TST: NFC West Preview: Arizona Cardinals

[Prime Time]

NFC West Preview: Arizona Cardinals
By misone  @MightyOrMisone on Jul 18 2014

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With the start of training camp right around the corner, there might not be a better time to take a look at the NFC West's forthcoming season...

The Arizona Cardinals played one heck of a season last year. To most, their performance was a surprise. While to others, it could be seen coming. The Cardinals actually remind me a lot of the 49ers in the years before becoming what they are now. When examining the 49ers prior to the 2011 season, they were team who had continuously picked in the top half of the draft. Of all those draft picks, they rarely missed on the premium picks (rounds 1-3). Ultimately this resulted in a strong, defensive team, built through the draft.

STILL A FEW PIECES AWAY

No one should be able to say that the Cardinals are far off from being a legit threat of being a consistent playoff team. On offense, the team still seems to lack a few key pieces and that starts with the quarterback. The truth is Carson Palmer can't be trusted. For every amazing throw he makes, there's sure to be an equally bad one. The Cardinals' Super Bowl odds are better than the odds of Carson Palmer ever getting back to his once Pro Bowl form. At this point, he's one of the top bridge quarterbacks in the NFL. If you need a spot starter for a year or two, he's your guy. Not be much more than that expected of him.

It's not as if Palmer doesn't have a nice arsenal of weapons. Larry Fitzgerald is still one of the best in the league, and the there's no denying his "not-so-Larry-like" stats can be attributed to poor quarterback play over the last couple of seasons. Larry is a dangerous weapon and will remain so until the day he hangs up his cleats. Michael Floyd is an absolute monster. Ironically, he reminds me of a slightly bigger Anquan Boldin. Floyd is very physical and hard to tackle. He makes some contested catches look far too easy. As long as he has Fitzgerald there to continue to teach him, Floyd will continue to get better.

The Cardinals also brought in what I'm calling their secret weapon. John Brown terrorized the DII ranks over the last several years. He is a blazer, with underrated ball skills, and route running ability. He drew a lot of Antonio Brown and TY Hilton comparisons. And do we all know who was in both Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, respectively, at the time those players were drafted? You guessed it, Bruce Arians. I fully expect John Brown to be used in the same way Arians used those players, both on offense and special teams. He and Ted Ginn will also bring deep threats to relieve pressure underneath for Fitz and Floyd.

In the backfield the Cardinals have a lot of unproven players. Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor are sure to be the one-two punch in the desert this season. Ellington showed his explosiveness last season, but this year he will be asked to take on a much bigger role. He will no longer just be the change of pace back. Now he will be the top back. There are a lot of questions of whether or not he has the ability to carry the load. Ellington is a good receiver out of the backfield and it will only help in the way that Arians decides to use him. Taylor is more of the old school back. He is a north-south runner, with good third down ability. But Taylor lacks explosiveness and is better served as a goal line, short yardage, four min offense, type of back.

The real issue on this offense is the offensive line. This line has been beaten like a rug over the last couple of years. Robert Quinn alone has accumulated 8 sacks in the last 6 Rams-Cardinals games. The continuous beating has been going on for quite some time. The team has shown efforts to get better. In the 2013 NFL draft, the team selected the drafts top guard, Johnathon Cooper. During this years free agency period they signed - what might be their biggest signing in years - Jared Veldheer. The team also managed to sign Anthony Steen as an undrafted free agent after this years draft. Steen can play both center and guard very well. He is a solid player overall. But even after all the attention shown with this group, there still seems to be an uncertainty about the line as a whole.

THE GLUE IS MISSING ITS CAP

Make no mistake about the glue that holds this team together - as well as makes them a legitimate threat in the NFC West - is the defense. But this defense has lost a very important piece. Daryl Washington has been suspended for one year. His absence will be felt. It will also require others to step up. The Cardinals defense played the first four games of the 2013 NFL season without Washington due to suspension. While the unit was solid at times, there is no question, that when Washington returned, this unit took it to a different level. His shoes will not be easy to fill, and the odds are they won't be.

Washington is one of the best ILBs in the NFL, and his absence is sure to hurt the defense in both pass and run defense.Kevin Minter and Larry Foote will be tasked with filling his role, respectively. John Abraham had a very productive year in 2013, but at age 36, one can only wonder how much is really left in the tank. This linebacker core will need Sam Acho and Matt Shaughnessy to step up big time.

The defensive line should continue to be just as strong as it was in 2013. One big factor to this team finishing with the No. 1 ranked run defense was the defensive line. Daryl Washington certainly played a big role, but this entire line is made up of guys who can stuff the run. It is very hard to find any weaknesses at all. Calais Campbell, Darnell Docket, and Dan Williams were a nightmare in 2013.

Campbell and Docket also did an excellent job of putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They were very consistent all year. The team did lose Alameda Ta'amu - who was just starting to come on as a rookie - to a torn ACL in week 17. Considering how late in the year his injury took place, it's hard to envision him being ready to start the year.

Injuries were not too kind to the Cardinals in 2013. Just ask Tyrann Mathieu. The young defensive back was proving to be as advertised, and really having a solid rookie season when he tore his ACL/LCL in week 14. Mathieu's injury also took place late in the season, and his availability is in question to start the season. His absence will be - yet again - a major blow to this teams overall performance. Patrick Peterson is a helluva corner, and one of the best in the NFL. But he has yet to prove to be capable of having the type of impact on a defense that Darrelle Revis or Richard Sherman has.

With Daryl Washington gone, and a question mark hanging over Mathieu, the load he will carry will be the heaviest he has experienced since entering the league. This defense will need him more than ever. A case can be made for him to be a top 5 corner in this league. But he will have to prove to be as good as a Revis or Sherman to help elevate this team to take the next step. He will need to take over games. The team did do a nice job of getting him some help in the secondary. Actually, the argument can be made that Arizona completed it's secondary this off-season. You can't say enough about the addition ofAntonio Cromartie and Deone Bucannon. Cromartie is an immeidate upgrade at the corner position, while Bucannon was the most productive safety in this years draft. Bucannon should bring more versatility than expected, as he can cover deep and play in the box.

This team is still a very dangerous team, in the NFL's toughest division. But with question marks at quarterback, offensive line, Washington's absence, and Mathieu's recovery, it's difficult to see this team continuing to progress. They have taken quite a few blows, but it would be foolish not to wonder how much fight is left in them. In order to continue with their progression, two things must happen: The offense is going to have to find consistency, as well as not turn the ball over so much, and Patrick Peterson is going to have to lead this defense back to being a top 10 unit. Between the two, the latter seems most likely. Even so, this is not a team anyone should count out...

 

[Prime Time]

Team Report - ARIZONA CARDINALS
The SportsXchange

The Arizona Cardinals don't just have concerns at specific positions. They have concerns in specific areas.

When training camp opens, considerable attention will be paid to two spots involving four positions: inside linebackers and the right side of the offensive line.

Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby departed via free agency because the Browns offered a ton of money, and the Cardinals had Daryl Washington.

Had is the operative word.

When it comes to 2014, references to Washington will be in the past tense. He's suspended for at least a year for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Losing both Dansby and Washington are blows that can't be overstated. Both are great athletes with versatility. They played the run well. They were fast enough to cover running backs and tight ends in coverage. They could blitz.

Kevin Minter and Larry Foote, their replacements, are vastly different players. Minter is more of a physical, run stopper. Foote is older, 33. Both might have to come out in passing situations.

On offense, the biggest question is the right side of the line. Bobby Massie lost the tackle job a year ago because he made too many mental errors. Whatever faith coaches have in him cannot be great. Massie has much to prove.

Right guard Paul Fanaika is average at best, but as offseason practices closed, he remained the best option.

NOTES, QUOTES

--The team brought veteran right tackle Tyson Clabo in for a visit near the end of OTAs. The Cardinals reportedly were only doing their due diligence and didn't sign him. But the move was interesting given that the right tackle job is open. Bobby Massie is the starter but doesn't have a strong hold on the job. The team could bring in a veteran as camp approaches or starts.

--Coach Bruce Arians likes to refer to position groups by "rooms", as in the quarterback room is strong. The tight end room has undergone a big transformation since last season. John Carlson was signed. Jake Ballard, picked up midway through last season, has moved into the starting lineup. Troy Niklas was drafted in the second round. The Cardinals are confident they are more talented there than a year ago.

"That's an NFL room now," Arians said.

--Team strength: Wide receiver.

Larry Fitzgerald is still an elite player. Michael Floyd has shown great improvement. The additions of Ted Ginn Jr. and rookie John Brown improved the group's speed. Quarterback Carson Palmer has several options now in the passing game.

--Breakout player: Wide receiver Michael Floyd.

Floyd was better in 2013, his second year, than he was as a rookie. Judging by his performance in the offseason, 2014 should be even better. Floyd has always caught the ball well. Last year, he proved he could play through injury, and he improved catching the ball in traffic. He should be a big target in the red zone.

--Fantasy football reality check: Running back Stepfan Taylor.

Taylor isn't going to pile up yards, unless Andre Ellington suffers an injury. But he should be valuable in short-yardage situations, including near the goal line. Taylor is tough and faster than people think. He's very smart and instinctive, which should help in the red zone.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

UNIT-BY-UNIT ANALYSIS

QUARTERBACKS: Starter - Carson Palmer. Backups - Drew Stanton, Ryan Lindley, Logan Thomas.

Palmer was much better in the second half of the season than the first. He struggled in the offensive system early, throwing nearly twice as many interceptions as touchdowns in the first eight games. He needs to improve that ratio (24-22) next year. Stanton and Lindley did not play. Stanton is definitely the No. 2 quarterback, coach Bruce Arians said. That leaves Lindley and Thomas, a fourth-round pick, to compete for the final roster spot. Arians insists the job is open, although it would be hard to imagine the Cardinals cutting Thomas.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter - Andre Ellington. Backups - Stepfan Taylor, Jonathan Dwyer, Jalen Parmele, Zach Bauman, FB Robert Hughes.

Ellington steps into the starting role, replacing Rashard Mendenhall, who retired. Ellington is dynamic as both a runner and receiver, and the Cardinals will line up him in the slot, which opens up playing time for other backs. The Cardinals would like to get Ellington the ball around 20 times a game, which is a lofty goal. Taylor is a physical runner and should be a solid short-yardage back. Dwyer played for Arians in Pittsburgh, so he knows the system. Arians doesn't like to use a fullback, but Hughes can fill that role when needed. He's a physical blocker and showed excellent hands in the offseason.

TIGHT ENDS: Starters - Jake Ballard, John Carlson. Backups - Troy Niklas, Rob Housler, Darren Fells.

The position was revamped in the offseason. Ballard was on the team in the latter half of 2013, but played only a small role. That will grow this year. Carlson impressed coaches in the offseason. He's known as an excellent receiver, but the Cardinals think he can be a solid blocker, too. He has a history of concussions, so durability is a concern. Niklas, the second-round pick, didn't get much work in the offseason, which likely will hinder the beginning of his rookie year. He missed time with a sports hernia, then suffered a broken hand in early June. Housler faces a challenge to make the team. The Cardinals have waited on him to play up to his potential. If he doesn't do it in training camp, the team might decide it's waited long enough. Fells, a college basketball player, is a project.

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters - Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd. Backups - Ted Ginn Jr., John Brown,Walt Powell, Brittan Golden, Jaron Brown, Kevin Ozier, Kelsey Pope, Dan Buckner.

Fitzgerald finished with fewer than 1,000 yards for the second consecutive year, but he scored 10 touchdowns, six more than in 2012. He hasn't lost anything. Floyd had a breakout season and improved greatly. QB Carson Palmer grew to trust him on deep passes, and Floyd came through. He played through a painful shoulder injury over the last month. The Cardinals added speed through free agency (Ginn) and the draft (Brown). Arians likes both of them and has a history of knowing how to use those types of players. The top four spots seem set. The other one or two are open.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters - LT Jared Veldheer, LG Jonathan Cooper, C Lyle Sendlein, RG Paul Fanaika, RT Bobby Massie. Backups - G/T Nate Potter, G Earl Watford, T Bradley Sowell, G/C Ted Larsen, G/C Anthony Steen, C Philip Black.

There will be at least three new starters and possibly four. Left tackle has been a need for years, and the Cardinals signed Veldheer in free agency. They think he can be elite. Cooper, the seventh overall pick in 2013, didn't play as a rookie after suffering a broken leg. He wasn't 100 percent in offseason practices, but coaches think he will be by the start of training camp. Sendlein is a smart, solid veteran who holds the unit together. Fanaika is being challenged by Earl Watford.

No matter who wins the job, the position will be a weakness until someone proves otherwise. Massie emerged from the offseason as the starter, but his hold on the job is tenuous. He's being challenged by Sowell and Potter, and the Cardinals have also looked outside for help. They worked out Tyson Clabo in June and re-signing Eric Winston, last year's starter, remains a possibility.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- DLE Darnell Dockett, NT Dan Williams, DRE Calais Campbell. Backups - NT Alameda Ta'amu, EFrostee Rucker, E Kareem Martin, E/T Ed Stinson, NT Christian Tupou, NT Justin Renfrow.

The entire front played well in 2013. Campbell enjoyed another elite season. His run defense has improved and he's a menace in passing situations. Dockett had his best season in several years. He started slowly but blossomed in coordinator Todd Bowles' one-gap scheme. Williams was steady all year. Ta'amu, claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh, was so good that he took time away from Williams. Ta'amu is very powerful and a big reason the team ranked first against the run. Rucker is a solid backup and Talley hardly played, partly because of a wrist injury. Martin, a third-round pick, has pass-rush ability and could play in those situations. Stinson was a good run defender in college.

LINEBACKERS: Starters - WLB John Abraham, ILB Kevin Minter, ILB Larry Foote, SLB Matt Shaughnessy. Backups - OLB Sam Acho, OLB/ILB Lorenzo Alexander, OLB Alex Okafor, OLB Marcus Benard, ILB Kenny Demens, ILB Ernie Sims, ILB Glen Carson.

Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington were among the better tandems in the NFL and both are gone, Dansby to free agency and Washington to a minimum one-year suspension. The position is the biggest weakness on the team. Minter, a second-round pick a year ago, played one defensive snap. Now, he's making the calls. Foote is 33. Neither player is known for his pass defense.

The outside positions are in much better shape. Shaughnessy is steady and tough, while Abraham (11.5 sacks) proved he has plenty left at age 35. Acho and Alexander started the first three games before going down with injuries. Acho and Okafor, who both missed most of last season with injuries, are healthy. If they stay that way, the team has great depth at outside linebacker.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters - CB Patrick Peterson, CB Antonio Cromartie, FS Tyrann Mathieu, SS Deone Bucannon. Backups -- S Rashad Johnson, S Curtis Taylor, S Tony Jefferson, CB Jerraud Powers, CB Justin Bethel, CB Bryan McCann.

Peterson covered the best receiver every week. He's an elite player but he can improve. Signing Cromartie gives coordinator Bowles the option of keeping each of his corners on one side of the field. Powers is smart and physical and will be the nickel corner until Mathieu returns from a knee injury. Johnson lost his job to Mathieu midway through the season. Mathieu is instinctive and makes a lot of plays. Johnson is smart and does a nice job of getting teammates lined up correctly. There won't be much of a drop-off is he is the starter while Mathieu is out. Bucannon, the first-round pick, has a reputation as a big hitter. Coverage is his biggest question.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Jay Feely, P Dave Zastudil, KOR Ted Ginn, Jr., PR Ted Ginn Jr., LS Mike Leach, K Danny Hrapmann, K Chandler Catanzaro.

Feely made 30 of 36 field-goal attempts, but he missed some crucial ones. His kickoffs are neither high nor deep. He signed a one-year deal for the minimum and there are two other kickers on the roster. Zastudil was reliable and adept at downing punts inside the 20. The Cardinals return game was not good, and perhaps Ginn can change that. Patrick Peterson's punt return average declined dramatically the last two years, and coaches want him to concentrate on cornerback full time.

 

[DaveFan'51]

A Bold Prediction! In Week #10 their O-Line will crumble at our feet and Palmer will have to be helped off the Field!! ( If some other team doesn't get to them first! )

 

[Cardncub]

Saying Zastudil was reliable is an understatement. He was pro bowl caliber the last 2 years.

 

[Mojo Ram]

The Good:
Coaching
Vet QB
Underrated RB
WR core
Secondary vs the pass
Experienced roster
OLine stability

The Bad:
Secondary vs the run
LB's vs the run and pass
Pass rush
Depth on defense
Depth at RB

The Ugly:
Kurt Warner is still retired
Dansby left again
Washington is an idiot
T.Matthieu injury

Cardinals will score a lot of points if Palmer stays healthy and the OLine gels quickly, but i see the defense taking a step back(especially vs the run) and that can't happen in this division.
8-8 4th place

 

[mr.stlouis]

Saying Zastudil was reliable is an understatement. He was pro bowl caliber the last 2 years.

He better be, man, he has huge shoes to fill. Losing Dansby and Washinton cannot be understated.

With that said, the Cards don't scare me at all. Carson Palmer will be under heavy pressure and Bradford tore them apart without a running game last year. I look forward to it.

 

[Cardncub]

He better be, man, he has huge shoes to fill. Losing Dansby and Washinton cannot be understated.

With that said, the Cards don't scare me at all. Carson Palmer will be under heavy pressure and Bradford tore them apart without a running game last year. I look forward to it.

S. Bradford27/382997.9210-0

I don't believe this is tearing them apart.
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=330908014

 

[mr.stlouis]

S. Bradford27/382997.9210-0

I don't believe this is tearing them apart.
http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=330908014

You add a yard and Cook doesn't fumble the TD then you got...

300 yards and 3 TD's. Sammy Boy kicked your butt, man. It's OK, though. He's gonna make many teams cry this year.

That Cook fumble was some freaky crap, man. That has to be top 3 in the Rams's "Most Unfotunate Plays of 2014."

Tavon had a few called back, too. One was for tripping by Long. Tripping!!! That sucked.