Admittedly I haven’t held up my end of the weekly answer bag bargain, so I’m here to try and rectify that going forward.
These comments were pulled from ROTB articles, along with some questions I’ve received on Twitter.
To get us continuing to talk the Cardinals in good and bad, no matter when this season finally ends.
I will TRY and do this every Friday, obviously this is posted Saturday, along with the draft podcast from my site TSHQ.co that you can find on BlogTalkRadio.com.
Let’s jump in.
I prefer Bowles’ philosophy much more than Horton’s. Horton’s defense could not stop the run.
by KDean75
Here’s the thing, we have no idea what Bowles’ philosophy is still.
Horton’s philosophy was an off-shoot of the successful Dick LeBeau zone blitzing 34 defense, that was one of the most revered defenses over the last two decades.
Horton said strengths of my players be damned, I am putting my defense in and guys will have to fit.
Why? Players are an ever changing part of the game, there are few, if any players that deserve to have a scheme catered to them, and Horton refused to do that in Arizona, whether that’s wrong or right isn’t the question.
Horton believed that if you ran the same defense all the time you could just plug players in and continue to be successful, he never got a chance to see that to fruition in AZ, and now he’s "starting over" in Cleveland.
Meanwhile, Bowles has catered most of his defense to the strengths of his players.
He has allowed the defensive line to play in a more attacking, one gap style, while letting the inside linebacker play a free lancing, sideline to sideline style.
It’s worked in year one, the question will be going forward is it sustainable, with the ever changing parts.
Outside of Calais Campbell and Peterson there’s no guarantee of anyone being here in 2014, Washington’s legal troubles, Dansby's free agency but if they keep the losses small, can renegotiate Dockett, and keep Peterson long term, they should be able to maintain that success into next season.
Thanks to Rod Graves and Ken Whisenhunt’s ignorance and lack of foresight, the Cardinals enter the Offseason crippled. Putting together a team, that will challenge for the NFC West crown, will test the ability of our GM and put him on center stage.
by AZ retiree
To be fair the most impactful players on the team are "Whiz guys"- Campbell, Washington, Peterson on defense with guys like Acho, Williams, and Johnson that contribute well when healthy and offensively of course all the weapons the Cards have to throw to are courtesy of Whisenhunt’s and Graves ass backwards drafting philosophy.
If you want to pinpoint the failures of Whiz and company it’s easy… Failure to address the offensive line and misses when they did and the inability to find and develop a quarterback, but the fact that Whiz has helped restore the Chargers offense to one of the best in the league and is on the short list for multiple head coaching gigs shows that he knew what he was doing and is well respected around the league.
During the preseason, I remember reading an article about the incredible cap problems the Seahawks will face in 2014. The author felt that this season is do or die for Seattle, because next year it may be impossible for them to return the same team to the field.
by Leeskitchen
That's mostly false and here is a good article as to why.
It’ll be more about the Cardinals rising to the ranks of the Seahawks rather than Seattle falling down towards the Cardinals.
@Church_NFL @SethCoxFB how about RG3 for a first (if it gets to that point in DC)?
— David (@InAzWeHitPeople) December 13, 2013
I'm never one to turn down a good trade theory, especially for a guy who was being called one of the best quarterback in the NFL just a year ago, but there are some complications.
How much would the Skins want for him? If it's just a first in this draft... Ok, but if it is more that's a tough one for a team that is in some positional transitions at this point.
@APCards @SethCoxFB I'm wondering how far the ACL will drop him tho...
— Shaun Church (@Church_NFL) December 13, 2013
That's another tough one, simply because as we talked about on the TSHQ Podcast, there is still plenty of chatter about Mettenberger at the end of round one.
That means either the Cardinals have to take him in that 20 range, or trade back into round one, likely a two this year and a one next year, to draft a quarterback who shouldn't take a snap in 2014.
The ACL drops him to round three, there's little harm in taking a flier, but this team is turning over a lot of starters in 2014, theoretically, and need as many picks as possible to start filling those positions long term and not continuing the one year contract themes.
@SethCoxFB do u think that's a possibility bro. Wow that's a amazing thought
— Moose (@ranger571) December 11, 2013
As we end this bag of Cardinals fun, let's look at my favorite question of the week, could the Cardinals be in play for a guy like Ryan Shazier in round one as was mocked by Dane Brugler in his latest mock on cbssports.com.
Shazier has been pinpointed as an inside linebacker of 43 outside linebacker, but I've always said I think he can be a dynamic outside force in a 34.
He has plenty of room to add bulk, is a rangy athlete similar to Washington, but I think he plays with a little power behind his pads.
He can be a guy that rushes the passer, but does a nice job of dropping into coverage, and offers another look for Bowles on the defensive side of the ball.
Any questions for next week shoot them to me in the comments section or on Twitter.