Post game Arizona chat

[Cleft Crusty]

Hi Cleft,

On the one hand :

Arizona could NOT have come off a more demoralizing 2 losses, particularly the Chicago game
Turmoil, asst coach fired, owner implies Green will be fired, rumors abounding
Playmaker Larry Fitzgerald out of the game
Rookie QB playing on the road

on the other hand :
no turnovers
play after play, the Packer running game clicked
Favre throwing smart, varied velocity passes, with good accuracy
David Martin, Ruvell Martin step up to the plate
the OL pass protection adequate (sort of)

what's your opinion of where the program's heaing at this point?

I assume you mean the Packer program. The Cardinal program is in disarray. But that fact makes it a little harder to evaluate the Packers. Arizona has five guys on the defensive line with their hand onthe ground and couldn't stop the run. Not only couldn't they stop the run, they allowed the run game to be as dominant as it possibly could be. The Packers haven't had two 100 yard rushers since Tampa laid down in the snow bowl.

The Packers appear to be pretty solid, but the depth is young, and the skill players making the difference; Favre, Green, and Woodson don't have long shlef lives. Once those guys step down or depart, it could be decades or centuries before they're replaced.

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft, who are the Cardinals going to draft at number one? It's too early to bail on Leinart, so how far will Quinn drop?

Do I look like a draft analyst? I just watch the games and follow the Packers. If I had the hair for it, I'd be on ESPN spouting crap about the draft, like Mel Kiper. All that speculation seems like a waste of time to me. Most fans seem to focus on players they've heard of, and complain when their team didn't draft the guy they liked.

[billy_oliver880]

Cleft, Do you think this game was a big step for our o-line or where the cards just terrible with their front 7?

[Cleft Crusty]

Cleft, Do you think this game was a big step for our o-line or where the cards just terrible with their front 7?

A little of both, Billy. The cards had to be dispirited to put 5 guys on the line and still get blown away. The Packers did block solidly though. It does raise an interesting thought though. People make a lot of statements about stregth of schedule and who is difficult to play and so on, but a lot of times it depends on when you play a team as much as where or who that team is. A team with a lot of injuries or turmoil may have been tougher a few weeks ago, or looked like a team to beat, but when you play them, they can be as tame a pussycats. That's life in the NFL.