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http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/13106316/arizona-cardinals-again-sleeper-contender-nfc-nfl
Perhaps no team dealt with more player attrition during the 2014 NFL season than the Arizona Cardinals. The most significant blow came when quarterback Carson Palmer tore his ACL during a Week 10 win over the Rams. But the personnel shuffling began long before that, as linebacker Daryl Washington(suspension) and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (torn ACL) were lost for the season before it even began.
And yet, despite those hurdles and having to use four quarterbacks last season, the Cardinals reached the postseason as the NFC's top Wild Card. Points were hard to come by following Palmer's injury (just 14.7 per game in the seven outings he missed), but he's well on his way to a full recovery for training camp (he participated in team activities this offseason).
With Palmer healthy, an improved running game and under-the-radar personnel moves to fortify an already exceptional defense, the Cardinals are primed for another run to the postseason in 2015 -- and potentially a deeper one.
Returning to health
Injuries are unavoidable for any team in the NFL, but it's a reasonable hedge to assume that the Cardinals won't deal with the same level of injury woes as they endured last season. Palmer was obviously the most significant injury, but running back Andre Ellington (four games), outside linebacker Matt Shaughnessy (eight), safety Tyrann Mathieu (three) and tight end Troy Niklas(nine) all missed significant time in the regular season, and all are expected to be fully healthy for the start of the 2015 campaign. That's a significant talent infusion, before getting into any of the team's new additions.
Offensive alterations
In the 10 games that Palmer started, the Cardinals averaged 24.3 points. That's a figure that would've ranked 11th in the NFL last season, but imbalance was an issue for Arizona. The team was dead last in yards per rush last year, and we can trace the root of that issue even deeper. The Cardinals ranked 31st in the NFL in average yards before contact on runs between the tackles in 2014, managing just 1.91 yards per attempt for their runners.
The other issue with the running game was the eventual injury to Ellington, a 190-pound back who is at his best touching the ball closer to 15 times per game than the 20.6 he averaged last season. The Cardinals also relied on smaller-framed backs last season, as Kerwyn Williams and Stepfan Taylor were the top fill-ins, but neither is over 5-foot-9 (although Taylor is a thick 214 pounds).
This offseason, the Cardinals added former 49ers guard Mike Iupati in free agency. While he has limitations as a pass protector, he's a road-grading interior lineman. He helped San Francisco rank third in yards before contact on runs between the tackles last season and is widely regarded as a standout power player. The team also used its first round pick on Florida offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who is likely to be penciled it at right tackle.
"He's a natural athlete," one personnel man said of Humphries. "Great feet. He played at only 290 pounds this year, so he played like a bulk- and strength-deficient guy on tape. But he did some really good things at the second-level and in space; he's a great fit for [a zone-blocking scheme]. He weighed close to 310 pounds by draft time, so he'll probably play bigger as a pro."
Provided the last part of that statement proves true, the Cardinals should generate more space for their backs in 2015. Moreover, the team added a big-bodied running back in the draft, selecting Northern Iowa's David Johnson, who tips the scales at 224 pounds and stands at 6-1. Interestingly, one of his calling cards as a prospect was his pass-catching ability. If he can earn some tough yards for Arizona while spelling Ellington and also catch the ball, he'll likely find early work as a rookie.
Arizona should be more balanced on offense this year because of the running game, and the team has also talked about a dedication to picking up its tempo. The team ran the fifth-fewest plays in the NFL last season, operating at a deliberate pace. With an intriguing mix of young wideouts (John Brown, Jaron Brown and JJ Nelson, plus veterans Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald), Palmer should have options to distribute to if the team hurries things up more in 2015.
Defensive calling card
It was no surprise to see Todd Bowles emerge as a coveted head-coaching candidate this offseason after watching the 2014 Cardinals defense (for which he served as the coordinator). Arizona ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring defense and third in red zone touchdown percentage (just 45.5 percent allowed). It was terrific work under most any circumstances, but was even more impressive given the allotment of injuries the team dealt with.
I asked one NFL assistant coach for some attributes that made this defense so effective last season: "Their defensive line," he started with. "Their four down fronts and run-stopping ability, their ability to mix up game-plan blitzes from week to week, their use of multiple defensive back packages and disguise with Patrick Peterson and the Honey Badger [Mathieu]. Plus, they showed a good overall ability to persevere with all the injuries, with their young players stepping up and contributing."
The work of Bowles cannot go unnoticed, and certainly those are big shoes to fill, but the Cardinals had an in-house replacement in former outside linebacker James Bettcher, now the NFL's youngest coordinator at 37 years old. The familiarity Bettcher has with the personnel and the system should help him in his new role.
GM Steve Keim -- who has done terrific work in patching together holes on the roster incurred by injury, etc. -- landed his prized free agent in Iupati early in the new league year. But he also added a pair of players on low-risk moves that have the potential to yield bigger reward: outside linebacker Lamar Woodleyand linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (each signed to one-year deals). Throw in moves such as signing defensive tackle Corey Peters and claiming cornerback Alfonzo Dennard (cornerback is a position of note following the departure of Antonio Cromartie in free agency) off of waivers, and the team has been quietly busy adding to what was an already quality group.
The NFC West runs through Seattle, the two-time defending NFC champion that outscored Arizona 54-9 in two meetings last season (both when Palmer was injured). But while it was clear down the stretch last season that the injuries were eventually going to catch up to the Cardinals this season, the team enters the 2015 campaign not just as a promising riser in the NFC, but a legitimate contender.
Perhaps no team dealt with more player attrition during the 2014 NFL season than the Arizona Cardinals. The most significant blow came when quarterback Carson Palmer tore his ACL during a Week 10 win over the Rams. But the personnel shuffling began long before that, as linebacker Daryl Washington(suspension) and defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (torn ACL) were lost for the season before it even began.
And yet, despite those hurdles and having to use four quarterbacks last season, the Cardinals reached the postseason as the NFC's top Wild Card. Points were hard to come by following Palmer's injury (just 14.7 per game in the seven outings he missed), but he's well on his way to a full recovery for training camp (he participated in team activities this offseason).
With Palmer healthy, an improved running game and under-the-radar personnel moves to fortify an already exceptional defense, the Cardinals are primed for another run to the postseason in 2015 -- and potentially a deeper one.
Returning to health
Injuries are unavoidable for any team in the NFL, but it's a reasonable hedge to assume that the Cardinals won't deal with the same level of injury woes as they endured last season. Palmer was obviously the most significant injury, but running back Andre Ellington (four games), outside linebacker Matt Shaughnessy (eight), safety Tyrann Mathieu (three) and tight end Troy Niklas(nine) all missed significant time in the regular season, and all are expected to be fully healthy for the start of the 2015 campaign. That's a significant talent infusion, before getting into any of the team's new additions.
Offensive alterations
In the 10 games that Palmer started, the Cardinals averaged 24.3 points. That's a figure that would've ranked 11th in the NFL last season, but imbalance was an issue for Arizona. The team was dead last in yards per rush last year, and we can trace the root of that issue even deeper. The Cardinals ranked 31st in the NFL in average yards before contact on runs between the tackles in 2014, managing just 1.91 yards per attempt for their runners.
The other issue with the running game was the eventual injury to Ellington, a 190-pound back who is at his best touching the ball closer to 15 times per game than the 20.6 he averaged last season. The Cardinals also relied on smaller-framed backs last season, as Kerwyn Williams and Stepfan Taylor were the top fill-ins, but neither is over 5-foot-9 (although Taylor is a thick 214 pounds).
This offseason, the Cardinals added former 49ers guard Mike Iupati in free agency. While he has limitations as a pass protector, he's a road-grading interior lineman. He helped San Francisco rank third in yards before contact on runs between the tackles last season and is widely regarded as a standout power player. The team also used its first round pick on Florida offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who is likely to be penciled it at right tackle.
"He's a natural athlete," one personnel man said of Humphries. "Great feet. He played at only 290 pounds this year, so he played like a bulk- and strength-deficient guy on tape. But he did some really good things at the second-level and in space; he's a great fit for [a zone-blocking scheme]. He weighed close to 310 pounds by draft time, so he'll probably play bigger as a pro."
Provided the last part of that statement proves true, the Cardinals should generate more space for their backs in 2015. Moreover, the team added a big-bodied running back in the draft, selecting Northern Iowa's David Johnson, who tips the scales at 224 pounds and stands at 6-1. Interestingly, one of his calling cards as a prospect was his pass-catching ability. If he can earn some tough yards for Arizona while spelling Ellington and also catch the ball, he'll likely find early work as a rookie.
Arizona should be more balanced on offense this year because of the running game, and the team has also talked about a dedication to picking up its tempo. The team ran the fifth-fewest plays in the NFL last season, operating at a deliberate pace. With an intriguing mix of young wideouts (John Brown, Jaron Brown and JJ Nelson, plus veterans Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald), Palmer should have options to distribute to if the team hurries things up more in 2015.
Defensive calling card
It was no surprise to see Todd Bowles emerge as a coveted head-coaching candidate this offseason after watching the 2014 Cardinals defense (for which he served as the coordinator). Arizona ranked fifth in the NFL in scoring defense and third in red zone touchdown percentage (just 45.5 percent allowed). It was terrific work under most any circumstances, but was even more impressive given the allotment of injuries the team dealt with.
I asked one NFL assistant coach for some attributes that made this defense so effective last season: "Their defensive line," he started with. "Their four down fronts and run-stopping ability, their ability to mix up game-plan blitzes from week to week, their use of multiple defensive back packages and disguise with Patrick Peterson and the Honey Badger [Mathieu]. Plus, they showed a good overall ability to persevere with all the injuries, with their young players stepping up and contributing."
The work of Bowles cannot go unnoticed, and certainly those are big shoes to fill, but the Cardinals had an in-house replacement in former outside linebacker James Bettcher, now the NFL's youngest coordinator at 37 years old. The familiarity Bettcher has with the personnel and the system should help him in his new role.
GM Steve Keim -- who has done terrific work in patching together holes on the roster incurred by injury, etc. -- landed his prized free agent in Iupati early in the new league year. But he also added a pair of players on low-risk moves that have the potential to yield bigger reward: outside linebacker Lamar Woodleyand linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (each signed to one-year deals). Throw in moves such as signing defensive tackle Corey Peters and claiming cornerback Alfonzo Dennard (cornerback is a position of note following the departure of Antonio Cromartie in free agency) off of waivers, and the team has been quietly busy adding to what was an already quality group.
The NFC West runs through Seattle, the two-time defending NFC champion that outscored Arizona 54-9 in two meetings last season (both when Palmer was injured). But while it was clear down the stretch last season that the injuries were eventually going to catch up to the Cardinals this season, the team enters the 2015 campaign not just as a promising riser in the NFC, but a legitimate contender.
