are playing their game and the offense is wide open, they're simply unstoppable.

Steve Breaston: After seeing glimpses of how much Breaston had improved from his rookie season, we finally saw him put an entire game together. He ended the game with 324 total yards, thanks to eight kickoff returns, two punt returns and nine receptions. His 38 yard kick off return and 37 yard reception were the biggest plays of the day for the Cardinals. Breaston's still not a great kick returner but if he can average 24 yards a return like he did on Sunday, he'll keep JJ on the inactive list.

UPDATE: Breaston's 324 total yards set a new Cardinals record for total yards in a single game. The previous mark of 284 was set by Ollie Matson in 1954.

Chike Okeafor: This was by far Okeafor's best game of the year and even though the defense got torched, he made an impact on the game. He finished the game with six tackles, a sack and an interception. His interception and 39 yard return set up the offense at the Jets' 16 yard line when the score was 0-0. The offense couldn't take advantage but that shouldn't take away from Chike's contributions.

Roderick Hood: I'm going to throw his name into the ring to see if you guys thought the same thing. I don't have any stats to back up my argument that he had a good game but I don't remember him getting beat deep and I don't remember him making a single bad play. He finished the game with zero tackles and three passes defended but other than that, there's no way to really grade a cornerbacks' game. Agree?

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Some of that may be grasping at straws but there were some positive things that the Cardinals did on Sunday? Thoughts? What else would you include or do some of these guys not belong?

We took a look at the prolific offense yesterday but today we swith gears and look at how the stingy Arizona Cardinals defense did against the Dolphins. They only allowed 10 points (lowest since 11/19/06) and all of the points came well after the game was decided. The defense wasn't as disruptive as it was in week one but once they jumped ahead by three scores the blitzes were dialed down and the plan become more about not allowing a big play or a cheap score.

Defensive Line: The DL got a boost with Alan Branch returning to the rotation and the front line played a big role in shutting down Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. The Dolphins running game totaled just 72 yards and had three rushes that resulted in negative yardage. Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith spent much of the day trying to cover backs out of the backfield instead of rushing the passer and they did a good job of limiting Brown and Williams to just 3 receptions for 20 yards. Calais Campbell continues to impress (led the DL with 3 tackles) and he should continue to see an increased role as the season progresses. Bryan Robinson continues to prove why he was a great free agent signing as he logged one of two sacks on the day. Grade: A

Line Backers: Karlos Dansby showed again why he's a man that deserves to be paid as he led the defense in tackles, with eight, for the second consecutive game. Hayes, Haggans and Okeafor were each solid with multiple tackles and played a big role in limiting Chad Pennington's favorite targets (tight ends and RBs). Travis LaBoy didn't follow up his two sack performance from last week but he missed 10-15 plays after his face mask broke. Bertrand Berry chipped in with four tackles and his second sack in as many games. Grade: B+

Corner Backs: The corners were solid once again allowing Dolphin receivers just 10 receptions for 122 yards total and half of those stats (5 for 60) came on the Phins final touchdown drive, long after the game had been decided. Roderick Hood made plays all over the field, finishing second on the team with six tackles and his first pass defended on a deep pass to Ernest Wilford. Eric Green had a good game and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie saw some extended playing time later in the game and finished with two tackles and his first pass defended. Ralph Brown got on the field and his was tackle was a one yard loss on Ricky Williams. Grade: B+

Safeties: Adrian Wilson is still stud of the secondary and he proved it again on Sunday as he finished with four tackles, including stopping Ronnie Brown for a four yard loss in the on the Phins opening drive to force a three and out. Wilson played a big role is shutting down the running game as three of his tackles were on running plays (two were one yard gains and the four yard loss). Antrel Rolle played his part as well and his two tackles were also on running plays, including one for no gain. Aaron Francisco made his mark on the game stopping Ricky Williams for a seven yard loss and causing a fumble. He finished with three tackles and a pass defended. Grade: A

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Overall it's hard not to love a defensive performance where they only allowed ten points and 4.1 yards per play. The defense wasn't as oportunistic as they were against the Niners but they were still dominant. There stats are likely inflated by playing against the offensively challenged Dolphins but if the defense can continue to stiffle opposing offenses and limit the big play, this team will be in every game. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? What would your grades have been?

The Arizona Cardinals defense wasn't legendary on Sunday but they did enough to ensure the Niner offense couldn't settle into a rhythm or establish themselves on the ground or through the air. The defensive front seven was did their part to create havoc and the secondary nearly shut out the Niners wide outs. 

Defensive Line: Considering that the defensive line was down to their third string nose tackle, they did a decent job of limiting Frank Gore. Bryan Robinson certainly looked like he got worn down towards the end of the first half and with Robinson being handled on the inside, the rest of the line was able to key on Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith. That didn't stop Dockett from doing his part though and he made plays all over the field finishing with five tackles and a forced fumble. Smith had a less productive game but did recover a fumble and finished with a tackle. Rookies Calais Campbell and Kenny Iwebema both saw some playing time but didn't do too terribly much to stand out. Given the injury situation at the nose, it's hard not to be somewhat impressed with what they were able to accomplish. Grade: B

Linebackers: You don't have to do much more than look at a boxscore to understand the impact that the linebacking corps had on this game. Travis LaBoy wreaked all kinds of havoc during the game and finished with four tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. LaBoy wasn't the only guy who made plays though as Karlos Dansby led the teams in tackles (7) and Gerald Hayes chipped in with 6 tackles and a sack. Chike Okeafor lived in the Niner backfield and even though he had some issues with missed tackles, he finished with two tackles and at least a couple of quarterback pressures. Bertrand Berry was 'Mr Versatile' lining up at OLB, DE and even NT in passing situations. He finished a sack and a forced fumble. Clark Haggans biggest contribution was on special teams but he also chipped in with a tackle. Grade: A+

Corners: The trio of corners, Roderick Hood, Eric Green, and DRC, only finished with four tackles combined but a lot of that had to do with the offenses inability to get the ball to their wide receivers. The Niners' wide outs finished the game with just four catches so the corners certainly did their jobs. DRC also made an appearance on defense and it wasn't how we expected. It looked like he lined up on the outside receiver and Green slid down into the nickel role at times. Grade: A

Safeties: The combo of Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle didn't get challegned much in the passing game because the Niners had trouble getting receivers down the field. They did allow two passes over 30 yards but most of thier work was in support of the running game. Rolle missed a couple of tackles and at times didn't look completely comfortable at safety but he also flashed the ability that shows why so many think he can be a great safety. A-dub was his usual havoc wreaking self with four tackles and an interception. He did pick up a penalty though with an offsides call and he looked out of place on the deep pass to Vernon Davis, but overall he was solid. The deep-duo didn't get tested much and probably won't this week either but their time is coming. Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware both saw some playing time but didn't much to stand out either in a bad or good way, although Francisco did pick up a couple of tackles. Grade: B

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Overall it was a really solid opening performance for the defensive unit and even though there are areas that need to be shored up, they certainly look like a talented and deep group. It's too early to get excited about a good game against 'offensively challenged' San Fran but I didn't see any indications that this unit can't be as good as we all expected them to be this season. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? What grades would you have given them and what area needs the most improvement?

We all know that the regular season is looming and that the Arizona Cardinals will travel to San Francisco to clash with a familiar foe this Sunday. In an effort to preview the game, I've worked with Fooch, the administrator at Niners Nation, to look at several key match-ups. We chose eight match-ups to break down and we'll be looking at half of them today and the other half tomorrow. Will be previewing the game over the course of the next four days and Fooch will be posting the same match-ups and also previewing the game from a Niners' perspective at Niners Nation. For now here's the first four to chew on:

Match-Up #1: Clements/Harris vs. Fitzgerald/Boldin

Fooch: Advantage: 49ers - Last season's two matchups were a tale of two extremes.  The 49ers shut down Fitzgerald and Boldin in week 1 and then were torched by them in Week 12.  The difference between the two games was Leinart started Week 1 and Warner started Week 12.  That would indicate the 2008 Cardinals would have the edge with Warner getting the nod.  However, the 49ers overall defense has improved and the secondary should be a strength this season.  I'd expect FS Mark Roman, backup safety Dashon Goldson and nickel back Shawntae Spencer to provide help in this matchup.  Clements is likely to get Fitzgerald by himself, but as Harris is getting up there in years, a little help is necessary.  The depth of the 49ers secondary should be the difference-maker.

CG: Advantage: Cardinals - With Kurt Warner at the helm, I won't rank any two corners over Fitzgerald and Boldin. Even with two very good corners like Clements and Harris, not secondary is safe with this receiving duo. I would expect the rest of the Niner secondary to give the corners some help but it'll take a conglomerate effort to shut down both Fitz and Q. 

Match-Up #2: 49ers pass rush vs. Cardinals offensive line

Fooch: Advantage: Cardinals - The pass rush is the 49ers biggest question mark on the defensive side of the ball heading into 2008.  They added Justin Smith and get a returning Manny Lawson, but neither is a traditional pass rusher.  If the 49ers are going to generate a pass rush, second year defensive end Ray McDonald will need to be that guy.  If the 49ers pass rush resembles the 2007 pass rush, Kurt Warner will have all day to make things happen.  The pass rush is the major x-factor for whether this defense can step up from decent to very good.

CG: Advantage: Cardinals - There isn't much doubt that the Cardinals' pass game is explosive and should put points on the board. Whether or not the front line can keep Warner upright is another question though. Warner is about as immobile as they get but the offensive line is some what accomplished in keeping the quarterback clean. The offensive line is bringing back four of the same five from last season and they should be able to be pick up any kind of blitzes that the Niners throw at them.

The final two match-ups are after the jump.......

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After taking a look at how the offensive depth hart might look, here's a glance at the depth on the defensive side of the ball:

Left DE - Antonio Smith, Kenny Iwebema, Calais Campbell

Iwebema has been playing the left side but an extended absence by Smith could see Campbell move over.

NT - Bryan Robinson, Alan Branch, Gabe Watson (injured)

Robinson will most likely be the starter against the Niners but he might be the last guy that they want to start as well. Branch might be the best on any given play but you just never know whether you're going to get 100% or 50%. Watson will be the starter as soon he's healthy.

Right DE/UT - Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema

Dockett is the stud and and Campbell is the young man in waiting.

Left OLB - Chike Okeafor, Clark Haggans

As long as Okeafor stays healthy he's the man. Haggans has performed well in preseason and he's an experienced veteran, but he's at his best with limited snaps.

Right OLB - Travis LaBoy, Bertrand Berry

LaBoy had a good preseason and won the starting job. He's younger and more explosive but Berry will still see his fair share of snaps when he's healthy.

MILB - Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Monty Beisel, Ali Highsmith

Beisel's probably the first guy to step in whether Dansby or Hayes goes down and Highsmith's role will likely be special teams unless a couple of injuries strike.

Left CB - Roderick Hood, DRC, Ralph Brown, Matt Ware

The top two spots are pretty set in stone but if somehow they both get injured, it would be a big mess. They would probably decide to move Rolle back down to corner depending on the depth left at safety. Brown is a good special teamer but he's not a starting corner. Ware can play both safety and corner but he's not a starting corner either. 

Right CB - Eric Green, DRC, Ralph Brown, Matt Ware

Pretty much the same as above.

SS - Adrian Wilson, Aaron Francisco, Oliver Celestin

Wilson is the obvious starter and there's a big drop off to #2. Francisco's got some experience but he lacks the playmaking ability of A-dub.

FS - Antrell Rolle, Aaron Francisco, Matt Ware, Oliver Celestin

Most depth charts list Ware as the primary backup to Rolle but I still think Francisco would be the first name called if Rolle went down. Ware's younger but still a good, developing player. Celestin is best on special teams but he's a big hitter who will look decent in limited snaps.

Thoughts? Agree/Disagree?

The clock is ticking down to the official start of the preseason for the Arizona Cardinals. The Saints will be in town tomorrow and the two teams will lock up on national television. Now granted, this is just a preseason game so it'll have very little baring on the regular season but to see the Cardinals run back on the field for the first time in eight months will be enough to give me chills. Keeping in mind though that this will be a game played predominantly by guys who won't make either roster, here are some things to keep an eye on:

Rookies: There haven't been many bad reports about the draft class or undrafted rookies from camp so far but this will be the first chance to see how they respond to being hit by a true opponent. First round pick, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will likely be a starter tomorrow night since Roderick Hood isn't going to play because of a bad foot. Other defensive rookies like Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema and Chris Harrington should see plenty of playing time with the second and third units. Seventh round pick, Brandon Keith will likely see time on both guard and tackle with the recent injury to Carlton Medder. I can't wait to see how early Tim Hightower gets into the game either. I would imagine that if Edge plays at all, it won't be much and that could open the door for Hightower to get reps with the first team. Early Doucet is the only rookie of note who won't play. There are several undrafted rookies who could stand out as well including Lance Long (who's had a great camp), Ali Highsmith, Hercules Satele and Keilen Dykes. I also can't wait to see how Anthony Morelli looks in his first game action. I'd imagine he'll play at least the whole fourth quarter if not part of the third as well.

Vets Returning from Injury: We all know how many veterans ended the season on the IR last year and it'll be great to see the defense back at full strength. Of course guys like Adrian Wilson, Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry won't play much more than a single series but it'll be nice to see them back on the field. Leinart also recently said that he's looking forward to his first hit to reassure everyone that his shoulder is fully healed. Hopefully he'll be able to keep his jersey clean during the one or two series that he plays, but a hit or two won't be the end of the world.

Antrel Rolle's New Role: Ok if you can forgive me for a horrible and painfully obvious play on words, I'm sure nearly every Cardinals fan can't wait to see how Antrel Rolle will handle the move to free safety. Much has been made of the move this offseaon and even though we'll see a very 'vanilla' defense, it should still be an indication of things to come. Coach Whisenhunt also said recently that he'll try Rolle out as a punt returner, which should be worth watching.

Steve Breaston: Breaston's almost developed a 'cult-like' following this offseason with countless stories chronicling development as a receiver. He's the favorite to win the #3 receiver job and he'll certainly get an opportunity to take a step in the right direction tomorrow night. With Boldin and Doucet out, he'll not only be starting opposite of Larry Fitzgerald but could stay in the game longer than if the receiving corps were at full strength.

Tight End Position: There wasn't supposed to be much of a battle at tight end this season but Ben Patrick has had a great camp and he's starting to put some pressure on Leonard Pope. Pope partially opened the door since he was limited at the start of camp but both tight ends have been standing out in practice. It's rare to read a practice report that doesn't include a great catch by one these two. Pope will start but both should see a couple of series of action.

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I might be making too much of the first preseason game of the year, but hey we're all craving some football, right? It's worth remembering that no matter how bad or good someone or the entire team looks, it's just preseason. No one is going to win a job or lose a job with their performance in this game but it is another step towards the start of the regular season. Also remember that if you're watching the game close to your computer, you can log on to ROTB and comment in the live game thread and discuss the game as it happens with fellow Cards fans.

The Cardinals went through two practices on Monday and while the first practice was relatively  un-noteworthy, the same can not be said about the second practice. It was a full-padded practice that included an 11-on-11, that's always entertaining, as well as various position drills.

Rookies Making an Impression Early: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie got off to a slow start getting burned by Sean Morey but he bounced back with a couple of interceptions later in practice. He's raw and still has a long way to go before he's game ready, but his quickness and more importantly, his closing speed is simply amazing. There haven't been many mentions of Calais Campbell yet other than the note that he's working inside at tackle in nickel situations. The same (lack of news) can be said for Kenny Iwebema, although Al Johnson did mention in an interview how strong he was and that he should be able to excel against the run. Tim Hightower is living up to his early hype to this point and is taking a significant amount of reps with the second group. Several reports have mentioned that he's awfully quick for a man of his size. Early Doucet is/has benefited from Boldin's absence and has held his own so far and has looked hungry. The comparison's to Boldin won't stop either, this time with Leinart chiming in:

"I think he is a perfect mold of Anquan, same type of body, same type of play," Leinart said. "I think it is perfect for him to learn from a guy like that."

Tight End Situation: We thought just a couple of weeks ago that the tight end
position was one of the deepest positions on the roster and full of potential, but just four days into camp the mood has changed. Leonard Pope is still not 100%, although he did make a couple of acrobatic catches yesterday, and Troy Bienemann is still nursing an injured toe. The uncertainly regarding the health of those two led the staff to spend part of the day working out former Arizona State tight end, Brent Miller. With the depth, I doubt they'd sign another guy, but this could a way to motivate Pope and/or Bienemann to work harder to get back to 100% more quickly. Ben Patrick has made the most of Pope limitations thus far in camp. He got all of the reps with the first team while Pope was sidelined and seems ready to build off a promising rookie season.

Injuries: Nothing to worry about yet but there were still some notable names on the sidelines. Starting center, Al Johnson missed both practices on Monday after having his knee drained, but there is hope that he'll be back today. Anquan Boldin and rookie, Marcus Brown sat out for the second consecutive day and were classified as day-to-day by Coach Whisenhunt. If Boldin misses considerable time it won't be that big of a deal but for Brown, a promising prospect, he needs to be on the field to make the team. As I said eiarlier, Troy Bienemann has yet to practice and the same can be said for Gabe Watson and Monty Beisel. Keilen Dykes missed the first couple of days but I think he is back in practice now.

Quick Practice Notes:

• The QB's have a new drill that the fans seem to love in which they try to hit flags hanging from a stand. By most accounts, Leinart looked much more accurate during the second practice on Monday and even looked to be the most accurate, followed closely by Warner and much further back were St. Pierre and Morelli.
  
• Fitzgerald and Hood had a spirited practice, especially in position drills. They went back and forth trying to be physical with each other and both had some success with Fitz getting a TD in the corner of the end zone and Hood picking off the very next pass on a slant route. Competition like this makes everyone a better player and is certainly encouraging to see.
  
• Adrian Wilson is starting to irk some reporters because he's refused to talk to any media outlets so far.
  

Just one afternoon practice today and it should help some players who are saying that soreness is starting to set in. Today's practice is supposed to be full pads so there should be some good battles today. Thoughts? Encouraging camp so far?

We'll round out the defense today today with this breakdown of the current crop of corner backs. Considering that the pass defense was among the worst in the league last season, an improvement from this group could be the difference between another mediocre season and the post season. The same starters return but all eyes will be on a promising first round pick. Is a year of added experience and a rookie enough to get this unit over the hump though?

Roderick Hood: Hood signed a five year, $15 million dollar deal to come to Arizona in 2007, after four seasons in Philly. The former undrafted free agent stepped into his first season as a starter and posted career highs in nearly every category including tackles, passes defended and interceptions. He was the sixth most targeted corner in the league last year and ranked as the 17th most successful, according to Pro Football Prospectus. He's got solid cover skills and is a good enough tackler to be adequate in run support. Hood has enough size (5'11 198), speed and quickness to match up with most receivers in the league and his instincts are improving. He'll turn 27 midway through the season but with less than 30 career starts, we still haven't seen his best football yet.

Eric Green: Green's first full season as a starter produced.....mixed results at best. He's been slowed by injuries throughout his career and 2007 was no different. He missed the final 5 games of the season with a torn groin. He possesses the physical skills to be a decent player but has yet to develop the football instincts or consistency necessary to remain a starter. He's only managed one interception in 24 career starts and his game didn't seem to improve in 2007. After averaging just over one pass defense per start in 2006 (9 PD in 8 starts), he struggled in 2007 with just 8 passes defended in 11 starts. Green knows the situation though, this could be his last chance to prove he's a quality starter. He'll be a free agent after this season and the Cardinals have already drafted his replacement so he'll have every motivation to have a career year. Considering that he just turned 26 and has less than 25 career starts, he could be on the verge of putting it all together.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: The good news for DRC is that he won't be pushed to start by opening day or even by mid-season. The goal from him this season is just to progress and gain as much experience as necessary. While he may have had the highest ceiling of any corner in the draft, he's not 'NFL ready' by any means. 
He's working to add bulk to his slender frame (6'1 184) but he'll also to get stronger in order to handle physical receivers. His athleticism is second to none though and if he can handle the physical demands of the game, he could be a star much quicker than expected. He'll likely start the season as the nickel corner but if Green's game doesn't improve, DRC could take over before long.

Ralph Brown: Brown is entering his ninth season, second with the Cardinals, and he's a decent backup. He lacks the athleticism that you normally look for in a corner but he's developed some veteran savvy. He has good body control and decent instincts when the balls in the air. He's also a willing tackler and capable of the big hit (second on the team with forced three fumbles in 2007). He's a force on special teams and is best suited in that role.

Michael Adams: Adams is a relatively unknown commodity. He's vastly undersized (5'8 178) and inconsistent, but that's not uncommon for an undrafted free agent in his second season. He's a competitor though and at just 23 years old, he could develop into an adequate backup and contribute on special teams. He played in 7 games last season after injuries ravaged the secondary and finished with 10 tackles and a pass defended.

Marcus Brown: Brown is another undrafted free agent from a small D-1AA school but that's pretty much where the similarities between him and Adams end. Brown's got the size (6'1 200) and athletic ability (4.42 forty, 43 1/2 inch vertical) to play in this league and is versatile enough to contribute in several different areas. He led McNeese State in interceptions his senior season and was also used on punt returns at times. With the lack of depth at corner, Brown might be able to make the opening day roster if he can outperform Adams.

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The ultimate success or failure of the cornerback position could simply come down to health. If they can make it through the season with Hood, Green and DRC as the top 3 (in some order), then it has the potential to be a solid group, but injuries could cause major problems. Any significant injury to the top three could drag Antrel Rolle out of the free safety spot and the entire secondary would have to be reshuffled. Thoughts? Is this a solid group or just a house of cards that'll crumble eventually? How many games does DRC start, if any at all?