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Cards Defenseless Against Hawks!
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By: Kevin Pakos for S&E News
Kurt Warner the OTHER Arizona quarterback does not have his own radio show, but the way things are going, he may have his own wing at a local hospital. Yep, the darling of the Arizona Cardinals and their fans is a quarterback, but his name is Matt Leinart. You can catch his show every Friday from 5-6 p.m. on ESPN 860. He is also going to be a guest on 620 AM on Friday mornings at 8:20 a.m. This program is hosted by KTAR guy and Cards guy Paul Calvisi.
Paul is also the face and voice of other Cardinal media properties like the "Dennis Green Show," "Big Red Rage" and works the sidelines on game days plus is on the Cards "Maximum Cardinals" TV show/magazine. Clearly, the hand of fate, favor and future is upon the rookie from Troy.
Kurt Warner however has only his pride, Super Bowls and MVP credentials to offer the team, fans and media. Yes, he is truly one of the nicest guys in the NFL. Which is why he will put his head down, hold his chin up and as long as he can survive physically will lead the Cardinals, striving on every down to help them win. Knowing that those who support him with their right hand today also have their left hand in the small of his back, ready to shove him aside so that the team can truly become the "Matt Leinart Show."
The Seattle Seahawks meanwhile had a miserable, ugly offensive outing today. Yes Shaun Alexander and Darrell Jackson scored quickly to take a first quarter 14-0 lead. But then the wheels fell off and Pro Bowl and 2005 MVP QB Matt Hasselbeck had his first game under 50 per cent in two years, he threw two interceptions, and he was 12 of 27 for 221 yards. The Hawks also had a 14 yard punt and a blocked field goal. The end result is that the Seahawks, like last season are 2-0 after snuffing the winged wonders from Arizona 21-10 in their nearly new stadium.
Pre-Season Blues:
The Cardinals of course should not worry. After all it is only the second time superstar Edgerrin James has had a full game in months. He is running behind an offensive line that will become solid and effective. But they have to get through their remaining pre-season games first. So expect more learning and more "gel'in" to take place as the team hosts the Rams and then travels to Vick, Georgia for their fourth pre-season game.
I seem to remember that James said in an interview that he prefers few or no carries in the pre-season. To which Coach Green issued a stern "To bad he is not with the Colts" or something like that. So, that means that a group of men that were counting on James to help them make a living and earn the right to make more money for performance increases, well, they will just have to keep waiting.
For years now everyone from the media to coaches have complained that the pre-season is too long, that it is dishonest to sell the practice games at full price and only get a quarter of play each week from the starters.
The players and their advocates say pre-season is too long because people can get hurt. After spending every day at Cardinals camp in Flagstaff and watching a confident even cocky team work out each day, I began to believe that this team and its great players could be onto something. Gone from camp is the brutal combat where players earn their spots and prove their worth to the challengers.
It has been replaced with lighter practice schedules, less contact and no scrimmages, at least for Arizona. Players for the most part know who is staying and who is going and they act like it. Some of them like Warner, Boldin and Fitzgerald practice all out and risk their health every time they "go live." It seems to matter to them to prepare well and push past the pain to get the gain.
Things are what they are. In Arizona, they are looking very familiar. Yes, the team has more then it's share of Pro Bowl caliber players. Guys like Warner, Boldin, Fitzgerald, James plus Leonard Davis on offense. The defense has major talent in Karlos Dansby, (not in favor at the moment) Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle, Bertrand Berry. Plus Neil Rackers and Scott Player are also great. I thought Darnell Dockett should be among the best in the NFL with his style of play and the fact that he looks as if he added 20 per cent to his body mass since last year. Not so much now.
Coach Green would like to have tougher pre-season and off season workouts. He knows the strong win out in a competition where the talent level is fairly even amongst teams. But the last time he tried to install a "warrior mentality" in his troops he was basically brought up on charges by the players union. I think if you told Fitzgerald, Boldin, Warner and some others on the offense that all contact practice in the pre-season would be all-out, they would just smile and tell you to step up if you think you can.
But, instead, here we are in the second week of the season, barely qetting by a mediocre San Francisco team, or are they? Worse, in that game a couple of rookies made the Cardinals defense look stupid. Now, the Seahawks, a team that looked stupid last week in a win they did not earn, collapsed in this game and still won. Can we get a break....?
Coach Green made a good observation regarding the Seahawks picking up a top receiver and parting with a 1st round draft choice. He mentioned that when coaches like Holmgren want or need something to help them win. They get it. Hhhmmm.... He knows that sold out stadiums don't win games. Two deep defenses do. Yes, the team picked up James, like Emmett Smith before him, to sell more tickets. It worked. Then they drafted the current Arizona quarterback Matt Leinart. Then, nothing. Michael Bidwell has accomplished what he set out to do, what he has always been passionate about. Getting fans to the games. Being able to sit with the other team owners as an equal in shared home/away revenues.
What is left for the Cardinals? Who knows? If they show the same passion for finding and signing more guys like Warner, Fitzerald and Boldin they can be in the Super Bowl hunt for years to come. But let's be realistic. The NFL is a business. The only rule in business for successful businesses is a two part rule of one:
A: Never spend more than you have to for anything, ever!
B: Always use other people’s money!
The result will always spell victory for those that observe these rules.
So truly, we in Arizona don't know how lucky we are.
The game that was just played was for all intents and purposes only the second full speed, full contact practice for the Cards offensive line with Edgerrin James. So I am just going to say that the final score was:
Seattle 21 Arizona 10
Cardinals Fans and the taxpayers, ZERO
Just wondering out loud: If a healthy James could avoid all contact work in pre-season and still be "the man" for this team. Why in the heck is Karlos Dansby, a major player being treated like a rookie from a junior college? He said he was hurt and did not practice and got ragged on every day. James said he did not want to play in the pre-season, and essentially did not and he is a hero waiting for his coronation. Just wondering......OUT LOUD.... Bring back the beast and James will get short fields to make big plays on....
