Follow Them To the Top: What the Broncos Can Learn From the Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals will be playing in Super Bowl 43 this February. The Denver Broncos will be watching the game with friends at their homes. These are two teams very similar in their personnel and their style of play. If the Broncos want to be more successful in 2009 and beyond, they should be "TiVo-ing" the Cardinals' games watching them very carefully.

The Cardinals are an offensive minded, pass-first team. They have a veteran quarterback who loves to win and is very smart with his passes. Their receiving core is one of the best in the NFL with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston and Jeremy Urban.

The Cardinals running game features three legitimate threats in Edgerrin James, Tim Hightower, and J.J. Arrington. They have proven to themselves that they can run the ball very effectively if they stick with it, even after being ineffective during the season. This "balancing" of the offense has played a key role in their improbable run.

Arguably the biggest surprise of the 2008 playoffs so far has been the Cardinals defense. The unit ranked 19th in the league during the regular season, but had some terrible games, giving up 47 points to New England, 48 to the Eagles, and 56 to the Jets. The Cardinals defense has stepped up to answer the call in the postseason against some of the NFC's top offenses in Atlanta, Carolina, and Philadelphia. They now have to hold one more time to end the Cardinals' 61-year championship drought.

The Denver players and coaches can learn some things about their own game from watching this team make a bid for a world championship. 

Jay Cutler is not exactly a seasoned veteran, but he does have a strong competitive spirit and a lot of talent. He should watch how Kurt Warner handles himself, and how he stays cool under pressure and is willing to go to his second or third reads if his receivers are covered.

At times in 2008, Jay would appear to have only one read, Brandon Marshall, and to throw to him no matter what, whether he was triple-covered or wide open. This was one of the factors that led to his throwing 18 interceptions, second-highest in the league.

Brandon Marshall should observe Larry Fitzgerald (As if every wideout isn't already) and watch his route running and his ball security skills, even while running for yards after the catch.

Eddie Royal should try to model himself after Anquan Boldin, the fast compliment to the big weapon on the opposite side of the field.

The Denver coaching staff, especially former offensive playcaller Jeremy Bates (regardless of whether or not he stays with the team) should watch how the Cardinals have redeemed their running game, and how it is helping them win games.

One of Bates' main criticisms was that he would lose faith in the running game (especially after Peyton Hillis went down) and start calling pass after pass, which often led to an interception or three-and-out.

The Cardinals experienced that same problem down the stretch, but offensive coordinator Todd Haley changed his scheme for the playoffs, and it has taken pressure off of the passing game and allowed Fitzgerald to run his routes and "get open."

Above all though, the Denver defense (or what will be left of it) should watch as Arizona's unit contributes to the win and isn't a liability to the team. The Cardinals defense has an abundance of talent in the secondary, but a defensive line and linebacking core without any "big names."

Regardless, the Cardinal defense has come together and played as a team. They have played smarter, not letting themselves be fooled by the opponent. Their now-famous defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast has been more aggressive in calling on Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson to bring pressure with safety blitzes, and with his defensive playcalling overall.

The Broncos defense, although ranking below Arizona's, stepped up in its share of games as well, holding such offenses as the Jets and Falcons to lower scores. Overall though, the Broncos are in need of a major personnel change and a more agressive scheme on defense.

Their personnel probably will not be "all-world" in this first season of rebuilding, but, as one can see with the Cardinals, they don't need it to be. A few big name players (Adrian Wilson, Dominique Rodger-Cromartie, Karlos Dansby) and a lot of lesser-known, but still talented and intense players (Antrel Rolle, Chike Okeafor, Bertrand Berry) are perfectly adequate when put into the right scheme.

The Cardinals are not a defensive team and neither are the Broncos. That is not the direction they are headed in. For offensive teams, the defense simply has to get several stops, only give up field goals, and keep their offense on the field. The Cardinals have done that in this postseason, and that should be the goal for the '09 Denver defense.

Aside from personnel and playbooks/schemes, the story of these teams could be similar. Nobody ever dreamed of seeing the Cardinals in the playoffs heading into this season, in a weak division usually dominated by the Seahawks.

When Arizona made the playoffs, they were the team nobody thought deserved to be in, the team everyone picked to lose. They are playing without pressure, and you can tell they are having fun.

Going into 2009, nobody (aside from Broncos fans) will expect to see the Broncos in the playoffs with a young first year head coach and a rebuilding defense. People will expect the Chargers, with Shawne Merriman back, to dominate the division. But look at how Seattle slipped in the NFC West after years of dominance.

It was time for the Cardinals to rise to the top, and the Broncos could be right behind them.