With the regular season set to start in little over a week, the Arizona Cardinals still have many questions circulating around the team.
Hit the jump to see the ROTB Writing Staff's answers to three of those questions, and don't forget to answer the questions yourself in the comments below!
1) Do you agree with Coach Whiz's decision to start Ryan Lindley in the final pre-season game?
Alex Mann: I do. It makes no sense to start Kolb and Skelton because they would be playing 2nd and 3rd stringers and that there wouldn't be fair on the evaluation process.
Cdeveau: It's an interesting move for this reason, he hasn't named a starter at the QB position. He has said that Lindley won't start week one no matter how well he does in this game. Pre-season games are meaningless in the W - L column, and are a good place to evaluate player personnel. I'm sure this move is to allow the organization to see what Lindley will have to offer as he progresses. That being said, with the underwhelming success the two top QB contenders have had this season, they could have benefited from these reps.
Jesse Reynolds: Yes, what's the point of playing backups? Might as well get your young guys experience.
Jess Root: Actually...yes. Why not? You really weren't going to learn anything else about Kolb/Skelton playing against Denver's backups. Plus you get to see how he does against the first teamers for a little bit. There is no downside.
Tyler Nickel: Personally, I am not a fan of starting Ryan Lindley for the last preseason game. If Coach Whiz truly hasn't made a decision on what QB he wants to start, then why not throw Kolb and Skelton out there one more time to see what they've got. But, in my opinion, that decision has already been made anyways. So I think Whiz needs to just make the announcement.
2) With Levi Brown injured, what do you think would be the most productive O-line lineup for the Cardinals?
Alex Mann: The one right now. Batiste looked solid, Colledge is always productive, Sendlein is productive, Snyder could be changed in favor of Kelemente or a FA if need be, and Bobby Massie is young and needs the in order to get better.
Cdeveau: This is a painful question, and one that needs to be addressed in coaching staff and front office changes. You open up the cupboard for a nice dinner and find all you have are a pack of Ramen noodles and some raisins. That's the situation the front office finds themselves in. No real depth across the Oline. The cupboard is bare. The supermarkets are closed. So you throw the Ramen and raisins together, grimace and chow down while making a mental note to fix that **** at the earliest possible moment. So, from left to right, because there are no other choices. D'Anthony Batiste, Daryn Colledge, Lyle Sendlein, Adam Synder, and Bobby Massie.
Jesse Reynolds: The one right now, Batiste played well enough and Massie is our draft pick. The right side of the line could really struggle but hopefully Snyder and Massie grow together quickly. Good lines take time, hopefully our HoF line coach and shorten that time...
Jess Root: If it settles in the way it did against the Titans, you go with the lineup that they are going to run out there to start -- Batiste, Colledge, Sendlein, Snyder, Massie.
Tyler Nickel: Levi Brown being out will really hurt the team. But I think you have to continue on with the best pass protectors you can get at the tackle position. My lineup would look like this: Batiste, Colledge, Sendlein, Snyder, Massie.
3) Now that Kevin Kolb and John Skelton have both been given chances to compete for the starting job in this year's pre-season, who do you think will start against Seattle in Week 1?
Alex Mann: I'd rather not say and be called bias... But I'm going with Kolb. He's had two decent starts compared to Skelton with one and a half.
Cdeveau: Does anyone in the nation really know the answer to that question? As much as I dislike the Seattle Seahawks because they are rivals, I sure wish Coach Whiz would follow Pete Carroll's lead and play the best QB, regardless of the cost associated with them. But in the end, $ = pressure, and that means playing Kolb. The Front office is tied to Kolb, Coach Whiz is tied to Kolb. Kolb it is.
Jesse Reynolds: It's going to be Kolb. Hopefully he is a QB that needs a game plan and will play efficient football against a mean Seattle team week one.
Jess Root: have gone back and forth, and I think it will end up being Kolb. Why? Because neither one has been very good, it sounds like it was coming down to how they responded to game corrections in practice. By all accounts, Kolb has been superior in practice. Plus, if everything is equal, Kolb gets the nod because of the contract. Skelton had to clearly be the better guy and unless the coaches feel he was (all indications show that the coaches are unhappy with both), it is going to be Kolb, at least to start.
Also, Kolb's best is better than Skelton's best in my opinion. Their bad is about equal.
Tyler Nickel: I have been about as fickle on this subject as the quarterbacks have been in their play. Come week one, I think Kolb gets the call. He looked good, outside of the two ugly interceptions, against the Titans. And as Jess said, Kolb's best is better than Skelton's best at this point. Either way, I am ready for the boos to ring through UoP Stadium.
