Sparkey
10-17-2006, 03:56 PM
EMPE, Ariz. -- Frustrated Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green fired offensive coordinator Keith Rowen on Tuesday and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Mike Kruczek.
The move came hours after the Cardinals blew a 20-point lead and lost to the Chicago Bears 24-23 on Monday night.
"I've known Keith for a long time. I have the utmost respect for him," Green said. "We are not scoring enough points."
Kruczek becomes Green's third offensive coordinator in the coach's 2½ seasons in Arizona. Rowen took the job after Alex Wood was fired following the 2004 season.
"I don't hesitate to make changes. That's just who I am," Green said. "I like things to go a certain way, and if they don't, I normally do something about it."
Green said he was talking with Rowen about taking another position on the staff.
Kruczek also will remain as quarterbacks coach, a job he has held since Green arrived.
"I think his close working relationship with Matt Leinart will give us a better chance," Green said.
Kruczek was a quarterback at Boston College and backup to Terry Bradshaw with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was head coach at Central Florida for six years before joining Green's staff.
At his Tuesday news conference, Green noted that Rowen had nothing to do with the strange series of late plays that led to the Monday night collapse:
* the blindside sack of Leinart that led to Mike Brown's 3-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
* the 40-yard return of Edgerrin James' fumble by Charles Tillman for another score.
* Devin Hester's 83-yard punt return for the go-ahead touchdown.
* Neil Rackers' miss of a 41-yard field goal attempt with 53 seconds to play.
"But at certain times, you feel like you have to do something a little bit different, something that we hope will be better for us," Green said. "I think Mike is a very demanding taskmaster kind of guy. He's old school all the way, and I think that's what we're going to need right now."
Arizona has lost five straight since a season-opening victory over San Francisco and is 12-26 since Green took over. The Cardinals play at winless Oakland on Sunday.
Arizona is 14th in the NFL in points per game. Some of the other offensive statistics, though, are ugly. The Cardinals are 23rd in total offense, 25th in yards per play, 31st in yards rushing per game and 32nd in rushing yards per attempt.
James, who has yet to have a 100-yard rushing game since coming to Arizona this season, carried 36 times for 55 yards against the Bears. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most carries in NFL history for a back who averaged less than 2 yards per attempt.
Under Rowen in 2005, the Cardinals led the NFL in passing, but ranked last in rushing. He has been an NFL assistant for eight teams since 1984, including a three-year stint at offensive line coach on Green's staff at Minnesota.
The Monday night loss marked the third consecutive home game in which Arizona squandered a late opportunity to win. In a 16-14 loss to St. Louis, Kurt Warner fumbled a snap at the Rams 18 as the Cardinals were working for a winning field goal. Against Kansas City, the Chiefs rallied from 10 down in the fourth quarter to win 23-20. Rackers missed a 51-yard field goal attempt at the finish.
The move came hours after the Cardinals blew a 20-point lead and lost to the Chicago Bears 24-23 on Monday night.
"I've known Keith for a long time. I have the utmost respect for him," Green said. "We are not scoring enough points."
Kruczek becomes Green's third offensive coordinator in the coach's 2½ seasons in Arizona. Rowen took the job after Alex Wood was fired following the 2004 season.
"I don't hesitate to make changes. That's just who I am," Green said. "I like things to go a certain way, and if they don't, I normally do something about it."
Green said he was talking with Rowen about taking another position on the staff.
Kruczek also will remain as quarterbacks coach, a job he has held since Green arrived.
"I think his close working relationship with Matt Leinart will give us a better chance," Green said.
Kruczek was a quarterback at Boston College and backup to Terry Bradshaw with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was head coach at Central Florida for six years before joining Green's staff.
At his Tuesday news conference, Green noted that Rowen had nothing to do with the strange series of late plays that led to the Monday night collapse:
* the blindside sack of Leinart that led to Mike Brown's 3-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
* the 40-yard return of Edgerrin James' fumble by Charles Tillman for another score.
* Devin Hester's 83-yard punt return for the go-ahead touchdown.
* Neil Rackers' miss of a 41-yard field goal attempt with 53 seconds to play.
"But at certain times, you feel like you have to do something a little bit different, something that we hope will be better for us," Green said. "I think Mike is a very demanding taskmaster kind of guy. He's old school all the way, and I think that's what we're going to need right now."
Arizona has lost five straight since a season-opening victory over San Francisco and is 12-26 since Green took over. The Cardinals play at winless Oakland on Sunday.
Arizona is 14th in the NFL in points per game. Some of the other offensive statistics, though, are ugly. The Cardinals are 23rd in total offense, 25th in yards per play, 31st in yards rushing per game and 32nd in rushing yards per attempt.
James, who has yet to have a 100-yard rushing game since coming to Arizona this season, carried 36 times for 55 yards against the Bears. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most carries in NFL history for a back who averaged less than 2 yards per attempt.
Under Rowen in 2005, the Cardinals led the NFL in passing, but ranked last in rushing. He has been an NFL assistant for eight teams since 1984, including a three-year stint at offensive line coach on Green's staff at Minnesota.
The Monday night loss marked the third consecutive home game in which Arizona squandered a late opportunity to win. In a 16-14 loss to St. Louis, Kurt Warner fumbled a snap at the Rams 18 as the Cardinals were working for a winning field goal. Against Kansas City, the Chiefs rallied from 10 down in the fourth quarter to win 23-20. Rackers missed a 51-yard field goal attempt at the finish.