The Arizona Cardinals finished 8-8 with a three-game improvement from last season. Had they not lost to San Francisco twice, two games they should've easily won, they would have made it to the playoffs.
They lost Matt Leinart early in the season with a shoulder injury, and veteran Kurt Warner stepped in and had monster numbers. He completed 62.3 percent of his passes for over 3,000 yards, and tossed 27 touchdowns.
Their home record was 6-2, and their away record was 2-6. If they could improve their road record up by a couple of games, they can be a contender in 2008.
The 2007 Cardinals had a lot of injuries, for a change, and that really hurt their playoffs' hopes. A few huge ones were: Adrian Wilson (foot), Matt Leinart (shoulder), Cheke Okeafor (arm), Eric Green ( groin) among others.
I really think that their O-Line that will be together for the second year in a row, has put on weight and will be solid. Brown (sophomore) and Lutui (junior) are on the right side and will clear the way for James. Granted, James is getting old, but put up solid numbers last season with 1,000 rushing yards and 3.5 yards per carry.
Some negatives factors going into 2008 were the loss a big linebacker in Calvin Pace to the New York Jets, when they signed him to a six-year $45 million contract. They replaced him with the signings of Travis LaBoy from Tennessee and Clark Haggens from the Pittsburgh Steelers. They've also lost receiver Bryant Johnson to the 49ers, but replaced him with their third round pick of the draft; Early Doucet from LSU.
In the first day of the draft, they really improved their defense by selecting Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (cousin of the Chargers' Cromartie) using the 16th overall pick. They plugged some of their holes by picking up key players in the draft's later rounds. RB Tim Hightower, drafted in the fifth round, could spell aging Edgerrin James as early as this season, for example.
If some of these players can contribute right away, and if they can avoid major injures to key personnel, they could be huge this year!
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5 months ago
THIS IS A RECORDING.
What is that now? 5 years in a row? 6? "CARDS ARE GOING TO WIN THE WEST".
History indicates otherwise.
You got Boldin and Fitz..."We're going to win it all"
You got Edge "We're going to win it all"
Fired Green..got Whiz..same expectations..same falling way short.
Got Warner...same o, same o
Got Leinart..same o, but worse.
About this time last year, Card fans were also guaranteeing they owned the Niners..guess you missed that mark as well.
Yeah, our two wins knocked you out of the playoffs :)
I nnow..what a bummer. :)
And Leinart? Geez...if there was one common theme with Card fans, it was "Why wait until being in the red zone to put in Kurt?? If he had been playing all along, we might have won."
Facts are Kurt was put in because Leinart folded like a cheap beach chair when the pressure was on.
Facts are Kurt is not just getting old, and more cement toes than before (If that's possible) but the Warner naysayers whined about his turning the ball over as much as he did (rightfully so)
So half the Card fans want a slow turnover prone Kurt...the other half wants a not so slow, but choke when it counts Matt.
End result is a team who's the poster child for " Exercise in Futility".
don't see it happening.
5 months ago
Biggest problem I see the Cards dealing with, is a maturity problem in Matt Leinhart.....glad the Raiders didn't waste a pick on him.
Kurt Warner, even at his age, can still throw, and you have to ask, with all the weapons they bring, how did they finish 8-8?
Think the first step they need to do, is solve the QB situation....make a solid choice. But playing ring-around-the-rosie isn't going to help.
5 months ago
If Arizona starts Matt "Rag Arm" Leinart and Edgerrin "No Gain" James this season, they'll have the 1st pick of the 2009 draft.
"The Edge" is not even a good running back. He's slow (one of the worst YPC in the NFL), can't catch (one of the worst drop % in the NFL), can't/won't hit the hole, and routinely turns 30 yard holes into 3 yard holes. And he's a team cancer with all his finger-pointing.
As for Leinart.... Where to start? Last in the NFL in passer rating and yards per game. 0.4 TD per game. 2 INT'S per TD. 5.8 YPA. And despite throwing to 2 Pro-Bowl wide receivers, he didn't connect with Fitzgerald for a single TD last season, and only 1 to Boldin.
And then there's his fragility issues... 2 season-ending injuries in his last 5 sacks.
Leinart's arm is simply not capable of making accurate throws into tight NFL coverages. And experience won't cure that. It's a physical limitation that will have him out of the NFL within 1 or 2 years. In other words, he's the next Ryan Leaf.
The Cards' best bet is to see what their rookie RB can do, and of course go with the hot hand at QB -- Kurt Warner. He threw 21 TD's in his last 8 starts. The Cardinal offense was unstoppable the 2nd half of the season. Whisenhunt should fix what's broke, and leave what works alone. The passing game wasn't broke. Fix the running game and the defense, and the playoffs will be a possibility.
PS. Whisenhunt needs to step up his own game next year. He singlehandedly lost a couple games last year -- Baltimore (gave Leinart the 2 minute drill at the end of the 1st half, causing a turnover and costing the win)... and San Francisco (had to burn a timeout because he couldn't figure out whether to put Tim Rattay in the game (for his gimic BS goal line "package") or leave Warner in the game)... and then his delay of game on what should have been the game-winning field goal.
5 months ago
It could happen, but I don'y see it happenning.
Good article though.
5 months ago
It's not surprising to see a no-nothing 40whiner fan here proving that misery loves company.
While the Cards have been sleeper picks a few times since going to the playoffs in '98, it is the Niners who have been routine favorites to win the West, yet have instead continued along the downward spiral that is slowly becoming them.
Last year the team brought in a new staff and a new attitude. How anything Whiz has done could be considered "falling short" of expectations is beyond me. In fact is is beyond any reasonable thought. The man took over a 5-win team, changed both offensive and defensive schemes and won 8 games. It would have been 11 if not for the choke-hazard that is Neil Rackers.
Matt Leinart won a few games, but struggled in the new system prior to missing the season DUE TO INJURY. Meanwhile the great Alex Smith, AKA biggest QB bust since Ryan Leaf, predicted a 10 win season only to fall on his face with the rest of the team prior to being benched for proving only to be too soft for Mike Nolan's taste.
The bottom line is that preseason predictions mean nothing, but I will be shocked to see anyone capable of hatching rational thoughts rank the niners over the Cards heading into '09. Furthermore, I canbnot wait for the sweet revenge of watching the Redbird's pummel the whiners into submission like usual this year.
5 months ago
Mike49er,
I wouldn't worry about commenting on the Cardinals woes, You got more than enough problems with your 49ers.
A head coach who is digressing and on the bubble.
A qb....well, do you have a qb?
An offensive coordinator that will eventually get your qb (what's his name?) killed.
I'll take our problems over yours any day of the week.
5 months ago
well gee I wonder how many times I've ehard that the Cards will win the NFC West, but yet every time I hear about their team I hear about bitchy players who are payed great amounts of money already and a quarterback who is so interested with his media lifestyle that he can't throw the ball right. rather than ripping you apart with stat after stat about hwo they'll never win the division at least for another decade, I think I'll just say the most self-explainatory thing Possible: SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
4 months ago
Seahags blow
4 months ago
Cardinals whomp
4 months ago
they are making a progression but we have to see what leinart will develop into beacause he keeps getting injured
4 months ago
by Justin
from 13 days ago It's not surprising to see a no-nothing 40whiner fan here proving that misery loves company.
Mike49er: Everyone has the god given right to be stupid, even you. Unfortunately you abuse that right.
For starters, "no-nothing"??? LMAO. Considering YOU brought it up...it's supposed to be "know-nothing", dumbass.
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While the Cards have been sleeper picks a few times since going to the playoffs in '98, it is the Niners who have been routine favorites to win the West, yet have instead continued along the downward spiral that is slowly becoming them.
Mike49er: Again with the stupid part. You're pretty new at this football thing, aren't you? Seriously...no smack intended..you just ran across this board and what...decided to give it a shot??
If not, how the hell do you explain the "Niners have been routine favorites to win the West" idiot take??
WE HAVEN'T BEEN FAVORITES IN ANY YEAR TO WIN THE WEST IN OVER A DECADE..We won it in '02, but we SURE AS HELL WEREN'T THE FAVORITES.
Why would you even make such an asinine comment?
All I can assume is you are, as indicated, completely clueless and new at this. Let me guess? On the Online Scrabble Boards you're a real hoot..aren't you?
Oh..wait...you have to be able to at least have 5th grade spelling to compete there....never mind.
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Last year the team brought in a new staff and a new attitude. How anything Whiz has done could be considered "falling short" of expectations is beyond me. In fact is is beyond any reasonable thought. The man took over a 5-win team, changed both offensive and defensive schemes and won 8 games. It would have been 11 if not for the choke-hazard that is Neil Rackers.
Mike49er: Oh, I don't know..how about his complete moronic platooning of his qb's? Guess you don't frequent Card boards, do you? If you had, you would see how much that po'ed Card fans as well, especially in games the Cards could have won, if it wasn't for Wiz's decision to turn the qb position into musical chairs.
But then again, you're new at this, and aren't expected to know these things.
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Matt Leinart won a few games, but struggled in the new system prior to missing the season DUE TO INJURY.
Mike49er: Ahh...the "HE SUCKED BECAUSE HE LEARNED A NEW SYSTEM" take. Interesting that Warner lit it up learning that "new system". In other words, quit with the pathetic excuses. Wasn't the system that made him throw right into a Niner defenders hands during opening drive of game one last year, was bad play. He got benched because he was playing bad, not because he's 'slow to learn".
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Meanwhile the great Alex Smith, AKA biggest QB bust since Ryan Leaf, predicted a 10 win season only to fall on his face with the rest of the team prior to being benched for proving only to be too soft for Mike Nolan's taste.
Mike49er: Again, you should leave football discussion to the big boys, and stick to riding your skateboard.
Are you honestly this stupid?
Smith had won 3 of his 4 previous games, losing only to the Steelers before getting an injury at the start of the Seattle game that basically ended his season. Nolan put him back in, only to find out the injury needed surgery.
You ever read up on anything..or do you just toss crap out..hoping something sticks?
So far all you've proven is you're just another lemming who makes excuses for the headlines he reads, never bothering to actually follow the team.
In other words, you're an idiot.
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The bottom line is that preseason predictions mean nothing, but I will be shocked to see anyone capable of hatching rational thoughts rank the niners over the Cards heading into '09. Furthermore, I canbnot wait for the sweet revenge of watching the Redbird's pummel the whiners into submission like usual this year.
Mike49er: LMFAO..thanks for proving my point, clownboy. "watching the Redbird's pummel the whiners into submission like usual this year. "
LIKE USUAL??? We SWEPT THE CARDS LAST YEAR, moron.
You didn't know that?
You're a "Card fan" and you didn't know we beat you both games?? Damn dude..talk about setting yourself up for a slap down..you didn't get one thing right.
I suppose you missed the little fact that the Niners sweeping the Cards last year is the reason the Cards missed the playoffs??
Chew on that for a bit, clownboy...then borrow $5 and go buy a clue.
4 months ago
Arizona cardinals pays their players too much money for a bad performance. Seattle will continue to dominate the division for at least the next 5-6 years
3 months ago
i think that the cardinals have a shot, i picked them to win the west. i think they had a great draft, but the bottom line is this. the seahawks reloaded, the replaced alexander and their defense is solid. the 49ers have the players to win, they just have to stay healthy. if smith and vernon davis stay healthy this year, the 49ers have a real shot of winning the division. i think their defense is very good, and fairly young. but the cardinals have bright spots, they have the best receiving tandum in the nfl in my opinion, i know others will say moss and welker or johnson and tj, but fitz and boldin are both number 1 recievers when they are healthy. edge is getting older, but if the line play can get better, then his numbers should increase. if leinart can come out swinging and actually know the play book, the cards will have success. they have to play better on the road and they have to have better defensive play.
2 months ago
Arizona Cardinals don't have a shot to win the division, not even by a long shot. They don't have the players to make big plays, they make to many turnovers and sometimes blow big leads.
However, they have been a big disappointment and I think the only thing they will win is the #1 draft pick.
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