Oct 22,2008 - This article has been posted By : Ken Savage
I found this article on Yahoo Sports and found it interesting. As a close follower of the Arizona Cardinals, I found myself in agreement with almost everything that was said.
REPORT CARD AFTER 6 GAMES
Passing Offense: A— Kurt Warner is dangerous when he gets time. He’s had one bad game out of six, and the Cardinals will accept that ratio. The pass protection has been solid, and the club has compensated for the injury to Anquan Boldin. Receiver Steve Breaston continues his dramatic improvement.
RUSHING OFFENSE: C—The Cardinals’ strength is in its passing game, so their run statistics aren’t going to overwhelm anyone. But the run game has been decent at times, and it’s something that should improve as the season develops.
Pass Defense: B—The Cardinals were second in the NFL with 18 sacks before last weekend’s games. They have a nice rotation along the defensive front, but the secondary has blown too many coverages.
Rush Defense: B—The Cardinals defensive front seven isn’t big, and it relies heavily upon proper gap discipline. They’ve blown a few plays resulting in big runs, but overall, not bad.
Special Teams: B—Two special teams touchdowns helped win the Dallas game. Kicker Neil Rackers is a deadly weapon with his array of kickoffs, including onside and pooch. The coverage teams have been decent.
Coaching: A—The players believe in coach Ken Whisenhunt, and there is a consistent philosophy from the head coach and his staff. Offensively, the Cardinals have a diversity of weapons and they know how to use them. The defensive staff is comprised of good teachers, and younger players are developing.
The one thing I really enjoyed was the "Coaching" grade. Ken Whisenhunt has done an outstanding job with this team. The only area of concern is their terrible road record (3-8 in Whisenhunt's 2 seasons).
This is a very dangerous team offensively and the coaching staff has done a great job of utilizing their many offensive weapons. They may have found another with the injuries at the wide receiver position where WR Steve Breaston has played well starting in place of Anquan Boldin. Breaston caught 15 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown in the past two games.
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