Red Sea ReportRed Sea Report - Christmas Wishes For Cardinals Final Two Games
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To the fifteen of the ten, Murray's gonna score touchdown.
Welcome to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
Swam to the ground by Buddha Baker like a torpedo.
He came flying into the.
Backfield Connor to the ten, to the five, and then of the end zone for the touchdown.
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Here we go one.
Hand to catching a touchdown?
Oh baby, how's that fail?
Here's Craig Griolou, Paul Calvic and nine year NFL veteran Rob Frederickson.
You know it's We've been doing this for a while now, and I noticed that when we have a former Arizona Cardinal player in for the Cardinals Red Sea Report, they get a description, you know, how many years they played, how many they played? Paul, You and I get nothing. And I think we should have had something for you this week, Paul, because we should have added and Cody marked this down.
We should have added.
Polly play by play because this is a might not be a magnitude game as far as what we are all hoping for Cardinals at the Rams, but this is a big, big game, as Paul likes to say.
For Paul copyc.
So the operative phrase there was get nothing because that reminds me of what's coming here on the holiday get nothing. Yes, short week play by play. You know, nothing daunting or anything about replacing Dave Pash, who just called a national playoff game for the globe to watch. So nothing daunting about filling those broadcast shoes or headset. So we'll see how it goes. Please, it's the holiday season. Keep the hate tweets to a minimum if you will 'tis the season? Be kind in other words, yes, right, be kind to your fellow man, especially Polly pinch hitter for Dave Pash, because I ain't no Dave Pash. Let's just put it that way.
Well.
I also noticed in the intro that when they mentioned you know, former football player nine years in the NFL, they left off the Pro Bowls there. Oh, I don't know they didn't. They left it off because there weren't any.
Kyle Vannenbasch does get Pro Bowl mentioned in his introductions. So yeah, maybe.
It was something we I have more hair than Kyle.
So I mean, because it is the holiday, you know, 'tis the season. Can I not bag on you guys? What is protocol right now?
Sure?
Hey, put bag away anything to avoid.
Talking about what happened in Carolina.
That's right.
I'm gonna go grinch mode around here and be the mean one coming off that game in Carolina. And you know what, even when the Cardinals are down twenty to three in Carolina, I really wasn't panicked. I really did think they were gonna come back, and sure enough, they did come back, and it's twenty to seventeen and a half. I didn't really start to have the old boxers bunging until James Connor started taking the tape off his hands and all of a sudden he had a jacket on the sideline. And at that point, I'm like, you're really depleted now. And the one guy they couldn't stop was James Connor and then he was out of the game, and then we all know how the game ended.
It was about five minutes to go in the third quarter, after Joanah Williams had already been in and out of the Blue medical tents in Carolina, and yeah, losing James Connor, and I guess, you know, just big picture it for me, Rob because with that loss in Carolina thirty six to thirty in overtime, coupled with the Rams winning in New York, Aaron Rodgers not doing the Cardinals as solid. But Cardinals have been eliminated from playoff contention here after a week sixteen, which feels better than in previous years where you were eliminated a lot sooner. But it's still this hurts this things And much like everyone else around the fan base, yeah, you're you had a lot of questions about what's going on and where this team is headed.
Well, I think I share the settlement of most of Redbird Nation and in the just the frustration of what has transpired really for this team since the bye week and specifically last week Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Just the you still had chance, You still had a chance, right, the Arizona Cardinals still had an opportunity to get into the playoffs if they win, and all they had to do was win. But but just the way that game started, I think when you look at it, the first play off sides on Marvin Harrison Junior. And from there, just the penalties kept stacking up for the Arizona Cardinals, and at the most inopportune times, right they'd get a good play and there'd be a penalty, so that they were never able to get out of their own way in that regard their early fumble you know which which the Carolina Panthers converted into a touchdown, And you're right, Paul, you're down all of a sudden twenty to three. But yet I wasn't panicked either at that point because they had figured out a way to get James Connor the ball in really a unique and effective past blocking situation where they were able to really capitalize on some things against Carolina. So they had momentum, they had, they had the running game going. They couldn't stop James Connor. But then the you know, the first drive in the in the third quarter, James Connor goes down and it changed the whole dynamic of the game.
From there, Cardinals could do no wrong running the football, and everything went wrong as far as stopping the run the Panthers on the ground two hundred and forty three yards. That was something that was mentioned postgame and again on Monday. But as far as where this team is right now, losing on the road, the playoffs are no longer in the picture. Here's head coach Jonathan Ginnon.
Give credit to Carolina.
They played a good game, made more plays than us all three phases. That's what it came down to. I'm proud of their resiliency. Being down seventeen there got it back, you know in the second half. The last drive I thought was good, get it to overtime there and then just couldn't sustain it. And then they scored and won a game. So we got a short week and we got to be ready to play versus LA.
Yeah, that game coming up on Saturday in Los Angeles, and this is a Cardinals team with two games left to play. But we look at the two games prior now, Paul, because two weeks ago, three win, New England Patriots team, everything go into that game, all right, Yeah, you're the more talent to tea at. Every one said the right thing. Fast forward a week three win at the time Carolina Panthers team. Yes, on paper, you're the better team. However, this was a different Panthers team compared to the Patriots because the Panthers had been playing better football than New England.
And their offensive line was a lot better. And you knew that going in. You knew they had Rob Hunt, the big right guard who went in doubt they ran behind that guy twenty million a year free agency from Miami. In fact, Jonathan again and went up to Rob Hunt after the game, and he doesn't do this a lot with opposing players, and he gave him his props because you got a team that's going nowhere, and it's been out, been mathematically eliminated for a good month plus, and that dude is out there finishing blocks. And you saw they were able to run for two forty three nearly seven yards of carry, and so it was a different team with a different offensive line. They were able to control the game with the run game for most of the game. And then there was just the mentality to start it was a must win game obviously for the Cardinals. Did they have the must win mentality to match? And so when he came out like that, you're Garrett Williams in our postgame radio interview. You know, when the Cardinals finally got on the board, it was twenty to ten and James Connor of the first touchdown for the Cardinals of the game. And I wrote on my notebook sideline Alive, and Garrett Williams agreed. He said, at that moment we woke up, okay because the Marmon Earrison Junior flag out of the gates.
I get it.
You know it was disputed, and you thought you got hosed on the call. Well, there were seven other flags right after that that took you through early second quarter. That to me was what was inexplicable.
Yeah, just the inability of the defense you mentioned given props. You know, Cuba Hubbard got to give him props one hundred and fifty two yards. The Cardinals had no answer. They couldn't stop him all day long. And so you know the Bryce Young played efficiently is his statistics were not gaudy, but he moved the chains. He did it with his feet too, sixty eight yards rushing and he got first downs when he needed to, kept the defense on the field. For the Arizona Cardinals, they really had no answer for that running attack all day long, and so you know it just kind of spiraled from there. And yeah, you score thirty points in the game, you expect to win that but you can't give up thirty six points and some you know, so you know, I know, I hear all over on Twitter and social media. Everyone's, you know, really going down on Kyler Murray. But you can't put this on one player. This was a team loss, from coaching decisions, from play calling, from just the offense inability to really get anything going when they had to, and defense just inability to stop the Carolina Panthers.
Cardinals did force overtime, but to your point, Rob Chibba Hubbard two runs and then all of a sudden he was in the end zone twenty one and twenty eight yards. It was the twenty eight yard run first, then the twenty one yard touchdown thirty six thirty in overtime. So afterwards, of course everyone wants to know, did the Tuck Cardinals take the Panthers lightly? Here's K one.
We came out on this trip understanding you know who we were playing, how they've been playing lately.
Oh.
I don't think we didn't take the scene lightly at all, but you know, it's the NFL, and you come out and you do that put yourself behind. We fall back though, and had a chance to win the game and that's all that matters, and we didn't do it. Losing is not fun.
And we've now seen this team lose for the fourth time in five games since the bye week, and that's kind of been the pivot point this season.
Rob.
As far as okay, first place six and four going into the buy one and four since the buye. We've had this discussion before, is okay, you know the buy does it come at a good time? Does it come at a bad time?
Okay?
Maybe that first game I believe it was you, Rob, Maybe that first game after the buye. Okay, that I can understand a little bit of a hangover, but not three four, five games after the bye week. Now it's it's a little bit more than just the bye week.
You know it is, and and you can you can look for excuses injuries, Well, every team's dealing with that. Every team has their own bag of problems in terms of injuries. So that I, you know, I don't buy that. Guys are worn out. Okay, everybody's worn out at this time of the year. So you know, it's it's for me, it's it's just a mentality. It's a mindset of when we're in these must win games. When we're in these close games, we're going to find a way to win. Some teams have that. Look at Kansas City Chiefs, they're they're they're playing very mediocre football, and yet they stumble in and fall into wins. And that's because they just have that belief and that mentality. I think I really do. And Arizona Cardinals got to learn to play with that. They have to learn to get that and only way you do it is by actually winning those close games.
Yea, the good teams win the close games. Most games are close. Jacksonville might just get the number one pick in the draft. They're two and nine in one score games. They played eleven one score games. That's the way it is in the NFL. If you were to ask me to diagnose it since the by crag, I'd say the double positive. What Jonathan Gannon talks about the ball and explosives. Kyler has six of his nine interceptions since the buye. You also are losing the battle of big plays. The Carolina Panthers had seven plays of twenty yards or more, and then there's been some inconsistent tackling. You know, we obviously saw in overtime. You know, I get it. It's really cold at that point, the suns below the stadium rim it's freezing. You know, you've been on the bench for a while. I get it. But the has been inconsistent enough to be problematic, and combined with some costly some costly turnovers and some other mental mistakes and then the inability with the game on the line to forge that game winning drive. And we saw that again in overtime. They have had their opportunities and they haven't been able to come through like they did going into the Buy.
The details matter. We hear that talked a lot about from the coaches, even the players as well. Speaking of the coaches, head coach Jonathan Gannon his thoughts, his emotions on this team falling short of its goal and that would be the postseason.
I know they're down. I know that's real.
Ultimately, when you reflect on it, we haven't done enough, you know what I mean. And it starts with me. So that's you know, we win together, we lose together. Everyone had their hand and how this season has went and why we are where we are, and it starts with me.
And right now, this team is seven and eight with two games left to play the role of spoiler we heard from Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray earlier on Tuesday. Yeah, those are not roles that the envision of themselves. It's not the mindset of a coach or a player, but it's something that we certainly talk about Rob as far as Okay, let's make another team feel as miserable as we feel, so let's go on the road and beat the Los Angeles Rams.
Yeah.
Well, I hate to kind of poo poo on that, Craig, but no team, no player, aspires to be a spoiler. And that's just not the mentality. That's not what anyone in this building is looking to do. They're looking to win a football game. They're looking to put the best product they can out there on the field and to right some of those wrongs from that Carolina game. You know, they want, they want to get that off their shoulders, off their back and come out and get a victory.
And they did it a year ago, went to Pittsburgh and one went to Philly and one a couple of costly losses for some playoff contenders, Rams are right there. They have a chance to clinch on Saturday night. If I'm understanding the math, right with Seattle. So how about a season sweep against Sean McVay. A year ago you went winless in the division. If you can win out, you're in a four and two in the division. To me, that is significant because what is the first goal every season? Win the division?
And in most seasons, a four and two division record equals a playoff spot, and unfortunately, it's not going to mean that here this season for the Cardinals. So exactly, maybe we dive in even further as far as what happened in Carolina on Sunday, just getting started. Here is the Cardinals red zero four, Craig reialup, Paul Calvic and Rod Frederickson right here on the Arizona Cardinals radio network.
Urry barking up the call, takes the staff, hands it off to Connor running the left. He's inside the five and Connor into the end zone. Four a buck needed Cardinals touchdown. Murray right side and he's got the first out of the fifteen to ten.
The five pen of the ends up for the touchdown.
Tyler Murray with a huge play that's one a yard touchdown run at fifty eight yard try to keep the season alive for Chad Ryland and the Cardinal snap ball down.
Ryland's kick is up.
And it has just enough Pennant's good. Ryland gets it over to tie the game and send it to overtime and keep the Cardinals season going. Hubbard, the loan backs Young takes the snap and he hands it off. Hubbard, running right, breaks a tackle into the end zone. The game is over and the season is over for the Cardinals. They are eliminated from playoff contention. On that Chewba Hubbard touchdown run, the Panthers winning hit over time thirty six to thirty.
By the way, in a week's time, here, Paul, we'll be hearing Paul Calvisi on the Rejoins instead of Dave Pash.
What are you trying to? You know what I mean, Craig, let me. It's another story line, that's all. Let me take a one deadline at a time here, one piece of content at a time. Okay, I got a I got a funny, gotta plenty of only Tuesday. Yeah, we gotta get ready for Saturday night. There's gonna be four members of the broadcast on air team on Saturday Night. It will be a Polly pensinek Ron Wolfley, Danny Surrek from the sidelines, and the rams PA announcer who is so loud he has heard all the way in Orange County. So I'm gonna have to take some aspirin before the game even starts for that headache.
As we say welcome back, it is the Cardinals Red Sea Report here on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network. By the way, before we talk specifically about Kyler Murray, which we heard some of his highlights in that montage from Sunday, how about a word about Chad rolland a career high fifty eight yard field goal. He had a fifty seven yarder in Miami earlier in the season, as you heard, past mentioned saving the Cardinals season at that point. But I think we're starting to take these kickers across the NFL a little bit for granted, because anytime now someone trots out on that football field, regardless of distance, I fully expect to go through the uprights.
You know my feeling Craig on kickers, right, you know, But I got to say, you know, when you need them and they deliver like Chad Ryland has delivered, you know, that's a that's a big, massive kick at a huge point in the game and and just to to nail it, I mean that thing, that thing was a thing of beauty.
That that takes a lot.
It takes a lot of uh of guts of you know, just just knowing what you're doing and following through with it. Chad Ryland, to me, has just been an outstanding asset and addition to this team.
As a former linebacker.
I'm glad to hear you put a little respect on Chad Ryland's name, okay, because normally you don't do that with kickers and the specialists now, Rob, so it's good. This is a big moment for you personally that you actually are giving him some respect.
Correct.
Well, there was a point in time in the season. I can't remember which game, but he actually punted the football. Oh yeah, right, yes, So that's That's always been my biggest pet peeve about kickers slash punters is their inability to do the other task.
And you have nothing to do.
I'll practice, you're sitting over there on the sideline screwing around, you know, learn how to punt, learn how to kick.
I mean versatility. We pressed that right on the rock.
Let me give you I'm so glad you brought that up. Let me give you a little quick insight. It's the end of the game, right, they're going and okay, and it's inevitable they're gonna have a field goal. And I'm like, well, why isn't Chad Rowland warming up? It's twenty seven degrees out here, He's not even warming up. He is the coolest customer ever with those game winning kicks and that swell game time. So that's four he's been in that moment this year, three game winning and that to tie the game. And so he goes out there. It's freezing the wins coming in from that side, and he actually looked at JG and said, I got this.
He just told that coach I got it.
He called his shot and nailed it.
It's been fun to watch for Chad round by the way, as he walks around, like the facility, you just see it. He looks like he's twenty one years old.
Yeah he is.
He's got that look like do you belong in here?
Are you old enough to be in here?
I've carded him twice, at least just on my own. It was like a you know, citizens arrest. You know I did that with and I needed to see id.
All right, let's.
Jump into the Kyler Murray discussion. Robbie brought it up earlier here on the Cardinals Red Superport because that's what everyone was talking about immediately after the game on Cardinal Talk. It is what people continue to talk about in the days following the Cardinals game. Here are Kyler's numbers, twenty of thirty two for two hundred and two yards, a touchdown, an interception, also to touchdown on the ground. And as you mentioned, you score thirty points, you should be that should be enough for a win. Yet there was the fumble, there was the interception, and as we heard from Kyler earlier on Tuesday, there were two field goals inside the red zone. So thirty points was not enough on Sunday.
Yeah, and you know, I look back at that turnover, the fumble, and you know, initially I thought it was maybe Michael Carter, but it it was high, right, he put it like a up near his neck, So that that's on the quarterback. The quarterback is his job is to put it in the bread back and give it to the to the running back. So that was unfortunate early on. And then the interception. You know, yeah, you can you can explain it away and say, well, it's effectively a punt, But but at that time in the game and where they were the field position, where they were close to field goal range, you need to you need to not throw that where you did. And it's just decision making or or execution because there there were two players open. Michael Michael Wilson was open if he if he threw it for enough far enough, and Trey McBride was open too, a little shorter along the sidelines. So you know, just a bad decision one you want back. But you know, in recent weeks since the bye week, again I hate that, but there's been quite a few of those, those kind of those head scratcher turnovers that Kyler Murray has has thrown.
That's now six interceptions since the bye week, nine total four k one. Postgame on the Cardinals Locker Room Show, Jonathan Gannon asked about Kyler's performance against the Panthers.
I thought he's good man. I thought he battled back.
I thought his legs extension was real today. He was operating. They you know, they decided to play us, you know where they weren't going to let.
The ball get pumped on the field.
I know he had the one explosive play I think in the first half, but you know, they played a bunch of shell and the guys are off and deep, so they made us operate. But that's why the run game got going to a little bit. So I thought he played well.
And you know what, I asked the head coach about that on his weekly TV show and he cited that shell coverage. You know, the downfield passing attack obviously is still missing to a large degree. Kyler himself, he cites that as something he wants to improve these last two games, but he's also instructed to take what's there. Don't force the ball downfield into coverage. You know, take what that defense is giving you. And right now, defenses most definitely are saying, hey, can you go ten, twelve, fifteen, eighteen plays. We're more than willing to give you the underneath stuff. We don't want to give up the deep stuff. And then when Kyler pressed and he tried to make it happened. You saw the ball flutter in the air, and that was the tough part about the interception. Kyler has the arm strength when he's able to set his feet and gather and launch, But in that moment, he's run a dead sprint for the sideline. His momentum's taking him out of bounds and he's trying to basically throw a perpendicular pass and you're just not going to get a lot on that.
So the underneath throwing because of the shell coverage, it makes sense, right, So Michael Carter and James Connor where you're leading receivers because they were getting a lot of the checkdowns. But the thing that's again kind of head scratching is where was Trey McBride. Why was he not more of a central focus in the passing game. I saw a statistic on Twitter that eleven percent of first read throws were designed for Trey McBride. Eleven percent. You know, this is the best player on our team, and we have to find a way to get him the ball more earlier and get him involved in the passing game. If it's not downfield, that's fine, but he is so electric when he has a ball in his hands. He has to be more of a priority.
Two thoughts there, One, how can they calculate eleven percent? Do they have Drew Petsing's laminated pression?
No, I don't know. Paul, I'll find I'll find the source.
Number two.
I saw j C.
Horn and I talked to a few guys on Trey McBride a lot, and he's their number one cover guy by far, former eighth pick overall in the draft six one, two hundred. He can really run, and Trey McBride, he's going to get the other team's best right now. And he got Jac Horn a lot in the game.
But you're right.
The eleven yard catch you on the game's first play wiped out by penalty, and then he only had three grabs the rest of the game.
Yeah, Trey McBride targeted four times three receptions, Marvin Arrison Junior targeted eight times full receptions. The passing game not there. The run game, though, was there on Sunday over two hundred rushing yards better than seven yards carry though, as we already mentioned, James Connor getting hurt about five minutes ago in the third quarter, Drew Petsing, having watched the film, how that injury might have affected the Cardinals rushing attack.
Certainly know when your best player goes out, there's gonna be a little bit of a drop off. But I think a lot of our run success is the O line, the tight ends and the receivers as well. So certainly want to continue to run the ball as we did. I think, you know, towards the end of the game time a number of possessions left, certainly impacted the play calling. Never want to see him go out. I wouldn't say it was a dramatic shift and how we were doing things.
And now talk about the offensive line. Joonah Williams goes down in that game. We heard from Jonathan Gannon earlier on Tuesday, Joanah Williams will not play this week. Paris Johnson Junior will miss a second straight week. So now you've got Calvin Beacham and presumably Jackson Barton as your tackles going up against a Los Angeles Rams team that is nothing like the team the Cardinals faced in Week two. But this is the identity of the Cardinals offense, that is, run the football, regardless of who's in the backfield or on the offensive line.
Yeah, and I would say the game plan changed significantly once James Connor was out. It changed immediately. The attention to running the football, the desire to run football, it shifted. It shifted the entire philosophy of the play calling. They found something. The Arizona Cardinivals found something early on with James Connor where they were running that counterplay with the tight end actually leading up into the hole, and they were having great success with it. They were gashing Carolina, and that goes back to the point of twenty to three. I wasn't concerned either because they were gashing Carolina, But when that stopped that first drive in the third quarter, the entire philosophy changed for the Arizona Cardinals. They went away from the running attack and just you know, they weren't able to find anything downfield.
You haven't played the Rams since Week two. One big difference in this team is that defensive front. As the rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fisk have really come along. I mean they've been in everybody's top three, top five for defensive.
Rookie of the year.
Those two guys have been balling out. Byron Young, he's very effective. Cob Turner has seven sacks from mainly an interior D line position. So yeah, Cardinals ol line against that Rams defensive front. That could be the key to the game.
Rams have allowed seventy five rushing yards or less in their past two games. So yes, getting the running game going this week is going to be difficult. Now as far as the opposite side stopping the run, and that is what did not happen on Sunday in Carolina, defensive coordinator Nick Ralis about that topic on Tuesday.
We knew that that was going to be a focal point and a challenge, and I think we got to assess every aspect of the run game, you know, the scheme, the execution of the scheme, but just get back to the basic fundamentals. Two of playing with great technique, playing with great leverage, winning one on ones, you know, tackling. I didn't think it was where it needed to be, you know, and so that's something that we have to improve.
Overall, almost seven yards of carry for the Panthers, Chewba Hubbard better than six yards of carry, one hundred and fift two yards overall, plus two rushing touchdowns including the game winner, And that's where you point to is okay, Ceba Hubbard and Bryce Young for a large part, but a lot of that was scrambling and not not keeping him in the pocket, but the inability to stop Chewba Hubbard. I think is what costs the Cardinals defensively.
In the game.
Yeah, and you know, Paul mentioned it earlier, tackling. I think how many of those yards were after initial contact? You saw on multiple plays Cuba Hubbard bouncing off of tackles would be tacklers getting ten fifteen extra yards after initial contact. So that's something that at this point in the season, you know, players are players are getting worn out, they're getting banged up. But you have to go back to the fundamentals. As Nick Rollis mentioned, it's winning those one on ones up front. Guys can't get stuck to blocks. They have to get off their blocks, stay in their gaps and allow the linebackers and safeties to flow.
So's it's concerning.
Obviously, but you know, we also keep in mind we also know that the Cardinals are down a little bit in terms of depth in terms of numbers up front, So that's that you're starting to see that maybe play a play a part in this. You know what you saw on Sunday as far as stopping the run.
Chuba Hubbard did to the Cardinals defense what James Connor typically does to opposing defenses, right, and now you get Kyron Williams, who, by the way, his last three games he's carried it twenty nine twenty nine in twenty three times, just had his fourth one hundred yard rushing game. It's a Rams offense that beat the Jets by running it thirty one times for a buck thirty two. Everyone thinks, Sean McVay and you're gonna throw it and you're gonna spread it out, and here comes Cooper Cup and Pooka Nakua. Now they have Tyler Hidbee back, but no, there are run first offense in a lot of ways, and they play really stout defense. The last two games they've given up six and nine points that Rams defense, So this could be a slugfest in a lot of ways.
Kien Williams ranks in the top three rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns this season. So yeah, the task is gonna be a difficult one coming up on Sunday. We'll get into that and more as we continue. It's the Cardinals Red Sea Report here on the Arizona Cardinals. Right do a network.
Tis this season to knock somebody into the new year. Feeling pretty merry and jolly right now, although it's fun to say.
Fa la la la la la la la la.
I can guarantee it's a whole lot more fun to deck the halls with balls of bloody woefully clause, is that what.
You called me?
One minute, you know, your brave heart storming the battlefield on your white steed, and you know the next thing, you know, one helmet later, your little jack horner and you're eating a Christmas pot. And I think on that last play Jamie Martin was eating some Christmas pot. They're gonna feel like they ate a four pound holiday cheese ball.
This is like nightmare before Christmas.
He went north and got lit up like Rudolph on a power line, lit up big time, like Scrooge on a high ball. God bless us every one.
Some Christmas Wolfleism's here on this Christmas Eve morning. By the way, gentlemen, I trust that all of the holiday shopping is complete. Are you both bolting out immediately after the show is over?
I'm open for suggestions, Craig, I mean, at this point, I don't.
Even know Rob works best on deadline. Yeah, that's you know, he gets it. It's two minute offense when it comes to shopping is stellar. So he's going to run that a little bit later today.
Procrastinator Craig nickname.
Craig, I got mine done last night. Actually, I actually grabbed my fifteen year old daughter. I had to outsource it. I needed I needed ideas. I'm out of ideas. I brought her along. I said, okay, help me out here.
Yeah. Yeah.
Deadlines do spur actions. Apparently that's what it's going.
To take for you, Rob. Deadline.
Well, it's clock's taken at least Wolf there, you know, finally something Wolf knows something about that's strapping on the holiday feedback. So that's good Wolf. You know, he speaking from an air of strength and expertise.
There.
He hasn't missed many meals.
That's good.
Taking a stray right there. All right, So it is it is Christmas, Merry, Christmas, bird Gang. So if we are going to gift presence for the Arizona Cardinals over these final two weeks, Rob, is there something you want to see accomplished, see done differently or worked on? Maybe that's the better phrasing. What do you outside of a win that the coaches and players, Yes, they are focused on what the Rams do well, what they don't do well and focusing on a win. But US media fans, we can, we can dive a little deeper and say this is what I want to see going into the offseason.
You know, for me, after after the Cardinals put up thirty points and in Sunday's game, you know, I still I'm left wanting. I'm left, you know, yearning for this passing attack to to get some kind of cohesion, to get some kind of you know, just understanding of what it could be potentially. I want to see some throws downfield. I don't care if they are in a shell coverage. I want to see some action downfield. I want to see Marvin Harrison Junior go up and own the football and be strong and win those fifty to fifty balls. That's what I want to see more than anything, I think. You know, obviously, we don't know what the situation is with James Connor, if he's going to play or not. But yeah, I liked what I saw in the running game when he was in there against Carolina, so I'd love to see a continuation of that. But for me, it's really the passing game.
Yeah, Rob and I don't agree on much, but I'll definitely concur with him on that one. If you gave me a wish list, and I'm checking it twice over here the holiday. So I'd start with Marvin Harrison Junior. Those contested catches, you know, make some physical catches, and that has been conveyed from the coaching staff here Jonathan Gannon this Monday mention as much. And then there would be other first round rookie Darius Robinson love to call his name for oh a dozen times on Saturday night, that would be good. Then I would go with takeaways. Takeaways have been hard to come by for that Cardinals defense recently, and so put a few takeaways under the tree on Saturday night. You know, whether it's some force fumbles, punch that ball out, maybe rallying to the football, make a couple of plays on the ball. You know, Matthew Stafford's gonna trust his arm talent. You know he's gonna he will force the ball towards Cooper Cup Puka Naka usually with good results. So let's see if that Cardinal secondary can make a player two.
Only fourteen takeaways this season and we're approaching week seventeen, and that is something that when we heard from Nick rollis earlier this week, it's yeah, the takeaways were brought up, and he's like, oh yeah, it's on the forefront of this defense's staff's mind. As far as okay, force the issue and you'll be smart about it, Rober. And there is an art to forcing the football out of a ballcarrier's hands. Take advantage of the opportunities when they present themselves, and if you don't get that takeaway, punch it out, then all of a sudden, now you're going to need to make sure you're in a position to make the tackle.
I think a lot of that stems from the lack of consistent pressure up front. When the Cardinals were rolling and when they won four in a row, they were getting to the quarterback. They were getting the pressure from from not always the traditional edge rushers, the interior defensive lineman, safety blitzing, linebacker blitzing, but they were getting pressure and they were getting sacks. And that's kind of dried up. They haven't seen that recently. And when I don't care what quarterback it is, but you give them time back there in the pocket, they're going to pick you apart and they're not going to give you interceptions. So that to me is really where you can kind of pinpoint it, and that's where the turnovers and the interceptions will happen when you get more consistent pressure.
Greig, when the off season hits, we have a new project, Calvic consulting the Polypixkian Division and Wave our role, no math, and we're going to come up with a new analytic, speeding up the quarterback. Do you win the battle of speeding up the quarterback? Do you speed up their quarterback or do they speed up your quarterback? Because I swear almost every single win loss has been determined by whether the Cardinals defense, to Rob's point, has been able to speed up the opposing quarterback. And then the games where the Cardinals have not come out on top, it's because Kyler has been sped up by the opposing pass rush. And then inevitably that's when you get a takeaway because a quarterback feels the pressure to make a decision, get rid of the ball prematurely, and or Kyler Murray feels flustered and we'll make a decision.
Maybe he regrets later.
It's just an analytic that you're hoping that I come up with, Paul, because I couldn't help but tell that you were looking directly at my direction as far as you know the numbers and looking stuff.
Up, and we'll correct team above you, team above you. So it's gonna be some teamwork. We might outsource, you know, a little bit of some of the calculations your way, but once again, the concept is ours.
Just remember that, okay, just make sure you trademark that otherwise someone might steal it.
Yeah, we're the big picture concept guy. That's what we do around here. I can't do everything. Come on, you guys, figure out the rest two.
Games left for the Arizona Cardinals. So what does the head coach want to see? Here's Jonathan Gannon.
I'm excited for these two opportunities. One on the road versus a playoff team and then a team that's been winning our division for a long time. So you know, last year we weren't playing for anything, right, we made a lot of hay and got a lot better it and we did a lot of good things you know last year that I thought that we built on and followed us a little bit into this year.
JG's not a believer in momentum, especially season to season. The roster turns over quite a bit, but confidence in an offense, in a unit, in an individual that can certainly carry over from one season to the next. And I think that's what he was getting at as far as how you finish, yes, as a team, but also how do you feel going into the offseason. Do you feel good about your game or you're not maybe not going to be here next season.
Yeah.
And you know it's interesting when you're sitting at at six and four and and you're vying for the lead and the division, and you have the bye week and then you you kind of come out after the bye week and obviously we know how it's it's gone since then. To have a loss like you did at Carolina, that that could be a culture just a culture cultural killer. You know that that type of loss, the way the way it went down. And but I think with Jonathan Gannon and the leadership in this team, and you know, I'm talking about Kyler Murray and Buddha Baker and James Connor, they they won't allow that, they will not allow the culture that's been established the past year and a half two years to to you know, to to diminish or even to to go away. You know that it's it's something that's I think is firmly in ed and this roster, in this squad and in this team, and so yeah, I feel good about that. I feel good about where this team is heading. And I think if you look back preseason that they're kind of where people expected. Obviously, those expectations changed when when they were at six and four, but you know, again there's this is a team that's that's you know, continuing to build, and they're mainly building through the draft, and that's something that you know they're they're going to continue to do.
Speaking about sourcing, that's what the head coach does with the team captains. He goes to them quite a bit. He has the leadership council. He runs a lot of stuff past them before he enacts it into team rules or policies or procedures. I saw it on the sideline. Cardinals got down seven nothing. Kyler Murray met with Budda Baker and you don't see that a lot. The offensive captain meeting with a defensive captain. James Connor went down and started giving the old line of pep talk. Buddah Baker got the entire defense together. He had a team meeting, and so the team Captains did respond in Spring of Action when you had that slow start. They got the Cardinals back into the game. But once again, you dug such a hole. It proved to be too much to overcome. If you get beat, that's one thing. If you don't compete, that's another.
To your point, Rob as far as the culture, So yeah, how do you respond this coming Saturday in Los Angeles, We'll discuss what's next for the Cardinals as we continue. It's the Cardinals Red Sea Report here on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network.
Snapped to Murray pass play Murray with times fiers deep middle end zone for Harrison, and Harrison made the Cats. Had got his feet down for the touchdown. First NFL score for Marvin Harrison Junior.
The first of many to come throw the tweaty into the toaster. Kyler Murray, Oh my goodness, right the money to Marvin Harrison Junior.
Play action, A boot to the right. Murray looking downfield, now loves it deep dear side. Harrison caught it at the twenty hit a ten. Harrison dies for the end zone. He's in touchdown.
Like a tear falling from your cheek, baby, That ball came straight down out of the sky. Kylo again drops a dime and Marvin Harrison Junior stretches out and the pig breaks the plane.
Oh that is awesome.
So that was Week two against the Rams, forty one to ten. The Cardinals win. Marvin Harrison Junior four receptions, one hundred and thirty yards and two touchdowns in the game's first fifteen minutes, so he did not have to catch the rest of the game. And we really haven't seen that kind of a productive performance out of Marvin on a concents system basis the rest of the season. But now you've got the rematch against the Rams in LA six fifteen. Is the kickoff on Saturday one thirty. Pre game coverage begins on the Arizona Cardinals radio network. And yes, it will be all me until I hand off the keys to Polly play by play here for the play by play of that game.
Okay, I'm gonna apologize in advance, right, but really it's Dave Pass who needs to apologize.
It's all days.
It's all days followed over here as he goes network level announcer once again. Yeah, it is amazing. Marvin Arrison Junior, right, had a whole game in the first quarter of Week two. That sixty yard catch and run is still burned in everyone's brain. And him reaching for the pylon, that desperation that he showed, that urgency, the intensity that he showed on that play where he really redlined the intensity old meter, if you will. And then he had a second half against Miami and he schooled Jaalen Ramsey a few times. But you know, it's this last month, last six weeks. You'd love to see him finish strong. Whatever the Rams did defensively in that first quarter against the Cardinals Week two, they certainly won't replicate that Saturday night.
No.
And this is again that Rams team early in the season. Roun they started one and four and there was talk around the trade deadline, Okay, they're gonna get rid of Cooper Cup and is it time to change quarterbacks? And all of a sudden you look up and they are nine and six. They've won four in a row, eight of ten since that one in four start, and they are in firm control of the NFC West. If the Seahawks happen to lose on Thursday, then a Rams win or a tie, they clinch the NFC West. On Saturday night.
Yeah, you can never count the Rams out right, and just what Sean McVay is able to do every year, you know, it's it's it's a testament to what he does and the team he's assembled, and and you know, just just what they're able to do. Poka Akua, Cooper Cup the great wide receivers, and Stafford just has to absolutely of throwing the ball to them. But Paul, you mentioned earlier, this is a running football team. You you kind of peel back the layers of this onion and they want to run the ball and then they run it effectively, and that really sets up the play action pass for Puka Nakua and Cooper Cups. So the Cardinals are going to have their hands full obviously because the Rams have something to play for. But the division game, I expect the Arizona Cardinals to come out and fight, and that's something that you know, we've always kind of expected from from Jonathan Gannon team is the the unyielding fight from within and just they never give up mentality, and so that they're going to have to do that these last couple of weeks and and you know, and then the off season will be obviously it'll be interesting to see what the Cardinals do.
Speaking of JG, here's the head coach on how he views this week's game.
I see it as as a divisional game versus a really good team that if we want to get to where we want to get to, you got to win these games, you know. So that's the challenge to us is is this' go beat a good divisional team on the road.
And this is a much different Rams team. Again, no Puka Nakua in that first meeting, Cooper Cup hurt his ankle in the second quarter, did not return. The Rams were what banged up on the offensive line, what was down to their third or fourth string tackle and it just got ugly. And that's not going to be the case this coming Friday Saturday.
Yeah, the offensive line is healthy. So beware Arizona Cardinals because that, to me, was the difference in the loss of Carolina, was that Carolina offensive line. You better come out and fit the run a lot better. And by the way, between the way the Packers look right now and the way the Rams are surging, I mean, those are two teams that have that momentum going into the postseason right now, and look.
Out, nobody wants to play them exactly.
Sean McVay, by the way, called that Week two matchup an incredibly humbling three hour window. Yes, he was not happy.
Yeah, that was my favorite part of the game was the pole game comment from Sean McVay. Just wants to hear McVeigh say it was incredibly humbling to get beat down like that. Man, Can you bring the broom? That is your Christmas gift? Bring the Broom in a series sweep?
How about that? That would be nice first time since twenty fourteen. We'll see if it happens. This is the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network.
You've been listening to the Cardinals Red Sea Report.
It is caught by McBride. Hey, it's a touchdown boot a Baker with the sacked strip the ball where he's gonna score touchdown?
Oh baby.
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