<b>Last Year:</b>
With only a single winning season since moving the franchise from St. Louis to Arizona, the Cardinals entered last season with lower expectations than Napoleon Dynamite on a blind date. Those hopes and dreams were consummated as the young Cards folded by a combined score of 80-24 in the first 2 games of the season. Quitting became a common theme as the well-advertised signings of Emmitt Smith and Jeff Blake never saved Arizona from drowning to 4-12. A few positives surfaced in the form of flourishing rookie wide receiver Anquan Boldin and a sparse amount of upset victories. None were more prominent than the week 17 triumph of the Minnesota Vikings who were Red Soxed out of the post-season no thanks to that loss. With the Vikes? dignity, and x-head coach in hand, are the young birds ready to get the worm?
<b>What we Learned from Last Year:</b>
Just like Mary-Kate Olson?s alleged addiction to cocaine, the Arizona Cardinals looked for a quick fix at the quarterback position last year. The team?s first few hits of Jeff Blake didn?t quite itch the itch that the team was yearning for and by season?s end second-year quarterback Josh McCown was given control. Between Jeff Blake?s inconsistency, and Josh McCown?s inexperience, the lack of stability at the main offensive position clarifies the Cardinals 23rd ranked passing offense. While Josh McCown paced his development slowly, fellow youngling Anquan Boldin made his presence felt immediately, pocketing nearly half of the team?s total passing yards. Being Arizona?s only visible offensive weapon, Boldin?s accomplishments should be Super Sized considering the consistent attention that he faced. Similar compliments cannot be made to the first wide receiver selected by Arizona in last year?s draft, as Bryant Johnson struggled to make a name for himself in his inaugural season. Most receivers do not fully complete puberty until their second or third season in the NFL so rather than faulting the speedy Bryant Johnson for his gradual acclimatization to the Pros, I?ll applaud Boldin for his successful ascent.
While the signing of Emmitt Smith was nothing more than a desperate plea for attention, ?backup? running back Marcel Shipp continued his moderate production in his third season. His subtle accomplishments have garnered mild notice, but 830 yards rushing while wearing a Cardinals jersey, and only starting 11 games is an achievement. Add to that, the absence of steady carries, a lackadaisical passing attack, and a poor defense which yanked Marcel from the field weekly as the team was forced to play catch-up, and that equates to Shipp being the only other legitimate threat on this offense. Some may argue that Smith?s injuries limited him from bringing more bread to the table, but the inquiry I?d like to make is why Emmitt is desired on this team? Dallas didn?t want him, and there were few teams in the league more desperate for a running back than the Cowboys. On top of that, the Cards have a runner in Marcel Shipp who has demonstrated that given the security at the position, he can deliver. In 4 out of the 5 games that Shipp carried the ball 20+ times he averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry and 2 of those fixtures resulted in wins. And people still wonder why the Arizona Cardinals are the NFL?s worst franchise.
The most important note to write on your little yellow sticky pad about Arizona?s 2003 season was the deficiencies of the defensive line. The squad did have numerous dilemmas but lining up third from the back when it comes to total NFL sacks in a division that boasted Marc Bulger, Matt Hasselbeck, and Jeff Garcia is serious. Once opponents had their way with ?Zona?s defense, then shutting down a one-dimensional offense clawing from behind was easier than Paris Hilton?s life.
<b>What Has Changed?:</b>
Well...the sun did rise today, Stephen Seagal?s Under Siege legacy continues as Under Siege 3 is currently in production, and Tonya Harding is still in the news. While some things never change, the introduction of Dennis Green to the Cardinals? franchise has certainly incited appeal. Since his arrival, Green has been adamant about abandoning the status quo and subbing in encouraging Anthony Robbins-like positive thinking. For a roster chock-full of potential, but virtually no motivation, Dennis Green may be the flour that Arizona has so badly missed in their attempts to bake success. Try to recall what gutter the Patriots lying in before Belichick rescued them. Now before you close your Internet Explorer browser, disgusted in my comparisons between polar opposites in the NFL, keep in mind that a franchise that has considered winning in the past 12 seasons about as much as Mike Tyson has considered saving money, then it is easy to understand how crucial solidity and course are for this puerile group. With clear goals in mind Dennis Green is slowly instilling confidence to his company.
?I think it?s just everybody buying into Coach Green right now,? said quarterback Josh McCown ?It?s full force, with everybody saying ?We?re going to get behind this guy. We?re going to follow him and we?re going to do exactly what he tells us to do because he?s a proven winner.? It?s just been a positive mood swing around there.?
Many people trust Dennis Green?s playoff jabber about as much as a Jessica Simpson stock tip, but just remember the Lakers and their 3 championships, this year?s Detroit Pistons, the 2004 Calgary Flames, Greece in the Euro Cup, and most importantly, the New England Patriots, are the results of teams buying what their coach is selling.
We know they can talk the talk, but does this team have enough talent to walk the walk? On offense, it is just a matter of how long will it take for the youthful birds to develop. This will be McCown?s first year as a full-time starter, Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin sophomore seasons, and Larry Fitzgerald will be a new face. With every snap, this crew will raise up their skills but is it imperative that the Arizona defense continually give the offense as many possessions as possible to accelerate their development (preferably not after conceding 7 points). Spectral draft picks from years? past need to roll into reality and produce. The time is now for Kyle Vanden Bosch, Calvin Pace, Wendell Bryant, and Fred Wakefield to grace the Cardinals with their presence and sack the opposing QB. Help is on the way in the form Bert Berry with his 11.5 sacks and any supplements provided from rookie Darnell Dockett will benefit the line.
The linebackers on this team have always been capable, and apart from the highly overrated free safety Dexter Jackson, the Cardinals are competent in the secondary. If Hasselbeck and Bulger, along with the 14 other quarterbacks that this team will face have all week to make financial and offensive decisions, then not even Ty Law and Champ Bailey can bail this team out.
<b>O/U 5.5:</b>
Unless the Cardinals use Balco products, finishing above third place in their division is easier said than done. With Seattle, and St. Louis being perennial contenders, wins will not come cheaply while Arizona is the visitor, but by now we?ve memorized that the Seahawks and Rams are two of the NFL?s worst road teams. San Francisco should have no problem yielding at least one win to the Cardinals as currently they are lower than Arizona on the rebuilding food-chain, which leaves Arizona needy for three more wins from the following: NE, @ATL, NO, @BUF, @MIA, NYG, @CAR, NYJ, @DET, TB. I guess it depends whether you?re an optimist or a pessimist.
<b>Fantasy Sleeper:</b>
Though many football figureheads will draft Anquan Boldin as the top, if not only, player from this 4-12 team, the true sleeper here is Josh McCown. He is the main distributor of this potent-touted offense and with weapons like Boldin, Fitzgerald, along with the possibilities of Emmitt Smith and Bryant Johnson showing up on a consistent basis, McCown is worth a late round selection. Bear in mind that if the Cardinals are good, it will likely be due to McCown smart decisions, and if they are subpar, then his passing stats may bulk up since they will be in desperate need of points.
With only a single winning season since moving the franchise from St. Louis to Arizona, the Cardinals entered last season with lower expectations than Napoleon Dynamite on a blind date. Those hopes and dreams were consummated as the young Cards folded by a combined score of 80-24 in the first 2 games of the season. Quitting became a common theme as the well-advertised signings of Emmitt Smith and Jeff Blake never saved Arizona from drowning to 4-12. A few positives surfaced in the form of flourishing rookie wide receiver Anquan Boldin and a sparse amount of upset victories. None were more prominent than the week 17 triumph of the Minnesota Vikings who were Red Soxed out of the post-season no thanks to that loss. With the Vikes? dignity, and x-head coach in hand, are the young birds ready to get the worm?
<b>What we Learned from Last Year:</b>
Just like Mary-Kate Olson?s alleged addiction to cocaine, the Arizona Cardinals looked for a quick fix at the quarterback position last year. The team?s first few hits of Jeff Blake didn?t quite itch the itch that the team was yearning for and by season?s end second-year quarterback Josh McCown was given control. Between Jeff Blake?s inconsistency, and Josh McCown?s inexperience, the lack of stability at the main offensive position clarifies the Cardinals 23rd ranked passing offense. While Josh McCown paced his development slowly, fellow youngling Anquan Boldin made his presence felt immediately, pocketing nearly half of the team?s total passing yards. Being Arizona?s only visible offensive weapon, Boldin?s accomplishments should be Super Sized considering the consistent attention that he faced. Similar compliments cannot be made to the first wide receiver selected by Arizona in last year?s draft, as Bryant Johnson struggled to make a name for himself in his inaugural season. Most receivers do not fully complete puberty until their second or third season in the NFL so rather than faulting the speedy Bryant Johnson for his gradual acclimatization to the Pros, I?ll applaud Boldin for his successful ascent.
While the signing of Emmitt Smith was nothing more than a desperate plea for attention, ?backup? running back Marcel Shipp continued his moderate production in his third season. His subtle accomplishments have garnered mild notice, but 830 yards rushing while wearing a Cardinals jersey, and only starting 11 games is an achievement. Add to that, the absence of steady carries, a lackadaisical passing attack, and a poor defense which yanked Marcel from the field weekly as the team was forced to play catch-up, and that equates to Shipp being the only other legitimate threat on this offense. Some may argue that Smith?s injuries limited him from bringing more bread to the table, but the inquiry I?d like to make is why Emmitt is desired on this team? Dallas didn?t want him, and there were few teams in the league more desperate for a running back than the Cowboys. On top of that, the Cards have a runner in Marcel Shipp who has demonstrated that given the security at the position, he can deliver. In 4 out of the 5 games that Shipp carried the ball 20+ times he averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry and 2 of those fixtures resulted in wins. And people still wonder why the Arizona Cardinals are the NFL?s worst franchise.
The most important note to write on your little yellow sticky pad about Arizona?s 2003 season was the deficiencies of the defensive line. The squad did have numerous dilemmas but lining up third from the back when it comes to total NFL sacks in a division that boasted Marc Bulger, Matt Hasselbeck, and Jeff Garcia is serious. Once opponents had their way with ?Zona?s defense, then shutting down a one-dimensional offense clawing from behind was easier than Paris Hilton?s life.
<b>What Has Changed?:</b>
Well...the sun did rise today, Stephen Seagal?s Under Siege legacy continues as Under Siege 3 is currently in production, and Tonya Harding is still in the news. While some things never change, the introduction of Dennis Green to the Cardinals? franchise has certainly incited appeal. Since his arrival, Green has been adamant about abandoning the status quo and subbing in encouraging Anthony Robbins-like positive thinking. For a roster chock-full of potential, but virtually no motivation, Dennis Green may be the flour that Arizona has so badly missed in their attempts to bake success. Try to recall what gutter the Patriots lying in before Belichick rescued them. Now before you close your Internet Explorer browser, disgusted in my comparisons between polar opposites in the NFL, keep in mind that a franchise that has considered winning in the past 12 seasons about as much as Mike Tyson has considered saving money, then it is easy to understand how crucial solidity and course are for this puerile group. With clear goals in mind Dennis Green is slowly instilling confidence to his company.
?I think it?s just everybody buying into Coach Green right now,? said quarterback Josh McCown ?It?s full force, with everybody saying ?We?re going to get behind this guy. We?re going to follow him and we?re going to do exactly what he tells us to do because he?s a proven winner.? It?s just been a positive mood swing around there.?
Many people trust Dennis Green?s playoff jabber about as much as a Jessica Simpson stock tip, but just remember the Lakers and their 3 championships, this year?s Detroit Pistons, the 2004 Calgary Flames, Greece in the Euro Cup, and most importantly, the New England Patriots, are the results of teams buying what their coach is selling.
We know they can talk the talk, but does this team have enough talent to walk the walk? On offense, it is just a matter of how long will it take for the youthful birds to develop. This will be McCown?s first year as a full-time starter, Bryant Johnson and Anquan Boldin sophomore seasons, and Larry Fitzgerald will be a new face. With every snap, this crew will raise up their skills but is it imperative that the Arizona defense continually give the offense as many possessions as possible to accelerate their development (preferably not after conceding 7 points). Spectral draft picks from years? past need to roll into reality and produce. The time is now for Kyle Vanden Bosch, Calvin Pace, Wendell Bryant, and Fred Wakefield to grace the Cardinals with their presence and sack the opposing QB. Help is on the way in the form Bert Berry with his 11.5 sacks and any supplements provided from rookie Darnell Dockett will benefit the line.
The linebackers on this team have always been capable, and apart from the highly overrated free safety Dexter Jackson, the Cardinals are competent in the secondary. If Hasselbeck and Bulger, along with the 14 other quarterbacks that this team will face have all week to make financial and offensive decisions, then not even Ty Law and Champ Bailey can bail this team out.
<b>O/U 5.5:</b>
Unless the Cardinals use Balco products, finishing above third place in their division is easier said than done. With Seattle, and St. Louis being perennial contenders, wins will not come cheaply while Arizona is the visitor, but by now we?ve memorized that the Seahawks and Rams are two of the NFL?s worst road teams. San Francisco should have no problem yielding at least one win to the Cardinals as currently they are lower than Arizona on the rebuilding food-chain, which leaves Arizona needy for three more wins from the following: NE, @ATL, NO, @BUF, @MIA, NYG, @CAR, NYJ, @DET, TB. I guess it depends whether you?re an optimist or a pessimist.
<b>Fantasy Sleeper:</b>
Though many football figureheads will draft Anquan Boldin as the top, if not only, player from this 4-12 team, the true sleeper here is Josh McCown. He is the main distributor of this potent-touted offense and with weapons like Boldin, Fitzgerald, along with the possibilities of Emmitt Smith and Bryant Johnson showing up on a consistent basis, McCown is worth a late round selection. Bear in mind that if the Cardinals are good, it will likely be due to McCown smart decisions, and if they are subpar, then his passing stats may bulk up since they will be in desperate need of points.
