Ask Revenge of the Birds

Last year Clancy Pendergast had them running a very funky hybrid defense that was often too cute for it’s own good. This year it’s a much simpler attack and so far it’s working pretty well. It also didn’t hurt that we mounted early leads against Jacksonville, Houston and Seattle that basically forced them to throw most of the second half.

but it also has to do with teams getting sucked into our style. When we start airing it out, I think other teams do the same, especially when they fall behind quickly. Our run defense is good too. You can’t go 6 games into the season as the number 1 ranked run D by accident.

This week I think they’ll have some problems with your backs, which is why the Cardinals need to get out to an early lead. We may also do the same thing to Delhomme as we did to Manning and force him to throw. I don’t see either back gaining over 100 yards.

I think a big contributing factor is the secondary, at least through the last few games. DRC and Mcfadden have been able to contain the oppositions receivers with little help allowing the lb’s and safties to help out up front and get pressure and/or contain the run close to the line of scrimmage.

I agree with Beze for the most part. The whole philosphy of the 09 cards D seems to be: No Running Allowed. It’s the focus of the beginning of the game and seems to be something the team can turn back on whenever they need it right now. It also doesn’t hurt that our offense has the potential to score quick stricks at anytime, which I think makes teams gameplan thier offense against us to try and score 24-28 points and move away from the run game. But the D has really stepped up in goal line and short yardage situations as well.

How important?……Under coach Ken Whisenhunt, the Cardinals were 17-0 when winning the turnover margin in a game and only 1-15 when they were on the wrong end.

If we do win the turnover margin, yes I see this as a game that’ll be over before the start of the fourth quarter. No offense but if the Cards can get a decent lead and take your running game out of the picture, then this should be a cake walk (obviously this is my opinion only and may not reflect the collective view of ROTB).

Turnovers and a complete meltdown on defense would be the only things that keep the game close, which is something the Cardinals have screwed us over with in the past done before.

our team still has the potential to get that quicksand feeling Keanu Reeves describes in the Replacements movie. “First one thing goes wrong, then another, then another, untilyour so worried you can’t move, like quicksand.” AS an example remember the Monday night meltdown against da Bears a few years ago.

I do see the culture changing with Whiz and the team. For example Warner’s no respect quote this week, but its still a building process. In the Indy game, I could see it and feel it in the stadium. However, in the SF game, it was more a matter of we just came out flat and never got going, maybe due to a lackadaisical preseason, rust, whatever. Our offense is still struggling a little and we are starting to hope to develop some kind of a run game. If we can ever get it going, watch out with the D we have right now.

Sorry, I tend to run on, so getting back to your origianl question, I think if the Cards win or break even in TO’s they win the game.

In my mind he’s a very small tick below Ed Reed and Troy P and at this point I’d take him over Dawkins. The only thing that keeps him from being mentioned among those guys is that he plays in Arizona.

His role in this defense is pretty much the same thing that it’s been for his entire career. He’s a very unique player because his blend of athleticism and size allows him to do just about everything. He’s a freelancing safety on first and second downs and he’s capable of providing help on deep routes or flying through a running lane to cut down a back for a minimal gain. On passing downs (aka Nickel or dime defenses) he’s basically a linebacker because he spends most of his time around the LOS and is one of the better blitzers on the team. His only true weakness is that he can’t man cover very many receivers but how many strong safeties really can?

Basically in my mind he’s freakin’ amazing. He’s the biggest underrated player of this decade. Oh yea and he’s one sack and one pick away from the 20/20 club.

The only problem is that he is a Cardinal. Aside from the last 3 or so years, he hadn’t been a household name, and he is now just starting to become one. The problem that the Cardinals are facing as a team right now is a lack of national recognition, and that trickles down to Wilson. I’m sure if he was a Cowboy or Steeler or whatever, then he would be considered one of the best.

He generally stays around the LOS but won’t hesitate to drop into coverage. The Cardinals use him all over the field, and that is the main reason we usually stick another safety deep(Matt Ware). The beauty about Wilson is he can blitz like a defensive end, play the run like a linebacker, and play in coverage like a corner. He is bigger to our D then most realize. When he’s missed games before, we’re not the same.

I concur with the other guys on A-Dub.

Wilson did finally get some recognition this week, but he has been a stud for years. I thought I read there was only 1 other player in the history of the NFL in the 20/20 club (of course they only have had sacks as a stat in the last 20 years or so).

I’m going to say power would work best this year but in the past, quick backs have burned us. I think Williams could break one of his signiture runs at any time, but this year quick backs have been getting caught up in the back field(MJD, Slaton, Bradshaw, Julius Jones) and the lone big back ran pretty good on us(Brandon Jacobs). The middle seemed to be slightly exposed last week so we’ll see if the Cardinals make any adjustments.

I would start by saying I would not choose to start either Carolina RB in a fantasy league against our run D this week unless I had no other option. Having said that, I could see Williams break out and get a long run at some point in time so total yards I’m going to lean toward Williams, but if you take out the long run I think up the middle is the better way to go.