Arizona Cardinals: An In-Depth Review By 2nd And Wrong

(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Aside from the Fitz’s anatomy though, let’s look at the team’s strengths and weaknesses. Straight up, this is one of those “I don’t know how they do it” teams, like the 2008 Super Bowl Giants. Well, I know how they did that. They spent the whole game in and around Tom Brady’s butthole, that’s how they did thatt. But seriously, this is one of those teams where everyone just decides to show up at the same time and they click.

Depth-wise, on paper the Cardinals don’t seem too bad. That could be why they made the Super Bowl. This stuff is definitely my true calling. For real though, not many weaknesses on paper.

On offense, they have the most dynamic WR duo in the league, bar none (and seriously, Boldin needs to realize that his elite level of play is tied directly to the presence of Fitzgerald, and vice versa. Leaving Arizona would hurt both their values and production), and with that they have one of the best No. 3 WRs as well.

Kurt Warner writes a new will daily, but he’s still one of the better options in the league. He’s at least top 32, so he deserves a starting spot somewhere, and with the best people in the game to throw to, he’s got room to work with. Leinart needs to get his shit together or else he’s going to lose what could be a very good team.

Their ground game has been their biggest problem in recent years, so they addressed that in the draft. They just did it totally wrong. Now, you’ll find in the coming months that we have a strict view on the running game, and the offense in general. It all comes from the offensive line. No blocks, no holes = no yards. That’s math. It’s an equation.

LaDainian Tomlinson didn’t get all those TDs because he perfected the spin move. He got them because his line mauled people, and then he got all these one-on-ones in the open field. When you’re as shifty as he is, you tend to win those. He did a lot of the work by himself, but no O-line means lots of those TDs disappear.

The Cardinals wanted to fix their running game, but they went about it all wrong. They signed an over-the-hill Edgerrin James, who is a role player (role: running behind a great line in Indianapolis into the box that was only filled with 3 guys because everyone was back in coverage trying to stop Peyton).

Edge wasn’t going to carry any loads, not at that age. Tim Hightower showed up last year while Edge was busy crying, and then they went out and drafted Chris "Beanie" Wells in the first round. Not necessarily a bad pick, except I’m pretty sure he has health issues and that the way he runs doesn’t exactly compliment Hightower.

Wells is a big back, but I don’t know if he’s exactly a bruiser. He’s supposed to be fast, though I think he shit the bed at the combine. A 4.59 is fast for a running back his size, but you already have Hightower, so why not go with the DeAngelo Williams-style compliment? It seems like he’s kind of a tweener. He’s big, and fast for his size, but when he tries to lower the boom, he gets carted off the field. Not saying it happens all the time, but Ray Lewis broke Rashard Mendenhall’s shoulder by hitting him, so there’s some pain dished out in the big leagues.

Apparently Wells also clocked a 4.34 at his Pro Day. But that was at his Pro Day. I just find it odd, having a power back, and then drafting a back that is seemingly just a quicker power back. Except he can’t take the hits a power back can.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?