Staggerlee
chip_gilkey
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This one was much nicer to watch than the Denver game haha.
First half:
Defense:
The offense of the Cardinals had the ball for a ton the first quarter so the D had to do a lot of work in the first half.
Pic plays, motion at the line and causing traffic in coverage abused the D in the first half. Fitz had an incredible day just from his motioning to get on a specific player and motioning behind other receivers to cause a pic. Fitz beat Woods multiple times by running a deep slant behind a post or corner route ran by the receiver next to him.
John brown beat Woods on a TD using the same concept, chaos and traffic in coverage. They did a ton of post/corner with a guy (usually Fitz) aligned tight on the line and break off a shorter in breaking route causing the defender to have to go over his teammate to get there.
One play they motioned Fitz across the formation which put him on Sean Lee in a bad position. Lee trailing Fitz down the line, all Fitz has to do is wait for the clearing routes to develope which puts him on Lee who is still coming at him, crossing route by Fitz leaves Lee in the dust.
Was surprised to see so much blitzing and bluff blitz zone drops. They used the coveted slot blitz a few times as well as bringing Lee and Jaylon on quite a few lb blitzes (almost none of which got home, btw). Marinelli was also having Durant and other LBs bluff blitz them drop into zone.
Some positives from the D, mayowa had himself a solid game, got a couple good pressures but really handled himself in the run game. He wasn't always making the tackle but was good at pushing his man and stringing the play horizontally until help arrived.
Dline in general did really well stopping the run this game. You didn't see nearly as many instances of Lee and Jaylon getting OL on them.
Lewis was beat a couple of times because of all the motion and pic plays but I liked what I saw from him this half. Made a really good play fighting through the trash to stop a screen to Fitz that had potential. He made a couple of really nice hits you don't expect someone of his size to make. You can definitely say he's a willing tackler which will make Kris Richard happy.
There wasn't a whole lot I saw on offense the first half that I felt noteworthy.
Our OL was doing an adequate job in pass protection, think it was green who gave up a sack but it was ok. They really couldn't get much going in the run game other than Zeke breaking a tackle at the line and running for 30, other than that just tough runs in the first half.
One thing i wanted to mention, and something I was talking to my gf about last night, is Daks ability to run in a td on a keeper in the red zone. He did it in the second qtr and I looked it up and was kinda surprised to see he ran in 6 tds in both of the last 2 seasons. That's a really great talent and wrinkle to have. Without Witten and Dez this year we need to get creative in the red zone to get TDs. Hopefully this is something they try to get going more, one source to try to replace the rezone productivity of Dez and Witten.
Speaking of beloved Witten, I did see a few missed blocks by him that cost us a first down or much more. He made some good ones too, just saying lol.
Second half:
Well the good news for the second half was the D did better adjusting to some is the motion and pic plays which led to Arizona not running them as much this half.
First player on defense that really popped out to me this half and this game was Lewis. Now I will say this to start, he got saved twice by pressure getting home cause he was beat twice deep. But the pressure got home so the QB didn't have a chance to see or throw it.
With that being said, I was incredibly impressed with Lewis this game, both in coverage but also tracking. In the second half he had two pass break ups back to back, basically killing a drive. He also is a very willing tackler on the perimeter, there were multiple screens and runs to the edge that he came up and stuffed them for a minimal gain. Really like seeing a guy his size cover and tackle so well.
Scandrick really annoyed me this game, and it's been the knock on him the whole time he was here, he can cover, he can get his hands on the ball, but he'll rarely make the interception. He had one that was thrown to Fitz but was a bad throw, Scandrick was basically running the receivers route and was settling under the ball to catch it, fitz comes in at the last second and steals it away from him. That's a pic he has to make and not let the wr steal it away.
Brown in my mind did not have a good game this game and really seemed to start the season off rough. He was beaten for at least 1 td that was called back and beaten several other times.
On offense the run game was a feast or famine affair. To their credit they didn't abandon it but it was some tough running for Zeke. They'd get 3-5 yards for several runs straight then Zeke would do his magic and break a long one.
While Witten did miss a few blocks the first half, all of the TEs were good in blocking this half. Hannah and swaim both had great blocks to open up some room for Zeke and Witten did well in pass pro. I hope we have a plan in place to replace the loss of Witten and Hannahs blocking on the line. I know the TE Schultz we drafted supposedly can block but he better be able to cause hes going to be asked to early and often.
You can see what Switzer was talking about the coaches wanting him to be a rb. One of the only plays he was in on was a toss to him lined up as a rb.
It appeared to me that Collins was the weakest link in the oline this game though green wasn't always perfect either. Not that he had a terrible game, had an average performance but someone has to give up the most plays and I think it was him.
This last portion I want to talk about Dak. I think Dak had a good game this game with some very nice deep passes. One thing that was interesting for me to watch was when he decided to leave the pocket or not. There was one play the pocket was established and he ran out to his right, seemingly for no reason, and got himself into trouble. Then several plays later he has a collapsing pocket and stands in and delivers the throw. I'm sure there was a reason he did that, maybe to try to shake someone open in coverage, but it didn't work. He had an incredible deep their to Williams where he anticipated where the opening was for Williams to be open and threw the ball there and let Williams go get it.
Speaking of Dak on the move, his deep ball while running to his right is a thing of beauty. He threw two beautiful deep dimes to Butler. When he's on a rollout, boot or just running on a busted play he is deadly deep. It seems like Williams and Butler are really good at adjusting and being where Dak wants them. I hope they find that guy to take Butler's role this year. Deep threat who understands where Dak wants them.
Another part of Daks game that was highlighted in this game is his running ability on the keeper. Dak supposedly is slimmed down and I worry about him getting injured on his runs. I don't worry as much with him being as thick and big as he is because he does take some big hits at times. Although I heard him say he'll most likely get back to his normal weight by the start of the season so maybe it won't even be an issue.
First half:
Defense:
The offense of the Cardinals had the ball for a ton the first quarter so the D had to do a lot of work in the first half.
Pic plays, motion at the line and causing traffic in coverage abused the D in the first half. Fitz had an incredible day just from his motioning to get on a specific player and motioning behind other receivers to cause a pic. Fitz beat Woods multiple times by running a deep slant behind a post or corner route ran by the receiver next to him.
John brown beat Woods on a TD using the same concept, chaos and traffic in coverage. They did a ton of post/corner with a guy (usually Fitz) aligned tight on the line and break off a shorter in breaking route causing the defender to have to go over his teammate to get there.
One play they motioned Fitz across the formation which put him on Sean Lee in a bad position. Lee trailing Fitz down the line, all Fitz has to do is wait for the clearing routes to develope which puts him on Lee who is still coming at him, crossing route by Fitz leaves Lee in the dust.
Was surprised to see so much blitzing and bluff blitz zone drops. They used the coveted slot blitz a few times as well as bringing Lee and Jaylon on quite a few lb blitzes (almost none of which got home, btw). Marinelli was also having Durant and other LBs bluff blitz them drop into zone.
Some positives from the D, mayowa had himself a solid game, got a couple good pressures but really handled himself in the run game. He wasn't always making the tackle but was good at pushing his man and stringing the play horizontally until help arrived.
Dline in general did really well stopping the run this game. You didn't see nearly as many instances of Lee and Jaylon getting OL on them.
Lewis was beat a couple of times because of all the motion and pic plays but I liked what I saw from him this half. Made a really good play fighting through the trash to stop a screen to Fitz that had potential. He made a couple of really nice hits you don't expect someone of his size to make. You can definitely say he's a willing tackler which will make Kris Richard happy.
There wasn't a whole lot I saw on offense the first half that I felt noteworthy.
Our OL was doing an adequate job in pass protection, think it was green who gave up a sack but it was ok. They really couldn't get much going in the run game other than Zeke breaking a tackle at the line and running for 30, other than that just tough runs in the first half.
One thing i wanted to mention, and something I was talking to my gf about last night, is Daks ability to run in a td on a keeper in the red zone. He did it in the second qtr and I looked it up and was kinda surprised to see he ran in 6 tds in both of the last 2 seasons. That's a really great talent and wrinkle to have. Without Witten and Dez this year we need to get creative in the red zone to get TDs. Hopefully this is something they try to get going more, one source to try to replace the rezone productivity of Dez and Witten.
Speaking of beloved Witten, I did see a few missed blocks by him that cost us a first down or much more. He made some good ones too, just saying lol.
Second half:
Well the good news for the second half was the D did better adjusting to some is the motion and pic plays which led to Arizona not running them as much this half.
First player on defense that really popped out to me this half and this game was Lewis. Now I will say this to start, he got saved twice by pressure getting home cause he was beat twice deep. But the pressure got home so the QB didn't have a chance to see or throw it.
With that being said, I was incredibly impressed with Lewis this game, both in coverage but also tracking. In the second half he had two pass break ups back to back, basically killing a drive. He also is a very willing tackler on the perimeter, there were multiple screens and runs to the edge that he came up and stuffed them for a minimal gain. Really like seeing a guy his size cover and tackle so well.
Scandrick really annoyed me this game, and it's been the knock on him the whole time he was here, he can cover, he can get his hands on the ball, but he'll rarely make the interception. He had one that was thrown to Fitz but was a bad throw, Scandrick was basically running the receivers route and was settling under the ball to catch it, fitz comes in at the last second and steals it away from him. That's a pic he has to make and not let the wr steal it away.
Brown in my mind did not have a good game this game and really seemed to start the season off rough. He was beaten for at least 1 td that was called back and beaten several other times.
On offense the run game was a feast or famine affair. To their credit they didn't abandon it but it was some tough running for Zeke. They'd get 3-5 yards for several runs straight then Zeke would do his magic and break a long one.
While Witten did miss a few blocks the first half, all of the TEs were good in blocking this half. Hannah and swaim both had great blocks to open up some room for Zeke and Witten did well in pass pro. I hope we have a plan in place to replace the loss of Witten and Hannahs blocking on the line. I know the TE Schultz we drafted supposedly can block but he better be able to cause hes going to be asked to early and often.
You can see what Switzer was talking about the coaches wanting him to be a rb. One of the only plays he was in on was a toss to him lined up as a rb.
It appeared to me that Collins was the weakest link in the oline this game though green wasn't always perfect either. Not that he had a terrible game, had an average performance but someone has to give up the most plays and I think it was him.
This last portion I want to talk about Dak. I think Dak had a good game this game with some very nice deep passes. One thing that was interesting for me to watch was when he decided to leave the pocket or not. There was one play the pocket was established and he ran out to his right, seemingly for no reason, and got himself into trouble. Then several plays later he has a collapsing pocket and stands in and delivers the throw. I'm sure there was a reason he did that, maybe to try to shake someone open in coverage, but it didn't work. He had an incredible deep their to Williams where he anticipated where the opening was for Williams to be open and threw the ball there and let Williams go get it.
Speaking of Dak on the move, his deep ball while running to his right is a thing of beauty. He threw two beautiful deep dimes to Butler. When he's on a rollout, boot or just running on a busted play he is deadly deep. It seems like Williams and Butler are really good at adjusting and being where Dak wants them. I hope they find that guy to take Butler's role this year. Deep threat who understands where Dak wants them.
Another part of Daks game that was highlighted in this game is his running ability on the keeper. Dak supposedly is slimmed down and I worry about him getting injured on his runs. I don't worry as much with him being as thick and big as he is because he does take some big hits at times. Although I heard him say he'll most likely get back to his normal weight by the start of the season so maybe it won't even be an issue.
