Red Sea Report - Cardinals Look To Learn From Week 1 Loss

Published Sep 10, 2024, 8:36 PM
It was a good start. Now, if the Cardinals can work on the finish. Craig Grialou, Rob Fredrickson, and Paul Calvisi look back at Sunday’s loss at the Buffalo Bills. The Cardinals looked great in the first half, scoring on their first three possessions. But then the second half happened. The opportunities were there, especially late in the fourth quarter. There were not enough opportunities for Marvin Harrison Jr. And then defensively, the opportunities were not taken advantage of in terms of slowing down quarterback Josh Allen. The Cardinals will look to learn from Week 1 as they prepare to host the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium for their home opener.

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For the fifteen to ten Urry'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 end of the end zone for the touchdown.

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Here we go one hand to catch it a touchdown.

Oh baby, I'll mad Phil.

Here's Craig Griolou, Paul Calvic and nine year NFL veteran Rob Frederickson.

No game receives more scrutiny than Week one. Fans wait eight months for the return of the regular season for the Cardinals. It began on the road in Buffalo. Welcome back, Paul, Glad that you survived the windy conditions in Upper New York. And yeah, the Cardinals lose thirty four to twenty eight. And yes, it is all the consternation of the last twenty four forty eight hours rob that, Yes, the Cardinals drop the game, lose the opener, lose their opener on the road against a very quality opponent in the Buffalo Bills.

Yeah they did. And you know, look, Buffalo is a good team and we all knew that going in. And you know, I think the biggest takeaway when you zoom out is don't push the panic button. Okay, there's a lot of good things from this game that you can take away. There's certainly some things that need to be cleaned up, and we'll get into that, but the first first outing for the Arizona Cardinals. Really love what they did in the first half, in particular with the offense and their ability to control the ball and control the clock. The second half was a little bit different, and so there's a lot of things that could be cleaned up, some play calling, just some things to be cleaned up, both offensively and defensively. But you know, going into next week with the Los Angeles Rams, I think the Arizona Cardinals can build on that game and looking forward, they should not feel at all panicked. But there are some things that need to be cleaned up.

Anybody want to go back to that poll, The anonymous NFL players. Anyone still voting Josh Allen the most overrated player in the league.

Don't think so.

No, Josh Allen is a legit top two MVP candidate, and he proved it. He combines big ben with guys just dripping off him, just bouncing off him, with the athleticism of an elite modern day quarterback, the ability to extend plays, keep a defense honest, and still keep his eyes down.

Feel.

It's just such a tough dynamic watching him from the sideline, he just got more impressive as the game went on. And look, I'll boil it down to the top three things we can talk about any single game about quarterback. Get to the quarterback, protect that quarterback. Those first three things were all in place for the Cardinals when they led seventeen to three, and then the latter two not so much. In the second half.

Cardinals go into the locker room ahead seventeen to ten, But it was that fourteen point swing the end of the first half the beginning of the second half, and that is something that teams like to take advantage of, and they Bills did just that.

On a weekly TV show this week, I asked Jonathan Gannon, is any doubt in your mind that if there was a turning point, a turning stretch in the game end of the first half, beginning of the second half. He immediately nodded, He immediately agreed, said, yep, that was key. That was critical. You know, Zave and Collins getting flagged for a sack that wasn't that extended that drive at the end of the first half that obviously heard Bills would have been behind the sticks. But the way Josh Allen and that Bill's offense started getting chunk plays and starting moving the ball down the field, Yeah, that that really denoted a change in and how the game was progressing at that point.

All you brought up the head coach. Let's hear from head coach Jonathan Gannon his overall thoughts after reviewing the film, as he addressed the media on Monday.

I think that our guys see, you know, just a couple of plays here or there, there wasn't any point in that game where we didn't think we're going to win the game, even when it wasn't going great there for kind of that last part of the second quarter into the middle of the third. You know that there's you know, if you believe in momentum. It swung a little bit where they were scoring points and we weren't. But then we got back in the game and had the ball twice there, I think, in the last six minutes, with a chance to take the lead and win the game. So good, hard fought game. Need to make a couple more plays, need to coach a little bit better, but enthus that everything's correctible.

And that's where I keep going back to Rob is those last two offensive possessions. You heard JG talk about it. With five seventeen to go, the offense is on the field trailing thirty one to twenty eight, go three and out. The Bills respond with a field goal. Okay, so so it's still a one possession game. Offense back on the field, starting at their own forty yard line, three timeouts, a minute fifty six and we know how it ended. They turn it over on downs and the Cardinals on the wrong end of a thirty four to twenty eighth decision. But on the road, you have your offense where you need it, where you want it to be. With Kyle Murray at the helm and just unable to finish the Bills off in the fourth quarter.

Yeah, two opportunities, two scoring opportunities with five and a half minutes to go, and the Cardinals were not able to come away with any points there. So that's frustrating. You know, you go back, you talk about the end of the first half, in the first drive in the second half, and so you never really think that a coin flip is going to determine the outcome of a game. But you know, when the Cardinals won the coin flip and elected to receive, okay, you know what, they marched down. To their credit, they marched down in a great drive, a ball control, time consuming drive and went down and scored.

That's great.

But then as the way the first half kind of laid out and the Bills got the ball towards the end of the first half of a couple of minutes ago, they were able to go down and score. And then getting the ball in the second half, the Bills were able to piggyback on that. That that that flip and momentum I think was as big a part of that game and the outcome of that game as anything. And and so yeah, we got we got the special team kick return DJ Dallas. That that was impactful, That was huge and normally when you score on special teams, you kind of expect to win. But without that, you know this this is a different game. Now, look the Cardinals again, they they had every opportunity with with five and a half minutes ago to go down and pull ahead and win this game, but they weren't able to. But I'm just wondering if if that coin flip decision won't be thought about going forward.

That's an interesting debate and it's something that Jonathan Gannon brought up postgame. He actually by design went that direction. Obviously it was a Cardinal's choice, but it was because of the win. He wanted the win at the back of Kyler Murray in the fourth quarter. So going back to what you said, Craig, Cardinals had their opportunities. They were one score game, they had two possessions, less than six minutes to go, the win at their back. They went three and out, then turn it over on downs, and honestly, it was the way they drew it up. Now, you could have elected to go a different direction, Rob, no doubt, but that was by design. That was their choice and that was their intent. If the game was a one score game in the fourth quarter, we have the win at our back.

That makes sense. But you know that win played havoc on special teams all day long, right, the kicking it out of bounds, not getting it to the landing zone, getting the ball at the forty yard line for both teams. That played a huge part, a huge factor in this game.

It was all that same direction, the fifty plus yard returned by the Bills, all that same direction because the win was messing with kicks and it just provided opportunity for the special teams and the opportunity for the Cardinals.

There late, just lack of execution post game. Here's the quarterback Kyle Murray.

I think it's a little bit of just executing better. Obviously, go back and you know, watch it today, probably frustrated by at the end of the day. Man, it's it's you know, season's not over. Obviously, you want to win your first game, but you know, been doing this a while now, and you know next week we have a divisional opponent. You know, the next one's most important. Of course, everybody in the locker room, you know, wanted to win. That felt like we deserved to win, that I should have won it, but hey, great game by them. Yeah, we just got to be better. We got to execute better.

Cardinals did nothing but execute well in that first half, just not the same in the second half. Tail of two halves. The Bills certainly a quality opponent with Josh Allen four total touchdowns, two passing, two rushing. But bottom line is when you have that opportunity more times than not, rob that's that's a game that you look back at and you go, Okay, what it could have should have you steal one on the road, and all of a sudden you feel better going into this three straight on at home doesn't happen, and now it's okay, quickly turn the page. Much easier for players to turn the page than it is for the fans because it's now you gotta wait six days to see this team in action.

Yeah, and going back to the Polly's opening comment about Josh Allen, you know, so many times he just finds a way to get himself out of trouble, and especially in that second half, he's just so frustrating for the Arizona Cardinals not able to stop him when they really needed to. He just continued to be able to get first downs either by throwing or running, and so you know that just mounts on a defense. That those things when you're not able to get off the field and they're able to sustain drives. So those are things that really go into your psyche almost as a defensive player, and that hurts. But in the second half offensively, the Cardinals only really effectively able to put up three points offensively. That's something that needs to be corrected. And you know, you don't expect that from this offense with the firepower, you don't expect that going forward.

You know, you went into the game thinking you could exploit that all new secondary by the Bills just didn't happen. They're still going with that shell coverage. You got to figure out how to beat that shell coverage. It's a persistent theme. You know, Trey McBride didn't have a catch longer than eight yards. You know, you would like to see him get involved a little bit more. But once again, they were missing their Mike linebacker and Matt Mulano done for the year. They had brand new safeties, they had average corners. You know, you would have liked to have think that. Okay, you know, Cardinals could add a little more success, especially Week one against that Buffalo defense, but after a thirteen play drive, another thirteen play drive to start the game, they started loading the boxes. According to Jonathan Gannon what he told us after the game, they started bringing a lot of run blitzes and then minus Jonah Williams off that right tackle, you know, things changed in favor of the Bills.

Glad you brought up Jonah Williams hurt on the final play of the first quarter, hurt his right knee. No updates as we speak here on this Tuesday morning. Head coach Jonathan gain and meeting the media on Monday, they were still doing tests on that and you hope to get a better update as the week progresses. Kelvin Beacham, though in line to be your right tackle until Jonah Williams returns frustrating. Yes, and a long flight back from Buffalo to here in Tempe. You would think that would not be a good thing. Roy Lopez, though Cardinals defensive lineman, says, actually the long flight was kind of beneficial.

The benefit, I guess, you know, would be the side to it of saying, you know, oh, it was a long flight, which may think that it's not good, but the benefit of it was that it was a long flight, you know, so we got to you know, see the tape and talk to each other and you know, just kind of brainstorm as a group of what we got to do, you know, and instead of doing it here in the building, or instead of doing it, you know, with too much around us, we got to sit there not using our phones, right, and just talking as a group just about our strengths and what we got to improve. Look at this play like this has to be done better, like we need better.

I had not thought about that as far as using those four or five hours to have a discussion amongst yourselves, as far as your teammates coaches are doing that obviously, no matter what you did, you do that on long flights, Robert, Or was this kind of brand new players taking upon themselves to utilize this quote unquote extra time that they have to maybe discuss amongst themselves.

Yeah, well, here's the difference between when I played and now. We didn't have the technology to watch the game film immediately. We had like real to real film and they had to go back and splice it up. It probably was until Wednesday before we could actually watch the film. So on the flights, you know, I think I memorized every sky Mall issue, you know, and I know all the all the items that you can buy on sky Mall, POULI. You know, No, we didn't have the opportunity to really digest and go over the actual game film.

But yeah, you know, you do talk.

You do have an opportunity to talk, and you know, when guys aren't in the back playing cards or whatever, you got to get opportunity to at least talk about some things. But you don't, you know, back then we didn't have that technology capability.

It's a good thing. You could only look. You could only window shop and I'd actually purchase. Back then, you'd be running up your credit cards on the flight home.

No such thing as Wi Fi, no, no.

Online purchasing at that point. But Craig, you do see it on the flights home. You see the coaches, assistant coaches walking around talking to different players. Heck, if you so choose, you could have watched Sunday Night Football in your next two opponents, because it was Rams and Lions. A lot of guys are doing that. They're watching that game, going all right, guess what, We'll get a little film work in for the next two games. On the schedule, So yeah, there was a lot of that going on. Here's the other thing I'll just throw out there. You guys can agree or disagree, and I know you will. To me, September is the new August in the NFL. If you're one of those teams that elects not to play yours in the preseason, you don't really know. You might think, you know, joint practices might give you a decent idea. Nothing replicates a regular season game, So how many false positives false negatives do you get after Week one? The only thing we know right now that I can say with certainty is that Carolina's picking number one and the New York Giants are picking number two. After that, it's thirty teams and it's thirty card pickup. Right now, you're not exactly sure. Can you really believe what you saw in Week one? It's now incumbent upon the coaches and players to make those adjustments. Kyle Brandt, Good Morning Football likes to call week.

One a liar. Week one is a liar. Don't believe everything that you see coming out of Week one. Teams that win you think are going to get a playoff opponent, Yep, they're not. Going to be in there in January, and there I say, February single game tickets on sale now, Azycardinals dot com forward slash buy tickets to secure your seats today. That's Azycardinals dot Com forward slash by tickets. This is the Arizona Cardinals radio network.

Snap to Murray stands in the pocket, Humpy now in trouble.

He steps up, throws.

Lobbing back of the end zone and it's caught for a touchdown by Wilson. Kyler Murray keeping that play alive and then loving it to an open Wilson in the center of the end zone. The Cardinals score the first touchdown of twenty twenty four.

Keep the eyes alive, keep the eyes down field. That's exactly what Kyler Murray did from the pocket, kept his eyes alive, and because of that, found Michael Wilson and got him the pig.

Could not have asked for a better start, could not have asked for a better fifteen minutes from the Arizona Cardinals offense. Kyler Murray to Michael Wilson five yard touchdown, a thirteen play seventy yard drive, Kyler going four four of five for forty four yards in that completion on third and goal. As we say, welcome back here. It is the Cardinals Red Sea report Craig Reialu, Paul Calvic and Rob Frederickson. As we look back at Sunday's loss in Buffalo thirty four twenty eights and yes, Rob a tail two halves. Here are the numbers the Cardinals, or to say just Kyler Murray's numbers in the first half sixteen of nineteen, one hundred and thirty one yards that touchdown to Michael Wilson. Second half five of twelve, just thirty one yards, passing in most of those on the final drive. But in that first half, I mean this offense was clicking under center, shotgun, multiple tight ends, two backs in the backfield, spreading the ball around. Eight different receivers had to catch in the first half, and you're like, wow, this is good, this is real good. And then it has disappeared in the second half.

Yeah, it almost looked like a picking up from where they left off at the end of last year. You know, you saw Kyler Murray under center I believe eight times or so. You know, you saw the run game really being established in that first half, cramming it vertical you know, is downhill running.

James Connor got like the first six touches.

Yeah, and in the passing game too, is all James Connor featured, at least initially. And you saw the play action pass coming off of that. You saw the bootlegs and and just the easy conversions, the easy completions for Kyler Murray and it was just flowing and thirteen play drive, thirteen play drive. Then they kind of hit a snack. I think Buffalo transitioned their defense a little bit because the Cardinals were so effective that cramming it vertical with James Connor, the Buffalo Bills started to bring some of those run blitzes that we talked about, right, and so that kind of changed the way the Cardinals went about went about their game plan. I think, you know, they start you started to see more runs horizontally and more pin and pull and more sweeps out to the sidelines and weren't really effective for the more part in my opinion, for the Cardinals. But the bigger issue, I think from when you saw kind of this offense transition and is that they never really established anything down downfield. They never really established any ability or any even desire to throw the ball downfield and at least keep the Buffalo Bills defense honest and and so that to me was something where the Buffalo Bills were able to just load up in the zone, bring their safety, keep their safeties relatively down, but yet still at a too deep kind of shell look. Uh, and and they just you know, they the Cardinals were never able to really get anything going in the second half in terms of any type of vertical passing game.

Yeah, we talked about this after the game, Wolf and myself about how after those first two thirteen play touchdown drives, they started attack the edges of the box instead of running between the tackles, started to attack the edges, you know, talking to a few coaches here. Subsequently, Yes, the Bills started with those run blitzes straight in the A and B gaps. Hence the Cardinals try to attack the edges. I think a charge for a certain position group this week will be the tight ends blocking all three of them, Elijah Higgins, Tray McBride, Tip Ryman, those three guys. I think there's opportunity from week one to week two to improve. Get those seals, get a body and a body hat on a hat because there was opportunity there to get those defensive ends blocked and sealed or at least turned, and there would have been some big chunk run plays that didn't happen. So I'm curious if the Cardinals can correct that. We talk about things on the to do list from week one to week two, I would put that up there.

Well, what does JG like to say, no block, no rock, And I would add the wide receivers to that as well. I mean, as far as helping spring James Connor free to your point, rob a lot of east west as opposed to north south. And now all of a sudden you're trying to get to the outside turn the corner while you just go straight ahead, and that's obviously quicker to get downfield.

You always want to go downhill and JG always talks about that cramming and vertical and that's I mean, I think that's the kind of running back that James Connor is. Right, he's not known for his blazing speed, and you know, while he has improved that, I think he did have a nice burst and he does have a nice burst. Now that's not really him, that's not really the identity of this offense. I understand why they did it because because the run blitzing the Bills were doing and clogging up the middle. But this you got to find a way to plant your foot and get vertical in that run game. I think that's where this Arizona Cardinals offense is most effective and most dangerous.

Find a way. How about we find a way to discuss Marvin Harrison Junior his NFL debut one catch for three yards on three targets, something that everyone has been discussing since postgame on Sunday, we will as well. But first things first, let's hear from Kyleer Murray. He was asked postgame about the limited opportunities for MHJ.

As a quarterback. Obviously you go with your reads. Sometimes the ball goes to him, but that's not you know, it's.

Not my job.

Obviously, you know, I have I have a sense and a feel for guys when they don't get the ball and when they're you know, when they are getting the ball. But you know, Drew always, you know, he tells me, don't worry about that type of stuff. Just keep playing a game and you know, get the ball to where the ball is supposed to go.

When there's just three targets. It's easy to go back and look at them. There was miscommunication on the first target, dropped on the second throw, and the next play rent right back to Marvin for that four yard catch and that was eight nineteen to go in the second quarter, pall and there was not another target the rest of the game, zero in the second half, and that that is unacceptable.

After the game, we asked head coach on Nathan and about that. You know what made it a challenge to get him targets, to get him the ball, and he cited the cloud coverage, the extra attention. So in one way, wide receiver one did materialize. The defense did devote extra resources to a wide receiver one that the Cardinals did not enjoy last year. Here's the rub. They didn't make the defense pay. If you're going to devote extra resources to Marvin Harrison Junior, where's the big game from Greg Dortch, where's the big game from Trey McBride, where's the big game from Michael Wilson. Now, the final possession of buck fifty six to go, there was that drop by Michael Wilson. It was right on the money. That would have been a big chunk play would have put you into Bill's territory. Who knows what happens after that if the Cardinals can convert that. But once again, if that's going to be the way defenses play the Cardinals and if something works in week one, do you think the old seed in week two? Yes, you will. It's the NFL way. So if you're going to make that, now you got to adjust to the adjustment. What are you going to do if defenses are devoting extra resources, a cloud safety, whatever they're doing to get the ball elsewhere wherever. Marvin Harrison Junior is.

Not playoffensive coordinator for US.

ROB.

I know you're on the defensive side of the ball your entire career, But what happens now? What needs to happen? An aid for Marvin to be more involved in this offense. No, he doesn't have to have one hundred receiving yards. But to Paul's point, he had zero impact on the game. If he's gonna take attention away from guys, then other guys need to step up. And that didn't happen Sunday.

Yeah, every defensive coordinator in this league is going to put additional attention and help towards the best receiver towards the best offensive threat that they're facing. It's not going to be every play, right, You're not gonna you're not gonna have a safety dedicated to to being behind a cornerback on their best player every play. But you know, and until you as an offense, until you do something to make them get out of that extra attention, they're going to keep doing it. Right, So what is it that has to happen? As Paul Paul mentioned the other the other players have to step up. Trey McBride, Greg Dorsche, Michael Wilson. That's that's obvious. Those guys have to step up. But there has to be certain plays that are designed so that they take advantage of the coverage, the cloud coverage that they're seeing. You talk about overloading a zone. You talk about running one guy vertical, another guy on a on an out route, another guy underneath you. That's three different layers in that zone. That's forcing those guys to really make a decision. And so you can do it a number of ways. Also running the ball. You know, we keep going back to that, but running the ball and sticking with that will bring those safeties down at least one safety down, you won't be able to have that that cloud coverage over the over the top of them. So there's a variety of things that that an offense can do to to you know, to make the situation more appealing and and to to force that extra attention off of Marvin Harrison Junior. But aside from that, sometimes you just gotta wing it. Sometimes you just got to force it in there and and and force him to use his athletic ability and and to make a play because you know, at a certain point, nobody's ever open in the NFL, and you just got to go ahead and have trust in Marvin Harrison Junior, have trust in Kyler Murray, and you know, see what happens to me.

There's a reason why Greg Dortch and Trey McBride led the team in targets. And this is just an observation from being down on the sideline. But when a play breaks down and it becomes backyard football, which happens quite a bit with Kyler Murray, especially when he's getting pressured and they're bringing the blitz and you're missing your right tackle and he's scrambling and trying to buy time and keeping his eyes downfield, come back to the ball. If you're a receiver, do not give up. The play is not over. Come back to the ball, Look for an opening in the zone, try and create some space. Give your quarterback an option. Dortch is excellent at that. That's why he makes a lot of those catches in those situations. Trey McBride does a really good job of that. That's something I think the other receivers can learn from because guess what that is going to happen with frequency when you're playing with Kyler Murray.

Of all the scenarios, all the days, one catch for four yards was nothing that anyone predicted for Marvin Harrison Junior and his NFL debut head coach Jonathan Gannon. Yes, they need to work on getting number eighteen the football, but it was just one game.

Marvin will be fine. He'll get back at it and go to work. But you know, no one's going to put more expectation and pressure and him want to do well than himself, you know what I mean, So he'll be perfectly fine.

Going back to what you said, Rob, sometimes you just need to throw the ball. And how many times have we heard it, whether it was Larry Fitzgerald or another top wide receiver around the league. Even when they're covered, they're open and you just have to throw it and trust that you're going to place the ball in one of two places where your teammate catches it or they're going to knock it away and not allow the defender to get their hands on the ball.

Yeah, you go back to the first target that Marvin Harrison Junior had yesterday. That was just not being on the same page between him and Kyler Murray. And that goes back to the earlier point about preseason reps and and having some game time experience. They didn't have that. They didn't have that opportunity Marvin Harrison and and and Kyler, so that that was just a complete not being on the same page. So once they get in get on the same page, they talk to each other, they understand what each other is seeing. Those plays will become like like layups in basketball. That's just that's stealing candy from a child right there. Marvin Harrison Junior. Kyler saw it as a back shoulder throw and and Marvin obviously didn't or he did a little too late. But that that's a play that you're gonna see happen with frequency, and it's going to be so easy for those two to uh to really make that connection that you know going forward this once they get on the same page, this is this is going to be a really good relationship.

Yeah, that easily could have should have been a twenty yard game stop route down the near sideline the back shoulder that Kyler was expecting.

Here's the thing.

Jonathan Gannon was on Arizona Sports and asked about what you can do to free up Marvin Harrison Junior, and he did mention getting him on the move a little bit more, and we couldn't help. But notice because when you watch that Sunday night game like we did, and you just watch Cooper Cup, next gen stats came out with this. He traveled a total of four hundred and thirty six yards against the Lions in pre snap motion before the ball was ever snapped. Cooper Cup was on the move for over four hundred yards during that game. Ended up with fourteen catches on twenty one targets. Maybe get that into if Marvin Harrison Junior can run every position, and that's what Drew Petsen has said. Guess what, you know, you gotta be a little more creative, probably in dynamic with where he is at certain points.

Marvin was not just on the left side or the right side. We did see him on both sides, saw him in the slot as well, just didn't see him to your point, Paul, coming across the line of scrimmage and motion. Cardinals lose thirty four to twenty eight. A lot of focus on the offense. How about we switch it up the defense. What went right and what needs to improve? We'll get to that next Here on the Arizona Cardinals radio.

Network, Alan waiting for the shotgun. Snappy's got a three step drop, loothing around in the pocket, looking everybody covered. Now, Allan in trouble. Second bumble, the ball and the Cardinals recovered at the twenty nine yard line. Roy Lopez gets the sack and the fumble recovery by Cardinal newcomer Justin Jones.

Roy Lopez getting the sack on a four man rush. They just kept working and working and working. Nowhere to go with the ball and Roy Lopez with the tomahawk baby.

Third career sack, first career forced fumble for Roy Lopez. It is Ron Wolfley mentioned, Yeah, good coverage downfield, Josh Allen hanging on on that football, hanging on, hanging on, and the finally the defensive line gets to Allen enforces the ball out that led to a Matt Prater field goal and early in the second quarter, the Cardinals had a ten to nothing lead. They would lose thirty four to twenty eight in Week one at the Buffalo Bills. As we say welcome back, it is the Cardinals, Red seaer Port, Craig Reiloupaul Calvic and Rob Frederickson taking a look at the defense and specifically just how much pressure the Cardinals were able to get on Josh Allen two sacks, three quarterback hits. The other sack came in the second quarter. Key trow Clark gets credited for a sack Josh Allen brought down to the line of scrimmage. So yes, it was considered a sack because initially it's like, wait, where's the second one? Oh? There it is. So but bottom line is the question that everyone wants to know, because Paul is the question that we had going into this week's game and this season. The pass rush, Where's it going to come from? Is there going to be enough generated to keep that quarterback uncomfortable, and you got to deal.

With the reality. There's no elite pass rusher walking through that locker room door, Craig, there's no unknown Bosa brother out there, there's no unknown Watt brother out there that you're going to bring in. So you got to figure out what do you have? What can it be? Obviously, things will improve greatly whenever you get Darius Robinson back. That'll be a huge addition. You know, we did see mac Wilson senior. He was a problem at times off the edge. Xavier Thomas non factor, did not grade out real well in the Pro Football focus. So you got to figure this out. Justin Jones, Buwall Nichols, you know, some of the new guys you brought in you try to get a read on, and you didn't get a lot of impact, or at least in the staff page, you did not. So you're curious what it's going to look like because we all know if Nick Ross has to continue to dial it up and bring numbers, it leaves your vulnerable in other areas. And then when you do get to Josh Allen, because he's six five, two forty and you can't bring him down. It's the big benefact. That's where he's a legit MVP. In my eyes, it's not just the ability to extend plays is when you get to him, it's not a gear. You're bringing them down.

Dante Stills missed late in the second quarter, Owen Papo Whifts on the opening drive of the third quarters, Avon Collins did record a sack, it was taken away because of a penalty that no one believes was actually a penalty, including CBS rules analyst Geens Territor, the former NFL referee. So, but you have to deal with that stuff. So looking at it in real time and then having to dial it back and review, Rob what did you see out of that pass rush in the ability to kind of affect the quarterback.

From a from a traditional sense the outside edge rushing for the Arizona Cardinals. I think the story was even more dark of a painting than you really. Yeah, I do. There was no pressure from the traditional outside edge rushing outside of the Zavon Collins, which you know he got he got hosed on that, but the pressure was coming from mac Wilson and and because you're white, but more so in run situations, they were they were shooting the gaps and make a good plays, and they played excellent I thought. I thought Kazier White and mac Wilson really played an excellent ballgame. But as far as the traditional pass rush, pass rush on the outside without bringing extra players, it just it was it was non existent in my opinion. And I and I went back and looked at the game again, I just I just didn't see it. I didn't see guys continually affecting the quarterback in the sense that that he felt pressure and he felt the need to do something, and and and you know, we talked a lot too about the internal defensive line, the guys on the inside and and Justin Jones, Blond Nichols, they you know, they really especially in the run game, they they they were they were getting pushed around a little bit. They did they didn't really get the penetration. Tom Good was getting some penetration. I thought he played a pretty decent game. I thought he played well. But beyond that, the front for the Arizona Cardinals defense has got a lot of work to do this week. I think that's that's an area where it was addressed in the offseason through free agency and the draft. Obviously, with you know, with the injury to Robinson, we don't have him. But that's that's an area where this this Arizona Cardinals really need to improve and improve quickly, especially in the run game. He can't catch blocks. In this league, you have to penetrate and you have to affect the running game and and then you know, if that turns into a pass then you obviously go and make an impact in the pass game. But there needs to be more forward momentum in my opinion, for this defensive line to be effective.

Well that's your opinion. How about we get the opinion of the head coach, jag on what he thought of the pressure against Josh Allen.

I thought we had enough opportunities, especially in known pass to affect him. I think we got to capitalize more opportunities, whether that be a game, whether that be getting on the right person and that you know as a low cross or a check down or bringing him down or not fouling or you know, a free runner, get him on the ground, you know what I mean. So we just collectively got to, you know, coach and play a little bit better.

And I think he's talking about some of those plays that were near missus as I mentioned as far as Owen Papo or Dante Stills, Kaiser White nearly had an opportunity. But again, that's what makes Josh Allen so dangerous is Yeah, he's got a strong arm, but is his legs that I think really turned the tide.

In the bills favor in the second half. I don't know much, Craig, but I know this much. If you don't get pressure on Matthew Stafford, he will carve you up the whole NFL has seen it for more than a decade. So Cardinals have to figure out a way to get to Matthew Stafford.

Now.

The good news is he doesn't have nearly the escapability as Josh Allen. So if you can actually bum rush the pocket, odds are he's not going anywhere. But Sean McVay does a great job getting him on the move out.

Of the pocket.

Those half rolls, those boots, the nakeds, all that, and we've seen it. He's excellent throwing on the run. All the guys on the sideline have immense.

Respect for Matthew Staffor.

They're like he was Patrick Mahomes before Mahomes with all the arm angles, the ridiculous arm talent, you know, throwing from a side arm on an eighteen yard out all the way across the field, right on the money. And then you combine that with Kyraen Williams and what he did to the Cardinals in two games last year. Remember he was the second team All Pro running back in the NFL behind Christian McCaffrey. So and we don't want to remember how we averaged over seven yards of carry in two games against the Cardinals. So, getting back to Rob's point, the interior d line and that whole front seven. Now I shouldn't say the front seat, Kaizer White, mac Wilson Senior, you know, Buddha Bakers, Zavin Collins. Those guys combined had like forty tackles between the four of them. It's that interior defensive line and the charges on them this week. I firmly believe that, especially with the Rams team that's banged up Nopuku Nikua. You watch, they're gonna come out, They're gonna try and cram it vertical.

So what needs to change? What needs to improve defense?

Here's Roy Lopez, lean on your technique, lean on one another. We got the guys in the room and continue to be excited. You know, it's one week. We got to continue to be excited to keep you know, keep the energy going because we're good enough. You know, we got we got guys to do it and keep the fire keep rolling.

You know.

It's it's way different when you're playing with confidence and playing fast and you know, thinking too much. So we're excited to give another opportunity next week.

And you look at that film and you can without playing preseason games and figure out all right, what works what doesn't work. Now you go back for the drying board and say, all right, this is where we need to get better. So, yeah, the defense is under the gun this week.

Well, the good news is you do have an opportunity to make those corrections. You have an opportunity to see yourself on film and say that's not good enough. You know, I got to work on that this week in practice, I got a couple of days to really get after it, hone my techniques and get prepared for the upcoming game against the Rams.

By the way, Roy Lopez going full sort go on that stripsack, he came to the sideline. He's mean mugging, he's mean mugging. He's see then he's angry right, everybody's snapping him up all this celebration. Finally he let out a big old smile on the sideline because he got that strip sack. That was good stuff.

By the way. The home opener on Sunday, single game tickets on sale Noweasycardinals dot com forward slash by tickets. We'll look ahead to the first of three straight at State Farm Stadium next here on the Arizona Cardinals right do a network.

This one hangs in the air. It'll make it past the twenty, but it's taken on the five yard line by Dallas up the middle ten twenty thirty thirty five Dallas to the forty, breaks at back on bar side of midfield, forty five forty Dallas thirty five thirty twenty five, twenty Dallas to the ten to the five, dives into the end zone. It's a touchdown for the Cardinals, a kickoff return for a score and Arizona's right back in the game.

The wind knocked the pig out of the air and DJ Dallas had the opportunity to return. That ball hit the hole going one hundred miles an hour, made some great decisions running the ball. Oh my goodness, what a great play by DJ.

Dallas ninety six yards, the first of DJ Dallas's career, the first this season in the NFL with the dynamic kickoff format, DJ Dallas pulling the Cardinals to within a field goal. There was the two point run by James Connor thirty one to twenty eight with eight to thirty one left to go in the game, and yeah, huge swing for the Cardinals. Unfortunately unable to capitalize on that and they lose it thirty four to twenty eight. By the way, the first Cardinals kickoff return for a score since Week two in Chicago against the Bears David Johnson in twenty fifteen. So there is that nugget as well. It doesn't happen a lot. And you, Paul had an opportunity to catch up with DJ Dallas postgame. Let's get DJ's thoughts on exactly what he did to the Buffalo Bills.

Coach Rogers called a great return. The guys blocked it up. You know, we read the ball off the wind and caught it, made a couple moves and housed it.

At what point are you thinking, Okay, this might hit.

The guys will say yeah, he called it before, but I said before, I'm gonna try to take this one, So yeah, I kind of called it before it even happened.

The best part of that at that interview, though, Paul, is the fact that DJ mentioned, oh yeah, we ran that in preseason, ran it a lot, and ran it again and no one figured it out and busted up the middle, breaks the tackle, the fortying goes ninety six yards total.

Because I assumed it that was something they just broke out for the first time. And I asked him after the game, geez, how long you been sitting on that one, right? He's like, no, we ran it throughout the entire preseason. It hit big against the Colts, so it was hiding in playing sight. And you know what, it makes sense a reverse psychology. B you run in the preseason so you can run it to perfection in the regular season instead of trying it for real for the first time in a real game.

Well, they did run it to perfection. And now I see why the Cardinals kept four running backs. I you know, I was one of the guys that, wow, they need to only keep three and they don't need four. Why are they keeping DJ Dallas? And now I know why Okay, I recan't I apologize, Dj. I was a detractor, but now I am fully committed to you being on this team.

If you'd like to apologize in person to DJ Dallas. He is this week's guest on the Big Red Rage at Trophy in Chandler, So six pm on Thursday night, Robin. That goes for the rest of the Berg gang as well.

Tim Hovet going to be there.

That's a professional segue right there by gree by the way, And yes, I believe so to answer your question on that, Rob, here's the thing with DJ Dallas. There's always something happening around him. He's always the empa center of you know things, getting a little chippy, little rooting in a tooting, little walpin installed up and we saw it in Indianapolis. Dennis Gardack and DJ got into it the in week eighteen last year. We joked about that on last week's Big Red Rage. You know, guy walks through. I mean, how'd that work? Rob, You played in a few different teams. When you mix it up with a guy and all of a sudden your teammates kind of giving the guy the side one in your own locker room, it's a little awkward, right, Yes, season, you guys are going at it now, you're sharing a locker.

Guys, get over it so quick, Paul. I mean, come on, you scruff it up in the game, you get into it, you get a little dust up, that's fine, and then next thing you know your teammates. So it's all good.

It's all good. It's part of the business.

It's like the hockey goons, they go get a beer after fighting.

Right after hockey Day.

Yeah.

Now, the question is what does DJ Dallas do for an encore here? This week? Cardinals host the Rams on Sunday one oh five is the kickout That means pregame coverage begins at eight thirty am here on the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network. First of three straights at State Farm Stadium. Rams come in zero to one, losing on Sunday Night Football in overtime to the Lions twenty six to twenty. And yeah, Paul, earlier in the show, you mentioned no pukin Nakua. How about the offensive line. They are down to their third string left tackle, left guard Steve Avila likely headed to I are their right tackle missed week one, likely to miss week two. Their right guard is day to day with an ankle injury. So yeah, you've got a banged up Rams team on offense, despite the fact that Cooper Cup had one hundred and ten rush one hundred and ten receiving yards, Kyran Williams eighteen carries for fifty yards in that game against the Lions. But we've seen teams come in missing pieces and they're still able to get a win against the Cardinals.

Ye if I start complaining or whining about losing Jonah Williams, just remind me of what's beset the Rams on their offensive line. My goodness, here's the thing. Can you pick up where the Lions left off? And that overtime the Lions came out, they ran eight plays, seven of them were runs. I think every play except one hit for nine yards or more. I mean, they just put the plow down and they absolutely crammed it. Article with David Montgomery and Jamar Gibbs. They went right at the Rams and I would not be surprised if that's the Cardinals m to start the game. And then you see, okay, if you can established run James Connor, Trey Benson and company, and then everything can come off that because remember everybody now know Aaron Donald sixty rushing yards.

On that one and only drive in overtime by the Lions, and now you've got the Rams staring at James Connor, Trey Benson and company. I would certainly lean on the run going into this week's game.

I think that's that's what the Cardinals are going to try and do. And look for the Rams to try and do the same with Kien Williams. You know, with with pukin the coud banged up and they're usually in a three wide receiver set, so they're gonna have some challenges themselves. But with the offensive line injured that the Rams have, the offensive line do best. They run block and that's what they're going to try and do.

Fear Sean McVeigh. He'll come up with something he always does.

Eighth season for Sean McVay. McVay can't wait for him to get out of the league. By the way, you want to be in attendance on Sundayasycardinals dot Com Forward Slash by Tickets. That's Asycardinals dot Com Forward Slash by Ticket special. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes. We'll talk to you here in one week's time for Rod Frederickson, Paul KELVC. I'm Craig Real Lou. This is the Arizona Cardinals Radio Network.

You've been listening to the Cardinals RedSea Report.

It is caught by McBride. Hey, it's a touchdown foot a Baker with the sacked strip the ball where he's gonna score touchdown.

Oh baby.

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