Predicting how the
Arizona Cardinals will do in 2009 is a difficult task. They are in one of the worst divisions in football though you could debate all day long whether the AFC West or the NFC West is the worst division in football.
Right now, with the self-induced implosion of the
Denver Broncos, I have to give the AFC West the advantage (or disadvantage, depending on how you look at it). At least you can say there are some teams in the NFC West who are headed in the right direction.
It’s not a joke to say that the
Chargers could win the AFC West with a 7-9 record. Sorry
Chiefs fans—I know Scott Pioli is your GM, Todd Haley is your head coach, and Matt Cassell is your quarterback, but I need to see it on the field before I can say you improved during the off-season.
This is Pioli’s first time calling the shots by himself, and Haley’s first time as a head coach. Plus, Cassell isn’t going to be throwing to
Randy Moss and Wes Welker.
Anyway, back to the
Cardinals. I am going to break my analysis of their chances to return to the Super Bowl into five sections: 1) Offseason Moves and News 2) Draft Analysis 3) Divisional Opponents 4) Schedule 5) Conclusion
Off-season Moves and News
I have to start this section off by addressing the ineptitude with which Cardinals management has handled Anquan Boldin, and his request for a new contract. This guy is a stud.
There is no way you can tell me that the Cardinals are a better team without him, or that they will go far into the playoffs this year if they trade him.
After Anquan suffered a broken jaw in the
Jets game last year, he came back after two games, and a bye week, to help take the team to their first Super Bowl appearance.
Larry Fitzgerald dictates coverage, and can catch the ball even when doubled; however, Boldin is an outstanding No. 2 receiver that gives defensive coordinators fits when coming up with game plans.
Between Fitzgerald, Boldin, and up-and-comer Steve Breston, you have one of the best receiving corps in the league. Make no mistake about it—without Boldin the offense is not as lethal.
As much as Breston has made strides, I don’t think he scares opposing defenses like the combo of Fitzgerald and Boldin do. In my opinion, management should have kept their promise to Anquan a year ago and re-worked his deal.
Now, unless a long term deal can be worked out with Karlos Dansby, which could free up some cap space if structured properly, I don’t know if the Cardinals even have enough money to pay Boldin the money he deserves.
The good news for the Cardinals is that they got a deal worked out with
Kurt Warner. The bad news for the Cardinals is that they got a deal worked out with Kurt Warner.
Warner had a tremendous season last year. In fact, he was in the running for MVP for most of the year. On the flip side, Warner is recovering from offseason hip surgery. That’s not great news given that Warner is 37 years old.
So which Warner are we going to see this year? The Kurt Warner from the 2008 season or the one from 2007 who threw 17 interceptions, and fumbled the ball 12 times.
Granted, I don’t put all the blame on Kurt. The Arizona offensive line needs to get better at run blocking, because the more you ask your quarterback to throw the ball, the greater the likelihood that bad things will happen.
Nonetheless, Kurt’s fumbles have cost them games.
Another issue is, if Kurt isn’t the 2008 Kurt, or he gets injured, and Matt Leinart has to start, how confident can any of us be in Leinart? I, like a lot of other people, have no idea how talented of a quarterback he is. I hear he has matured since last year and is taking things more seriously, but who knows.
The loss of Edgerrin James in the offseason is significant. I realize that the “Edge” wanted out, but the fact remains that he was an important factor in their remarkable run in the playoffs last year. He gave them just enough balance in the Super Bowl to keep the
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(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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